Openmoko

I have a Neo Freerunner. I got it to experiment with putting Linux and GPS together on a small handheld device. The fact that it happens to have a cellphone built in was not a factor.

Then I came by a $20 cellphone SIM card so I am currently testing out its cellphone capabilities.

I am using a 4GB Sandisk MicroSD card and a T-Mobile card. To avoid well-known problems with GPS on the FreeRunner I use an external antenna.

Testing distributions

I have had so many distributions loaded, the poor thing must be very confused.

Openmoko says that the "way forward" is FSO but it's just a framework right now.

OM2008.12 - Crashed too often when I had it set up with a usable set of tools. Openmoko with OM2008.12

FSO - just a framework, not usable for anything except development. Illume

SHR - FSO + some extras - "S" is for stable but it's not done yet! Phone works. There was no "testing" rootfs so I used the "unstable" (it was the only choice!) Illume SHR

Android - Phone app crashes every 30 seconds. UI seems a bit lightweight. Seems like a toy to me.

QT Extended - very nice. Seems very solid and user interface is good. Could not find WiFi support. (Perhaps I just need extra package for wifi?)

FDOM - too much cruft, like the name says "Fat and Dirty", cluttered UI Tried it out last year around August.

Debian - planning on loading it tomorrow

Gentoo - have not tried it; hard to believe, huh?

Current set up

24-Jan-2009

Now I am putting the QT Extended image back on the phone... The developer support on the Trolltech site looks great. The user interface seemed good.

QT Extended on Openmoko

My phone

ME 354651011662048
S/N 8A8603722
DATE CODE 20080621
GSM 850/1800/1900