Anyone fancy a "Lego" phone you can swap and replace parts on?
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- i have actually been working on something like this, with a different type of product, for a while.
just an idea though, i have no skill/knowledge on how o make it a reality. but i think this is the way to go.
just going off of yesterdays iPhone reveal when Rene was saying that microSD and NFC are not NEEDED in phones, and watching everyone argue the point shows that a product like this would be great. If you dont want nfc, get a bigger battery or something.
GREAT IDEA, SIGN ME UP!amazinglygraceless likes this.09-11-13 10:35 AMLike 1 - i have actually been working on something like this, with a different type of product, for a while.
just an idea though, i have no skill/knowledge on how o make it a reality. but i think this is the way to go.
just going off of yesterdays iPhone reveal when Rene was saying that microSD and NFC are not NEEDED in phones, and watching everyone argue the point shows that a product like this would be great. If you dont want nfc, get a bigger battery or something.
GREAT IDEA, SIGN ME UP!09-11-13 10:49 AMLike 0 - this will also be a GREAT idea for families and developing countries, who tend to 'share' or 'reuse' phones.
When I bought my Z10 I gave my dad my iphone 4... but he doesnt need all that power and storage, he basically needed a phone that was better than his 6 year old moto flipphone.
My cousin also wanted my iphone for the camera, music playing and general social feature... most of which could be said to be based on storage
So, i could have given my dad the parts he needed and my cousin the parts he wanted
Just like in many countries when a father or older brother upgrades their phone the next person down the line gets the used phone... but in most cases they do not NEED everything, and maybe the parts of that one phone could go towards upgrading two or more phones and then selling the remaining pieces for a very small profit.
The only problem I see with this is that there will need to be very strict design language/guidelines so that there is a way to fill the entire back of the phone. If even one hole is left open then there is a problem, and because all the blocks look to be different sizes there looks like there can be a 'tetris' problem where you are always looking for that single piece that fits in the one spot that is empty. Obviously they can sell 'filler' blocks that are one or two spaces, im sure they have thought of that.
We also need to consider how easily the system will adapt to a change. if im going away for vacation and wont have cellular access can I swap my network block for some extra storage for photos? or are some blocks (obviously the 'speed') neccessary for the phone. In other words, could i buy a PHONEbloks and not add a cell block but instead just use it as a media device... like how the iPod is different from the iPhone.
This is REALLY interesting!09-11-13 10:51 AMLike 0 - The concept is great to be able to switch out everything that would be obsolete in 6 months and replace it with whatever is new out and to be able to customize it for how you want to or will be using it...the design needs a little bit of polishing but as a proof of concept and a start-up this is really good!
Now where is the front screen that also includes a QWERTY keyboard built by BlackBerry?indie_b likes this.09-11-13 11:04 AMLike 1 -
to be honest, even if it is more expensive by a bit I think this is the way to go just for the sake of saving resources. The main idea here is that if i want the new iPhone bc it has a 64-bit chip I dont have to toss my phone, I just switch out the chip and in the worst case all that is wasted is one small chip. In a large family this can mean the difference between 2 or 3 entire phones needed to be upgraded, and old ones thrown away... or a savy/thrifty family finding a way to puzzle all the pieces together to create the 'perfect fit' for all of the family members and then recycle a few pieces.
obviously this is all extremely hypothetical... but it is a good thought experiment09-11-13 11:08 AMLike 0 - This is a good idea. The only issue is getting electronic companies to besign for it., but who knows it may work09-11-13 11:21 AMLike 0
- Cool Idea.
Simple truth of the matter is it would be more expensive to create separate replaceable modules than to put several components on one circuit board. and at some point the "Base" isn't going to work with new technologies and then the modules won't work with the new base.......
And in todays world, parts are always WAY more expensive that than an assembled devices.
Never mind how big and ugly the thing would look. Especially after you dropped it and all the pieces pop out all over the floor.serbanescu likes this.09-11-13 11:34 AMLike 1 - I would love this!! Eco friendly, customizable, you could have spare parts. Going on a hike? Take a big battery and a camera. Swap out blocks for work, play, change up your storage. A work block full of work ****. Personal block. Phone for the kids, only give them certain blocks, no apps, no wifi or whatever. Love this concept.
Posted via CB1009-11-13 07:59 PMLike 0 -
- SlcCorradoBlackBerryThat is an awesome idea. I'm not an engineer, so I have no idea how realistic it is... But it is definitely a cool idea09-11-13 11:10 PMLike 0
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the reason this doesnt work with current phones and software is because they werent designed that way... but if there are a limited number of bloks to choose from and each has its software patch/update and they are all compatible with the software then this should work just as plug and play works with computers.09-12-13 11:22 AMLike 0 - you mean like how i can plug in any mouse or keyboard, or external harddrive, or speakers to my computer and they work right away... or how i can swap an internal harddrive, ram and video/sound cards on my computer and they work right away?
the reason this doesnt work with current phones and software is because they werent designed that way... but if there are a limited number of bloks to choose from and each has its software patch/update and they are all compatible with the software then this should work just as plug and play works with computers.
Could you make it work and still be competitively priced to the end user... NO.
The reason that so much is installed on the main motherboard of many less expensive computers... is it is CHEAPER to manufacture and thus CHEAPER to sell. Never mind the fact that many components function better on the same chip. And you are talking about a LOT of connection points..... Neat idea, but just not a marketable product.09-12-13 04:00 PMLike 0 - Could you make this work....YES.
Could you make it work and still be competitively priced to the end user... NO.
The reason that so much is installed on the main motherboard of many less expensive computers... is it is CHEAPER to manufacture and thus CHEAPER to sell. Never mind the fact that many components function better on the same chip. And you are talking about a LOT of connection points..... Neat idea, but just not a marketable product.
yes the initial price point, and the price of individual upgrades may be expensive (especially as a new tech) but will it be more expensive then buying a new phone every 6-12 months.
remember, I bought my Z10 on luanch... so ive had it 7 months(ish) if i want to get the Z30, which will be a slight spec upgrade and a bigger screen I now have to pay full price, lets say $600-$700. I love the size of the Z10 screen, but who doesnt love a faster chipset and more RAM... so, instead of getting a new $700 phone I could upgrade the parts I wish for ... hell , even $500 and save money. PLUS, it will be easier to sell individual parts of the phone rather than an entire phone because other people will also be looking for incremental upgrades.
again... just a thought experiment09-12-13 04:30 PMLike 0 - Great idea......but we'll have to see where this goes.
There are a lot of issues though:
Aesthetics and Size:
The end product is not going to be a very stylish phone. As you can see, it's really "blocky".
Each and everyone of those blocks are enclosed which adds a lot of un-needed bulk. If you've ever taken apart a phone, you know it's all packed in there pretty tightly. Also, no "enclosure" would mean it's not very resilient to dirty or water.
Design:
There are also a lot of design hurdles such as parts compatibility. What about replacing the motherboard, security modules, etc.
Software:
A lot of software is hardware dependent. If you allow users to use any hardware parts, your operating system will have to account for that, which means your OS will be bigger and less efficient.
Cost:
Too much variation would cause over extending parts inventory. As well as margins might be lower due to lower volume and more variability in the builds. Not many companies are likely to take the risk.
This idea isn't exactly new, after all, the desktops are currently completely modular. You can upgrade the motherboard, power supply, video card, hard drive, DVD drive, and a lot of other external peripherals. But all of these parts come from tens of manufacturers. Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, Seagate, ASUS, Biostar, Sony, LG, Logitech, ETC ETC! So you'll need just as many manufacturers to take this idea up. Except the mobile industry is moving so quickly, that no one is really going to put that much time into trying to work with others unless they know the product is going to work. It's the chicken or the egg problem. You can't succeed unless you spend money, but you don't want to spend money unless you know it's going to succeed.notfanboy likes this.09-15-13 05:14 PMLike 1
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Anyone fancy a "Lego" phone you can swap and replace parts on?
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