Google's Project Ara Modular Phone Could Have More Power Than Originally Thought

[dgstorm]

The latest intel from Google's Project Ara modular smartphone project is rather juicy. Apparently, the phone might have a great deal more power than earlier reports suggested. Supposedly, Google is working with NVIDIA to offer the new Tegra K1 as the primary processor of choice for the main component of the phone.

Here's a quote with a few more details,

According to Eremenko, the Project Ara team currently has two different application processors at their disposal, including the powerful NVIDIA Tegra K1 chip that’s also used in Google’s Nexus 9 tablet, and a second 64-bit chip coming from Marvell. A third Rockchip processor is also expected to be available to Project Ara handset buyers, according to previous announcements.

“For the AP modules, we have been working with our friends at Marvell and NVIDIA to create two separate reference designs and form factor module prototypes around their PXA1928 and Tegra K1 processors, respectively, using a Toshiba UniPro bridge ASIC to connect to the on-device network,” Eremenko wrote.

The exec further teased the Project Ara design, saying that the “Spiral 2 form factor prototypes look beautiful, custom module shells and all.”

Google will host a new Project Ara Developers Conference in January, at which point it’ll likely share more details about the upcoming Project Ara launches.

What do you think of Project Ara? Is it just another weird idea from those crazy Googlers or are they on to something unique and interesting?

Source: BGR

 

[Heero121]

ive been with them since the first announcement of Ara, and was/am a dscout member for them *crosses fingers for becoming a tester*. I cant express how excited I am about this concept. Something competitive and customized to your wants and desires seems too good to be true. Its not even about the initial hardware, its about the doors it opens up for future development. Competitive priced modules and encouraging tech companies to be better and push forward the limits of what android and the hardware has to offer means great things for the years ahead. As laptops and tablets become more mainlined with less and less options for user friendly changes (HDD and RAM and various chipsets being soldered in place), its glad to see that not all tech is going that way. Why be forced to purchase an entirely new device because one component fails, or an upgraded version of that feature just came out. Or being the option to put it two batteries and removing the camera module just in case if you are going camping or on a trip and have another camera handy.I for one welcome this idea with open arms, and am really excited to see how it takes off and the development it sparks. Also, to piggy back on an earlier thread, I really feel that this idea will give more power to the users, consumers!

 

[FoxKat]

Well said, +1 to all of the above.

 

[liftedplane]

I'm so excited for something like this... giving those of us who build our own computers and other electronics an option in the phone arena... Giving the users the ability to build our phones to our specs.

hopefully this will also move us closer to computers in terms of root etc etc... they cannot tell us that we didn't build our phone if we are using this, and I could never see any company subsidizing the parts/

 

[MoeDaddy]

Love the idea Love to get one, doubt VZW will partake so that leaves me out.