Openmoko, developer of open mobile computing platform announced that on Friday, July 4, it will open the online store for purchase of the Openmoko Neo FreeRunner, a mobile device that the company says will help to enable ubiquitous computing for the 21st century.

The Openmoko Neo FreeRunner utilizes GNU/Linux and comes with core software for dialing, SMS and recording contacts. Openmoko will supplement these features with periodic downloads beginning with a software suite that takes full advantage of the phone’s hardware platform. The new software, debuting at Linux world in August, will provide exciting new location based applications.

Two versions of the phone will be available: 850MHz or 900 MHz Tri-band GSM to match frequencies in different countries. Black, oval-shaped and weighing 6.5 ounces, the Openmoko Neo FreeRunner features a 2.8″ 480 x 640 VGA touchscreen, Wi-Fi (802.1 1b/g), AGPS, GPRS 2.5G, Bluetooth 2.0, two 3-axis motion sensors and comes with 128MB WSDRAM, 256MB NAND Flash and a Micro SD card slot. The phone doesn’t come with a camera.

Openmoko frees developers from constraints of closed mobile architectures so they can apply the power of mobility and a flexible development platform to create mobile applications for specialized markets. Using the Openmoko mobile platform, the Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) community and developers can create unique versions of the FreeRunner phone, modifying the way the phone operates and even the way it looks. CAD files publicly available under a Creative Commons license make it easy for industrial designers to change the appearance of the Openmoko Neo FreeRunner and select alternate materials and finishes to tailor the phone’s look and feel.

The Openmoko Neo FreeRunner has a suggested retail price of $399 (£200/€235). Openmoko will sell the phone directly from it its webshop and via distributors in the EU, India and North America. Distributors in the EU have already received shipments of the Openmoko Neo FreeRunner. Shipping to customers will commence on July 7, 2008.

Openmoko will be at LinuxWorld Conference & Expo in San Francisco, August 5-7, 2008 and in the Linux Garage Pavilion in the Moscone Center North Hall.