Salve Sean! On Thu, 07 Dec 2006, Sean Moss-Pultz wrote:
> On 12/7/06 12:00 PM, "Christopher Heiny" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Do we really want a shiny geek toy? Something that is super cool and > > technologically advanced, but only nerds will want to hack on? > > > > Or should we be working toward a solid OpenSource platform that will > > encourage other phone manufacturers to build on it and in turn give their > > work back to the community? > > The latter please ;-) I don't see a big dualism, big contradiction in the two statements. The hacks of the nerds could be good backends for smart solution. E.g. to make things faster, more efficient and reduce the needed bandwidth as much as possible. The frontent/GUI usability concepts is a different point, I beleave that all of use want that thier ideas and hacks are useable and will be used from as much as possible people - so usability is a second important point. Development is like walking into circles - it is not so important where to start, but it is importanted to change the perspective as much as possible - e.g. see the backend hacks from the prespective of end users regulary (from time to time) and then go back to make the backends more usable/powerfull. Also drawing (new) concepts for the user IO (GUI) would be helpfull, but IMHO isn't it needed that the GUI is realy programmed as first stepp - just some short text or quick drawings should be good enough. Second, adding SPI contacts to the circuit board or adding on FPGA to the Neo1973 isn't just a "geek toy". Since > 7 years there is a growing market for GSM-terminals, used into -maut systems -maschines for remote access -wether stations -traffic systems -... GSM + mobil computer isn't only belong to handheld mobil phones. These GSM-terminals are expensive, because they are sold for the expensive industrial embedded system marked. A dual use product - same device - maybe other case or selfmade modification would encrease the market potential of the Neo1973 dramaticaly. Together with AGPS the Neo1973 and open Linux will break into this embedded system market and will open new markets. THIS is also important for FIC and for their stock holder. It would be a big foult to think one about another multimedia smartphone. Thinking in a way smartphone = mobil PC + GSM/GPRS + AGPS is absolutly *not* the idea of a shiny geek toy that I like to play with - I think about a revolution of mobil PC power with a high industrial, commercial power. The Neo will be much more than a phone - giving them more IO capacy (SPI) or even more better a special eddition with on FPGA will be moblilPC-revolution² (power of two). It will also give all OpenMoko developer much much more economic perspective when the Neo1973 is not only a dumb smartphones like the others on the market. AGPS + 480x640 + Gnu/Linux will make the Neo1973 very interesting for navigation devices (AFAIK is there no AGPS pocket navigation system on the market, yet). Just one SPI connection to one FPG - or better one FPG with SPI (or better connection) between SoC and SD could be used to shortend the time for routing calculation dramaticaly: http://lists.openmoko.org/pipermail/community/2006-December/000635.html So this FPGA could be placed into design now, without having the FPGA programming to use it. OpenMoko hacker would find a solution and the Neo1973 would beat every pocket navigation system - and this enhancement would be flashable for all Neo1973 users: - good press feedback to sell more Neo1973 - good press feedback for the FIC stock quotation So don't think in category of "toy" - even when playing with ideas is the spring of new ideas. Cheers, rob PS: And remember the power of opencores And it seems that here are some free cores: http://www.opencores.org/browse.cgi/by_category 10/100 Mbit/s Ethernet USB 2.0 .... With the FPG between SoC and USB jack, the usb port could become to be Ethernet .... When the neo1973 would have two audio connectors - audio in/audio out - audio out/composit video out or even maybe - audio in/composit video in All with the same connectors, the solutions could be done by some hackers and be become official part of OpenMoko some day. But the "culture medium" the basic for all such development would be a hardware which would makes hardware/FPGA development possible. Last argument - FPGA developerboards are expensive. As more OpenMoko/Neo1973 would be populare for hacking and education, for developing and prototyping, for starting own business with solutions on this plattform with special software or even hardware solutions the more would be OpenMoko be populare and grow and would evolve a much bigger potential - a full toolbox to make real smart phones for the mass market :) _______________________________________________ OpenMoko community mailing list [email protected] http://lists.openmoko.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/community
