The open source mobile phone, OpenMoko Neo Freerunner, is now available in South Africa. When Your Web AddiCT was up in Jozi this week I was lucky enough to meet Nyasha Mutsekwa, CEO of EngineeringIdeas. They have teamed up with Openmoko to distribute the Neo Freerunner to Africa. The Neo Freerunner is an open-source phone, meaning that developers and enthusiasts alike have access to the source code and hardware schematics to customize the device to their hearts content. 
Over the next couple of days i’ll be getting my hands ‘dirty’ with the OpenMoko Neo Freerunner to do the following:
- Install Google Android on the OpenMoko
- Give the OpenMoko the Web AddiCT test.. Twitter
- Finding South African Android App Stores for local content
- Install MXit Android on the OpenMoko
- Find an app that allows you to Facebook on the Neo Freerunner
- Anything else you may suggest in the comments
Pretty excited to see what the possibilities are with this open source mobile device. For the more technically inclined who want to get your hands on this phone that usually retails for R5500, Nyasha has agreed to to take R2000 off just for Web AddiCT readers (even more if you act fast). Interested? Post a comment or contact me.
Here are the OpenMoko technical specs:
Size and Weight
120.7 x 62 x 18.5 mm
133 grams
Display
Touch Screen
2.8″ VGA (480×640) VGA Screen
Speed
ARM9 @ 400 MHz
2D/3D Graphics Acceleration
GSM
Tri band 850/1800/1900 MHz
Tri band 900/1800/1900 MHz
Power
Removable 1200 mAh battery
Memory
128MB SDRAM
256MB NAND Flash
1 Gig microSD
Input and Output
Input and Output 2.5 mm audio jack
GPS external connector
Hardware Highlights
Wi-Fi (802.1 1b/g)
AGPS
GPRS (2.5G not EDGE)
Bluetooth 2.0
3axis Motion Sensors (2)
Software Highlights
Openmoko GNU/Linux-based
100% FOSS on CPU
GNU/Linux development tools
Google Android
Have you read these yet?
Installing Google Android on the OpenMoko
Google Android Phones available in South Africa
Win a Google Android phone here…
The win an OpenMoko/Google Android phone contest so far
The Winner of the OpenMoko is…
hasn't this project been canned? Would think maemo seems a much more promising in terms of linux on your phone
No the Project hasn't been canned. There is actually a very active community improving the various OSes that can run on it.
does it have a capacitive screen? i'm not even interested (no matter how cool nor for free) if it doesn't sport a capacitive screen. it is simply too frustrating