Well, it depends on a few things: of course what, but also specially when. As I already mentioned before, I already have some more or less expensive stuff planned for the next months (big trip etc.) so maybe I could give up to 500 for now.

This project is just awesome, so emphasys in "for now"

Please keep us up to date!! <rant>Unlike the jolla guys, which on occasion make me feel uneasy about having booked the 100 Eur option, because they just don't provide any USEFUL communication to their customes!</rant>

Quick edit: Ooops, I forgot. My previous option was 400. Dankeschööön

I haven't really been following the openmoko development, so I guess this might best be answered by dos?

Have there been any attempts to run maemo on the GTA0x devices by the on community in the past? And if so, what big road blocks were found?

We know that there have been attempts to run maemo on other hardware before (even the identical Palm Pre) with little to no luck, so I do believe that the "Proof of concept" device for now should just be having Fremantle running on an existing GTA0x chipset. Once this can be proven it would help more people realise the dream and make a commitment?

On a more light-hearted note... Can you imagine engadget running yet another "n900 the phone that will not die" article if this takes off?

the timeframe of this project is more like 9 months (like every decent pregnancy ;-D ). So your actual financial situation in next 3 or 4 months is not that relevant for our poll. It's more about statistics for now.

To elaborate a little bit more: when we reach a reasonable "preorder" level here, we will start the actual work and try to fund the prototypes which will cost a few thousand. Then we can demonstrate the requested "fremantle running on Neo900" given the kernel-porting team has achived something tangible until then. Then we can start mass production incl real preorders. (simplified picture, subject to change without notice)

My imagination gives me a picture of a scene similar to the one from Matrix (I think it was the second movie), where Nokia's CEO looks at a ready Neo900 and says "I killed you, N900, I watched you die, with a certain satisfaction, I might add. And then something happened. Something that I knew was impossible, but it happened anyway". The phone even has appropriate name

@michaaa62 & joerg_rw abouut the battery, i was just hinting/asking about capacity or if it could use other than BL5J, so, we could get better battery life out of this machine.

My N900 cost me $500 and has worked flawlessly for four years running constantly overclocked at 850 Optimal. I am amazed that CSSU is still putting out updates as are some of the programs. BTW iPhone is expected to get dual led flash for the camera this year. lol. But I digress. I would love to see a successor. 700 euro with the devaluation of the $ and inflation seems about right.

Sounds intriguing, love the N900 and its endless possibilities.

But as much as I love Freemantle, I really think its days are over and I wonder if a future wouldn't be a bit brighter, betting on a Nemo port instead - that would bring Mer into the game.

Some vendors use Micro-USB form factor port, to throw digital video data through it (port is different than microUSB, but microUSB compatible - i.e., you can use it as normal microUSb, but when you connect "special" cable and choose "special" option in software, it becomes digital out. Sound is still carried via audio jack, so it's not HDMI, technically, but for all sane use cases, it's as good.

Not that I have high hopes for that particular feature (which is a shame, as it would compliment such mobile computer pretty nicely). even having some standardized connectors on board itself would help a lot, especially for custom case builders.
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@dos1:
I absolutely understand your (as in group, developers of possible Neo900 device) point of view, and all concerns re parts availability. I'm far from "I demand ultimate powa for low price" stance.

Although, realistically approaching the case, there are few things to consider. We have a N900 with 256 MB of RAM (it's most limiting factor) available for purchase for 100 EUR, in ideal condition - sometimes, even less. Prices continue to drop (although slower than before). Now, if after a ~year, OpenMoko team will propose a device with slightly better CPU and 512 RAM, for a 600, 800, or 1000 EUR, the price difference vs. abvailable N900 and "gain vs. price" ratio will still look terribly poor.

Sure, having fully controlled hardware with ~1 closed blob is extremely nice. Having it developed Open way is even better. But, despite initial enthusiasm presented in this thread, I really don't think that many people will buy a ~600 EUR more expensive device, just for that.

Now, if you ask me about N900's biggest bootleneck, it's RAM. I think most will agree. As you've said, 512 MB gives room for improvement, but it is still under-powered even in pair with *current* N900 CPU (in practice, working up to 900 mhz completely stable and without non-negligible impact on hardware life). A little better CPU could gain even more by better RAM.

Considering this, 1GB of RAM seems to be an equilibrium, bringing best balance between CPU, RAM, and graphic chip (as said, I would rather see a SoX with same CPU as now, and more RAM, than only upgraded CPU). 1GB RAM seems to extend feasible usage life of N900 by ~10 years - loosely calculating, based on current situation of "what we want to run and what we can run on it in practice", 5 years after device release. Then, even 600 EUR difference doesn't look so bad - 60 EUR per year of gain.
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Now, again, It's not any scientific calculation (it seems than none in this thread is, actually), but with such huge prices as joerg_rw suggests, and gain of only 512 of RAM, I don't expect more than 100 people actually bringing their money. And that is optimistic from my side - heck, despite love of the idea, I'm not sure if I would be in.

/Estel

What applications will additional memory and CPU power of the Neo900 bring to the table? That will be the real seller of the hardware...

In the fremantle community you have developers who are still developing and porting software, so the support is there... what can they bring to the new hardware that isn't possible now?

One thing that comes to mind: since GTA04 has fully working true OTG, you could possibly attach a DVB-T stick and the CPU should have enough grunt and RAM to actually view Television on device. Sure not a killer app but sth that came to mind.

Once we mastered the Neo900 challenge both hw and porting-the-OS wise, we may think of a next gen maemo device that may bring real improvements and enough RAM and whatnot for an improved new maemo version (maemo6) created by community. Of course that's wild dreaming for now.

/j