OpenMoko announced yesterday that it has secured distribution agreements with five vendors for its unique Linux-based Freerunner mobile phone. This will bring the device to a broader audience than it's reached previously. OpenMoko, which was started by FIC in 2006, is developing a completely open mobile smartphone that runs a custom Linux platform. The first OpenMoko handset, called the Neo1973, was released last year and squarely targeted software developers and Linux enthusiasts. OpenMoko followed up the Neo1973 with the consumer-oriented FreeRunner, which was announced earlier this year. The underlying software platform has evolved considerably since then and has undergone some major changes to prepare it for the consumer market.

The OpenMoko software platform strategy has been steadily moving towards adopting lightweight e17 technologies under the guidance of lead Enlightenment developer Carsten Haitzler. In a final push to bring consumer-ready usability to the platform, the company dropped much of its promising but incomplete GTK-based middleware and adopted an X11 port of Trolltech's Qtopia platform.

"We have moved beyond the early adopter stage and are now ready to release the next generation Neo Freerunner to markets where we are seeing early traction," Openmoko vice president of marketing Steve Mosher in a statement. "These key distributors have relationships that reach deeply into markets that can leverage the features of this remarkable mobile device and advance it even further through software and exterior customization."

Although the current version of the software shipped on the phone still has some rough edges and is primarily intended for developers, OpenMoko will provide updates via its web site and intends to gradually approach the point where the product is ready for a regular mainstream audience. The device is isn't tied to any specific software stack, however, and end users with sufficient expertise will be able to use it to test, develop, or use alternate mobile software platforms.

German vendors TRIsoft and Golden Delicious Computers have partnered to distribute the FreeRunner in Europe. Pulster will distribute it in Germany, Bearstech will make it available in France, and IDA systems will offer it in India. OpenMoko will also continue to sell the phone from its web site at its suggested retail price of $399 and it says that additional distribution agreements for other regions will be announced at the upcoming LinuxWorld event in August.