How to get started with Openmoko phone?

[Ben Wong]

On Sun, Jun 7, 2009 at 5:57 PM, Mike<mikeumo at gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks, Rene --
>
> I just ordered the freerunner -- very exciting!

  Excellent.  You may want to check the GSM firmware version when you
get it.  I received my phone recently and it had an old firmware on it
(version 8 instead of 11, I think).  The phone mostly worked, but I
couldn't do GPRS until I flashed the GSM firmware.

Here's the page for how to update it:

  http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/GSM/Flashing

Note that, although the web page describes the procedure as a
lobotomy, it's not nearly so scary, even using the step-by-step
method, which I did.  Even easier, there's a microSD image you can
download that automates the procedure for you.

  By the way, the advice to just buy a SIM card instead of a whole
plan is the right one.  That way you won't be locked into a year long
contract.  I'm using T-mobile and it works great; data is unlimited
and the price is fair.  I've heard T-mobile's coverage is not as good
as AT&T's in the US, but it hasn't been a problem for me.  My only
complaint is that ping times are often over 1000ms, and I'm not even
sure that that's T-mobile's fault.

--Ben