OpenMoko’s new open-source Linux cellphone, which was promised by the end of April, has been spotted at the Bossa Conference in Brazil.  Portuguese site Zumo scored some photos of the new FreeRunner handset, which is based on the Neo1973 but includes an updated CPU (a 400MHz Samsung chipset), Bluetooth 2.0, what’s claimed to be WiFi ‘n’, 264 MB of internal flash memory, 128 MB RAM and a microSD slot.  There’s also a set of accelerometers for three-axis motion detection.

Michael Laner, who is responsible for the OpenMoko software, reconfirmed the company’s intention to release the FreeRunner to developers by the end of April; he also discussed the problem of Asian copies based on the Neo design.  Apparently it takes a mere two weeks for manufacturers there to churn out a rival based on the same design; or, at least, it would if OpenMoko released the full plans for the handset.  As it is, so far they’re settling for making the CAD files for the handset’s casing openly available for download.

[via Engadget]