Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
Open other side.

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

user:
pass:
register,


                 

Cellphone with replaceable motherboard (chip)

 
(0)
  [vote for,
against]

AFAIK, any cellphone consists of following parts:

1. LCD screen 2. Battery 3. Keyboard 4. Cellphone chip

This setup is very similar to a descktop; It has monitor, CPU, Keyboard. If we want to upgrade computer, we simply upgrade CPU, with screen and keyboard left as it is.

Why not upgrade cellphone same way ? First 3 components (listed above) of any cellphone are very similar, if not exactly same. Whenever we upgrade cellphone, why throw away old LCD screen, keyboard, and battery.

Solution:

Cellphones should come with a standardized slot (similar to microSD card slot) for cellphone chip which contains main and almost entire functionality of cellphone.

Want to switch from GSM to CDMA ? simply plug in the appropriate chip taking out old one. No need to throw away entire cellphone.

VJW, Jun 15 2011

Baked http://ezinearticle...SIM-Card&id=5248487
how to replace your SIM chip [Alterother, Jun 15 2011]

[link]






       Brilliant, and entirely Bakeable.   

       But it won't happen for the same reason manufacturers don't put a voicemail app in the handset software; carriers make revenue twice from voicemail, once from the person leaving the message, and again when the recipient retrieves it.   

       Handset manufacturers have a vested interest in getting users to upgrade; carriers use the "handset upgrade" as bait to get users to sign up for another year or so.
8th of 7, Jun 15 2011
  

       If governments can pressurize concerned companies to standardize in other cases ( e.g. VCR formats, NTSC/PAL, HD etc) why not in this one ?
VJW, Jun 15 2011
  

       Because now some of the international telecoms providers are quite a lot bigger in economic terms than quite a few governments. The implications of that are only just beginning to sink in.   

       Let us examine the cases you cite:   

       VCR formats - the choice between NV2000, Betamax, and VHS was eventually settled after a long commercial contest in the marketplace. The standards for the devices themselves were set by the relevant manufacturers or consortia.   

       NTSC/PAL: Both standards were the result of analysis by committees of interested parties, and were largely a matter of technical suitability; there was little or no commercial gain to be had.   

       HD: See above; but note the bitter fight between Blu-Ray and DVD-HD, only recently resolved in Blu-Ray's favour.   

       It's easy to set and maintain standards in areas where there is no particular commercial advantage to be lost or gained. But just try something that threatens their commercial advantage and the tiger who's tail you've just tweaked will turn round and bite you - hard.
8th of 7, Jun 15 2011
  

       Pinout form factor design is critical to chip speed, it would seem to me.
RayfordSteele, Jun 15 2011
  

       I would have thought that a lot of upgrades are people wanting a better screen nowadays? Though I have only ever upgraded once, that was about 7 or 8 years ago, to a secondhand phone. I regret giving the old one away.
pocmloc, Jun 15 2011
  

       Baked. Two minutes with a mini-screwdriver gets the 'motherboard' out as well. >linky<
Alterother, Jun 15 2011
  

       //Baked//   

       Link is about *SIM* chip; This idea is not. It is about main circuitry of cellphone.
VJW, Jun 16 2011
  
      
[annotate]
  


 

back: main index

business  computer  culture  fashion  food  halfbakery  home  other  product  public  science  sport  vehicle