Open Source Itouch Alternative

[Guest Deleted_Account]

Me and a few class mates our making an open source ipod touch alternative for our final project. So far we have 2 prototypes with working FirmWare here are the specs thus far:

1) Open Source Debian based OS running on an ARM processor

2) USB micro port for charging and downloading music/apps/videos/custom os

3) NAND for memory (8GB for now)

4) internal bootloader (open source and will allow booting up to 3 OS's which any can make)

5) app store (more like cydia or ubuntu software center allowing any apps on our servers as well as other servers)

Anyone will be able to make an app all apps will be accepted (ROMS etc must be in your own source or "unofficial sources" for legal reasons as i am unwilling to take this risk personally) apps will be free and/or paid (even trials) and 100% profit to Devs (even on my servers)

6) Hardware will be open source as well so anyone willing can build their own

7)SDK and other programs will be released to flash OS's/design programs/etc.

8) Will run debs (or a variation of) so can be written in almost any language as long as it runs as a deb with 2 exceptions:

i) python will run through either terminal or a built in "run" type GUI for ease of use

ii) java will work natively

9) built in terminal with root access

10) the following apps are stalk:

i) appstore

ii) terminal

iii) music/video

iv) settings

V) notes/calender/mail

IV) web browser (opera mini)

VI) file browser

Vii) too be announced soon :P

11) WIFI 802.11 b/g/n

12) Bluetooth (not in prototype working on it though)

13)speaker built in

14)microSD card slot(so far upto 16GB going for 32GB though)

15)IR (maybe if enough people want it

NOTE: THIS IS A PROTOTYPE AND WILL NOT BE RELEASED FOR A WHILE! WE ARE WORKING ON RELEASING DEV VERSIONS ASAP!

our estimated price for final release is between $50 and $100

so far the OS is VERY limited all hardware aspects are done we just need to finish the OS and SDK's

Any suggestions are welcome,

x942

P.S: I will post pictures ASAP as well

[aeiah]

$50-$100? srsly? im a little skeptical of this coming to fruition for such a cost. i assume no one needs to tell you that an atheros card capable of packet injection is a must ;)

are you using Maemo / Moblin / MeeGo or rolling your own distro?

[Guest Deleted_Account]

$50-$100? srsly? im a little skeptical of this coming to fruition for such a cost. i assume no one needs to tell you that an atheros card capable of packet injection is a must ;)

are you using Maemo / Moblin / MeeGo or rolling your own distro?

$50 - $100 is after Dev and pre-release (which will cost more but will hopefully bring in enough money to knock down the final price) also we are using atheros wifi cards thats just a must lol need that one :P. as of now we are using our own distro but once released anything that can ported can be used since the bootloader will be opened and allow up to 3 or 4 OS's at once. Navagation has to be done with the volume buttons and 'ok' will be the "home" button because the bootloader is small and there is not enough room to make it touch screen :P but i am sure it will be fine :P

edit: also the main reason of this is to show these companys (ie apple) that the open source comunity can take any market and open it up so even if it does come to match the itouch at least others may run with the idea and make something better :) so i think this is the first step in changing a proprietary market into something better as of now even after release this is pretty much a proof of concept in the event it did make it i would be amazed my self however we need donations and/or allot of dev pre-release orders when it comes to that time in order to bring the price down to $50-100 other ways it will probably be stuck at $200ish sadly but at least it will still be opensource :P

Edited April 9, 2010 by x942