Openmoko GTA06

[Michael Spacefalcon]

"Dr. H. Nikolaus Schaller" <hns at computer.org> wrote:

> I have received a rumor that somebody is working on a
> truly free and open phone

This part is in fact true.

> with the following specs:

But the specs you have in mind are wrong.

> * Quad-Core Intel Z3770D (1.5 - 2.5 GHz) 

Nope, it's an ARM7TDMI @ 52 MHz, chip made by TI, codename "Calypso",
from TI's Greek mythology series.

> * 4GB RAM

Don't need that much; 8 MiB of pSRAM (combined with NOR flash as part
of the S71PL129NC0 MCP by Spansion) is way more than enough for a good
phone.  (For comparison, the Motorola C139 I'm currently playing with
makes do just fine with only 512 KiB.)

> * 128 GB eMMC

Again, unnecessary complexity and bloat.  Mine will have 16 MiB of NOR
flash instead: S71PL129NC0 provides two flash banks of 8 MiB each; one
will be for the firmware (execute in place), the other for user data
storage.  (For comparison, the user data flash partition on the C139
is only 320 KiB.)

> * LTE with free and open baseband

GSM, not LTE - much better for plain old voice phone calls, which is
what a *phone* is for.  But the free and open part is absolutely
correct!

> * 5 inch full HD display

Unnecessary for a phone.  I plan on using a 128x160 pixel 1.77" color
LCD (TFT), which is quite luxurious compared to Mot C139/V66/etc.

> * <100g

That sounds about right.

> * 4000 mAh battery

Not sure if I can get a battery with such capacity, but because I'm
using TI's source code with proper power management (unlike OsmocomBB),
even a 1000 mAh battery can last a good while.

> * runs any x86 OS (i.e. Linux, Windows, Hackintosh, ...)

It is beyond me why would anyone in his or her right mind want to run
such complex, bloated and unreliable software on a *phone*, a device
whose primary purpose is to provide ultra-reliable voice communication
when all else fails, including emergency communication for potentially
life-threatening situations.

> * shall cost less than Nexus 5

The very limited number of units I will physically produce myself will
probably have a very steep price tag, but unlike you I'm going to put
the gerber files, BOM and everything else on ftp.ifctf.org, so any
community member will be able to produce it herself at whatever price
her chosen PCB fab + parts suppliers + assembly house + RF calibration
lab charge.

> Looks like some "dream machine" :)

You and I have different dreams.

Oh, and if someone were to build your April Fool's device for real, it
should NOT be called GTA-anything, because it is not GSM-TI-AGPS.  I
am not calling my Free Dumb Phone GTAxx either - while the 'G' and 'T'
parts are true for my design, the 'A' part is not.  I do like the
3 letters + 2 digits model naming scheme, but my letters won't be GTA.

VLR,
SF