Project Ara / Phonebloks
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 14 8:12 amProject Ara is the codename for an initiative by Google that aims to develop a free, open hardware platform for creating highly modular smartphones. The platform will include a structural frame that holds smartphone modules of the owner's choice, such as a display, keyboard or an extra battery. It would allow users to swap out malfunctioning modules or upgrade individual modules as innovations emerge, providing longer lifetime cycles for the handset, and potentially reducing electronic waste.
I absolutely love the concept, and it will probably be my next phone. The base phone named "Gray Phone" will be available in January 2015 for $50 and is expected to last 5 to 6 years (during which you only upgrade parts you want to upgrade).
