12-19-2020, 06:35 AM
I think the important thing here is that this is *not* going to be a phone. The PinePhone already looks awesome, and I'm sure all kinds of mesh stuff can be added. For this to be at it's best, it should be unique.
This could be your data logger, your calculator, your 2 way radio, your flashlight, and a new class of thing you keep on it's charger on the coffee table, as a remote for the whole house, in your toolbox for many different uses, or take along on a long expedition.
I think that one of the very best things it could possibly have is a docking connector. So we can put it on a charger when not in use, in a durable and professional way, but also so you can mechanically connect it to add-ons, I'm a way that feels like you are only holding one device.
Any exposed pins should of course be well protected electronically, for real field use.
Preferably, a dock on the back, and two small ones on the front. No need for video or high speed data, just SPI, power in and out (Solar charge add-ons!), and I2C. And extra points if the mechanical interface is easy to 3D print. I'd like to see it go together entirely magnetically, but with a screw hole for permanent attachment or bulky things.
Another excellent thing would be dual or triple 18650 batteries, and excellent software control to extend cycle life, or even to enable alternate chemistries. As this probably won't be carried in a pocket every day, might as well use a standard battery, and give people a *lot* of power, for robotics, high power add-ons, etc.
It doesn't need anything more than just your basic cheapo cameras. It doesn't need a ton of CPU power, or even that much RAM It really just needs modularity, swappability, a crazy long battery life, and as much connectivity as it can get.
It doesn't even need to be thin and light.
GPS is definitely useful. Front cameras are cool, but realistically, this won't replace a phone, so it shouldn't try to. I'd rather have NFC, infrared, or just lower cost.
This could be the real life version of the ubiquitous gadgets in every sci-fi movie. The little handheld computer that you use to defuse the bomb, reprogram your spaceship engine, and get a message out to HQ. It could help people learn, and be a part of making scientific equipment more accessible to the public.
Connectivity is cheap, and large batteries are too. But all the coolness disappears if you take too much inspiration from phones.
Phones never lived up to the promise of being a platform for add-ons because there's no mechanical interface. Smartphone based gadgets usually don't solidly connect, and feel like one device you can comfortably take with you, with the exception of FPV controllers.
I also think that whatever LoRa module is used should also have good support for plain FRS, LoRa isn't quite so good at short range, too much wasted bandwidth.
Possible add-ons that someone might like to make:
* 2 way radios, because FRS sucks. Use Opus over 250KBPs 915MHz, or WiFi
* TV remotes. Is there any reason not to put 38khz IR TX/RX? That's a cheap easy way to talk to Arduino type gadgets
* Multimeter/Oscilloscope/Signal generator. They're big and bulky at the moment, but a small little addon modules would instantly give this thing a place in any toolbox
* Home automation dashboards
* Spectrum analyzers/HackRF type tools
* Laser distance measures, thermal cameras
* All the random meters and cable testers
* Calculators. If this thing had a super long batter life, it would be a nice graphing calc
* Drone Controllers: Just dock it into something with the analog sticks, and you've got a great screen for FPV and telemetry
* RTK GPS
* OBD tools
This could be your data logger, your calculator, your 2 way radio, your flashlight, and a new class of thing you keep on it's charger on the coffee table, as a remote for the whole house, in your toolbox for many different uses, or take along on a long expedition.
I think that one of the very best things it could possibly have is a docking connector. So we can put it on a charger when not in use, in a durable and professional way, but also so you can mechanically connect it to add-ons, I'm a way that feels like you are only holding one device.
Any exposed pins should of course be well protected electronically, for real field use.
Preferably, a dock on the back, and two small ones on the front. No need for video or high speed data, just SPI, power in and out (Solar charge add-ons!), and I2C. And extra points if the mechanical interface is easy to 3D print. I'd like to see it go together entirely magnetically, but with a screw hole for permanent attachment or bulky things.
Another excellent thing would be dual or triple 18650 batteries, and excellent software control to extend cycle life, or even to enable alternate chemistries. As this probably won't be carried in a pocket every day, might as well use a standard battery, and give people a *lot* of power, for robotics, high power add-ons, etc.
It doesn't need anything more than just your basic cheapo cameras. It doesn't need a ton of CPU power, or even that much RAM It really just needs modularity, swappability, a crazy long battery life, and as much connectivity as it can get.
It doesn't even need to be thin and light.
GPS is definitely useful. Front cameras are cool, but realistically, this won't replace a phone, so it shouldn't try to. I'd rather have NFC, infrared, or just lower cost.
This could be the real life version of the ubiquitous gadgets in every sci-fi movie. The little handheld computer that you use to defuse the bomb, reprogram your spaceship engine, and get a message out to HQ. It could help people learn, and be a part of making scientific equipment more accessible to the public.
Connectivity is cheap, and large batteries are too. But all the coolness disappears if you take too much inspiration from phones.
Phones never lived up to the promise of being a platform for add-ons because there's no mechanical interface. Smartphone based gadgets usually don't solidly connect, and feel like one device you can comfortably take with you, with the exception of FPV controllers.
I also think that whatever LoRa module is used should also have good support for plain FRS, LoRa isn't quite so good at short range, too much wasted bandwidth.
Possible add-ons that someone might like to make:
* 2 way radios, because FRS sucks. Use Opus over 250KBPs 915MHz, or WiFi
* TV remotes. Is there any reason not to put 38khz IR TX/RX? That's a cheap easy way to talk to Arduino type gadgets
* Multimeter/Oscilloscope/Signal generator. They're big and bulky at the moment, but a small little addon modules would instantly give this thing a place in any toolbox
* Home automation dashboards
* Spectrum analyzers/HackRF type tools
* Laser distance measures, thermal cameras
* All the random meters and cable testers
* Calculators. If this thing had a super long batter life, it would be a nice graphing calc
* Drone Controllers: Just dock it into something with the analog sticks, and you've got a great screen for FPV and telemetry
* RTK GPS
* OBD tools