It’s safe to say that up until now, Openmoko handsets have hardly received the global welcome that the company envisioned when it first began its quest to open the world of mobile phones. The odds are pretty good that you’ve read plenty about Openmoko’s Linux-based handsets; you probably even tipped your hat at the concept of a truly open handset (we know Google liked the idea). The odds are even better however, that you didn’t buy one. In fact outside of an expo you’ve probably never even seen one in person. All that might just change soon, or so Openmoko hopes, as it has just signed a deal with Canada-based Koolu which will take on the task of worldwide Neo FreeRunner distribution.
Koolu, known for its innovations in easy-to-use services such as Google Apps and Skype, will distribute the Openmoko Neo FreeRunner phone first to developers, and later to consumers as Google Apps go mobile. Koolu has created a program unique in the industry by offering free Neo FreeRunner phones in a referral program for Google Apps world-wide.
Kuloo’s long terms plans for Openmoko handsets are pretty intense in fact. As part of an ecofriendly push, Kuloo plans to integrate a laser-projected virtual keyboard and an LED projector into future handsets in order to create a portable computer that drastically reduces E waste and carbon footpront. Check out a mockup of its vision after the jump.
