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It uses an OEM modem module (non-free) and PowerVR graphics (non-free). At the moment there is just no really viable open-source baseband/graphics hardware avai
by raphman 13y ago
It uses an OEM modem module (non-free) and PowerVR graphics (non-free).
At the moment there is just no really viable open-source baseband/graphics hardware available (though people are working on both).
However, building working, commercially available phone platforms is an important step towards completely open mobile phones.
Compared to an unlocked Nexus 4, Neo900 has a few crucial advantages:
* most drivers are in the mainline Linux kernel, making it easy to upgrade the kernel.
* the hardware will be completely documented, allowing me to add or modify sensors for research projects
* there are two supported non-Android OSes with working kernels, existing communities and developers.
* it has a physical keyboard
(of course, there are a lot of obvious disadvantages, too)
- rsync 13y ago"It uses an OEM modem module (non-free)" Well that's too bad, because as captainmuon hints at, above, that is the only thing that matters. The. Only. Thing. A free/open baseband processor changes everything and makes possible a world of control and new features that most phone users have no inkling of. At the very, very least they could choose a baseband processor that already has some cracks in it and then perhaps blow it wide open once there is wide adoption of these neo900 devices ... sort of establish this baseband as a "new calypso" ... but there is no mention of that. Hey neo900 folks - can you post somewhere obscure (if you're trying not to spook your bb-proc suppliers) like osmocom dev list and give us some hints as to what you hope to do here ?