OpenMoko has announced their next phone, the Neo FreeRunner, according to Gizmodo. The new phone will include a better processor, WiFi, 3D graphics, new applications, and other improvements based on the feedback they received from developers who purchased the Neo 1973. The Neo FreeRunner will be at CES and available later in the year. Although the FreeRunner is intended to make it all the way to users, it will only be available to developers at first.

The unusual thing about OpenMoko phones is that they are fully open-source and very hackable. There is nothing to prevent you from installing a new OS and application development is encouraged. Even the hardware was specifically chosen to make the phones open. All of the hardware has detailed specifications available for anyone who wants to take advantage of it.

Although the Neo 1973 has been out for a long time, until now, it was not clear that a consumer phone would arrive any time soon. Now that the phone they plan to bring to the market is nearly ready, the idea of bringing a fully open phone to the market seems a lot more plausible. I am sure we will learn a lot more as soon as people get to play with it at CES.