Slashdot Mirror
No More OpenMoko Phone
TuxMobil writes "Bad news for FreeRunner fans: development of the first Open Source smartphone will be discontinued. (English translation via Google)
OpenMoko executive director Sean Moss-Pulz said at OpenExpo in Bern (Switzerland)
that the number of staffers will be reduced to be able to stay in business. OpenMoko
had high intentions: the offspring from Taiwanese electronic manufacturer First International Computer (FIC)
wanted to produce an Open Source smartphone. Not only with Open Source software pre-installed, but with
free drivers and open specifications of the hardware components. This would give programmers as well
as users complete freedom. Up to now the manufacturer has produced two models, the first has sold 3,000 units and
the second one 10,000. Both models were targeted primarily to developers. From the beginning,
OpenMoko had to fight with different problems. The smartphones came onto the market after a huge delay. Some phones
came with construction defects. Also, changes in the team slowed down the development. Software development
for the current smartphone will be continued but with fewer resources, Moss-Pultz said. He still hopes the
community will support the FreeRunner."
By the way, in most cases, a good test of your idea is if others are doing similar things as you. If you are trying to create a business or product and nobody else is doing anything even close, odds are pretty good something is wrong with your idea.
[sarcasm]
You are absolutely right. We should all copy Symbian. Phone innovation is absolutely worthless. Why would anybody buy a phone that was different? The iPhone was obviously popular because it was just like all other phones available in the US at that time.
[/sarcasm]
Copying what is out there just leads to cheap knock-offs. Technology and even art only progress through the appearance of new ideas, and in the mobile phone arena, new ideas are desperately needed. The cellphone OS industry is stagnating, and the iPhone has begun to drive it in the wrong direction, and Android is proving to be as locked up -- or nearly so -- as the iPhone (not that Apple ever cared about user Freedom or "Think[ing] Different[ly]").
OpenMoko's problems mean that there will once again be no alternative to secretive, closed handset manufacturers. This is a sad day for Freedom.
All data is speech. All speech is Free.