Here Comes The Competition

First up is FIC's Linux-based FIC-GTA001 Smartphone. FIC is releasing the device along with a software development kit which will allow users to build their own applications and continue to improve the overall functionality of the device. Sound familiar? It should, Nokia's 770 Internet Tablet has been using this "community grown" idea for a while now. It will be interesting how this device and it's platform develops over time compared to other Open Source community driven projects of similar nature.

Some Preliminary Specs:
- 2.8-inch 480x640 TFT display
- Touch panel with multi-touch gesture recognition
- Mesh file sharing over USB
- Full GSM features
- Built-in GPS
- 128MB RAM
- Samsung ARM9-based processor
- Dedicated emergency paging button
- iPod-quality mp3 player

Gizmodo | Engadget | SlashGear | FIC

Next up is DrewTech's DashDAQ Data Acquisition System. Labeled as "a cross between a data acquisition system, diagnostic tool, automotive gage display, and a handheld computer", the DashDAQ is another Linux-based device like the Nokia 770 that plans to carve out its own genre of mobile devices. It appears targeted to cater to automotive aficionados and other performance tracking junkies out there that have to have the latest and greatest tools for the job. I'm still not sure how flexible the platform is for developers, but the device itself looks promising.

Some Device Specs:
- 4-inch Full color QWVGA 480x272 TFT display
- Touch screen user interface
- 64MB RAM
- 200MHz ARM processor
- Up to 8GB MMC/SD storage expansion
- USB 2.0 connectivity with host capability
- 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, cellular modem (optional)
- Tools available to write custom software

Engadget | DrewTech

As more and more devices join the Open Source driven product game, we'll begin comparing them to each other and determine which devices are suited best for the various use cases out there these days. There will be new questions that come about from this new age of end-user/community grown platform concept. The ones on my mind now and going forward are, will there be enough of the community to go around to with all the new and different devices popping up or will we come to a point where only a few platforms rise to the top of the bunch? These questions and more will be answered soon enough.