Openmoko to Publish
Schematics for Neo Phones
Openmoko, maker of open-source mobile products, states that it has opened
its mobile platform to the development community, as it’ll publish the
schematics for the Neo 1973 and Neo FreeRunner mobile phones. Openmoko
offers its phones with a free and open-source (FOSS) operating system and
open applications.
The Neo
FreeRunner went on sale July 4, 2008. In less than a week the initial Neo
FreeRunner allocation had sold out, says the company.
Openmoko
has previously published the CAD files for the product under a Creative
Commons license so product designers can alter the look and feel of the
phone case and craft it to suit such vertical markets as fashion, science,
medical, industrial, or enterprise. Developers can also choose other
materials for manufacturing the case, making more appealing to fashion
tastes or enabling the phone to withstand rugged environments and harsh
use.
Now,
Openmoko announced it’ll publish the schematics of the phone, giving
engineers free reign to modify Neo phones. Just as Free and Open Source
Software provides source code information, open schematics provide vital
information to engineers who may want to add functionality, external
instruments or sensors, or assist the company in debugging problems,
ultimately creating a better product for the entire mobile community.
Recently,
u-blox AG, Switzerland, maker of the GPS chip in the Openmoko phones,
endorsed Openmoko's publishing the complete schematics for the GPS chip in
the Neo FreeRunner phones. The schematics now document how the GPS chip is
wired into the system, providing vital information for developers who want
to leverage the GPS functionality for new designs involving the Openmoko
phones.
The
release of the schematics will be covered under a Creative Commons license
and files will be posted on openmoko.com and openmoko.org, says Openmoko.
Photo courtesy:
Openmoko
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