On the 25th of June 2008, OpenMoko started shipping the world’s first mass-market, completely “open” Linux mobile phone: the Neo FreeRunner (GTA02). The novelty of the FreeRunner lies in the open nature of both its hardware and its software. Dash, a satellite navigation device maker, has already taken advantage of the freely-available hardware blueprints to produce the Dash Express, the first in-car navigation device with a permanent Internet connection.
Until then, limited stocks of OpenMoko phones had been targeted at developpers but most of the hardware and software issues seem to have been addressed through the second version of the product, which is finally being shipped 9 month after the initial deadline to distributors in Germany, France and India.
With a suggested retail price of US$ 400.00, the FreeRunner is not tied to any carrier: it works with any 2.5G tri-band GPRS or GSM network. It features accelerometers, Bluetooth, WiFi and Assisted GPS.
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