Phonebloks

[Bar0n]

Created this thread in order to stop derailing the youtube video thread. So firstly, for background information:

[video=youtube;oDAw7vW7H0c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDAw7vW7H0c[/video]

I think this is a ridiculous idea. This phone is going to be huge. Then you need to find a way to optimally put blocks in all the slots, to prevent your phone from looking like the dog took a bite out of it.

The manufacturer claims that this will generate less waste, and supporters of the idea claim that we already do something similar with PCs. It's similar but not quite the same. We don't just put PC components anywhere we like; they fit into fixed slots, because circuit boards are already complex enough to design.

So even if the items should simply be slotted into "fixed" positions, is it still viable? I still don't think it will generate less waste. Your Galaxy S4 phone will become outdated within a few months. Its replacement will have a faster CPU and a new, even better designed, "motherboard". That's not something you'll be able to swap out in this phone, so at some point you'll throw this phone away too. It probably won't last more than 2 years.

Then there's the pricing. Every component needs to function as an almost separate element, so it's going to be expensive. Adding a bigger battery block, like the video claims will be possible, will probably cost several times as much as buying a new battery for a normal phone. Then all of your other components need to fit around this new component, so you'll need to rearrange all these bloody blocks again.

Also, your PC is bulky, hot, and noisy. I don't want my phone to be like my PC.

My 2 cents on the idea. Anyone else?

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

I agree with you. If this was a good idea it would have been done already.

I see it nothing more than a hobbyist project.

 

[Bar0n]

I agree with you. If this was a good idea it would have been done already.

I see it nothing more than a hobbyist project.

I agree. Do it for science, but this will not get off the ground. You can quote me on that.

 

[Fulcrum29]

Excellent idea to go along with hardware PBX…

 

[kayvee]

Yup, it's a doomed FAIL. Some crowd-funding projects will do that.

Just not going to happen for a number of reasons. Two most important reasons IMO are technological impracticalities and getting large corporates on board. The corporate giants in the industry are going to end of the earth to develop brand culture all to feed the bottom dollar, so this concept is kinda opposite to that.

Some more discussion here, thread title says it all

http://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/wtf-is-he-thinking!/

 

[NomNom]

I actually think its an incredible idea and hope it becomes a reality. His main point is true, most of the time I throw old phones away because they are either too slow or they don't have a feature that I need.

 

[Bar0n]

I actually think its an incredible idea and hope it becomes a reality.

Why do you think it's incredible? Any rebuttal to the statements in my first post?

 

[Kloofvreter]

Also, your PC is bulky, hot, and noisy. I don't want my phone to be like my PC.

Why do you think the phone will be hot, bulky and noisy like a PC?

 

[Archer]

For reasons that are too many to state, I just cant see this working

I mean look at your average desktop - lots of space and components must follow a set layout. Easy to upgrade. Now look at the exact same thing when its made compact - a laptop. Virtually no upgradeability because of the sacrifices that must be made to squeeze everything in there.

 

[Bar0n]

Why do you think the phone will be hot, bulky and noisy like a PC?

It's obviously going to be bulky. Even the 3D model which is supposed to sell the idea of this phone was bulky.

I believe it will be hot because of the individuality and robustness of each component and their individual circuits and electronics. I think heat dissipation for all components will end up being a problem.

How do you counter the inevitable generation of heat? Simply add the FanBlok (TM). It's a bit noisy, but it keeps everything cool.

 

[krycor]

I like the idea of customizing the phone to your needs but.. customizing has always come at a cost to the end consumer.

I think this goes against the grain of the the current market which is heading into/already gone integrated devices with one build. It's like they try and solve a problem with an old school solution which doesn't work in current situation, Besides.. phones(and other devices) are slowly becoming cloud based which means at some point the hardware will become less important. <-- this was the original idea actually.. phone hardware is irrelevant and value limited as services and data is more valuable. i.e. theft becomes pointless. We still moving towards this scenario