The University of São Paulo's intent to join Openmoko development

[Jon 'maddog' Hall]

Rask,

>> Government will also want some return. I don't see clearly (yet) how
>>a project like ours can give them that (like OLPC and portuguese's
>>"Magalhães").

>   A phone that's more difficult to sneak spyware into than a closed
>one such as an IPhone or Blackberry. How do you know it isn't secretly
>being wiretapped? How do you *know*? With open hardware, there are no
>secret power supplies or audio inputs to the GSM/UMTS chip. With open
>hardware, you also decide what software to run on it, such as to
>deselect back doors, or implement encrypted conversation over GSM data
>calls, which AFAIK isn't available in any of the closed phones.

All of what you said is true.  On the other hand, perhaps the twelfth
largest economy (and the sixth largest user of cell phones)

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0933605.html

[Note that the European Union is counted as a "country"]

would just like the chance to have its largest university (and their
students) participate in designing an open phone that could be freely
licensed and manufactured by any one of its high-tech companies.  A
basic phone design that could be changed to meet various needs in the
country.  Manufacturing jobs?

Werner is in contact with the professor, working on the logistics of
GTA02-core.  I am working (in my copious spare time...yeah, right) on a
plan for financing.

We are moving forward.

md