Motorola is shipping the first model in its Scpl (“scalpel”) line of Linux-based phones set to replace the ubiquitous Razr. The Motofone F3, available today in India, is an extremely low-end phone featuring an “electronic paper” display, breakthrough battery life, and usability features for the illiterate. Additionally, Linux may have taken another step toward mobile ubiquity with a new initiative from Trolltech called Greensuite.
TrollTech, Motorola Move In with Linux Phones
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Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSAlert.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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This is all nice, but will it sync with iSync?
No.
Nope, I was wrong.
Edited 2006-11-29 19:52
Pros:
Small
Stylish
Inexpensive
Excellent battery life
Cons?:
No overpriced data services
No grainy, easily damaged cameras
No crippled mp3 player interface with poor capacity
No keypad for slowly inputting my appointments into oversized device
No picture messaging
No crappy, low resolution TV
*sigh* a proper phone – thankyou Motorola
I won’t be thanking them until I can buy one in Canada.
Yes I agree with all that.
And it also runs Linux as Pro. What else could I ask? Maybe to ditch the mp3 ringtones and downloads? Finnaly, a cell phone brand with guts to put something like that on the market.
When my 3 year old Siemens goes dead, I’ll buy that one (unless something better is available, which is unprobable…)
Edited 2006-11-29 20:14
I saw this phone mentioned not too long ago. I liked it when I saw it. But, I got the impression that it was a prototype. I love the simplicity of it. At an estimated $50 in the US, I will buy one, especially if I can hack it.
“Additionally, Linux may have taken another step toward mobile ubiquity”
Does anyone have any data to support or deny that – the percentage of the mobile phone market Linux has right now?
According to a Trolltech presentation I found on LinuxDevices.com:
smartphones:
2004: Linux 5%
2005: Linux 22%.
As for dumbphones, I don’t know, but I read that Linux phones were far bigger in China/Asia than US.