OpenMoko gets open even more; Releases Neo1973 CAD files
By Dusan Belic on Tuesday, March 4th, 2008 at 5:08 AM PST In Devices
Too bad (or not) there’s the Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Android platform. Otherwise OpenMoko would be our king. Their latest move is justified with quite appealing “if you can’t open it, you don’t own it” mantra. First they’ve unlocked the mobile phone software and now they are freeing the case to “share the keys to Industrial Design,” allowing interested developers to go beyond software design. OpenMoko has made CAD files for the Neo 1973 available as a free download, meaning that you can re-craft the case and share it back with the community. The files are posted under a ShareAlike Creative Commons license.
Nice move folks. Now please hurry up with the second gen device. If you release it before the first Android phone, you may stand a chance. Otherwise, you may consider joining LiMo Foundation or get an additional money from VCs to market your stuff. Just an idea…
[Via: Gizmodo]
As an Industrial Designer I felt a little envy of the Open Source community of programmers when I first discovered the Neo 1973. I had just found a new attitude as well as a device that promised to cure all the problems of current handheld communications/computing devices; yet the only way I could be part of this new “ubiquitous computing” frontier would be as an early adopter or beta tester.
Since the CAD files for the first model have become available I now feel I can contribute to the Open Community myself and have as much fun as the programmers have had with the OS and applications, but with the device (I resist to call it just a phone) shape itself!
My first contribution to OpenMoko’s initiative is also possibly what most users would buy right after the phone itself; a flexible skin that fits snugly the Neo’s outer surfaces and provides a rugged feeling to either the Neo 1973 or the upcoming Freerunner (they share the same outer geometry).
I have added a new section to my website where you can view all my future concepts and accessories for any OpenMoko powered device as well as download any 3D CAD files and graphics I used to create the projects themselves under the Creative Commons license. Anyone is welcome to download actual CNC machinable Class “A” surfaces for the NeoSkin project as well as any other accessory or case design I come up for the Neos.
Best Regards,
Guillermo Sureda-Burgos | http://www.sureda.org