Lets create the PineCom

[tllim]

I'd like to throw in my two cents. I'm a Wi-Fi engineer for my day job. One of the most interesting projects that's been developed in the last couple years in my field is the WLAN Pi project. Some very smart people in the Wi-Fi community have taken a mini SBC and turned it into a very flexible tool for analyzing Wi-Fi networks. That being said, I could see something like this providing a better platform in the IT world for Wi-Fi and security professionals to make some very useful tools. The key to this would be using a dual-band Wi-Fi chip that is capable of AP mode, STA mode, monitor mode, and packet injection. With that one change I could easily see this being a go-to device for penetration testing and Wi-Fi troubleshooting.

An SMA connector for an external antenna as suggested by another user would be nice, but not necessary.

1. Do we need both a front and back camera on the PineCom? At least a back camera would be nice on any mobile platform.
   
2. Should we bring over all sensors present on the PinePhone? I don't see a whole lot of value in the proximity sensor. Ambient light sensor is nice, but not necessary if there's an easy way to change screen brightness. If you leave GPS in then a barometer wouldn't really be necessary for altitude.
   
3. Should we use the same single band/11n/BT4 WiFi module in the PinePhone (for compatibility sake) or change it out for a dual band/11ac/BT5? As already mentioned, this is a big one. A dual band AC Wi-Fi module that supports AP mode, STA mode, monitor mode, and packet injection would be amazing.
   
4. Should the device feature a GPS (and compass) or are those features redundant in this type of device? GPS is always nice in a mobile device, especially people expect to use it outdoors. I'd say a compass should remain at a bare minimum if GPS is removed.
   
5. Should we include SPI flash? This device could easily run off of micro SD cards. They're inexpensive and easy to swap out. Also keeps the total device cost down.
   
6. We’re currently thinking of using a 5” LCD panel for the PineCom; what do you think about this - is there a reason to go bigger or smaller? 5" sounds perfect.
   

Please advise a suitable Wifi/BT chip part number, currently select AP6256 which is the same chip use in Pinebook Pro.