Openmoko has taken the wraps off its Neo FreeRunner, a Linux-based smartphone based on the company’s open mobile-computing platform. Before you yawn about reading yet another product-introduction story — especially about a handset that lacks 3G capability — what sets the Neo FreeRunner apart is that it really is open, literally and figuratively.

The company’s black, oval-shaped smartphones are built for users to actually open. For example, buyers will be able to take the unit’s casing apart to get at the electronic circuitry. Openmoko says it will even supply the tools to make opening the device a snap.

And the handset’s flexible development platform will allow designers to create Linux-based mobile applications for specialized markets, Taiwan-based Openmoko said. The goal is to empower developers and consumers alike to personalize their devices, much like a PC.

Technical Specifications

* Size and Weight
o 4.75 x 2.44 x 0.73 inches
o 6.5 ounces (185 grams)

* Display
o Touch Screen
o 2.8″ VGA (480×640) VGA Screen

* Speed
o ARM9 @ 400 MHz
o 2D/3D Graphics Acceleration

* GSM
o Tri band 850/1800/1900 MHz
o Tri band 900/1800/1900 MHz

* Power
o Removable 1200 mAh battery

* Memory
o 128MB SDRAM
o 256MB NAND Flash
o microSD Slot

* Input and Output
o Input and Output
o 2.5 mm audio jack
o GPS external connector

* Size and Weight
o 4.75 x 2.44 x 0.73 inches
o 6.5 ounces (185 grams)

* Display
o Touch Screen
o 2.8″ VGA (480×640) VGA Screen

* Speed
o ARM9 @ 400 MHz
o 2D/3D Graphics Acceleration

* GSM
o Tri band 850/1800/1900 MHz
o Tri band 900/1800/1900 MHz

* Power
o Removable 1200 mAh battery

* Memory
o 128MB SDRAM
o 256MB NAND Flash
o microSD Slot

* Input and Output
o Input and Output
o 2.5 mm audio jack
o GPS external connector

* Hardware Highlights
o Wi-Fi (802.1 1b/g)
o AGPS
o GPRS (2.5G not EDGE)
o Bluetooth 2.0
o 3axis Motion Sensors (2)

* Software Highlights
o Openmoko GNU/Linux-based
o 100% FOSS on CPU
o GNU/Linux development tools

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