I got the chance to see the Neo 1973 prototype phone in the flesh today here at the OpenMoko booth at Ubuntu Live. This is the next generation open-platform phone that runs Linux. The picture above shows the device with a couple of batteries and a debug board. The guy standing next to me at the booth explained it best: "That's what you plug it into whenever your software breaks it." Notice the input jacks and the pale green reset button on the board.

My impressions of the hardware: it's lightweight with a beautiful screen, but the small form factor coupled with the high-resolution display means the stylus will remain indispensable.

First of all, it's lighter than you'd expect. The screen is exceedingly sharp and clear -- tight, grid-based layouts like the calendar and the contact interface are easy to read. The screen is fairly responsive, but the elements of the UI are so small on the sharp screen, clicking on what you want takes some getting used to. The user interface also needs work, as it took me about 30 seconds to figure out how to get back to the main system screen.

One of the coolest features of the device I played with is the stylus itself. It's a four-function stylus -- it has dual retractable tips, one's a nylon nub for using the phone, and one is a ball-point pen. Shame on you if you accidentally get the two confused! Flip it around and it also functions as a laser pointer and a tiny flashlight. The fact that you need a stylus at all is a minus in my book, but the tiny screen and the absence of a physical keyboard make it a necessity.