[clug] Openmoko's Neo FreeRunner: Second Australia wide group purchase

[Alex Osborne]

Hi CLUGers,

Is anyone interested in buying the Neo FreeRunner [1] open phone?   
Since the first one was such a success, Simon Matthews has kindly  
offered to organize a second country-wide group purchase to save on  
shipping costs.  The FreeRunner costs something like $AU 530 ($US 400  
for phone + $US 96 UPS shipping) from the Openmoko online store in  
the US, but by getting it shipped in bulk directly from China the  
price comes down to about $AU 440, so there's quite a saving to be had.

The way this works is Simon puts in an order to Openmoko for a bulk  
batch of 50 phones which are then shipped to him in Perth.  He'll  
then post them on to a state organizer who will then arrange getting  
them to people.  I've put up my hand to be the state organizer for  
the ACT.  When the phones arrive we'll arrange a meeting at someplace  
central (like civic, possibly at ANU) so I can give everyone their  
shiny new toy.

If you're interested please carefully read through Simon's emails  
that I've copied below.  The main things are:

* Email Simon with the quantity of phones and accessories you want,  
in the format he describes.
* Join the openmoko oz-users mailing list for updates (instructions  
below).

You'd better get in quick as the order will be placed as soon as the  
country-wide quantity reaches 50 phones.  Last count from Simon is  
there's currently 28 people in plus 6 maybes. Currently four of us  
(including myself) are from the ACT.

Cheers,

Alex

[1] http://www.openmoko.com/
Also check the community wiki for more detailed information: http:// 
www.openmoko.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo_Freerunner

On 28/07/2008, at 1:36 AM, Simon Matthews wrote:

>
> The first group purchase of sixty phones and eight debug boards have
> arrived in Perth and the batches for the eastern states are now in
> transit via Australian Post.
>
> Each phone had as
> extra goodies an adaptor to plug into Australian power points,
> headphones and a carrying pouch.
>

[snipped issues that have been resolved]

> As overall organiser of the first batch I am happy to put my hand  
> up to organise
> another batch of 50 phones if there is enough demand
>
> I believe Openmoko have reserved 50 phones from a production batch in
> early August for us.
>
> I have to confirm with Openmoko in the next few days if we will be
> taking these 50 phones.
>
> Can anyone who is SERIOUSLY INTERESTED in this please send an email to
> s.matthews at karrak.id.au with the email subject being
> Second Purchase <state> <quantity>
> So if you were living in NSW and wanted 2 phones you would reply  
> with the subject
> Second Purchase NSW 2
>
> Simon Matthews
>

[battery update:]

> I thought it would be worthwhile asking Elsie if we could get some  
> spare
> batteries.
>
> Following is her reply.
>
> I definitely want one, maybe even two at that price. The landed price
> will be between $15 and $20 each.
>
> Could all those interested in spare batteries please send me an email
> with the subject being.
> Battery <state> <quantity>
> Please use abbreviated names for the states i.e. QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS,
> SA,
> ACT, NT, WA
> So if you were in Queensland and want two batteries the subject  
> would be
> Battery QLD 2
>
> As you can see they have the Freerunners ready to ship. All we have to
> do is get the numbers up to 50 so don't delay!
>
> Simon


[further update with accessory prices:]

> To date we have 28 people who are definitely interested and 6 maybes.
>
> Elsie at Openmoko has reserved 50 phones for us, which she will ship
> from China as soon as she gets confirmation and payment from me. These
> 50 will include the free headphones, pouch and adaptor for Australian
> power plugs.
>
> The quicker we get the fifty paid up members the quicker we will  
> get the
> phones.
>
> You will also be able to get accessories for the phones as well.
>
> The prices should be about
> Freerunner   A$440
> Debug board  A$105
> Battery      A$16
> Charger      A$16
> Pouch        A$9
> Headset      A$9
>
> I need someone in each state to put their hand up to become State
> Organiser. The job of the State Organiser is primarily to receive and
> distribute the Freerunners and accessories to all the members in there
> state, relay my bank account details on to others in their state by
> phone, answer questions that come up on the oz-users mailing list that
> refer to their state and collect any small outstanding amounts of  
> money
> from everyone and send it to me, this shouldn't amount to more than a
> couple of hundred dollars. Alex Osborne <ato at meshy dot org> has  
> put his name
> up to be the organiser for the ACT.

> To save me work I will posting most further information about the  
> buy to
> the oz-users mailing group only, so if you are not subscribing to the
> list please do so now.
>
>
>> To subscribe yourself, please send a plain-text email to:
>>
>>   oz-users-request at lists.openmoko.org.au
>>
>> with two lines in the body:
>>
>>  subscribe
>>  end
>>