[MLUG] Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] I saw an OpenMoko phone today...

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

Moved to MLUG members list...


On Fri, 9 Nov 2007, Jonathan King wrote:

> On 11/9/07, Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED> wrote:

> > I can deal with a small screen if it has high resolution (e.g., a small 
> > 640x480 would be good for me).  What does the Neo1973 have, and what 
> > does your Blackberry have?
>
> I don't know the number of pixels, but it is a *very* high res screen. 
> My blackberry is probably 320x240 or slightly better; I'm not sure. What 
> my BlackBerry does have is a usable keyboard, which the Neo does not (in 
> my opinion)

I looked it up.  It's pretty amazing that the Neo1973 has a 2.8" screen 
with 480x640 pixels, that's 285 pixels per inch.  The iPhone has a bigger 
display with half as many pixels: 3.5" 320x480 at 160 ppi.

http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/IPhone


> > The iPhone has a multitouch screen. I think the Neo1973 won't have 
> > that.
>
> It didn't seem to.

But it looks like Neo1973 developers are considering multitouch:

http://lists.openmoko.org/pipermail/community/2006-December/000576.html


> > Multitouch is very cool on a small device.
>
> Actually, I think you would have needed a somewhat larger screen to pull 
> it off. And there is no way you could have used fingers to type on the 
> Neo touch screen, which would be pen/stylus only.

That's what I like about my Treo 600 -- the little built-in keypad is 
actually usable.  A keyboard is way better, obviously, but the little 
keypad works and it doesn't force you to give up any screen real estate.


> I believe so. Getting just apps to run on it wouldn't be a big issue; 
> rather it's getting apps appropriate for the size and kind of device 
> this is.

That's going to be fantastic -- just get me a cross compiler for OpenMoko 
on Neo1973 that I can use on Red Hat on my Intel box and I'm good to go! 
Just think of the amazing stuff we'll be doing.

Hey -- I just noticed that Neo1973 has built-in A-GPS which should be a 
great thing.  iPhone has no GPS.


> It's definitely an interesting idea. I think the phone is much smarter 
> than the interface at the moment, though, and there's a lot of that 
> going around. But because this is an open platform, there is more 
> promise for the future.

Exactly.  The first open-source Linux phone to come out is going to be met 
with a lot of really cool new projects.  You know the geeks will find it 
totally irresistable.  I'm very excited about the possibilities for this 
device.

Mike

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