OpenMoko’s NEO 1973 mobile phone in now available and has a $300 price tag, it’s not locked to any provider and a Linux open-source operating system that will enable a relatively large number software developers to write inexpensive and maybe even free applications. It may not be quite as sexy looking as the iPhone but it’s no slacker and it does have the previously mentioned advantages.

The Neo Base kit contains everything the mobile application developer needs to enjoy the benefits of the first freed phone, the Neo 1973. The Neo Advanced Kit everything the mobile device hacker wants to get down and dirty with the first freed phone, the Neo 1973.

The Neo 1973 phone features a 2.8 inch VGA resolution touchscreen, 266Mhz Samsung ARM based CPU, GSM and GPRS support, Bluetooth, microSD card slot, and USB port. Wi-fi is prominently missing. The phone hardware is made by FIC.

OpenMoko uses software with a tireless history of success and stability, such as the kernel, the GNU C library, the X window system, and the GTK+ toolkit, to name only a few. OpenMoko is Mobile FOSS.

With all the openess and developer support, there should be soon an iPhone user interface available for the Neo 1973 Linux phone.

http://www.openmoko.com