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OpenMoko, a mobile phone manufacturer based in Taiwan, has announced that July 4 will be the day it will make its latest smartphone available in the USA. The device, which is called Neo FreeRunner, has a Linux-based operating system and unlike its predecessor, the Neo1973, it targets the wider group of non tech-savvy users.
The phone will be made available in two versions, offering either an 850MHz or a 900MHz tri-band GSM support. It comes equipped with Bluetooth 2.0, GPRS and GPS. The phone has a 2.8 inch VGA touchscreen and is powered by a 400 MHz processor. As far as memory is concerned, it features 128 MB SDRAM and 256 MB flash storage memory. What some consumers might dislike about the product is that it lacks 3G capabilities.
The Neo FreeRunner will be initially released with some basic software that will allow users to perform actions like making calls, managing contacts and writing text messages. However, the company announced that it will soon make available a patch for the device that will allow location based application that will rely on the FreeRunner’s built-in GPS.
The Taiwan based company seems to have made the entire project open source. CAD files for the phone are available online under the Creative Commons license, which means that everybody has the opportunity to customize their devices using what materials and colors they like.
Besides the US, OpenMoko announced that it plans to release its newest smartphone on the Japanese and European Markets in the near future. The price for the device will start at around $399.
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