OpenPhoenux project
The OpenPhoenux project by the german company “Golden Delicious Computers” (goldelico) is creating a fully free software compatible mobile handheld plattform, based upon an open hardware design. The first step was to design a motherboard fitting the Openmoko Neo Freerunner, so owners of Openmoko phones could “upgrade” their devices to state of the art hardware.
To finance the production of the first big batch of GTA04 boards, goldelico collected preorders of interested people [0]. This “Group Tour” enabled them to start production of about 200 boards, which started to ship to it’s new owners in May 2012 and the last ones are going to be shipped in the coming weeks. Now – about one year and a lot of production complications later – the first batch of GTA04A4 boards is finished [1] and the next one is being prepared [2]. It will include the new GTA04A5 board design, providing some minor bug fixes, and a now working production process.
If you’re interested in one of the new GTA04A5 boards, please subscribe to the OpenPhoenux-Community mailinglist, to get notified about the next production batch and the next round of preorder collection.
It is also possible to register your non-binding interest in one of the new GTA04a5 boards, by using the “Wishlist” functionality, this enables goldelico to estimate the demand and thus the next batch’s size.
Register non-binding interest: http://www.handheld-linux.com/wiki.php?page=GTA04
Visit the project’s website at: www.OpenPhoenux.org
Letux 2804 – Smartphone
The Letux 2804 is a smartphone providing a 2.8” touchscreen and a GTA04 core. It’s case can be produced by a 3D printer.
Technical Specifications:
- 800 MHz / 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor
- PowerVR SGX integrated graphics
- 2.84” (43mm x 58mm) VGA touchscreen
- HSDPA 3G modem
- 512MB RAM
- 512MB internal memory + micro SDHC up to 32GB
- WLAN, Bluetooth, GPS, FM Transceiver
- Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Barometric Altimeter, Camera
- USB 2.0 port, 2.5mm headset port, GPS antenna port, video out
- QtMoko, SHR, Android (Replicant), Debian, …
Letux 7004 – Tablet
The Letux 7004 is a free software centric tablet, powered by a 7.0” touchscreen and the same GTA04 core, as it’s small brother Letux 2804. This tablet was developed while solving the GTA04 production problems and is in the prototyping phase at the moment. So it’s not yet ready to order, unfortunately.
Technical Specifications:
- 1GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor
- PowerVR SGX integrated graphics
- 7” (140mm × 110mm) VGA touchscreen
- HSDPA 3G modem
- 1GB RAM
- 512MB internal memory + micro SDHC up to 32GB
- WLAN, Bluetooth, GPS, FM Transceiver
- Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Barometric Altimeter
- USB 2.0 port, 3.5mm headset port, Ethernet port, GPS antenna port, video out
- QtMoko, SHR, Android (Replicant), Debian, …
If you’re interested in high quality open hardware, “Made in Germany”, which is fully compatible with you favorite free and open source software, you should definitely track the projects mentioned above and jump in to get one of those great devices once you’re ready. I’m absolutely satisfied with my GTA04A3 early adopter board, which I’m happily using since over one year!
[0] http://lists.goldelico.com/pipermail/gta04-owner/2011-November/000679.html
[1] http://lists.goldelico.com/pipermail/community/2012-September/000091.html
[2] http://lists.goldelico.com/pipermail/community/2012-October/000103.html
