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 but lacks an ssh server. Seems very solid and user interface is good. Could not find WiFi support. (Perhaps I just need extra packages for ssh and 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...

Basics

Shutdown - hold down power key.

Wake from suspend - tap power key.

Answer a phone call -

Hang up a phone call -

Not so basic

Bring up a WiFi connection -

Using a bluetooth headset for phone calls

Using a bluetooth headphones with media player and phone calls

GPS

Tangogps is the mapping app and it needs either a network connection or cache of map tiles, and a connection to a gpsd daemon. Therefore gpsd has to be running Seems like it's set to start at boot but that this does not always work.

My phone

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