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Here’s Your First Look At The Firefox OS Developer Preview Phones

Developers have been able to build apps for Firefox OS for a while now. The only caveat was that they had to build apps within a simulator as the hardware wasn’t available yet. That all changes ...
Here’s Your First Look At The Firefox OS Developer Preview Phones
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  • Developers have been able to build apps for Firefox OS for a while now. The only caveat was that they had to build apps within a simulator as the hardware wasn’t available yet. That all changes soon as Mozilla has announced the first hardware being built with Firefox OS in mind.

    Mozilla announced this morning that it’s building two Firefox OS Developer Preview phones for those who want something a little more concrete to work with as we move towards the official launch of Mozilla’s mobile operating system. The hardware is being developed in a joint partnership between Geeksphone and Telefonica.

    Here’s what you can expect from the first Firefox OS hardware – Keon:

  • CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 1Ghz
  • UMTS 2100/1900/900 (3G HSPA)
  • GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (2G EDGE)
  • Screen 3.5″ HVGA Multitouch
  • 3 MP Camera
  • 4GB ROM, 512 MB RAM
  • MicroSD, Wifi N, Light and proxmity Sensor, G-Sensor, GPS, MicroUSB
  • 1580 mAh battery
  • Over the air updates
  • Unlocked, add your own SIM card
  • If you need something with a little more power, you might want to go with the Peak instead:

  • CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1.2Ghz x2
  • UMTS 2100/1900/900 (3G HSPA)
  • GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (2G EDGE)
  • Screen 4.3″ qHD IPS Multitouch
  • Camera 8 MP (back) + 2 MP (front)
  • 4 GB ROM, 512 RAM
  • MicroSD, Wifi N, Light & Prox. Sensor, G-Sensor, GPS, MicroUSB, Flash (camera)
  • Battery 1800 mAh
  • The hardware in either phone isn’t going to blow anybody away, but that’s the point. Firefox OS is being primarily marketed to emerging markets. As such, the phones have entry to mid-level specs so that it’s affordable to the millions of people who have yet to buy a smartphone.

    Mozilla is betting on those millions of people to make Firefox OS their first smartphone experience, but it first needs the apps and developer support that will make any new hardware successful. That’s why the non-profit is hosting a number of Firefox OS App Days over the next week all over the world. These events will give developers a chance to work with the folks from Mozilla on some of the more interesting and challenging aspects of Firefox OS. Check here for a list of the locations and dates.

    Building apps is nice, but when will developers be able to actually get their hands on the hardware? Mozilla ays sometime in February though it hasn’t listed a price or exact date yet. You might want to check here every few days for the latest information. We’ll also let you know when the phone becomes available for pre-order.

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