Hi all,

first- I am interested in getting a GTA04 - independent of this project. So if it creates a buzz and leads to a "mass order" - please count me in.

I just came across it while looking for something I christianed "the connectivity watch".

One of the major obstacles for adapting open source on tablets/smartphones seems to be the integration of GPS and phone connectivity.

The other way around: You will be always late if you rely on open source drivers for new devices.

But these parts don't change that often, so if you can "outsource" it to a "connectivity watch".

Beautiful "side-effect" - you control your connection to the outside world, can monitor it, block it etc. And one switch and all your "chatter" of the devices stops when you switch that off.

The "other devices" behind it are using IP only. So the connectivity watch has to translate a few services - you need a little "GPS server", the obvious candidate for the voice call is Asterix, the SMS can be converted to e-mail (and vice visa).

The GTA04 seems to be promising but the size is bigger than I hoped. It looks as the connectivity module GTM601 is 31.8 mm x 26.8 mm x 2 mm. Not too bad.. maybe a step on the way I want to have it.

Does this make sense to you? Any ideas in this area?

Regards
Peter

Hey no worries
if it helps any the target needed to place an order is 200 people at 700 euros each.
(The price drops a bit if we get higher numbers of people willing to commit...dos1 mentions the scale in one of his 1st posts.)
Which in U.S. denomination equals $929.56 currently to give you an approx.
So if you want to be on the 1st (hopefully not last) batch.... you want to put your vote at the 700 euro mark so you will be considered when they start the order.
Looking at what bleak alternative competitive options there are...this is the best hope...best bang for the buck I have seen. In the beginning I originally lowballed my vote figuring it to be just a n900 upgrade....as the info came in the following posts more and more it looked very promising ...rescinded my original vote since then...now my vote is 700 euros... and am determined to get one ... It is shaping up to be worth it.
I heartily suggest sitting down with milk and cookies...nachos and beer ...whatever works...and read all the enlightening posts beginning to end...play catch-up...

Yea thats fine id even give up 753.01 euros for this cause! i mean i brought up the idea for a kickstarter funded one months ago!

Only just learned about this project when it came up in a Slashdot thread. Count me in for one, I'll gladly pay 700 Euros.

sorry if its asked before or off topic here. what about N900 support after Neo900 is launched and available for everyone ? will you people drop support for n900 and stop releasing updates for it ?

most of the software will work on both N900 and Neo900, so releasing update for one will automagically update another.

I guess that if everyone who is now working on N900 support buys Neo900 and forgets about N900, then N900 support will be dropped unless someone new steps up.

But at the same time I guess that such scenario is rather impossible to happen, so don't worry about it

Has anyone considered having a seperate set of repositories for software designed to run on the Fremantle Neo yet?

Whilst I realise the goal will be to have maemo running on updated hardware, we would not want to risk the chance of a resource hungry application getting in to the n900s repos and bricking stock devices. It may also be worth looking into a failsafe method to prevent curious n900 users activating repos and warez that are designed to be run on the neo900?

Just a thought

we first approach will not allow any software that doesn't work on N900, except for obvious stuff like compas and gyro and LTE related, etc.
Since both platforms are binary compatible and we hope will use same extras-* repos, I don't see any support for N900 diminuishing. The contrary will be the case.

We will add safeguards for those apps that might be greedy beyond what N900 can handle, so they refuse to start on a platform that e.g. has not enough real RAM or bogoMips
Installing a Neo900 metapackage on Neo900 only, and make some apps depend on that, is another alternative that blocks installation of stuff on N900 that can't work there (of course the Neo900 MP will not be available for installation on N900 from the normal repos).
/j

I think that only applications for Neo900 unable to run on N900 could be ones that require certain hardware bits, available only on the former (like, IrDA, if that makes it). Those, indeed, could use sub-repo.

Others could work a little differently, depending on platform - for example, sound recording app could use Neo900's stereo line in, while for N900, it would be mono (unless someone use sound card with stereo-in via hostmode USB). Not much reason, to put them into separate repos.
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As for "resource hungry programs" - I don't think it will be a problem. Neo900 will have just a slightly better CPU, and more RAM - all that is going to work on Neo900, should work on N900 as well, *except* for some slowdowns due to swap for more memory-hungry things (desktop browsers, games?). It shouldn't be "unsafe" to run them on N900 by any means, they will just work slower.
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BTW, isn't this matter more suited for thread about Maemo porting task force?

/Estel

// Edit
Gah, joerg_rw ninja'ed me on this