[ANN]: GTA04 (Beagleboard inspired Openmoko Upgrade) - Early Adpoter Program

[Dr. H. Nikolaus Schaller]

Hi Marco,

Am 22.12.2010 um 16:18 schrieb Marco Trevisan (Treviño):

> Il giorno mar, 21/12/2010 alle 16.33 +0100, Dr.H.NikolausS ha scritto:
>> Dear all,
>> 
>> we are happy that we can make an announcement to the Free and
>> Open Hardware Community, right in time for X-mas and New Year:
>> 
>> We have finally tested, understood and patched the bugs of the
>> first GTA04 sample board (a.k.a. GTA04A2) and have successfully
>> started U-Boot. We can access the important peripherals like
>> display, touch screen, and MMC card.
> 
> This is great, however can be planned for a quite near future to support
> also a different case (the Openmoko one is too thick compared to the
> ones used by the actual mobile hardware!) with maybe another LCD
> (capacitive?) and, above all a camera, the most requested hardware
> feature when the GTA02 was designed! :P

The GTA04 design has a connector for an optional camera module that even
fits into the existing case (although you have to drill a hole). But we have not
yet tested it.

You will also be able to connect a different LCD through expansion connectors
that we are currently adding to the GTA04A3 design. Unfortunately, this makes
the design even thicker. Miniaturization is in contradiction with
expansion/flexibility.

The touch screen controller is a TSC2007 which can only handle resistive
touch, but you can connect a capacitive controller as well.

Regarding case design it is open to you to come up with new designs
and production methods (e.g. rep-rap, makerbot, ...). We are happy to
support you with knowledge. And if we finally see a project that receives
applause by the community we want to help to make it a repeatable
procedure so that everyone can make or buy one.

A general note on thickness - the main factor is thickness of the battery
and the LCD module. And, of course, the display bezel is (unneccesarily)
thick. So there are ways for a thinner case (with same functionality).

Happy (plastics) hacking,
Nikolaus