On Sunday 03 February 2008, JW wrote: > Hi Openmoko community > > I created a new page to list the problems of typical "closed" phones with > the intention of informing potential Openmoko phone buyers. > > Please add your examples to the 4 I included as a starting point. > Feedback welcome! :-) > > JW > > http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Problems_of_typical_%22closed%22_phones
The 3 examples currently there are all operator issues, and may apply equally to 'open' and 'closed' handsets. * Being locked to 1 operator is because the operator provides a customised firmware version on the handsets they subsidise. Changing this is possible for a shop or a technical user, but depending on jurisdiction and contract may not be legal. There is nothing to stop the operators doing the same with an 'open' handset since the restriction is legal rather than technical. * Crippled phone features are very much like the locking example above. A firmware update to the manufacturer's default firmware will get all the features working again, but may not be legal. Again the legal restriction could be applied to an 'open' handset. * Data plan restrictions prevent the use of certain types of application, and are controlled by the operator's network. Typically in the UK there are 2 levels of 'unrestricted' data plan. The cheaper one allows web browsing from the phone handset and not much else. The more expensive one allows more or less open access. Again the restrictions are operator-imposed and will apply equally to the 'open' handset. Here are some examples where 'open' and 'closed' are really different. * Manufacturer introduces hadset with seriously buggy firmware, and discontinues support before the bugs are fixed. See http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/06/28/sony_ericsson_firmware_snub/ for a smartphone example. An older example is the Nokia 5210 where most firmware versions had a noncompliant IrDA software implementation for phonebook transfers. * Manufacturer introduces a new handset model that is essentially the same hardware with a firmware update, but firmware to enable this on the old model isn't available. * Manufacturer doesn't allow running of 3rd party apps. It may be possible with a hack, but the next firmware update may brick the expensive handset. iPhone anyone? * Manufacturer doesn't implement hardware functionality in firmware. See recent threats of class action suit against HTC: http://htcclassaction.org/ * Phone behaves in a way you consider braindead - wouldn't it be so much easier if it just did X? With a 'closed' phone you are at the mercy of the manufacturer for fixes and updates. With an open phone a sufficiently technical user can fix it themself. The average user is probably at the mercy of the community, but the community is generally more responsive to requests than handset manufacturers, and can be induced to fix things with offers of money, beer, pizza etc. _______________________________________________ OpenMoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community