Google Project Ara Allows Interchangeable Parts Whilst Being Used

Google’s first modular smartphone, Project Ara, will use a modified version of Google’s Android L operating system and is expected to be out in January 2015.

Google is keeping their cards pretty close to their chest on this one. Although limited information is known regarding the final device, it’s just come to light that parts which can be interchanged will not only be easy to swop out, but they can be done at any time the user desires, even if that means when the device is powered on!

Paul Eremenko, Project Ara team leader, announced at LCU 14 that the Smartphone of the future would be extremely easy to modify. In fact, the whole point of Project Ara is to make them more accessible. In effect, Google wants to do to hardware what apps have done to software. This should be great news for the consumer, as it should mean more affordable hardware, which can be added progressively to the Ara device.

Take this as an example of the functionality of the device; if you want to change the storage on your Ara when it’s capacity is full, you can just swap out the memory while the device is on! Great news eh? Because the device will be the same no matter where you go, it could even mean swapping out your camera for a different one for different types of photography you wan to shoot.  Also, you can even change out the battery thanks to a reserve unit. The only components of the phone which cannot be changed are the screen and the CPU, these will not “hot-swappable”.

As always, if you would like to leave a sensible comment, then please do so in the comments section below.

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What To Expect From Computex 2014

Computex 2014 kicks off today in Taipei starting with a press conference, followed by an official start tomorrow when over 1,700 companies will showcase their new designs to 130,000 attendees. Asia’s largest technology show is an opportunity for some of the big name and less-known vendors to launch their smart innovations and give us a glimpse of cool technology that is not yet available; here is what to expect from this year’s show.

1. SmarTech

This year sees a new area named the SmarTech Area, where everything from smart wearables and 3D printing, to intelligent vehicle systems and security can be displayed. This addition is a sign of just how important smart technology has become and we can expect to see more interesting applications that will reach every area of our everyday lives. It will be here that Acer will launch its first wearable, the Liquid Leap Smartband.

2. Google Glass Alternatives

There are some companies keen to produce fierce competition for Google Glass, developing smart glasses that not only have more features but that cost less too. One such company is ChipSip, which has created the SiMEye Smart Glass. ChipSip actually revealed its smart glasses last year but this time it returns with a more refined device that is almost ready for production. SiMEye can now run any Android app and conduct real-time video chats, two things that are currently beyond Google Glass.

3. Mini PCs

Since last year’s Computex there have been a number of mini computers unveiled that measure just 4-inches by 4-inches, yet they run Windows on 4th generation Core Series motherboards. When Computex kicks off, it is likely that we will see more of these super tiny, super powerful PCs.

4. Intel’s Offerings

Intel is usually one of the biggest names at Computex, along with Microsoft and Asus and this year we’re looking out for Moorefield and the Broadwell Processor. Intel’s Moorefield is a quad-core processor that can run at up to 2.3-GHz. It is manufactured using the same process as the Haswell desktop series and can support up to 4-GB of RAM and 256-GB of storage. Hopefully we will see a working phone that sports Moorefield.

Broadwell is set to be the first Intel chip that is based on the 14nm production process, promising huge power savings when compared to the Haswell chips.

5. The Weird And Wonderful

The great thing about Computex is that it’s not all about the big name tech companies, the lesser-known brands get a chance too and it’s here that we often see the most innovative, if not just downright strange things. Most of the technology that falls in to this category is unlikely to be commercially available for a long time if ever but it’s fun to see the crazy ideas of those willing to get their ideas out there, who knows – they could be the next big thing!

Tell us what you will be looking out for at this year’s Computex.

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