Steve Jobs has his iPhone. It's got iPod, it's got wireless, (it's got no 3G), and it's got your attention - not to mention US$ 600 of your money. But that's Apple. Stevie hasn't mentioned (yet) if the iPhone will be open to third-party applications. Still, the iPhone is one alternative - the proprietary one. But here's another, and it's open source.

Meet OpenMoko's FIC Neo1973 Smartphone - "the world's first integrated open-source mobile communications platform". "For the first time, the mobile ecosystem will be as open as the PC, and mobile applications equally as diverse and more easily accessible," says Sean Moss-Pultz, architect of OpenMoko and Product Manager of FIC's Mobile Communication Business Unit.

Like any good smartphone, the Neo1973 offers the usual slate of communications tools for the businessman on the go - push email and PIM, cellular, and so forth. By being open-source, though, it promises to accept a range of software, including and especially just like your PC. Thank goodness then for 64MB of NAND flash memory to store it in. Hmm... open-source MP3 player? Other features (not a final list):

Hardware

• 120.7 x 62 x 18.5 (mm)
• 2.8" VGA (480x640) TFT Screen
• Samsung s3c2410 SoC
• Global Locate AGPS chip
• Ti GPRS (2.5G not EDGE)
• Unpowered USB 1.1
• Touchscreen
• micro-sd slot
• 2.5mm audio jack
• 2 buttons
• 1200 mAh battery (charged over USB)
• 128 MB SDRAM
• 64 MB NAND Flash

Software

• Dialer
• Contacts
• Application Manager
• Calendar
• More...