Comments on: OpenMoko http://itredux.com/2007/09/17/openmoko/ New Rules for a New IT World Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:04:00 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Andy Selby http://itredux.com/2007/09/17/openmoko/comment-page-1/#comment-591327 Andy Selby Wed, 28 Nov 2007 22:15:39 +0000 http://itredux.com/blog/2007/09/17/openmoko/#comment-591327 Has anyone actually tried making enquires to FIC about an alternately layed-out neo? Contact Sean Moss-Pultz. I'm sure they would appreciate your business more than Apple. Has anyone actually tried making enquires to FIC about an alternately layed-out neo? Contact Sean Moss-Pultz. I’m sure they would appreciate your business more than Apple.

]]> By: Bhupinder Chawla http://itredux.com/2007/09/17/openmoko/comment-page-1/#comment-423918 Bhupinder Chawla Tue, 18 Sep 2007 02:28:35 +0000 http://itredux.com/blog/2007/09/17/openmoko/#comment-423918 I wrote on the Apple Forum and requested to be provided with and SDK and API to write a Skype-like phone for the iPod Touch. But Apple said it is not releasing this at present time. What we need is Skype on iPod Touch. Imagine all the educational institutes having wireless access for their students, for whom it is freely accessible. If they had a Skype-like solution on this platform, there would be no need for paying carriers any more. As it is I cannot understand why I should select a carrier to select a phone. Why is there no anti-trust regulation against this? I will select a device, and then chose a carrier which can service that device best! I am ready to spend my time and energy to build such a solution on iPod Touch. Any takers and ideas? I wrote on the Apple Forum and requested to be provided with and SDK and API to write a Skype-like phone for the iPod Touch. But Apple said it is not releasing this at present time.

What we need is Skype on iPod Touch. Imagine all the educational institutes having wireless access for their students, for whom it is freely accessible. If they had a Skype-like solution on this platform, there would be no need for paying carriers any more.

As it is I cannot understand why I should select a carrier to select a phone. Why is there no anti-trust regulation against this? I will select a device, and then chose a carrier which can service that device best!

I am ready to spend my time and energy to build such a solution on iPod Touch.

Any takers and ideas?

]]> By: Ismael Ghalimi http://itredux.com/2007/09/17/openmoko/comment-page-1/#comment-422751 Ismael Ghalimi Mon, 17 Sep 2007 20:32:16 +0000 http://itredux.com/blog/2007/09/17/openmoko/#comment-422751 Andrew, We're getting there... -Ismael Andrew,

We’re getting there…

-Ismael

]]> By: Andrew Baldwin http://itredux.com/2007/09/17/openmoko/comment-page-1/#comment-422689 Andrew Baldwin Mon, 17 Sep 2007 20:17:59 +0000 http://itredux.com/blog/2007/09/17/openmoko/#comment-422689 I was about to write a comment along the lines of "why bend the hardware to meet software? Especially when software is almost infinitely flexible?" when I read this post and see that some of my concerns are being covered. The main thrust of my suggestion would be why not use Linux as a baseline? You can configure it to look like Mac OS X — Google for several KDE skins and "HOWTO" documents on mouse over enlargements and other eye candy. The main reason though is not the look and feel but the flexibility offered with Free/Open Source Software (FOSS). I know I'm speaking to a largely sympathetic audience, so I'll try to keep off my soapbox but... 1) You can configure the kernel, drivers etc. to meet exactly your device's needs — build what you want and leave out the bloat associated with hardware support for things you'll never use. 2) There's a huge amount of software available, allowing you to tailor it to the audience's needs. 3) You could load up Apache, MySQL, and a scripting language (Perl, Python, PHP or Ruby) and have a real application server. Why would you want to do that? Well, add in a Zoho / Thinkfree / OpenOffice.org and you then have an Office 2.0 server which you can carry around with you. The advantages of taking head office with you and only requiring a browser (well a network as well, obviously!) to give others access wherever you are. Plus you are keeping the files under your control... Quite a good sales vehicle for the concept... 4) Add in Ruby on Rails and you can configure database driven, professional looking, tailor made applications / presentations / demos with relative ease — almost on demand whilst you're sitting in a train / airport lounge. 5) With ssh or scp, updating and backing up become simple and secure. One final comment on the hardware... where's the microphone input? Add that and some VOIP software, and you've got phone functionality. Even without the phone you could implement a simple "dictaphone" recorder or (and this would require more storage) voice to text. Build that for 500 USD / 350 EUR or 250 GBP and I'd buy one... I was about to write a comment along the lines of “why bend the hardware to meet software? Especially when software is almost infinitely flexible?” when I read this post and see that some of my concerns are being covered.

The main thrust of my suggestion would be why not use Linux as a baseline? You can configure it to look like Mac OS X — Google for several KDE skins and “HOWTO” documents on mouse over enlargements and other eye candy.

The main reason though is not the look and feel but the flexibility offered with Free/Open Source Software (FOSS). I know I’m speaking to a largely sympathetic audience, so I’ll try to keep off my soapbox but…

1) You can configure the kernel, drivers etc. to meet exactly your device’s needs — build what you want and leave out the bloat associated with hardware support for things you’ll never use.

2) There’s a huge amount of software available, allowing you to tailor it to the audience’s needs.

3) You could load up Apache, MySQL, and a scripting language (Perl, Python, PHP or Ruby) and have a real application server. Why would you want to do that? Well, add in a Zoho / Thinkfree / OpenOffice.org and you then have an Office 2.0 server which you can carry around with you. The advantages of taking head office with you and only requiring a browser (well a network as well, obviously!) to give others access wherever you are. Plus you are keeping the files under your control… Quite a good sales vehicle for the concept…

4) Add in Ruby on Rails and you can configure database driven, professional looking, tailor made applications / presentations / demos with relative ease — almost on demand whilst you’re sitting in a train / airport lounge.

5) With ssh or scp, updating and backing up become simple and secure.

One final comment on the hardware… where’s the microphone input? Add that and some VOIP software, and you’ve got phone functionality. Even without the phone you could implement a simple “dictaphone” recorder or (and this would require more storage) voice to text.

Build that for 500 USD / 350 EUR or 250 GBP and I’d buy one…

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