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Google's Project Ara wants to revolutionize the smartphone industry within a year
The night before Google's Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) division was supposed to show off the one and only functional Project Ara prototype to a room full of eager developers, someone dropped the phone and broke the display. At any other product reveal, this worst-case scenario would be a nightmare come true. Not to Google: The company made lemonade out of a lemon by turning it into a selling point for the modular smartphone. A year from now, painful situations like this might be easily fixed by simply buying a new display and swapping out the broken one. Not that it would've made much of a difference if last night's fiasco never happened. Attendees at this week's Project Ara developer conference wouldn't have been able to boot up the prototype and play around with it like any typical smartphone -- in this case, "functional" is not the same as "functioning" -- but at least it would've made for a better presentation. Regardless of how it looked, however, we were able to briefly handle the Project Ara prototype and some of its first modules. To be clear, this is an extremely early model and there's a long way to go before it sees the light of day, but it at least allows us to get a good glimpse of what's to come over the next year as Ara continues to prepare for launch.
Google's Project Ara developer conference is live, watch it here
Google's modular smartphones have come a long way since that kooky Phonebloks concept video went viral last year, and now the company's digging deeper than it ever has before at its first Ara Developer Conference. Couldn't jump on a flight to Mountain View? Never fear -- Google is streaming it, and you can watch the whole thing right here. Here's the rub, though: as the name implies, the event is meant to get would-be module developers familiar with the process of designing and making physical bits that pop into a phone that seems yanked from the pages of a pulp sci-fi novel. That means it'll be a perhaps a little heavier on the technical detail than one might like, but we'll be keeping out eyes and ears open for all the spiffy details you should know about.
Google's modular phones: hot-swapping batteries is just the beginning
Google teased us with a behind-the-scenes look at Project Ara's progress last week, and now it's giving would-be module makers some meat to dig into with its new Module Developers Kit. As the name implies, this release really isn't meant for laymen: it's a set of guidelines for how those bits should look and interact with the endo (Google's pet name for the phone skeletons you pop those modules into), along with schematics and code samples to play with. That said, there still a few neat morsels worth noting! Google has some awfully flexible plans for how future Ara phones will handle battery modules, for instance: Users of an Ara phone will be able to power their device with one or multiple batteries; they will be able to swap a depleted battery with a fresh one, without powering off their phone; they will be able to charge one or more batteries in their phone from one or multiple charging devices.
Here's another peek at Google's build-your-own-smartphone project
Project Ara has only exploded in prominence since Google unloaded Motorola earlier this year, and now we're getting yet another peek at the work in progress. The Phonebloks team just released a video showing off the progress Google and its partners have made on those modular smartphones, and things are coming along just as quick as you'd expect.
Lenovo's smart TV system grants more processing power and memory through swappable modules (hands-on)
Lenovo is best known for its ThinkPad laptops and newly acquired phone business, but the Chinese firm started making TVs a couple years ago, too. And now, it's the first one to build a set utilizing NVIDIA's new Tegra K1 chip. It's that super-powered silicon that explains the TV's presence at GTC 2014, so naturally, we had to spend some time with it while we were at the show. Called the Terminator S9, it's a 50-inch 4K smart TV that runs a Lenovo-skinned version of Android 4.2 natively, but the real magic happens courtesy of a small plug-in module round the back called a Smart Card.
Google wants its Project Ara modular smartphone to cost $50
How much will a modular smartphone set you back? If Google gets its way, about $50 -- assuming you forgo all of the bells and whistles. The team behind Project Ara wants to launch what it calls a "grayphone," a barebones customizable exoskeleton that comes with little more than a screen, a frame and a WiFi radio. That wouldn't be much of a phone, of course, but it's only the bait. Google's Paul Eremenko told Time Techland that users would customize their underpowered husks at special kiosks outfitted with tools to help customers build the device that's right for them. Sounds bold? It is, a little; the team admitted to Time that it hasn't actually reached its price target just yet, and between the FCC and public opinion, it still has more than a few hurdles to leap before its modular cellphone is ready for market. That said, Eremenko says the focus is to make Ara great, not profitable -- a statement that adds to the nebulous handset's allure. Skip down to the attached source for Time's full rundown of Project Ara, Google's ATAP group and Eremenko's thoughts on redesigning the smartphone.
Google's Project Ara modular smartphone gets a trio of dev conferences
Google's got plenty of moonshots brewing in its Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP), but one of the most intriguing is its modular smartphone design, called Project Ara. Because Ara's a platform designed to lets users swap out hardware (processors, cameras, or sensors) on the phone, it presents unique opportunities for developers to build different kinds of modules and the software needed to make them all work. That's why ATAP's going to be doing three developers' conferences this year, with the first one set to happen April 15-16 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. Folks that want to attend, but are outside striking distance of the Bay Area need not fret, however, as there will be a live webcast and interactive Q&A sessions of the conference, too. This initial event will focus on building the modules themselves, as Google will be making an alpha version of its Module Developers' Kit available at the beginning of April. We don't know what the other two conferences will be about (though software development for Ara seems a good bet), but more info and the conference agenda can be found at projectara.com in the coming weeks.
xPC wants to be your next tablet, desktop and crowdfunding gamble
We've followed ICE Computer's modular PC design all the way from first concept to prototype to demo unit, and after several years, it's now almost ready for prime time. The company has recently taken to Indiegogo, where it's set a $300,000 crowdfunding goal that'll finally put xPC into production. The idea is xPC will be several devices in one, housing all its main components within a smartphone-sized case: x86 Intel Atom quad-core CPU (Bay Trail), 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD, WiFi, Bluetooth and webcam. Now, to make use of what's inside, you marry it with peripherals such as the xPad 10.1-inch tablet dock (much like ASUS' Padfone range), or the xAdapter dock, which turns the xPC into a mini desktop. The company talks of other accessories like the xTop (an xAdapter with external storage) and xKeyboard to compliment the xPad, but these aren't mentioned in any of the pledge descriptions, leading us to believe they'll be made later. ICE Computer's pitching the xPC as a long-term investment. Thanks to "open connector architecture," third parties are encouraged to make other docks and peripherals that'll work with this and future generations of xPC. You see, the plan is to merely refresh the base hardware -- the outfit also expects to achieve a fully functional smartphone/xPC "within the next year." For now, though, an xPC with full-fat Windows 8 installed, xAdapter and July shipping estimate is going for the early bird price of $369. It's not too enticing a figure when you're essentially betting on an underdeveloped ecosystem, but at least you'll have something to show for it, unlike a similar concept that's never risen past big promises and pretty renders.
ZTE's modular smartphone could make part-swapping a reality within two years
Smartphones with interchangeable parts is the future... or so companies like Motorola and ZTE believe. Both manufacturers are currently working on prototypes of what's known as modular smartphones. Such a device, if it comes to market, will give consumers a few benefits: the chance to customize their phone exactly the way they want, the ability to upgrade specific parts (or modules) of your device without having to upgrade to a completely new version, the option to buy and sell individual modules to others and less electronic waste left over as a result. Neither Motorola or ZTE has exactly kept their efforts a secret, but what we're unsure of is when we can expect to see real hardware show up on the market. Fortunately, ZTE showed off its first concept device (under glass, unfortunately) on the CES floor this week, and reps told us that we should plan on seeing this concept come to fruition within the next two years. The phone, known as the Eco-Mobius, looks a lot sleeker than what we've seen of Ara so far, and is divided into four separate swappable modules for LCD, core (processors, RAM and ROM), camera and battery. This comes in quite handy for enthusiasts of all kinds who want to take advantage of different modules; if you're into photography, you could theoretically take multiple modules with you, each one with its own strengths and weaknesses -- we'd fancy having a macro lens module for specific shots. Perhaps you want to change the size of your screen, depending on whether you're at the office, at home or a party? No problem. Need a stronger battery? Sure thing. In addition to making this kind of phone a reality, its designers are also putting together a platform in which users can buy, sell and trade modules with each other. Hopefully we'll see more of this concept as things come together, but so far we're very curious about how the final product will look down the road. While we wait for the future to catch up with our dreams, enjoy our images below. Joseph Volpe contributed to this post.
Meet Christine, Razer's modular gaming PC
Tucked away in a shrouded corner of Razer's booth at CES 2014 lies Project Christine, a stackable, customizable PC that looks unlike any gaming machine you've ever seen. The idea behind Project Christine is simple: Remove the hassle and expense of constantly upgrading a computer by making each of its crucial parts modular and self-contained. Instead of opening a tower and slotting more memory or a new graphics card into your computer, Project Christine allows users to simply snap a new module containing any desired upgrades on to their current configuration. As a result, Project Christine should have a far longer lifespan than conventional computers, as modules containing your desired upgrades can simply be swapped in as necessary. Helpfully, Razer's design negates most of the configuration issues you'd encounter when building your own traditional PC. Project Christine isn't just physically modular, it also divides the motherboard into components which are spread across the system's various modules. Instead of having to match your new components to the specifications of your old motherboard, each new module includes all of the technology it needs to function, save the power it will draw from the rest of the system. Each Project Christine module features a mineral oil cooling system which should come in handy, as Razer promises configurations of the device featuring up to four graphics cards aligned in a quad-SLI array as well as factory-overclocked components. Every module also comes equipped with noise cancelling insulation, preventing your fancy new gaming machine from driving you mad with incessant noise. While Razer will be the sole manufacturer of Project Christine modules, the company is still debating which business model to adopt for this new take on the PC. "We're really looking at other models," Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan told Engadget. "Perhaps to say a subscription model of sorts, that we could interchange modules when they come in. Users don't have to worry about a huge bump every time there's new architecture out there." Though Project Christine is still in the early stages of development, Tan hopes support for the idea will be strong enough to convince Razer to begin manufacturing modules at some point during 2014.
Sinister gamepad hopes to replace PC gamers' keyboards, leaves the mouse (hands-on)
Putting aside arguments over platform exclusives, graphical output and the convenience of gaming from the couch, one element separates console and PC gamers more than any other: control. Those parked in front of a television have an all-in-one gamepad with analog nubs, clicky buttons and smooth triggers, while those who bask in the glow of a monitor boast wield a high-accuracy mouse and and full QWERTY keyboard. While trying to jump from one platform to the other, inventor Chris Zhao-Holland found the differences frustrating. Sure, games on the PC benefited from mouse control, but the stiff inputs of the keyboard lost the built-in sensitivity of the console's dual-analog joysticks. It didn't take long for him to cook up the idea for Sinister, a modular PC keypad that hopes to take the best from both worlds. Zhao-Holland dropped by Engadget's West Coast office with an early prototype, presenting us with a 3D-printed palm-rest adorned with Xbox 360 buttons and a single analog nub. These buttons are modular, and can be rearranged mid-game without forgetting their function. The contraption looks a little like a mash up between one of Razer's keypad peripherals and a Splitfish controller, and oddly, functions like both. A pair of switches on the unit's side decide if the PC will recognize it as an Xinput device (like an Xbox 360 controller), a mouse and DirectInput device (with keys that need to be assigned through a companion program) or a mixture of both. These disparate modes give lend the device compatibility, but each comes with its own caveats.
Motorola's modular phone prototype is almost ready, final product might be sold on Moto Maker
Sure, Moto Maker makes it easy to deck out your phone with a fresh paint job, but the company's CEO has bigger goals in mind for the customization engine. Speaking with YouTuber Marques Brownlee, Dennis Woodside envisioned a Moto Maker capable of customizing not just your smartphone's color scheme, but its functionality too. He was talking, of course, about Project Ara. "The idea is you have a skeleton that holds together a set of components and the components slide in and out," Woodside told Brownlee, explaining the modular cell phone project that was revealed in October. The CEO said that a prototype is "pretty close" to being ready, and the final product could find its way to Moto Maker. "Ara is much further out, but you can see how those two things tie together and how, as we introduce new materials into Moto Maker, we're going to pursue that theme across our product line going forward." It's a vague prediction, but it is encouraging to hear that the customization platform might eventually grow beyond its one phone trick.
Pivothead's new video capture glasses let you mix and match power, storage and wireless add-ons
Pivothead's video-recording specs have undergone only a slight evolution since they launched early last year, gaining live broadcast abilities through the Air Sync add-on. Here at Expand NY, however, we've seen what's next, as the company's been kind enough to bring along a prototype of its next-gen model: the Pivothead SMART. Nothing's changed on the camera front, so the SMART carries the same 8-megapixel sensor as its predecessor and records up to 1080p footage at 30 fps. What's different about this new pair, though, is the addition of ports at the end of each arm into which you can plug one of three modular accessories, called Fuel, Air and Live Mods. Essentially, these Mods split the three functions of the bulkier Air Sync peripheral -- streaming, storage and power -- into individual parts. Each Fuel Mod contains a 800mAh battery to supplement the 250mAh internal pack; the Air Mod adds Bluetooth, WiFi, Android for app development and a microSD card slot for bolstering the 16GB of built-in space; and the Live Mod contains a WiFi module for livestreaming your POV. The Pivothead SMART glasses we got to try out weren't quite the finished product -- the company's going to shorten the arms, for example, as they're a bit too long when paired with Mods. It's worth noting that the accessories didn't add much extra weight, so sore ears shouldn't be an issue. For early adopters and eager developers, Pivothead's releasing an SDK and starting an Indiegogo campaign for the SMART specs next Tuesday (November 12th), prior to a true consumer launch in March. Check out the gallery for snaps of the prototype pair and Mods, as well as some obligatory modeling shots, of course.
Motorola's 'Project Ara' modular smartphone setup switches out hardware like apps
We were intrigued by the Phonebloks concept phone that teased the ability to switch out a handset's components the way most users change ringtones, and now Motorola is putting its resources behind it. In what Motorola calls Project Ara, the advanced Technology and Products group is working with Phonebloks creator Dave Hakkens on an "endoskeleton (endo) and modules." Announced this evening on the company blog by Paul Eremenko, the company says it's already "done deep technical work" and is opening the process up to the community and volunteers (aka Ara Scouts, sign up here) to begin designing hardware modules. Its stated goal is to do for hardware what it says Android has done for software: create a vibrant third-party developer ecosystem, lower the barriers to entry, increase the pace of innovation, and substantially compress development timelines." Suggestions for modules include the phone's CPU, display, extra battery, external sensors or anything else one can think of. The timeline currently points to a Module Developer's Kit (MDK) release this winter, while those volunteers can expect an exclusive discount when the product launches and the 100 most active are getting free phones. Hakkens has described his design as a "phone worth keeping" -- with the ability to upgrade piece by piece and (hopefully) never experience obsolescence again we'd call this idea a phone definitely worth building.
Xbox One's modular racing accessories exposed
Accessories have been upgraded on the Xbox One to be more modular, Microsoft's Director of Strategic Alliance Brandan Powell explains in the video segment above. This modularity allows players to add components to their initial investment over time: You can buy a racing wheel for Need for Speed Rivals or Forza Motorsport 5, Powell says, then add gauges or custom pedal types for a more personalized set-up. Powell also says hardware now has more nuanced force feedback options. Developers, using new feedback equations within the game code, can create a more dynamic range of feedback as opposed to the sort of "canned" responses that felt so uniform in previous hardware iterations. Controller pairing, which uses Kinect to determine who a player is, is another feature hardware accessories should be able to utilize. When playing with friends on the same couch, each of whom may prefer different control schemes, Kinect will seamlessly match the appropriate profile and controls to that player, mitigating the need to dive into the settings menu. We imagine this will be a big help when sharing a racing wheel with 80 buttons on it between a couch crowded with friends.
MIT builds modular robots that self-assemble, dooms humanity (video)
Modular robots have long been a reality, but they often require human intervention to assemble or aren't very clever. MIT's new M-Block robots don't need such help. Each cube-shaped machine includes a flywheel and edge magnets, the combination of which lets it attach to its fellow robots simply by spinning into place; the devices can climb over each other and even jump into position. It's a wonderfully simple solution, although we're a bit frightened by MIT's long-term plans. Researchers are writing algorithms that would let M-Blocks act in concert, and swarms of robots could eventually have a Terminator 2-like ability to assume any shape needed to solve a given problem. If the Robopocalypse starts with a flood of colorful cubes, we'll know who to blame.
Teeny weeny Piston gaming PC arrives November 29
Xi3's Piston Console will make its official debut on November 29, a date more popularly known (in the US, anyway) as Black Friday. As an especially diminutive gaming PC, the Piston stands as the "first step in what [Xi3 believes] will be a transformative technology revolution for the Living Room." Unfortunately, Xi3 founder and president Jason Sullivan is either unable or unwilling to detail the hardware found in the Piston Console. "I can't tell you what I know is coming because it's not time to tell you," stated Sullivan. "But I will say this: The bar has been raised." "Piston is smaller, lighter, and will last longer, provide more gaming options and be more powerful than any other gaming console on the planet," Sullivan added. "The reason I feel confident in saying this is because we started with a clean slate, unlike competing manufacturers. And that Tabula Rasa approach is what sets Piston apart from other gaming systems today and what will set us apart tomorrow." On debut, the Piston will feature a $999 price tag. Though Sullivan didn't explain the console's hardware specs, he does note that Xi3 has unexpectedly increased the system's memory. Alongside the previously revealed 128GB solid state hard drive, the Piston will also feature an additional solid state hard drive slot, as well as an internal MicroSD card slot. These additions allow the Piston to utilize up to 1TB of storage. Prospective Piston owners who pre-ordered the console at or before this year's SXSW will receive their machines early. According to Sullivan, these Pistons should be reaching their owners "on or before November 15, 2013."
Oppo N1 will have a Snapdragon 800 to go with its swappable camera system (Update: not the N1)
Oppo's N1 smartphone has been sitting on our watch list ever since we first got wind of its strange N-Lens camera add-ons, which will apparently offer a choice of zooms up to 15x. Now we can flesh out another key spec: the Chinese handset will run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 processor, which should more than cope with its equally unusual dual touch inputs and possibly help it to rival other imaging-centric Androids like the Galaxy S4 Zoom and Sony's upcoming Honami. The HSPA+ Snapdragon processor (MSM8274) was shown on a photo of the N1's internals that was "leaked" by an Oppo marketing staffer on Sina Weibo -- and unless we're horribly, horribly mistaken, the photo also seems to show a microSD slot to store all those optically stabilized, 16-megapixel images. Barring other significant pseudo-leaks, you can expect the next big N1 update on September 23rd. Update: Oops! Oppo just reached out to us to say that the N1 doesn't actually use the Snapdragon 800. Looking back at the original Sina Weibo post, the leakster only said "large screen, flagship" and not "N1," so perhaps this is actually the rumoured Find 7 instead?
DARPA builds an Android-based, low-cost ground sensor (video)
This isn't an ignominious box you're looking at -- it's the potential future of military sensors. The device is DARPA's first reference design for a ground sensor based on ADAPT (Adaptable Sensor System), a modular Android processing core that does the hard work for surveillance gear. The mobile technology inside is miserly enough to run on its own power, and smart enough to simplify both networking and remote control. More importantly, it should be cheap: DARPA expects to cut sensor development times from several years to less than one, with lower costs to match. The agency starts field testing the ground sensor this summer, and it's already contemplating air- and sea-based ADAPT designs. Catch an example of DARPA's airborne sensor experiments after the break.
Insert Coin: Linkbot modular robotic platform lets you quickly build a bot, skills
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. Everybody loves robots, but the initial ardor for building one can quickly be snuffed out by the complex reality of actually programming it to do anything. That's where Linkbot comes in, a new project from the Barobo team that brought us the Mobot. It's designed as a modular system that can be expanded infinitely with accessories like a camera mount, gripper, and wheels, thanks to three separate mounting surfaces -- which also have standard #6-32 screw attachment holes on the mounting plate to attach personality-enhancing cutouts. Despite the expansion potential, though, it can still be used right out of the box to do robotics without touching a lick of code. That's thanks to several built-in modes like BumpConnect, which permits wireless connections between the modules by touching them together; and PoseTeach, to program complex motions by hand in a similar (but less time-consuming) manner to stop-motion animation techniques. For those who want to step it up a notch, the system lets you go far past basic mech fun. The Linkbot itself has two rotating hubs with absolute encoding, along with an accelerometer, buzzer, multicolored LCD and ZigBee wireless system with a 100m line-of-sight range. There are also optional breakout and Bluetooth boards to connect sensors like range finders, IR proximity sensors, photo detectors and thermostats. The outfit's BaroboLink software for Mac, PC or Linux is included to program the Arduino-compatible bot in several languages as well, and can even translate previously created PoseTeach motions into computer routines. So far, the company has created working prototypes and even shipped them to local schools, so if you're interested, you can pledge a minimum $129 toward the company's $40,000 target to grab one. That'll net you a Linkbot, two wheels, the BaroboLink software, access to the MyBarobo community -- and hopefully a jolt to your robotics confidence.
