Project Ara
- Started
- Last post
- 17 Responses
- ESKEMA
Google / Motorola are jumping on the Phoneblocks thing. I loved the Phoneblocks concept but didn't see it going anywhere without the backup of a major hardware company, looks like it does now. This could become interesting, let's see how it evolves.
http://motorola-blog.blogspot.jp…
Phoneblocks (if you still don't know what it is by now)
- utopian0
- everyone's working on Star Trek communicator badges now and someone thinks this is cutting edge. meh.robotron3k
- scarabin0
it seems like it would produce much larger phones than i would prefer and somehow i suspect manufacturers would find a way to make you go through parts so fast it wouldn't really reduce any waste. making you buy new shit constantly is profitable. keeping the same phone for 5+ years with only minor upgrades simply isn't.
pretty cool idea though
- i_monk0
Putting each component in its own shell will multiply waste and increase exposure to dust/etc through the seams. It's a neat idea, but needs work.
- ********0
It's a great idea till one of your kids chokes on a phone block and dies!!!
- uan0
it's a gimmick, but there's for sure a market for it.
on the other hand, you will need to update every component each time technology takes a jump...new mega pixel cam->needs more memory->needs more cpu power->and so on.
- fadein110
Imagine a mugging - "I want your camera... but you can keep the rest."
- inteliboy0
I like the idea though at the same time don't understand the point. A lot of extra space of casing just so it can be modular. Also phones are kind of coming to a plateau in terms of functionality and we don't really need that much power. The only thing probably worth upgrading ever odd year is the camera.
- doesnotexist0
why make a phone more complicated with more moving parts?
- < customization dude! make it unique.iGin
- get a case thendoesnotexist
- ESKEMA0
the showing of individual parts is dumb because it leads to more complicated individual parts, it should be a housing with the modular system inside, not showing. This way, there is no need for individual parts casing...
- albums0
as an option on the market and not a replacement for the future of mobile devices, i like this a lot. it's modular for the people that want to have options.
if you want your 90's nokia brick or iphone6sg whatever, those options are still available. when it becomes a blur between phone computer and media device, that is making things interesting
google and dell both have computers on usb sticks that plug into tvs or monitors
why not have a modular brick that leans towards photography and storage or someone else's doing media streaming or output to monitors on the go. ie my phone plugs into your tv and we can watch movies natively.
one could even have their work drive attached for access to files while using the phone but also compatible with a computer environment to more easily modify and distribute content.
this move to modular will help people that want more refinement in their experience be able to achieve it, while individuals who want a cell phone, a cable bill and a desktop computer will still have those segmented technologies available to them.
from what i understand though, dell is on the way out of the desktop game, which i think speaks highly to the future of computing hardware technologies over the next generation of hardware / software developers.
-
as far as the components not fitting into one another and generations not being compatible... well, it's not like you can reuse any part of an iphone with another generation iphone, let alone open it without voiding then warranty.
then there's the case of the gopro camera whose accessories have little compatibility between generations.
neither of these companies seem to care about backward or forward compatibility yet both are dominating their market share.
-
the open platform would create an instant marketplace of hardware development and adaptation for the device as several companies began implementing their technologies into modules.
scanners, readers, HD audio, video, photo, input, output, pay systems, inventory, tracking, nfc, bluetooth, wireless, etc. All of the technologies that are scattered across handheld devices and phones could become component options on this modular system.
i see taking so far that even the phone itself is modular and my base can accept a variety of devices.
- doesnotexist0
i'll get the fax machine module
- someone would make it, and the teletype / morse code modulealbums
- albums0
this 3d scanner that attaches to an ipad is $1,000,000 over their goal with 45 hours to go
http://www.kickstarter.com/proje…sony makes a modular camera that attaches to your phone
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Smart…and again, gopro cameras have module displays and batteries already (both of which are out of stock)
http://gopro.com/camera-accessor…the market is already going modular, and consumers seem hungry for it
- > this consumer doesn't caredoesnotexist
- do you?doesnotexist
- of coursealbums
- really?!doesnotexist
- yep.albums
- albums0
.
- doesnotexist0
,
- chossy0
I really like this, I'd love to have a cool modular phone specc'd to exactly what I use and nothing more.... However I use quite allot and so does, I think, everyone...
Bluetooth
wifi
camera
memory
speaker
battery
gps
... then the board is full.Basically the phones out there do what I want already... I do still like it, it's a fun concept and the upgrading seems like a really good idea.
- "Allot" of those can be combined into a single module, while someone might want multiple speakers or batteries or something.i_monk