Perpetual quest for GNU smartphone

[Arie Skliarouk]

Hi,

> On Tue, May 26, 2009 at 01:05:27PM +0300, Arie Skliarouk wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> For a long time I find myself looking for an open smartphone, with
>> Linux and GPS.
>>
>> Initially I had high hopes for OpenMoko's platform, but now I think it
>> is dying for several reasons:
>>  * their's latests phone model Freerunner has audio issues
>
> Latest? Wasn't this issue resolved?

Could be. I am not tracking the development closely.

>>  * It has weak connectivity (GPRS)
>>  * There is no quality applications for it (like GPS turn-by-turn
>> navigation) due to chicken-egg problem and lack of DRM.
>
> You want a free platform?

Yes, I want a free platform.
I did not meant to say that lack of DRM is an disadvantage (actually I think
the opposite). I just said that lack of DRM is one of the reason why
professional developers do not develop for the FreeRunner.

The Android's combo of developer's and layman's versions of the phone looks
like it is appeasing enough for professional developers to develop
applications for the layman's version of the phone. The method is deficient
as well, as the developer's model can not use Android Market for non-free
applications.

>> This makes me look into direction of Android G1.
>
> The Android may be Linux. But it is not GNU/Linux . The userspace is
> completely different. Userspace GNU/Linux applications you know can work
> on the Moko, but generally won't work on an Android.

Right.
My hope on this is that the popularity of the platform and relative openness
of the developer's version (see http://lwn.net/Articles/331908/) would make
the phone to be both Linux and Android compatible.

I would like to repeat my original questions, so they would not get lost in
the details:

Do anybody knows more about andnav2 and Israel support?
>
> Also, do any of the Israeli phone carriers plan to import Android-based
> phones?
>

--
Arie
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