In all fairness, I don't think he's a troll, it just appears that the device doesn't meet his needs. Let me put something out there that is VERY VERY clearly stated. The Freerunner is not ready for a consumer grade device today. The hardware that will be available soon is intended for DEVELOPERS to build their applications on the Openmoko platform so that when the device is launched to end-users, there will be a wide selection of usable applications. If you buy a freerunner before the mass market launch, do not feel upset that a feature isn't there because this stage is intended for people writing those features.
That said, advanced Linux users, or people who just like poking around at cool things can have a ton of fun with these devices at this early stage too. :) Point by point: ** old TI GSM modem, recamping once a minute(!) to the mobile station, eating battery like crazy and very unreliable. A TI engineer asked me if they (openmoko) got the chips for free, as they are so ancient - no EDGE, GPRS w/ 2KB/s. Openmoko is likely the last buyer. ** This may actually be truish. From what I understand, 3G GSM modules are essentially 100% "closed", non-free or restrictive. Take your pick. Openmoko's goals are openness and the current landscape doesn't allow that to be met with 3G. This is why there's a potentially "ancient" system. The Model T got people around. :) This ancient GSM module makes calls and sends SMS messages just fine. The battery thing is being dealt with, it's a matter of the software. *** audio quailty on the headphone is lousy due to a hardware bug - as mp3 player useless *** A bug I reported (http://docs.openmoko.org/trac/ticket/1377) means it fails at being a personal audio player for now. The headset that came in the box with the 1973 and the Freerunner aren't particularly good, but that's ENTIRELY a subjective thing. I connect my 1973 to my car's AUX input and it sounds just fine. The issue he has is with the headset, not the jack. Either way, his assessment is true - headset quality and audio issues make using the Freerunner as a DAP impossible today. *** headphone only mono. i.e. only one side works *** This is wrong, mmontour corrected it it on Slashdot. *** headphone unusable for making phone calls due to EM-interferences *** Not sure if it's EM interference, but all the software I've used simply couldn't route the GSM stuff to the headset. I'm assuming it's a software issue but this is true in my experience, the included headset can't be used to make calls. *** no bluetooth headset support *** Again, a software issue. There is a bluetooth profit to play audio through headsets, I'm assuming that can work on Openmoko hardware but hasn't been adapted to do that yet. *** no bluetooth keyboard support (dropped since last version) *** Software issue. ScaredyCat's images do it quite easily. But the ASU (latest version) and the FSO do not. *** graphics sluggish and even slower than Neo 1973 despite 2D accel chip *** Fact. *** GPS has >10 minutes TTFF - yes, in 2008 where every cheapo GPS gets a fix in 45secs *** I've not gotten a fix EVER on the GPS - it's a software issue, I assume because I've gotten the GPS hardware to respond while poking at it. *** developer community alienated by Lauer & Co. GNOME knew why they kicked Rasterman out. *** Actually, this one might be trolling. I don't know about social politics, and frankly don't care. True or not, it's not relevant to the hardware sucking or being amazing. *** so called ASU software is pre-alpha and reinventing the wheel once again *** Fact. On Wed, Jun 25, 2008 at 6:17 PM, Andy Selby <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> That said, Openmoko is getting a lot of attention right now because of >> that article, so it's probably a very good thing to have some form of >> anticipation building message or teaser product there to keep the hype >> going... > > Not all of it good, If anyone has mod points on slashdot can they mod > this guy down? http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=595147&cid=23939209 > He's obviously registered that account just now to troll on the project. > _______________________________________________ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community