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Google Project Ara Design Will Use Electro-Permanent Magnets To Lock In Modules
MojoKid writes: "Google's Project Ara, an effort to develop a modular smartphone platform, sounded at first as much like vaporware, but Google is actually making it happen. In an upbeat video, Dave Hakkens (the guy who created the Phonebloks design that appears to be the conceptual basis for Project Ara) visited the Google campus to see what progress is being made on the project. The teams working on Project Ara have figured out a key solution to one of the first problems they encountered, which was how to keep all the modules stuck together. They decided to use electro-permanent magnets. In terms of design, they've decided not to cover up the modules, instead making their very modularity part of the aesthetic appeal. 3D Systems is involved on campus, as they're delivering the 3D printing technology to make covers for the modules."
But neither the summary, nor the terrible overly "modern" designed marketing website, makes much attempt at explaining intent. It's like wave "we're replacing email" doesn't explain anything to anyone. "We're making modular phones" doesn't tell us, at the very least, what might actually be different, day-to-day for users.
Because a mechanical connector is too good for them and we're all anxious for new ways to waste battery power and wipe our mag stripes.
I am becoming gerund, destroyer of verbs.
I have to put it back together again?
Well, they'd have to actually build one first for me to be able to drop it. (Not that I'm one to often drop a phone.)
A modular phone will never work. The masses don't want modular devices. They want a solid slate they can get laser engraved more than they want the ability to customize, modify, or repair things.
Because nothing screams "this isn't vaporware" like "we discovered magnets stick together". As if keeping things in place was the major road block for this endeavor.
this reminds me of those micro 4/3 cameras with the interchangeable lenses, except surveys find that many of the consumers never switch lenses...
I'll just be sure not to carry floppy disks around.
I have an idea I should consider patenting, but I can't help myself An interchangeable battery !!
How it works is that Google gets to use the successes in a later design and avoid the failures.
Rather, that's how it would work if Google were actually a hardware company, which they emphatically are not.
Say what you will about Apple but at least they admit they build hardware and aren't ashamed to do the R+D necessary to ship great hardware. They push the envelope and break it at times, but at least they don't do embarrassing things like 'hey, let's impress everyone with our design idea that will never ship' homage to someone's 20% project.
Also, Apple couldn't care less where you are or what you're looking at when using their hardware. ;-)
Why continue this while selling motorola?
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
Nice, MEMS, compasses, RF, batteries, inductive charging (in today's phone) and memory.
Mix that with strong electromagnets and you will like have a Ara that could just a simple 5" LCD monitor (cause nothing else will work) once the magnets turn on.
From TFS: ""Google's Project Ara, an effort to develop a modular smartphone platform, sounded at first as much like vaporware, but Google is actually making it happen. In an upbeat video, Dave Hakkens (the guy who created the Phonebloks design that appears to be the conceptual basis for Project Ara) visited the Google campus to see what progress is being made on the project."
How is this not vaporware? Kewl magnets and flashy app screens barely qualify as sizzle and are nowhere near steak.
Google has re-invented LittleBits, a family of electronics modules which are attached with magnets. With their new "Cloud" module and their Arduino module, you might even be able to build a wireless VOIP phone.
This is a fun hobbyist concept, but you don't actually use things built that way. Either this will be bulky or the components will be fragile. You pay a penalty for all that casing and standard form factor.
Somebody (Wyse, I think) built a PC like this in the early 80s. Each module looked like a book, and plugged into the module next to it. You lined up all the modules, pushed them together, and put a big pin with a knob through the stack to lock them all together. Total failure as a product.
What Google should be doing, after buying all those robotics companies, is designing a phone for 100% robotic assembly, so they don't need Foxconn. (Except that Motorola did that a decade ago.)
So much for the hipster market.
Have gnu, will travel.
Will slipping this into your back pocket by those of use that don't use a wallet or purse, screw up your magnetic stripped cards?
I'm sure this has been thought of but how would you stop it.
From what I read you apply electricity to remove a component, otherwise it's going to be held fast by I imagine rare metal magnet's, else fall apart on an impact. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E...