More Details on Motorola's Linux Based Smartphone

[Mike Temporale]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS3664493962.html' target='_blank'>http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS3664493962.html</a><br /><br /></div>"Unlike the earlier Motorola A-760, which launched last fall, the A768 (Click images for larger views) includes full video services capabilities such as video capturing, playback, and download through GPRS/CSD.<br /><br />The A768 also provides VPN support for access to corporate data, a PDA, Web brower, Email, MMS, SMS, and viewers for PDFs and various Microsoft Office file formats. Its phone software uses the GSM protocol. Like the earlier A760, the A768 is based on MontaVista Linux."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/A768_Black45_7-sm.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><br />""Handset manufacturers, such as Motorola, are turning to the fast emerging mobile Linux OS as a platform for phone development because of the flexibility, control, and innovation offered by open source software," commented MontaVista CEO Jim Ready."<br /><br />Is that why Motorola is expected to release 3 more Windows Mobile based devices this year bringing the total to 4, while this would be the second Linux based device? Fast, ya right. :roll:

[markpmc]

I hope Moto keeps improving this one. Once a SD card slot is added I'll pay more attention.

I'm still unsure of Moto's long term plan. They're shipping Windows Mobile devices to the mature US, symbian to Europe and Linux to Asia. My take is that Asia is/will be the fastest growing market in the next 2 or 3 years.

Maybe I should just take them at thier word "We're comitted to multiple OS's for our handsets".

markpmc

[possmann]

not good for business me thinks - choice is nice, but framentation in major products that offer a lot of features impacts the cost of support and production. With MS doing most of the support for the main OS (smartphone) who do you think will be doing the bulk of support for these open source (linux) based devices? Yup, Moto will have to pony resources up, and I would argue more resources up than on an MS or non-open source OS.

I'm not so sure that open source means savings in the long run... it leave a lot of variables out there especially if your intent is a wide distribution of OS. People demand quality and that means support of product post release...

It's a neat toy and a great concept but I am curious to see what the long term impact of something like the Linux mobile OS will be.

[markpmc]

I'm not so sure that open source means savings in the long run... it leave a lot of variables out there especially if your intent is a wide distribution of OS. People demand quality and that means support of product post release...

It's a neat toy and a great concept but I am curious to see what the long term impact of something like the Linux mobile OS will be.

Moto isn't "rolling their own", they're using an embeded system from MontaVista Linux. Fact is it's up to MontaVista and Moto to support the phones.

I'm not sure I see a support issue here. I've never called Sony for help w/ my Clie. I've never called Asus for help w/ A600. I've never called Siemens for help w/ my cell phone.

markpmc

[possmann]

I understand you comments, but thinking about the business aspect of supporting an OS specific to any device raises the risk and increases an overall business cost model - naturally you'll be calling your phone vendor/carrier of choice if you have problems with the phone, but who will they get their support from? If an update and patch to the OS comes out, it will need to be tested on the ahrdware device before it gets released to the carrier and then tested (again) by the carrier to insure that any carrier-specific functions and features still work.

BTW - I find it odd that if you were to have an issue with your Clie that you would not go to thier support site. If I had an issues with my iPaq I go to the iPaq support area - not the Dell or Toshiba or PocketPC support area... I don;t follow your concept/model regarding support of OS on specific devices...