t-marco
10-03-2007, 08:20 PM
hey guys i found this article, i wonder if that is true..
If so, i will very very happy about that!
t-mo, make my dream come true!!
Update (8:38 PM CST 10/1/2007): Several people have written in (guesswho@rizzn.com) to me with the caveat that after the $400 gPhone is purchased the carrier connection might be subsidized by ads, thus technically free service. No one has said anything that would indicate this explicitly, but then no one has said anything to directly contradict it either. I wouldn't count on this fact personally, but it's not outside the realm of possibility. Trust me, though. I'd love it if it was free.
Update (5:00 PM CST 10/1/2007): Finally heard back from T-Mobile. A spokesperson who preferred not to be named stated: "...regarding the gPhone, T-Mobile does not comment on rumors or speculation." Almost verbatim what Google currently says publicly when asked. In response to my queries about data network specifications, the spokesperson said: "...I have looked into your request and found T-Mobile’s 3G/UMTS network updates are currently in the works. We are targeting the rollout for the first half of 2008. At this time we are not providing details regarding the availability of our network or future advanced data services. "
---
On to the juicy tidbits. T-Mobile (http://www.t-mobile.com/) is going to be the network operator for the gPhone worldwide. I've got a call in to the press department over at T-Mobile in which I expect them to respond with the "we don't comment on rumor" line, but several other sources have corroborated this aspect.
It is going to be a Linux based kernel for the operating system. As of last talks with folks at Google, the GUI is still being finalized. The testing hardware was described as being in pieces spread across a table a couple weeks ago, as they finalized the drivers and the GUI for the device. The phone reference design will be open source, using the Apache license (http://www.apache.org/licenses/). This reference design will be an unlocked, neutral environment.
HTC (http://htc.com/) is making the hardware - this isn't a new revelation. The rumor that they were involved has been a very widely reported rumor, but not only are trusted sources now reporting renewed confirmations on this, but HTC has released several phone models (http://crunchgear.com/2007/09/28/new-htc-touch-better-than-the-old-htc-touch/#more-13971) recently that show capabilities or indications that they could run an advanced GUI, as noted by Andy Beal (http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/10/will-google-turn-to-htc-for-gphone-production.html).
There is going to be a price, and that price is $400. This is the big shocker. I had originally noted that part of the philosophy was that this product would compete in functionality with the OLPC and I inferred that it would be ad subsidized, which then started a spiral of analysis from many many folks that this phone would range in price from $200, then $100, then free.
Keep in mind, though, that this is being rolled out on an existing operator, not the 700 mhz (http://www.rizzn.com/labels/700mhz.asp) spectrum, and not a satellite network (http://www.rizzn.com/2007/02/xm-and-sirius-to-merge.asp). T-Mobile isn't owned by Google, and neither is HTC. It would be very difficult for the service to be free, but I haven't heard what the monthly pricing plans are going to be like, only that the device is going to cost $400. I have inquiries in at TMobile to find out the details.
Source : rizzn.com v12b: gPhone: The Final Countdown Starts Here (http://www.rizzn.com/2007/10/gphone-final-countdown-starts-here.asp)
If so, i will very very happy about that!
t-mo, make my dream come true!!
Update (8:38 PM CST 10/1/2007): Several people have written in (guesswho@rizzn.com) to me with the caveat that after the $400 gPhone is purchased the carrier connection might be subsidized by ads, thus technically free service. No one has said anything that would indicate this explicitly, but then no one has said anything to directly contradict it either. I wouldn't count on this fact personally, but it's not outside the realm of possibility. Trust me, though. I'd love it if it was free.
Update (5:00 PM CST 10/1/2007): Finally heard back from T-Mobile. A spokesperson who preferred not to be named stated: "...regarding the gPhone, T-Mobile does not comment on rumors or speculation." Almost verbatim what Google currently says publicly when asked. In response to my queries about data network specifications, the spokesperson said: "...I have looked into your request and found T-Mobile’s 3G/UMTS network updates are currently in the works. We are targeting the rollout for the first half of 2008. At this time we are not providing details regarding the availability of our network or future advanced data services. "
---
On to the juicy tidbits. T-Mobile (http://www.t-mobile.com/) is going to be the network operator for the gPhone worldwide. I've got a call in to the press department over at T-Mobile in which I expect them to respond with the "we don't comment on rumor" line, but several other sources have corroborated this aspect.
It is going to be a Linux based kernel for the operating system. As of last talks with folks at Google, the GUI is still being finalized. The testing hardware was described as being in pieces spread across a table a couple weeks ago, as they finalized the drivers and the GUI for the device. The phone reference design will be open source, using the Apache license (http://www.apache.org/licenses/). This reference design will be an unlocked, neutral environment.
HTC (http://htc.com/) is making the hardware - this isn't a new revelation. The rumor that they were involved has been a very widely reported rumor, but not only are trusted sources now reporting renewed confirmations on this, but HTC has released several phone models (http://crunchgear.com/2007/09/28/new-htc-touch-better-than-the-old-htc-touch/#more-13971) recently that show capabilities or indications that they could run an advanced GUI, as noted by Andy Beal (http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/10/will-google-turn-to-htc-for-gphone-production.html).
There is going to be a price, and that price is $400. This is the big shocker. I had originally noted that part of the philosophy was that this product would compete in functionality with the OLPC and I inferred that it would be ad subsidized, which then started a spiral of analysis from many many folks that this phone would range in price from $200, then $100, then free.
Keep in mind, though, that this is being rolled out on an existing operator, not the 700 mhz (http://www.rizzn.com/labels/700mhz.asp) spectrum, and not a satellite network (http://www.rizzn.com/2007/02/xm-and-sirius-to-merge.asp). T-Mobile isn't owned by Google, and neither is HTC. It would be very difficult for the service to be free, but I haven't heard what the monthly pricing plans are going to be like, only that the device is going to cost $400. I have inquiries in at TMobile to find out the details.
Source : rizzn.com v12b: gPhone: The Final Countdown Starts Here (http://www.rizzn.com/2007/10/gphone-final-countdown-starts-here.asp)