Openmoko Publishes Schematics for Neo Phones

Bernard Cole
iApplianceWeb
(08/07/08, 8:15 AM GMT)

San Francisco, Ca. – Taking another  step in opening its mobile platform to the development community, Openmoko will be publishing the schematics for its Neo 1973 and Neo FreeRunner mobile phones.

Earlier this year, Openmoko began shipping its Neo 1973 and Neo FreeRunner mobile phones with a free and open source (FOSS) operating system and open applications, enabling developers to take the functionality of the phone well beyond the limited applications that commercial mobile phones can handle.

Openmoko has previously published the CAD files for the product under a Creative Commons license so product designers can alter the look and feel of the phone case and craft it to suit such vertical markets as fashion, science, medical, industrial, or enterprise.

Developers can also choose other materials for manufacturing the case, making more appealing to fashion tastes or enabling the phone to withstand rugged environments and harsh use.

The PIM features a 10.4-inch rugged touch screen display that shows the position of the vehicle overlaid on a map, allowing passengers in the back seat to track their progress through the city. The PIM is able to accurately and reliably track a vehicle through New York's busy streets thanks to u-blox' dead reckoning technology.

Now, Openmoko announced it will publish the schematics of the phone, giving engineers free reign to modify Neo phones. Just as Free and Open Source Software provides source code information, open schematics provide vital information to engineers who may want to add functionality, external instruments or sensors, or assist the company in debugging problems, ultimately creating a better product for the entire mobile community.

The release of the schematics will covered under a Creative Commons license and files will be posted in due course on www.openmoko.com  and www.openmoko.org.

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