Modular Smartphones Could Be Reused As Computer Clusters

itwbennett writes The promise of modular smartphones like Google's Project Ara is that buyers will be able to upgrade components at will — and now Finnish company Circular Devices has come up with a use for discarded computing modules, which they're calling Puzzlecluster. Drawings of the Puzzlecluster architecture show a chassis with slots for the reused modules, which can then be interconnected with others to create the cluster. Just one unit could also be used as a desktop computer."

Comments

pointless

[itzly]

Clusters of underpowered processors are not nearly as useful as a single powerful processor.

Re:Depends on use

[ihtoit]

unless you're talking about a shop in middle Africa or even Outback, China that proposes to utilise such a system in a mesh network to bring remote communities one step closer to being Facebook zombies.

Hell, for that matter - how much processing power do you need to run a DHCP router?
Or a DVR?
Or a home automation system? Something as simple as an automatic garage door opener?
An RFID reader?

There's a BUNCH of uses for low power/small iron that Big Iron would be utterly WASTED on. The aforementioned is not, by any means, exhaustive.