New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

Slaymaker · 2015-01-21 16:05:23

elfin8er wrote:

Slaymaker wrote:
elfin8er wrote:
Wait wut? You can add pictures to your modules? That's kinda neat, though I hope it's not just like a paper finish or anything...
No, literally made into the module. It's amazing.
Link?

I think this will do http://www.cnet.com/pictures/googles-pr … ne-photos/ but it may not. I don't have much time right now. I'm at school.

transparent · 2015-01-21 20:44:08

modular anything is cool in theory but idk
it just seems really bulky and like it would fall apart super easily

Slaymaker · 2015-01-21 21:01:16

transparent wrote:

modular anything is cool in theory but idk
it just seems really bulky and like it would fall apart super easily

I don't know about the falling apart but I know for a fact it's going to be super thin. However you can make it bulky with modules.

nathanprocks · 2015-01-22 05:24:48

elfin8er wrote:

Slaymaker wrote:
elfin8er wrote:
Modular cases? O.o
That's what I was thinking but they'd have to be really cheap and there would also be no life proof cases I dknt think.
Though think of it this way. If you drop it and the screen breaks, you'd only have to replace the screen. That may end up being the same price as a case, so a case may not even be needed.

I dropped my iPad Mini and the screen broke. I only had to replace the screen. A lot more difficult to replace iPad screens though.

nathanprocks · 2015-01-22 05:27:05

Slaymaker wrote:

transparent wrote:
modular anything is cool in theory but idk
it just seems really bulky and like it would fall apart super easily
I don't know about the falling apart but I know for a fact it's going to be super thin. However you can make it bulky with modules.

The modules won't come out or go everywhere when you drop it because it uses electropermanent magnets.

elfin8er · 2015-01-22 06:05:19

nathanprocks wrote:

Slaymaker wrote:
transparent wrote:
modular anything is cool in theory but idk
it just seems really bulky and like it would fall apart super easily
I don't know about the falling apart but I know for a fact it's going to be super thin. However you can make it bulky with modules.
The modules won't come out or go everywhere when you drop it because it uses electropermanent magnets.

So can the modules be released programmaticlly then?

nathanprocks · 2015-01-22 12:08:51

elfin8er wrote:

nathanprocks wrote:
Slaymaker wrote:
I don't know about the falling apart but I know for a fact it's going to be super thin. However you can make it bulky with modules.
The modules won't come out or go everywhere when you drop it because it uses electropermanent magnets.
So can the modules be released programmaticlly then?

I'm not sure about that, but I'd assume that there is some kind of hardware switch because software might cause some problems if a module needs replacing and you can't get it out.

elfin8er · 2015-01-22 12:39:02

nathanprocks wrote:

elfin8er wrote:
nathanprocks wrote:
The modules won't come out or go everywhere when you drop it because it uses electropermanent magnets.
So can the modules be released programmaticlly then?
I'm not sure about that, but I'd assume that there is some kind of hardware switch because software might cause some problems if a module needs replacing and you can't get it out.

Ah true. Actually, I really don't think a software release would even work for multiple reasons.

Slaymaker · 2015-01-22 14:36:14

I actually hadn't heard about the "electropermanent magnets". They seem awesome, almost like we live in the future :O

jji7skyline · 2015-01-23 01:36:50

The reason why I don't understand the advantage of a modular phone, at least for now, is that you can buy a phone with the fastest processor, fastest graphics, and best screen for not a lot of money (at least compared to computers). Why compromise?

nathanprocks · 2015-01-23 02:39:34

jji7skyline wrote:

The reason why I don't understand the advantage of a modular phone, at least for now, is that you can buy a phone with the fastest processor, fastest graphics, and best screen for not a lot of money (at least compared to computers). Why compromise?

It is much easier to swap out parts on a modular when one module breaks or if you want to upgrade it. With a normal, non-modular phone, it becomes outdated quickly and you can't upgrade the processor, battery, camera, etc.

jji7skyline · 2015-01-23 03:05:32

nathanprocks wrote:

jji7skyline wrote:
The reason why I don't understand the advantage of a modular phone, at least for now, is that you can buy a phone with the fastest processor, fastest graphics, and best screen for not a lot of money (at least compared to computers). Why compromise?
It is much easier to swap out parts on a modular when one module breaks or if you want to upgrade it. With a normal, non-modular phone, it becomes outdated quickly and you can't upgrade the processor, battery, camera, etc.

Well that's exactly what I was talking about in my first post. It's unlikely that Google will make updated parts for their modular phone that will still fit in the old slots. Why?

AMD claimed that they would do something similar with their AMD CPUs, but now look, they're pretty much just making a new slot for every update now. Intel changes their socket every two generations of CPU. Maybe this is because of technical limitations of old sockets/chipsets, or maybe it's just to make people buy new motherboards.

So by the time a new component is released that is worth upgrading to (price vs performance increase), Google would probably make you buy a new ARA phone all over again, so what's the difference?

The only difference is that you get to choose which components the phone comes with when you first buy it.

Maybe I'm overthinking it too much and comparing it too much to building PCs?

I guess one advantage would be that you could replace broken components more easily.

elfin8er · 2015-01-23 07:31:49

jji7skyline wrote:

nathanprocks wrote:
jji7skyline wrote:
The reason why I don't understand the advantage of a modular phone, at least for now, is that you can buy a phone with the fastest processor, fastest graphics, and best screen for not a lot of money (at least compared to computers). Why compromise?
It is much easier to swap out parts on a modular when one module breaks or if you want to upgrade it. With a normal, non-modular phone, it becomes outdated quickly and you can't upgrade the processor, battery, camera, etc.
Well that's exactly what I was talking about in my first post. It's unlikely that Google will make updated parts for their modular phone that will still fit in the old slots. Why?
AMD claimed that they would do something similar with their AMD CPUs, but now look, they're pretty much just making a new slot for every update now. Intel changes their socket every two generations of CPU. Maybe this is because of technical limitations of old sockets/chipsets, or maybe it's just to make people buy new motherboards.
So by the time a new component is released that is worth upgrading to (price vs performance increase), Google would probably make you buy a new ARA phone all over again, so what's the difference?
The only difference is that you get to choose which components the phone comes with when you first buy it.

Maybe I'm overthinking it too much and comparing it too much to building PCs?
I guess one advantage would be that you could replace broken components more easily.

We just have to wait and see. Nothing like this has ever happened in a phone. I'm personally hoping that the phone is pretty upgradable.

__init__ · 2015-01-31 20:02:02

A modular phone would be pretty cool, except this one runs Android and is made by Google... who would want it?

Slaymaker · 2015-01-31 20:56:39

__init__ wrote:

A modular phone would be pretty cool, except this one runs Android and is made by Google... who would want it?

I would. Actually.

jji7skyline · 2015-02-01 01:54:44

Slaymaker wrote:

__init__ wrote:
A modular phone would be pretty cool, except this one runs Android and is made by Google... who would want it?
I would. Actually.

There are good things and bad things about Android.

Slaymaker · 2015-02-01 14:32:17

jji7skyline wrote:

Slaymaker wrote:
__init__ wrote:
A modular phone would be pretty cool, except this one runs Android and is made by Google... who would want it?
I would. Actually.
There are good things and bad things about Android.

Just like there are good and bad things about iOS.

SpiffyFlanger · 2015-02-01 22:18:59

Slaymaker wrote:

jji7skyline wrote:
Slaymaker wrote:
I would. Actually.
There are good things and bad things about Android.
Just like there are good and bad things about iOS.

Very true

jji7skyline · 2015-02-02 01:14:16

One thing I like about this idea is that anyone can manufacture parts for the phone.

Miscellaneous Forums

#26 2015-01-21 16:05:23

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#27 2015-01-21 20:44:08

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#28 2015-01-21 21:01:16

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#29 2015-01-22 05:24:48

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#30 2015-01-22 05:27:05

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#31 2015-01-22 06:05:19

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#32 2015-01-22 12:08:51

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#33 2015-01-22 12:39:02

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#34 2015-01-22 14:36:14

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#35 2015-01-23 01:36:50

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#36 2015-01-23 02:39:34

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#37 2015-01-23 03:05:32

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#38 2015-01-23 07:31:49

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#39 2015-01-31 20:02:02

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#40 2015-01-31 20:56:39

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#41 2015-02-01 01:54:44

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#42 2015-02-01 14:32:17

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#43 2015-02-01 22:18:59

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

#44 2015-02-02 01:14:16

Re: New google modular phone. "Project ARA"

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