Re: [Fsuk-manchester] Advice on mobile phones please

[Tim Dobson]

On 18/11/2007, Iain Roberts <address@hidden> wrote:
> - Something on which I can connect to the Internet and sensibly browse the 
> web without paying a fortune.
> - Ability to use an SSH client so I can connect to customer servers.
> - If at all possible, an open platform that plays nicely with GNU/Linux.
>

I should be able to provide a *bit* of advice here, though by no means
am I an expert.
Firstly you might be best off with a iPAQ PDA running OPIE GNU+Linux
instead of a phone, (other people on here know more about this than
me)
but assuming you really want a phone: here goes

I am also in a similar situation; i have a nokia 3310, retro i know,
but it works and is tough to break :)
but i'd like a phone that does most of those other things... which is
why I'm going to get one of these:

I have been looking at the openmoko project and the Neo1973 mobile
phone which openmoko is designed for.

>From wikipedia: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenMoko)
>OpenMoko is a project in the early stages of development to create a
software platform for smartphones, using free software.
>The aim is to create a general-purpose Linux distribution for mobile phones.

>From wikipedia: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo1973)
>The Neo1973 (made by FIC) is the first smartphone to support the
OpenMoko software platform. It also can run the Qtopia platform.

the Neo1973 is due to come out sometime at the end of December
beginning of january.

it will have
GSM
Bluetooth 2.0
GPRS
AGPS
WiFi
USB 1.1 Slave & Host
2.5-mm audio jack

and will be totally free software, even down to the GPS drivers which
I am told are hard to come by(?)

It will be touch screen(480×640) and looks like a potential iphone killer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:1112FIC326x550.jpg

* with a wifi card you should be able to browse the web from any open
wireless spots; much cheaper than GPRS, though I imagine you could do
that as well.
*obviously running ssh on it should be no problem
*if it *is* GNU+LINUX it is likley to work well with it, and you can't
get much more open than _all_ free software....
*it also has a certain wow factor to it
* the only downside is really price; it is likly to cost about £225 +
~£50 import costs. - I'd insure it when i get it, as there are no
support people in the uk currently.







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