Least-hassle method of getting a usable Web browser + telephony support while GPRS is enabled?

[Brolin Empey]

Hello list,

I am using QtMoko v14.  AFAIK, QtMoko does not support GSM multiplexing,
which means even if I had a working and usable Web browser for QtMoko, I
could not use telephony functionality, such as making and receiving phone
calls, while GPRS is enabled.  If I wanted to have Internet access on my
FreeRunner, what is the least-hassle method of getting a usable Web browser
+ telephony and SMS support while GPRS is enabled?  Am I better off finding
a usable proprietary phone?  Please do not suggest the iPhone because until
the iPhone 3GS was released, Apple refused to accept my money even though I
wanted their product:  the only way to buy a new iPhone in Canada from a
store was to sign a 3-year term contract with Rogers or Fido.  That is
illogical.  If I want Apple’s product, Apple should sell it to me.  I do not
want to sign a 3-year term contract.  I have no term contract with my Fido
monthly plan.  With Rogers, I would have had to sign at least a 1-year term
contract, pay a 1-time activation fee plus a System Access Fee every month.
I still had to pay a 1-time activation fee with Fido, but I do not pay any
System Access Fee nor did I have to sign a term contract.  Anyway, I decided
I am not buying an iPhone because I do not want to encourage Apple to not
sell their products to consumers, such as me, who can afford them but do not
want to sign a 3-year term contract.  Why would I want to develop an
application for a device (the iPhone) no one in Canada can buy new from a
store without signing a 3-year service agreement?  My users would have to
jailbreak their iPhone just to use my app because Apple wants control over
their platform.  I do not want an iPod Touch because then I still need a
separate phone.  I already used to have a separate phone and PDA.  I want
less devices to always carry with me, not more.  Anyway, I know this post
has turned into a rant about the iPhone.  I think if I had to choose a
proprietary phone, I would be limited to non-Android Linux phones because I
want the same OS on my phone as on my PCs, which run Ubuntu and Windows NT
(Vista, but it is still Windows NT, not Windows.), not iPhone OS, Symbian
OS, Windows CE/Windows Mobile/Pocket PC/whatever it is called now because
Microsoft loves renaming things, BlackBerry stains, or some other crappy,
ephemeral, and proprietary OS used on only 1 type of computer (cell phones
and/or PDAs).  Windows NT does not run on ARM even though modern embedded
computers are more powerful than the desktop computers Windows NT originally
ran on.  Ubuntu is based on Debian, which runs on the FreeRunner, so
QtMoko/plain Debian it is.  I do not want to start an Android rant, but
let’s just say I am avoiding Android because it is non-standard,
proprietary, uses Java (I hate Java because it is gross.) and is hyped by
the same people who hype Java:  non-programmers who do not even use it.

Thanks,
Brolin

-- 
Sometimes I forget how to do small talk: <http://xkcd.com/222/>

“If you have to ask why, you’re not a member of the intended audience.” —
Bob Zimbinski, <http://webpages.mr.net/bobz/ttyquake/>
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