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Motorola A768 Phone Loaded With Open Source

Posted by timothy on from the fits-in-one-hand dept.

Supp0rtLinux writes "According to this article over at Linux Devices and noted on here at NewsForge.com, Motorola has released a newer version of its A76x line of cellular phones. This newest release, the A768, boasts of open source softwares from Monta Vista Linux, Trolltech, and Sleepycat. The only downside is that it appears to only be available in China right now. And the older A760 released last August is still only available in Europe and Asia. Why are we in the U.S. always the last to get new cellular toys? The good news, though, is that with a Linux base and an integrated PDA and MS Office file compatibility, at least syncing this to either a Linux system or a Windows one should be fairly seamless. (A760 Review)"

7 of 200 comments (clear)

  1. US cell phones by Rosco+P.+Coltrane · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why are we in the U.S. always the last to get new cellular toys?

    Because you have several competing, incompatible cellular networks, when the rest of the world seems to have enough sense to agree on GSM. GSM is an easier, and denser market to conquer. The US market comes second, when something GSM is proven to work well commercially.

    --
    "A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
  2. A Few Reasons it isn't in the USA by al701 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    1) FCC - They have to approve every device and this takes time.
    2) Slow adoption rate. The USA isn't big on advanced cells. Not like Europe or Asia.
    3) Usually the better phones are GSM. Only recently has GSM become a real option here in the states.

    Also: If this type of stuff interestes you, check out Smart Mobs and the book, it is excellent.

  3. funny... by djupedal · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The only downside is that it appear to only be available in China right now

    Downside for you, maybe. No downside for anyone that lives/works where these devices are used.

  4. Legalities by Short+Circuit · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Not just that, but a litigation-heavy court system and a class-action popular mindset make us the last place anyone wants to try something new.

    --
    tasks(723) drafts(105) languages(484) examples(29106)
  5. also note... by segment · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Motorola claims to be the number one manufacturer of handsets in China, where IDC estimates there are 252.3 million current mobile telephone subscribers. By 2007, the Chinese mobile phone market is forecast to reach 371.4 million subscribers.

    In other words... China has the United States' (or soon will have) population already as a customer in China. Do the math... Do I release it in the US and sell about 50-100 million (wishfully thinking), or do I do with a solid 100+ million Gee willikers what would you do...

    Opinionater bastard

    --
    MoFscker
  6. Re:Marketability by Narcissus · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Excuse me if I'm mistaken, but are you trying to say that GSM is "newer technology"??

    Australia has been using GSM for at least 8 or 9 years, it's not new technology. I don't mean to offend, but the lack of US support for GSM for so many years feels, to an outsider, as though it's more because it's supported so heavily elsewhere!

    Plus, regarding the geography you have to cover: Australia, again, is about 70% of the area of the main "chunk" of the United States, and yet they don't seem to have much problem. The way I see it, with the higher population density, it would actually be more economical for the US to provide these so called "newer technologies" than Australia, for instance...

  7. But do they include the source code? by plinius · · Score: 4, Insightful

    There's no point in calling it open source if the sources aren't available. And somehow I doubt that yet another big company embracing open source will actually include the sources with the product.