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View Full Version : FIC Neo1973 Phase One - Anyone tried/seen it?


Old Pink
July 12th, 2007, 07:00 PM
Was blogging about the FIC Neo1973 last night, first device to run the GNU/Linux based Openmoko platform, was wondering if anyone here had bought/used one? I know there's a few developers and coders here. :)

Would be interested in seeing more of it, looking forward to buying a Phase 2 public device. :)

Here's the blog post: http://www.mbhoy.com/11-07-2007/fic-neo1973-phase-one :)
chadlewis
July 12th, 2007, 07:14 PM
I ordered it the minute it was released, but it hasn't arrived yet. I received an order confirmation, but no ship confirmation.

I'm a software developer by trade, with a number of years in Windows Mobile and Palm OS. I've been wanting to get into open source development for a while now, and this device seems like a good way for me to do that. I don't have a whole lot of free time, so my plan for now is to port existing applications, either by modifying the existing gui or writing entirely new ones.
Old Pink
July 12th, 2007, 07:32 PM
I ordered it the minute it was released, but it hasn't arrived yet. I received an order confirmation, but no ship confirmation.

I'm a software developer by trade, with a number of years in Windows Mobile and Palm OS. I've been wanting to get into open source development for a while now, and this device seems like a good way for me to do that. I don't have a whole lot of free time, so my plan for now is to port existing applications, either by modifying the existing gui or writing entirely new ones.

Brilliant, be sure to post here with as much detail as humanely possible when it arrives. ;)

I'd be interested in talking to you about it for a blog post, once you've used it for a while, if that's OK? :)
Redache
July 12th, 2007, 10:49 PM
I think I'm going to get one when the public version is released, or if I really start to itch for it I'll get the Dev version. It does look like the coolest mobile phone ever made and shows how much most manufacturers add to the cost of a device.

Did they say if the price will stay the same for the public or will it change?
Old Pink
July 12th, 2007, 11:11 PM
Phase Two will be $350-$450, according to most sites, all of which say a different price. :)

Have a look on the wiki, or email them a question? Chances are they don't know yet.
Andrewie
July 13th, 2007, 04:05 AM
Phase Two will be $350-$450, according to most sites, all of which say a different price. :)

Have a look on the wiki, or email them a question? Chances are they don't know yet.

its going to be 450 for the base one, and 600 or 650 for the developer version. These are for the Phase two phones. Right now they haven't shipped out any phones right now. Phase Two is going to be a lot better then the current one out now. off the top of my head its going to have wifi, a better battery and a faster cpu. There is more stuff but I can't remember off the top of my head.
chadlewis
July 13th, 2007, 02:59 PM
Brilliant, be sure to post here with as much detail as humanely possible when it arrives. ;)

I'd be interested in talking to you about it for a blog post, once you've used it for a while, if that's OK? :)

I'll be sure to start a thread once it arrives (with pics!), and update it with my experiences as I go. I'll reply here with a link. Feel free to use any of the info on your blog.
Old Pink
July 16th, 2007, 02:31 AM
its going to be 450 for the base one, and 600 or 650 for the developer version. These are for the Phase two phones. Right now they haven't shipped out any phones right now. Phase Two is going to be a lot better then the current one out now. off the top of my head its going to have wifi, a better battery and a faster cpu. There is more stuff but I can't remember off the top of my head.

$450 = £225

iPhone starts at $499 (minus contracting)

Interesting. Not as cheap as it's hyped up to be. :(


I'll be sure to start a thread once it arrives (with pics!), and update it with my experiences as I go. I'll reply here with a link. Feel free to use any of the info on your blog.

Thanks alot. :D

PM me if you want linkbacks to anything :P
agurk
July 16th, 2007, 04:01 AM
I wouldn't mind swapping the GPS for a camera, but I'm excited about this phone nevertheless. Looking forward to the report, thread bookmarked.
Syke
July 16th, 2007, 08:42 AM
$450 = £225

iPhone starts at $499 (minus contracting)

Interesting. Not as cheap as it's hyped up to be. :(

No comparison. Neo1973 will be unlocked and without a contract. iPhone is carrier locked and requires a 2 year contract.

Compare that to a Nokia N95. Straight from Nokia and unlocked - US$750. CarPhoneWarehouse with a carrier plan - FREE.

In other words, that required contract is worth many hundreds of dollars.
Old Pink
July 16th, 2007, 12:19 PM
No comparison. Neo1973 will be unlocked and without a contract. iPhone is carrier locked and requires a 2 year contract.

Compare that to a Nokia N95. Straight from Nokia and unlocked - US$750. CarPhoneWarehouse with a carrier plan - FREE.

In other words, that required contract is worth many hundreds of dollars.

Ah, you must be sherlock. ;)

I know how much it's worth, check my thread: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=488048

Granted, the contract is worth a lot, but in reality however you use the Neo1973 you're going to be paying, pay as you go or contact, still costs. :)

I'd rather pay for the Neo, even if the iPhone was cheaper. :)
chadlewis
August 1st, 2007, 01:39 PM
Finally got mine last night, but documentation is sparse, and the thing shipped with boot errors. As an application developer, this is frustrating. I assumed they'd at least have shipped it with a kernal installed, but that appears not to be the case. It's going to be a while before I'm able to get the thing to boot properly, let alone develop any apps.
chadlewis
August 1st, 2007, 02:01 PM
After a little research, it looks as though I probably received a free phase 0 phone, instead of the phase 1 phone I ordered. This would explain the issues with my order (why they haven't charged me yet), and also the fact that it came with no kernal pre-installed. It'll be a little more work, but I'll take it, if it means saving $300.
Syke
August 1st, 2007, 05:06 PM
Mine arrived last week. It also wouldn't boot, but it was quite easy to flash the 2 images to the device, and now it runs well.

It's by no means small, but it's a good size. It feels solid and well constructed. As expected due to it being a developer version, there aren't many apps that work. That should change soon as everyone starts porting apps to it.

My only real complaint is there is no place to store a stylus. I hope they add a small stylus to the case, like a Nintendo DS.
srt4play
August 1st, 2007, 05:37 PM
Can you guys post some pics? I am so excited to get this phone when phase 2 comes out.
macogw
August 1st, 2007, 05:40 PM
Well I saw it at Ubucon in February, but the battery was dead, so no. I'm hoping someone writes a voicedialing program for it. And if not, that the next phone they do has buttons.
chadlewis
August 1st, 2007, 08:57 PM
I took some pictures of it last night, nothing spectacular, but I should be able to put them online a little later. There are some pretty good photos on Flickr though. Try searching for neo1973 and openmoko.
chadlewis
August 10th, 2007, 08:55 PM
Selling my neo (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120150320320), in case anyone is interested.
DeadSuperHero
September 29th, 2007, 05:57 PM
I totally can't wait to get one.
I'd love to have a camera on it, as well as:
-wifi reciever
-Skype
-A modified Banshee or AmaroK with a simplified interface.
-Pidgin

Eventually, there's going to be tons of apps ported onto this, and they'll be awesome.

I wonder what it'd be like with e17 on it, that would be perfect for a mobile device...