So, I need a new phone and I want Linux on it. So, like any zealous developer, I did major scene diving into the Linux Cell Phone movement and documented everything on my wiki.
Basically, what I can sum up is that all the cellphone projects are not at the user-level and need a massive infusion of developers, devices, funding and good consolidation of efforts! I’m determined to try and get these communities to consolidate some where and visibly so that anyone may jump in and help on some level.
Think about it! We have our computers running linux, some might even have converted their iPods to Linux. However, our cellphones are still running with proprietary non-hackable setups! While Motorola and others are moving on developing various mobile Linux initiatives, these “plans” still seem a ways away.
So, please help by adding to and consolidating any info you might have onto my research page about this, as I will use this information to hopefully seed some consolidated effort in the near future.
So, basically, whatever phone I am going to buy is up in the air. ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
My 2 cents. The reason a project like iPod linux works is because its a fairly stable product that is the obvious market leader. Cell phones… they change all the time. Every model is different with new models from a bajillion manufacturers being released all the time. By the time a workable cell phone linux hack hit the streets the phone would be old history. I’m extreamyl interested in a cell phone that comes with linux already but my reasearce has shown that linux cell phones either arn’t in the US market or are way to pricy for me.
If there is a light at the end of this jon, then I’m interested.
I put a link to the Qtopia site for the green phone. I think that’s the best answer here today. Unfortunately, the phone is $700. I guess that’s what happens when the carrier doesn’t cover most of it with fees, but still, that’s a lot of change. It would be cool to have Wifi in my phone though.
What I’d really like is for someone to port Maemo (http://www.maemo.org - the distro they use on the Nokia 770s) to a phone. Applicaitons already written for it. Debian based. Makes life easy.