What a great achievement! Thanks a million for keeping the ideas of OpenMoko alive!<br>I now know what to ask for as a Xmas present ;-)<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 4:02 PM, Dr. H. Nikolaus Schaller <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:hns@goldelico.com">hns@goldelico.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">Dear all,<br>
I take for granted that you all are eagerly waiting for an annoucement<br>
that another batch of GTA04 boards becomes available. We did wait<br>
with an announcement until we can really answer all questions.<br>
<br>
Now, we think we can.<br>
<br>
Components have all been ordered for another (small) batch so that we<br>
can get them from production in December. If everything goes well, we<br>
can even ship out some boards before Christmas.<br>
<br>
The boards are named GTA04A4 (meaning the PCB revision). They<br>
are fully featured from hardware side:<br>
<br>
* DM3730@800 MHz<br>
* UMTS module with 3.75G (up to 14.4 MBit/s)<br>
* Sensors (Barometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Accelerometer)<br>
* GPS<br>
* connector for optional camera module<br>
* well documented building blocks so that you can write your own<br>
boot loaders and kernels. Nobody stops your creativity and<br>
nobody is pretending to protect you from yourself!<br>
<br>
So you get something that is unique. A motherboard upgrade for<br>
a handheld device. With open documentation to develop free and<br>
open software. And, a community dedicated to continue the pioneering<br>
work of the first Openmoko team. Last but not least, a team that listens<br>
to your wishes for future upgrades and trying to fulfill them.<br>
<br>
How much will it cost?<br>
<br>
We know that most of you do expect that it is not too expensive, something<br>
in the range of the GTA02. Unfortunately, we can't fulfill this specific wish.<br>
There are two main reasons (besides we are not financial magicians):<br>
<br>
1. the device has some very expensive components (CPU + Memory +<br>
UMTS module)<br>
<br>
2. we have really small production batches and therefore, have to pay<br>
much more for the components than e.g. Apple or HTC (factor 2-3<br>
compared to reports from iSuppli).<br>
<br>
And, we can't subsidize devices because this is not a feasible long-term<br>
strategy from an economical point of view.<br>
<br>
But since raising the size of the batches ("bulk purchasing") has a<br>
big effect ("economies of scale"), we have developed a strategy that should<br>
make everyone happy:<br>
<br>
A) there will be units available from (limited) stock shortly before Christmas,<br>
at a high price. We try to produce more of these units to fulfill orders<br>
within days. This offer is also good for getting samples for projects.<br>
<br>
B) you can participate in a group-buy at a lower price. This requires<br>
that we reach a certain number of units before we can start production.<br>
<br>
So the price and availablility are:<br>
<br>
a) 666,66 EUR; available for shipment from stock; planned to start<br>
on 19th December<br>
<br>
b) 499.99 EUR; requires 300 ordered units before 10th February 2012<br>
(week after FOSDEM); production start expected for April 2012. There<br>
is also a rebate for the first 100 early bookings.<br>
<br>
There are rebates for quantites: 5% for orders of 5 units, 10% for 10 units,<br>
12% for 50 units. So if you build buying groups (like for the Freerunners),<br>
you can save some more money.<br>
<br>
Both offers are ready for preorder/subscription through this link:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.handheld-linux.com/wiki.php?page=GTA04" target="_blank">http://www.handheld-linux.com/wiki.php?page=GTA04</a><br>
<br>
There is a third type of offer - a customized GTA04 board. This means you<br>
can order a board variant where not all components are installed. And the<br>
display connector can be replaced by a Board2Board connector. This allows<br>
to plug the GTA04 like a module on a master board and develop different<br>
handhelds and tablets based on the GTA04 design.<br>
<br>
An example of such a device can be seen here:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.handheld-linux.com/wiki.php?page=GTA04%20Custom" target="_blank">http://www.handheld-linux.com/wiki.php?page=GTA04%20Custom</a><br>
<br>
Finally, I have compiled some FAQ we have received in the past. If your<br>
question is not amongst them, please ask.<br>
<br>
So let's prove that the Openmoko community can not only design and<br>
build samples of a GTA04 but also go into perpetual mass production.<br>
<br>
Nikolaus Schaller<br>
<br>
<br>
FAQ:<br>
<br>
Q: Do I need a GTA01 or GTA02?<br>
A: Yes. The GTA04 is a motherboard that fits into a GTA01 or GTA02<br>
case. It does not have all electromechanic compontents. Missing are:<br>
GSM antenna, internal GPS receiver, Earpiece speaker, Handsfree<br>
speakers, Vibracall motor, Battery holder, Battery, USB power supply,<br>
and very important: it does not include a display module. So you have<br>
to take all missing parts from an existing GTA01 or GTA02.<br>
<br>
The only exception is the LCD module where we can provide spare<br>
parts.<br>
<br>
But you can operate the board without these components - but then<br>
it is not a handheld portable computer with phone functionality.<br>
<br>
Or you can try to build your own case. Some inspiring proposals<br>
and samples have been shown recently (e.g. wooden case).<br>
<br>
Q: Does the device support the US frequencies?<br>
A: Yes, it is Quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE/WCDMA (3.75G), but not<br>
CDMA2000 1x nor EV-DO<br>
<br>
Q: Does it have FCC and CE approvals?<br>
A: At the moment partially. The UMTS module and the WLAN chipsets<br>
are fully precertified. And the GTA04 system has successfully passed<br>
the CE emmission tests, that it does not produce harmful interferences.<br>
We are just missing the CE ESD and safety tests.<br>
<br>
Q: Why do I have to wait so long if I participate in the group buy?<br>
A: The reason is that our project has no external funding and needs<br>
to collect enough money before we can order chips and components.<br>
This introduces two types of delay: the preorder-window and then<br>
the delivery time of components. E.g. PCBs are built to our specific<br>
request and that needs between 20 and 30 working days. And<br>
producing and testing several 100 units needs quite a while :)<br>
<br>
Q: Will there be variants?<br>
A: We have decided to run only a single variant with all components<br>
installed. It turned out to be cheaper in total than to have a low-end<br>
variant (e.g. without sensors) and a high-end variant.<br>
<br>
We have one variant that we can provide on demand: the module<br>
version. You can use it as the basis for connecting larger displays<br>
and experiment with alternate cases. Details how to mount mechanically<br>
and the pin layout can be found in the System Manual<br>
<br>
Q: Does it work with a GTA01 case?<br>
A: Yes. You will even get stereo speakers since the speaker box of the<br>
GTA02 has two. One was sacrificed in the GTA02 to provide WLAN.<br>
<br>
Q: Do you have complete phones?<br>
A: We have a handful of complete phones built from returned GTA02<br>
units. They are also available in the shop:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.handheld-linux.com/wiki.php?page=GTA04%20Complete" target="_blank">http://www.handheld-linux.com/wiki.php?page=GTA04%20Complete</a><br>
<br>
Q: Do I get the money back if the group buy does not reach the minimum<br>
quantity within the preorder window?<br>
A: Yes. 100% (less money transfer cost).<br>
<br>
Q: What is the status of the software?<br>
A: We (Goldelico) do offer a hardware validation kernel and a<br>
Debian/LXDE rootfs, but this does not comprise a phone software.<br>
Projekts like SHR, QtMoko and others are in the middle of porting<br>
their distros to the GTA04 platform. So the software is not completely<br>
ripe but on good progress.<br>
<br>
But we already can do phone calls by a simple shell script and<br>
apt-get install through UMTS.<br>
<br>
Q: Is there driver support for every bit and piece of the hardware?<br>
A: We do not yet have drivers for Camera, IrDA, Audio IN, Torch/Flash,<br>
FM radio. If you can support the development, please help!<br>
<br>
Please also note that these hardware parts have not been tested in<br>
detail. So they may not work at all.<br>
<br>
Q: Where are the schematics?<br>
A: The System Manual includes the schematics:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://projects.goldelico.com/p/gta04-main/downloads/37/" target="_blank">http://projects.goldelico.com/p/gta04-main/downloads/37/</a><br>
<br>
They will be updated soon to reflect the changes from the GTA04A3 (Early<br>
Adopter) to the GTA04A4 board.<br>
<br>
Q: Do you have spare components like case, antenna etc.?<br>
A: We can't buy or produce these parts and have no steady supply.<br>
We will try to get some replacements, but can't promise.<br>
<br>
Q: Is it possible to downgrade from the GTA04 to GTA02?<br>
A: If you swap the display again, yes. You can also get a second<br>
display module so that you can simply swap the GTA02 and GTA04<br>
boards+display units within minutes:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.handheld-linux.com/wiki.php?page=LCD%20Module" target="_blank">http://www.handheld-linux.com/wiki.php?page=LCD%20Module</a><br>
<br>
Q: Do I need a debug board?<br>
A: No. The TI OMAP is "unbrickable" and you just may need a<br>
RS232 cable to boot and reconfigure NAND flash parameters.<br>
<br>
Q: I want to use it in a project and need 50, 100, 500, 1000 units.<br>
A: For samples or small quantities, please order them from our<br>
shop. For larger batches, please contact us and we will find out<br>
how fast we can produce and at which volume rebate. Depending<br>
on quantities, we can develop and produce variants.<br>
<br>
Q: What can I do to increase the likelihood that the group buy<br>
reaches the minimum quantity?<br>
A: Convince your fellow GTA01/02 owners to think about buying<br>
a GTA04 board. Talk, Mail, Blog about the GTA04 to make it<br>
known that the Openmoko project did lift off again.<br>
<br>
Q: I don't feel comfortable to replace the motherboard myself.<br>
A: The most critical part is to remove the LCD module from the<br>
GTA01/GTA02 board. Either find someone to do it for you. Or<br>
get a spare part. Or send the device to us and we will do it for<br>
you at a small fee.<br>
<br>
Please follow the instructions like for a buzz rework:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.handheld-linux.com/wiki.php?page=GTA04%20Installation%20Service" target="_blank">http://www.handheld-linux.com/wiki.php?page=GTA04%20Installation%20Service</a><br>
<br>
Q: I am a reseller. How can I get devices?<br>
A: You are welcome to support the Openmoko movement. But<br>
we can't give any big dealer margins because the components<br>
and production are already very expensive. Please contact us<br>
for details.<br>
<br>
Q: My country is not listed in your shop.<br>
A: Running export into all countries on this world needs a<br>
lot of paperwork and knowledge to follow all the customs<br>
regulations. And worse, we have some US-Technology<br>
inside the GTA04 that is classified by EAR. So we need<br>
a re-export permission. This is all beyond our capabilites.<br>
Therefore we have to regret that we can't serve all countries<br>
on this world. But you may find friends who live in a country<br>
we can directly serve and you manage the export yourself.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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</blockquote></div><br>