LCD evaluation and other preparations for FC handset

[Mychaela Falconia]

Hi Serg!

> Probably should start looking into enclosure design.

I am taking a different approach:

Step 1: design and build the first prototype motherboard in such a way
that it can be comfortably used bare on a lab bench, without any kind
of case or enclosure.  The LCD will be mounted in such a way that the
motherboard+LCD set effectively forms a single solid piece (no need
for case mechanics to hold the LCD in place), and all other connections
will be through connectors.  All hardware functionality will be
verified in this phase.

Step 2: design and build some simple hacky case around the by-then-
existing motherboard.  It won't be pretty or professional, more like
those DIY phones, but the objective at this point will be to make a
handset prototype that can be held in one's hand and carried around -
perhaps not in a pocket or a tightly packed purse, but at least in a
larger, more loosely packed purse or a book/laptop bag.  I expect to
be doing most of the software development (UI) in this phase.

Step 3: once we have a working handset prototype in a hacky DIY case,
engage in dialogue with some Shenzhen-based cellphone manufacturer and
work together on creating a mechanical and ergonomic design for which
the plastics and whatnot can be made professionally, producing a
handset that is no less proper than any of the mainstream ones, but
with our Calypso-based motherboard inside.  In this phase I would
prefer to go to Shenzhen myself for a few weeks and work with their
cellphone mechanical and ergonomic designers directly in person - but
we are very far from that point currently.

Right now we are at Step 0 - preliminary preparations that need to be
done before starting the design of the first motherboard prototype.
One of these preparatory steps is LCD vendor and model selection,
another required step will be designing and building what I call the
FreeCalypso UART+JTAG adapter, a special FT2232D adapter board that
will connect to the handset motherboard by way of an FFC (flat
flexible cable) similarly to Openmoko's debug board.  I am also hoping
to squeeze FCDEV3Bv2 in somewhere so we can have closure on the sleep
mode bug as we go into the handset motherboard design.

M~