LINux on MOBile - omap3LINMOB.net is a blog about LINux on MOBile devices. With the PinePhone (Pro) and Librem 5 shipping it is back to report on GNU+Linux on mobile devices.Zola2011-01-25T23:43:00+00:00https://linmob.net/tags/omap3/feed.xmlGTA04: Speed up your FreeRunner / Neo19732011-01-25T23:43:00+00:002011-01-25T23:43:00+00:00https://linmob.net/gta04-speed-up-your-freerunner-neo1973/<p>After having decided to reactivate linmob (rebranded to LINMOB) I asked myself what would be a good first article, and there could be only one answer: Write about something that isn't sprayed on the walls of every other tech blog / tech news site, and it would be great if that would fit to past linmob articles.</p>
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<div style="float:right;margin:10px 0 10px 10px;"><img src="gta04.gif" /><br /><small><center>GTA04 (Image by Golden Delicious Computer)</center></small></div>
Luckily I then remembered the GTA04 project (<a href="http://www.gta04.org/">gta04.org</a>) which is building replacement boards for Openmoko's FreeRunner / Neo1973 phones. The company behind this thing is well known in the german Openmoko community—Golden Delicious Computers / handheld-linux.com—they were not only official Openmoko distributor, but they later offered Buzz- and Bass-fixes.
<p>So, what will we find on these boards?</p>
<p>The main two chips may not be top notch in 2011 (they were top notch in 2009) but definitely a lot better than the dusty chips in the ARMv4/ARM9 GPRS Freerunner:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://focus.ti.com/dsp/docs/dspcontent.tsp?contentId=53403&DCMP=OMAP_Feb27_2008&HQS=Other+OT+omap35x">TI OMAP3 3530</a> 600MHz/720MHz ARMv7 / Cortex A8 SoC (almost similar to the OMAP 3430 found in the Palm Pre(Plus), Motorola Droid / Milestone, Nokia N900) with integrated PowerVR SGX graphics* <a href="http://mobile.engadget.com/2011/01/05/options-refreshed-gtm601-gtm609-module-is-the-smallest-with-v/">Option GTM601W UMTS module</a></li>
</ul>
<p>In addition to that you'll find a fascinating set of features, which is on par with todays solutions:</p>
<ul>
<li>Wi2Wi WLAN/Bluetooth module + antenna</li>
<li>GPS module + antenna switch</li>
<li>LIS302 (accelerometer)</li>
<li>LSM303 (compass and accelerometer)</li>
<li>ITG3200 (gyroscope)</li>
<li>BMP085 (barometric altimeter)</li>
<li>Si4721 (FM transceiver)</li>
</ul>
<p>What remains yet unknown is the amount of RAM and Flash memory—I hope it will be were it is supposed to be in 2011—it should be 512MB Ram and at least the same amount of ROM/Flash memory. It should be possible to add in a 1.3 MPixel camera.</p>
<p>What remains is the same 2.8 inch 285dpi VGA screen with resistive touchscreen and the same case—to things that make this upgrade board a lot less interesting for the average user.</p>
<p>But let's rather talk about the advantages, which is openess. In times where companies like Motorola or Sony Ericsson lock down the bootloaders of their smartphones which makes hacking them (even though they run Android and thus a Linux kernel (looking way back at Motorola EZX/MAGX phones you understand that this is not an Android issue—a Linux kernel does not imply that your phone is hackable), a phone with an open bootloader, embraced by the Open Source community can be a strong solution.</p>
<p>By the way: The GTA04 root is the <a href="http://linmob.blogspot.com/2010/02/replacement-board-for-openmoko.html">Openmoko Beagle Hybrid</a> and there are plans for even more advanced devices—of course development costs money—I doubt this will go on without a certain amount of sales.</p>
<p><strong>For further information</strong> head over to the already mentioned <a href="http://gta04.org/">gta04.org</a> website, to the <a href="http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/GTA04">GTA04 article of the Openmoko.org wiki</a>, to <a href="http://www.handheld-linux.com/wiki.php?page=GTA04-Early-Adopter">handheld-linux.com</a> or check out the <a href="http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community">Openmoko Community Mailinglist</a>. If you speak german (or can live with Google translation) make sure to have a look at <a href="http://freeyourphone.de/">freeyourphone.de</a>.</p>
New devices everywhere2009-10-19T10:34:00+00:002009-10-19T10:34:00+00:00https://linmob.net/new-devices-everywhere/<p><em>Christmas holidays are no more that far away, and so many companys get their product portfolios reader for the holidays.</em></p>
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<p><a href="acerliquid.jpg"><img style="float:right;margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer;cursor:hand;width: 240px;height: 320px" src="acerliquid.jpg" border="0" alt="Acer Liquid" /></a></p>
<p>But that wasn't what I wanted to write about. I rather want to comment on all these new mobile smartphonish devices, that are on their way to market right now—we see a new generation of devices—in terms of performance.</p>
<p>Being powered mostly by ARM Cortex A8 based SoCs, manufactured mainly by Texas Instruments (OMAP 3 series) and Qualcomm (Snapdragon) these devices actually have the power to do “real computing tasks” if you want to call it like that—running on the same chips as the still awaited “smartbooks”, which are basically netbooks powered by ARM CPUs.</p>
<p>This said, I just want to name a few devices running Linux based operating systems: <a href="http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/10/19/motorola-droid-hands-on/">Motorola Droid</a>, <a href="http://www.my-symbian.com/other/preview_n900.php">Nokia N900</a>, <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/16/acer-liquid-slips-through-human-fingers-but-not-before-taking-p/">Acer Liquid</a>—they all rely on ARM Cortex A8 technology and feature WVGA touchscreens.</p>
<p>While all these devices are really nice (e.g. I really like the Motorola Droid and hope that Motorola will offer something comparable for GSM networks (the Droid will be on Verizons CDMA networks) I actually do not consider to buy any of these.</p>
<p>‘Why?’, you might ask, and well, the answer is that I am actually pretty sad about the manufacturers, that just make these devices as smartphones, not as mobile computers—even if some claim so. Still not clear what I want to say?
It is about some simple features these devices lack, though they could actually hardware wise support it. #1 is USB OTG or USB host. Really, this would make these devices much more interesting, not for just for me, but e.g. for IT professionals as well—and #2 is a video output, e.g. HDMI or something similar. If the devices would feature these features, they would be real mobile computing devices if you ask me.</p>
<p>Of course there are reasons why these devices are limited. The manufacturers always would have to supply more drivers for external devices, or open their devices so much, that skilled people would be able to get themselves what they need. Than, considering Acer and Nokia are selling netbooks as well, such mobile computing devices would possibly be bad for netbook sales—though I don't really believe that- netbooks aren't pocketable and another cup of tea. And the last reason is, that there is a rather low demand for these features—only real enthusiasts request such strange stuff ;)</p>
<p>Now there is one more question one might ask: Is there a device which is pocketable and has the features mentionned some lines ago? Well, there is one—or at least will be one device that sounds pretty promising.</p>
<p>The SmartV5, which is basically the known cheapo-MID with more power inside (supposedly some Cortex A8 + 256MB Ram</p>
<p><strong>UPDATE:</strong> This might be wrong, as the <a href="http://www.jiongtang.com/blog/html/smartq5/smartv7-pictures-and-specification.html">SmartV7 MID</a> uses a Telechips TCC8900 chipset—I couldn't find any further datasheets or information on it, but it is believed that this is an ARM11 chipset with video acceleration (somewhat comparable to the nVidia Tegra) and a HDMI output—manufactured by the chinese company Smart Devices, it is some kind of open—as it will be available with three different operating systems, like the companys known offerings: Android, Ubuntu and Windows CE—and that's just what the manufactorer supplies.</p>
<p>But as there is always something to complain, it doesn't have 3G—you can connect your surfstick via USB OTG, but there is no other option.</p>
<p>Anyway, you would not use that device as a phone anyway, featuring a 4.x” display, it is not <em>that</em> pocketable—but I still like it and look forward to some reviews of it—if the reviewers are not too disappointed about the build quality, i am likely to order one of these devices. </p>
<p>If I have the money to do so—I need a new notebook, as my current one (HP Compaq nx6325) just turned three years old. But this an entirely different topic…</p>