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DoCoMo to Use Linux on Phones
highwaytohell writes "News.com.au has an announcement that NTT DoCoMo in collaboration with NEC and Panasonic have developed a Linux based software platform for third generation cell phones. 'The main advantage of the new platform will be easy integration of advanced multi-media applications and efficient use of software,' NEC spokeswoman Akiko Shikimori said." This was first reported about a year ago, but the platform looks to be mostly done by now, and a new press release timed to remind us of its impending release.
The main advantage of the new platform will be easy integration of advanced multi-media applications
I also want this on my Linux desktop.
Well.. For now i just stick with my 2g telephone, and uses my laptop and wifi for grapping pr0n :)
Also 3g is way outdated.. Docomo is enrolling 4g in 2006, and they are already experimenting with 5g coorporating with my university.
The best use i can see for this is when you connect the phone to a computer, so you can get broadband wherever you are.. (but thats what WiMax was developed for)
I see nothing here that my current Nokia cant do. Is Linux realy that much better a choice then Symbian? Windows and PlamOS I'll grant you due to the whole stylus problem.
"Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
I think the main advantage will be that when NTT stops supporting these phones, the community can.
Assuming they're down with the GPL.
How about a project that emulates PalmOS on Linux? A Linux phone that runs PalmOS apps could eat the lunch of both Palm AND Windows smartphones. Not only would the phone add that many more apps to its offerings to consumers (interesting more of them), but lots of those apps are a lot more friendly to users than Linux apps, as they were developed for small mobile devices. Rather than let PalmOS get crushed by the Windows phone onslaught, let's sacrifice it to the greater glory. Everyone wins but Microsoft. If we're already running Wine, and GBA, how hard could a PalmOS API port be?
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make install -not war
I want an "iPhone", goddamnit. All the other gadgets in my life are made exclusively by Apple, except my cell phone! Come on Apple: I WANT AN APPLE CELL PHONE!
I use my phone for making phone calls, not watching movies. How many people do YOU know who need "multi-media applications" on a phone? Not trying to be a troll hree, but seriously, is it a practical application of technology, or a mere technology/fashon fad? Someone please convince me (Joe Schmoe) why I need it.
1> No licensing fees to Symbian
2> More existing apps, most of them networked, run on Linux
3> Giant developer community, free dev tools, lots of them
4> Buzzword compliance
This is good for Linux (the OS, not just the community), especially. They'll add stylus features that we can use on our desktops (and supercomputers, too, if that's your bent). Though we need not use them, just as we can use Linux with CLI or GUI. Personally, I'd prefer to repalce my mouse (trackball, really) with a stylus (my finger, really), using my keyboard only for fast data entry and email, or just when I feel like it. Linux is the OS that can be that flexible. I'd love to plug the phone into my x86 Linux box USB and use it with the bigger form factor of the bigger box and its peripherals.
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make install -not war
Someone's going to think I'm a troll, but PalmOS is really far behind. They developed originally for the low-end hardware systems with slow CPU, no MMU, and very little RAM (e.g., 128kbytes) for OS, applications and user data. This worked well for shoehorning usable applications (datebook, calendar, mail, et cetera) into tiny devices. However, PalmOS is now being asked to do things for which it was never designed.
Modern devices have fast CPU's (600MHz XScale) lots of RAM (128MB), external storage (e.g. Flash cards), and network access. If you're ever written programs for PalmOS, you'll know that the API's and development is kind of strange (everything is "Execute in Place" for example). New things like sound, network access, file IO, multi-tasking, et cetera were all added in a rather cludgy way. Linux and Windows CE handhelds work much more like "little desktop machines". As a result, they are much easier to develop for.
My other first post is car post.
GPLed or non- GPLed - its good that docomo is making the move. if we see 5 years from now - that - symbian is dead - we will be left with MS/windows. which is not such a bright idea. there are predictions in the industry that symbian will fade away. besides - linux users get to take thier pick with phones that can connect " easily " to thier choice of OS