New Phone Project (MiniMoko) : Which functionalities ?

[Thomas HOCEDEZ]

Hi,

As you might have read, Always Innovating (A.I.), is opened to think 
about a collaboration between them and us (Openmoko community)  to build 
a phone based on their MiniBook.

This device is a MID, without phone capabilities (except VoIP). So the 
idea is to build something together on that basis.
I don't want AT ALL to shortcut GTA04 project, which is vital for 
everyone, so the main idea would be to improve a bit the MiniBook, 
generating a "lite" version of the GTA04. By "lite", I suggest not to 
overload the bill & motherboard with extra features that GTA04 will bring.

More, The MiniBook have to stay an A.I. product, this mean, it must be 
linkable to the others as it does today.

For information, MiniBook has already impressive specs :

    * TI <http://www.ti.com> cortex-A8 with 3D and video acceleration
    * 512MB (RAM) + 256MB (NAND) Memory
    * Main storage: 8GB microSD card
    * 480x320 3.5" capacitive touchscreen
    * 30fps VGA front webcam
    * Wifi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth class 2.1
    * Video output HDMI HD
    * Two high-quality stereo speakers
    * Internal microphone
    * Headphone jack
    * 3-dimensional accelerometer
    * One 1500 mAh battery
    * Bi-color silver/black case
    * 64mm x 106mm x 9.3mm
    * Secured attachment of the MID into a Touch Book Table

There's nothing much to improve, nothing to remove, just adding GSM/3G 
chip. Nikolaus Schaller pointed the OPTION GTM501, which is a brilliant 
little chip ! And if we use the same one, the porting of 
distros/software will be easier from one machine to another.

So, the first question is : What to add for this project being 
interresting ? Those will be minimal functions (forget Wimax, 4G,  coffe 
machines or color printer ...).

Second question : Debian is able to run on such a device, but does 
developpers of other distributions can tell if it would be possible to 
port their on it ?

Third question : On the basis we have a 'paper' version of the phone, is 
there anyone able to give a hand to AI for the integration of new 
components on the board or do we let AI do the major part of the job ? 
(this way, we only would be 'consultants' for them).

Thanks for your interest.

Thomas.
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