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.

Comments

Multimedia

[Anonymous Coward]

The main advantage of the new platform will be easy integration of advanced multi-media applications

I also want this on my Linux desktop.

Pine?

[Doc Ruby]

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?

Re:Pine?

[Greyfox]

You mean like this?

That thing's been around forever. That's the nice thing about Linux -- you think "Gee wouldn't it be nice if FOO" and when you look, FOO has been around forever.

So much for Ballmer

[RealAlaskan]

So much for Ballmer's threats. Maybe Microsoft will be the next litigious bastards?

Q: How can you tell the Titanic is sinking?
A: They keep rearranging the deck chairs, and reassuring us that the ship is too big to sink.

Multi-media apps?

[PMJ2kx]

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.

Re:Multi-media apps?

[BrookHarty]

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?

Humm, I was watching real-tv news on my phone at lunch while I waited for my meal, also watched the news in a waiting room this week.

During my boss's meeting I was browsing CNN news and local news.

I did it, because I could. I also have SMS pages, and email pictures I take on the phone.

Connect via Bluetooth for my wireless headset.

Depends on your job, but the phone also has video conferencing so I can see servers and cable wiring remotely, comes in handy when we have smart hands (techs working on misc hardware).

I use it, most people at my work use it. OF course I work for a telco, and we have lots of cool phones. ;)

rather Linux + phone

[Doc Ruby]

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.

Scriptable phones

[RedFireGuy]

Emacs jokes aside, what would be really nice is to have some scripting language backing these phones so I could have the phone be a little smarter about fr'instance when to interrupt me.

(def ring-loud-p (caller)
"Checks whether the phone should ring LOUD"
(if (and (eq 'girlfriend caller)
(> 10 (getAmbientNoiseLevel))
t
nil)) )
--

Linux - secure telephony?

[mwilliamson]

Ok, this is the PERFECT opportunity to introduce and deploy SSL to the telephony world. OpenSSL could first be used to secure (and authenticate) mobile to mobile traffic, then mobile to wireline and even wireline to wireline via inexpensive linux-based SSL "adapters" that could go between your POTS jack and telephone(s). The telephony world could use a good dose of end-user-empowering crypto.

Are you on crack?

[kryonD]

"When will the Japanese make their phones compatable with the rest of the world?

People on Slashdot complain about the U.S. being isolationist when it comes to cell phone technology. It's worse in Japan."

No it's not!! What universe have you been living in? DoCoMo has been trying to get into the American market for years. It's our own fault for pressuring our government to impose high import tarrifs so we can hold our heads high buying 2nd gen crap "made in the USA". Why in God's green Earth would the Japanese want to downgrade their phones to be compatible with "the rest of the world". As it stands, DoCoMo's i-Mode technology is spreading quite well in parts of Europe, China, and Korea.

Also, I know for a fact that AU (I think Vodafone bought them last year) has a phone that is capable of roaming pretty much anywhere in the northern hemisphere. I'm also fairly certain that DoCoMo offered a phone with those capabilities, but I had no desire to pay the extra mony and just stuck with my D505i which STILL blows away most of the phones here in the US, even though it's 2nd Gen 2G tech in Japan. I plan on returning to Japan in 2 years and I guarantee my first act after finding a place to live will be to re-acquire a real phone.

Calling Japan isolationist when it comes to cell phones is like calling Italy isolationist when it comes to Lasagna. If you already produce the best in the world, what exactly do you need to import?