"Software has become easier to customize in the past decade, but hardware, for the most part, remains closed: Apple's battle to keep people from hacking the iPhone is a case in point. Although most consumer electronics are collections of smaller devices--cell phones typically include cameras and voice recorders, for example--users can't swap out the devices or modify the way they work.
"Bug Labs, a startup based in New York City, is hoping to change that with its new device, the Bug, scheduled to start shipping late this year.
http://blog.wired.com/sterling/2007/10/open-source-har.html