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.
GPS
Roadmap or Navit ? http://www.onkelinx.com/qtopia.on.neo
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
