This is an interesting piece of what Google is planning with the Ara project and some elements of it are really quite radical, or at least I think so.
When I first posted about this, when it was just Phonebloks (I think that was the name anyway) I didn't get a terribly good response. However, I think that a modular device could work really well for mobile music. The only proviso (and it's a big one) is that there are the right kind of modules available to put in the device, and/or third parties have the ability to produce modules for the Ara project.
So I'll be keeping an eye on this and letting you know about it from time to time.
The A7 chip in the current line-up of iOS devices is a cutting-edge mobile SOC capable of processing speeds exceeding many laptops in use today, the next iteration may very well double this horsepower.
ReplyDeleteCouple the A8 with a very efficient operating system made to work with this custom silicon and "phonebloks" has a tough fight on it's hands with the clock ticking. And make no mistake, the A8 will have more RAM as well. :)
So if you want the finest portable computing device (cellphone) ever made in the history of mankind, sell your current one and buy the latest model on the market, that's as good as it gets in the real world. These are computers, not vintage synthesizers!
I'm sorry to say, in 2014 this modular idea is passé and seems like just another whimsical google "experiment" meant to inspire the nerd community, but little commercial potential. When did packing the absolute best components available into a small sleek package with good battery life and great support become "not good enough"? :)