User-modifiable Linux phone ships

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Sep. 12, 2006

Trolltech is shipping the Greephone, its open, user-modifiable Linux mobile phone aimed at helping developers write applications for, or modify components in, its Qtopia Phone Edition (QPE) software stack. Additionally, the company has quietly released a GPL-licensed "community" version of QPE.

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Trolltech first unveiled the Greenphone at a high-profile press event at LinuxWorld in San Francisco last month. Compared to software-based mobile phone emulators, the Greenphone will provide a better platform on which to develop, test, and refine mobile phone software, Trolltech says.

The Greenphone targets ISVs (independent software vendors), as well as mobile phone designers and operators interested in customizing QPE-based mobile phones. The phone could help jumpstart a native mobile application development community around Linux, according to Trolltech.

Concurrent with Trolltech's announcement of Greenphone pricing and availability, several partners have pledged "technology support" for the platform:

Openwave -- Mercury Browser and MIDAS development kit and function library
Innvo Systems -- JuzzMobile WAP/HL browser, messaging client, and Java virtual machine
RealNetworks -- Helix DNA Client
BeepScience -- Digital Rights Management (DRM) Server and DRM Agent
Opera Software -- Opera browser

Timo Bruns, Executive VP of Business Development at Opera, stated, "Greenphone enables companies like Opera to develop and test software in its right environment on the phone, so we can optimize not only its performance, but the entire user experience."

RealNetworks VP of Engineering Jeff Ayars stated, "We are excited to have the Helix DNA Client pre-integrated on this platform for both commercial and open source developers."

Barry Evans, GM of Intel's cellular/handheld division, stated, "The Greenphone allows software developers to test their software on the Intel PXA27X processor family today, and be ready for Monahans."

Availability

The Greenphone is available now, priced at $700. However, availability is limited to licensees of QPE 4 SDK (software development kit). These include:

Existing commercial licensees
New commercial licensees are offered a $200 "light" license option that includes QPE application source, framework binaries/header files, Qt, and Qtopia tools. Distribution is limited to a maximum of 1 device per license.
Licensees of the new "community" version of QPE, which is said to include "most QPE components, Qt and Qtopia tools, a Greenphone toolchain, and access to periodic Greenphone software image updates"

Additional details about the Greenphone can be found in our earlier coverage:

Trolltech woos developers with "open" Linux phone

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