Google Project Ara Design Will Use Electro-Permanent Magnets To Lock In Modules 62
MojoKid writes: "Google's Project Ara, an effort to develop a modular smartphone platform, sounded at first as much like vaporware, but Google is actually making it happen. In an upbeat video, Dave Hakkens (the guy who created the Phonebloks design that appears to be the conceptual basis for Project Ara) visited the Google campus to see what progress is being made on the project. The teams working on Project Ara have figured out a key solution to one of the first problems they encountered, which was how to keep all the modules stuck together. They decided to use electro-permanent magnets. In terms of design, they've decided not to cover up the modules, instead making their very modularity part of the aesthetic appeal. 3D Systems is involved on campus, as they're delivering the 3D printing technology to make covers for the modules."
Don't Put In Pocket (Score:0, Interesting)
Sounds like you need to be careful if you put this configurable phone in your pocket. It'll likely corrupt any data on your floppy disk (and maybe your card strips too).
modular but never taken advantage of (Score:2, Interesting)
this reminds me of those micro 4/3 cameras with the interchangeable lenses, except surveys find that many of the consumers never switch lenses...