Trolltech plans to begin offering developers a Linux-based phone that can be used to test how mobile applications work on a live cellular network, the creator of software development tools said on Tuesday. The Greenphone will come with a software development kit and Qtopia Phone Edition, an application platform from Trolltech designed for Linux-based mobile phones. The phone will have many features typically found in smartphones, including a camera, and can operate over Global System for Mobile Communications and General Packet Radio Service networks. Trolltech Greenphone While PC application developers can buy a computer and simply delete and add applications to test how they run, mobile device developers don’t have a similar luxury. Typically, mobile phone software can’t be easily reformatted once the phone is purchased. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe The Greenphone can be outfitted with new software components, and users can create, integrate and test applications on the phone. The phone includes Bluetooth, a mini-SD card slot for added memory and a touch screen. The phone’s additional software, which includes a telephony integration module, modem, drivers and desktop sync software, may prove useful to developers. The phone runs on Linux kernel 2.4.19.Trolltech expects that the Greenphone will help developers speed up the time it takes to build and test mobile applications and also to attract new developers to the mobile space. The Greenphone will be available in limited quantities in mid-September, and buyers will also get one year of Qtopia Phone Edition support and software upgrades. Trolltech is demonstrating the phone at LinuxWorld in San Francisco and did not reveal its price. The company plans to offer other similar types of open mobile devices for developers in the future. Trolltech provides software platforms to Linux developers. In the mobile industry, Motorola and ZTE use Qtopia in their phones. Linux has recently begun to gather some momentum in the mobile space. It’s widely used on mobile phones in China, and mobile software and phone makers have formed several organizations over the past year in an effort to unify the development of Linux for mobile phones.-Nancy Gohring, IDG News Service (Dublin Bureau)Related Links: Motorola Turns to Linux for Phones Linux Groups Team Up on Mobile StandardsCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content opinion The changing face of cybersecurity threats in 2023 Cybersecurity has always been a cat-and-mouse game, but the mice keep getting bigger and are becoming increasingly harder to hunt. By Dipti Parmar Sep 29, 2023 8 mins Cybercrime Security brandpost Should finance organizations bank on Generative AI? Finance and banking organizations are looking at generative AI to support employees and customers across a range of text and numerically-based use cases. By Jay Limbasiya, Global AI, Analytics, & Data Management Business Development, Unstructured Data Solutions, Dell Technologies Sep 29, 2023 5 mins Artificial Intelligence brandpost Embrace the Generative AI revolution: a guide to integrating Generative AI into your operations The CTO of SAP shares his experiences and learnings to provide actionable insights on navigating the GenAI revolution. By Juergen Mueller Sep 29, 2023 4 mins Artificial Intelligence feature 10 most in-demand generative AI skills Gen AI is booming, and companies are scrambling to fill skills gaps by hiring freelancers to make the most of the technology. These are the 10 most sought-after generative AI skills on the market right now. By Sarah K. White Sep 29, 2023 8 mins Hiring Generative AI IT Skills Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe