As many of you might know, the modular smartphone known as Project Ara initially began life at Motorola, back when the smartphone maker was still owned by Google. Since then, Motorola has been sold off to Lenovo and Google continued the project on its own. Unfortunately, things came to a …
Read More »Google has put a stop to Project Ara
Ever since the Phonebloks concept first hit the web, the idea of a modular smartphone has really took off and Google was the first to take the idea seriously, kicking off Project Ara. We have seen Ara evolve a lot over the last couple of years and just a few months …
Read More »Phonebloks designer says Google can do better with Project Ara
Last week, we got the rather disappointing news that Google's Project Ara, the modular smartphone, would not have swappable display, CPU, or RAM modules, crippling the ‘upgradeable' selling point of the device. Now, Dave Hakkens, the designer behind the Phonebloks concept that inspired Ara has spoken out on the direction Ara …
Read More »Project Ara won’t have swappable CPU, RAM or display modules
Google's Project Ara is set to be one of the most customisable smartphones on the market when it comes out next year. However, it won't be a simple case of buying the ‘skeleton' and upgrading the hardware when it starts getting slow as the CPU, RAM and main display won't …
Read More »Project Ara modular phone coming to consumers next year
Several years ago, the internet became obsessed with the idea of ‘Phonebloks', a modular smartphone concept that later went on to become ‘Project Ara'. While there have been some delays, this year we will get to see a brand new Ara development kit and after a long wait, the first consumer-ready modular …
Read More »PuzzlePhone hopes to take on Project Ara, Indiegogo campaign planned
It has been over two years since the Phonebloks concept was made famous on YouTube. Since then, Google has brought the concept to life with Project Ara, which is due to launch some time next year and now, a Finland-based company is hoping to stir up some competition with a …
Read More »Toshiba may sell its image sensor business to Sony
Toshiba is apparently in advanced talks to sell its image sensor business to Sony for as much as $165 million. This comes just a few weeks after we learned that Sony also acquired sensor start-up company, SoftKinetic. So far, this news is coming from multiple sources, ranging from Japanese newpaper, …
Read More »It turns out Project Ara didn’t fail a drop test after all
Earlier this week, Google delayed the launch of its modular smartphone, Project Ara. The device will now only be available publicly sometime next year. At the time, the Project Ara Twitter account tweeted that it would be ditching the electromagnet system in favour of something new following a failed drop …
Read More »Project Ara may have been delayed due to bad magnets
Google is attempting something pretty different with Project Ara. The idea is to build a modular smartphone, where customers can upgrade individual components easily by sliding them on to the back of the device. In previous prototypes, the modules were attached by electro-permanent magnets, unfortunately, it seems that they just …
Read More »Google’s Project Ara has been pushed back to 2016
Last year was a pretty exciting time for Google, having taken on the Phonebloks concept and created Project Ara. While the first Ara devices were scheduled to arrive some time this year in selected markets, it seems Google wants to spend a little more time developing the modular smartphone, pushing …
Read More »Toshiba reveals new modules for Project Ara
Google’s modular smartphone, currently dubbed ‘Project Ara’, is gaining more traction as Toshiba has announced new modules for the phone. The company was already working on two camera modules but has now developed a display module, a data transfer module and an audio port module. The first Project Ara devices …
Read More »Toshiba starts making cameras for Project Ara
Toshiba has shown off two new camera modules that it is developing for Google's modular smartphone, currently named ‘Project Ara'. There are two versions at present, a 5 megapixel camera module and a 13 megapixel one. These cameras can be swapped in and out of the handset, allowing for easy …
Read More »Project Ara may appear at MWC next month
Google has been showing off more and more of Project Ara during recent months and we may get to see even more of the modular smartphone at the Mobile World Congress, which starts next month, in Barcelona. Around 50 of the device's modular components are also due to be displayed …
Read More »Google’s Project Ara gets an update
Google has detailed new developments on Project Ara, the company's modular smartphone concept. At a Module Developers Conference this week, the company said that it plans to launch the product as a pilot later this year in Puerto Rico in order to get a feel for the market. This Project …
Read More »Marvell and Nvidia are working on processor modules for Project Ara smartphones
Google on Friday revealed that Marvell Technology Group and Nvidia Corp. are working on application processor modules for upcoming Ara smartphones. Previously a number of companies have publicly expressed support of the project Ara, but no one has revealed any particular plans. The disclosure from Google is generally the first …
Read More »Google to launch dedicated store for Project Ara modules
We are slowly learning more and more about Google's plans for Project Ara and the modular smartphone's launch next year. For those wondering about the sale of modules and where to get them, apparently Google will be setting up its own store to act as a dedicated marketplace for all …
Read More »Project Ara has competition: meet the Puzzlephone
Project Ara isn't the only modular smartphone concept in town anymore as Finland's Circular Devices has created an alternative modular device called ‘the Puzzlephone', which breaks the device down in to three main areas- the first of which is the spine, holding the LCD screen, speakers and structure. The second customization …
Read More »First look at a working Project Ara, modular smartphone prototype
Yesterday Google promised that it would reveal major advancements and changes to the Project Ara modular smartphone project and now we actually have our first look at a working prototype. The video was uploaded to the Phonebloks YouTube channel, in the video you can see the phone running stock Android …
Read More »Google to reveal major advances to Project Ara in January
Project Ara, the modular smartphone, has been an exciting development and according to Google, we can expect to see some major changes and advancements in January. We already know that the base model/skeleton will be fairly cheap, with Google reportedly aiming for a $50 price tag. We also know that …
Read More »Google to create Play-like hardware store for Project Ara smartphones
Google plans to build a special online store that will sell components for modular smartphones that belong to the Project Ara initiative. The intention means that Google will certify modules for smartphones and ensure their quality, which is a rather hard task. Besides, small-volume manufacturing of custom modules will mean …
Read More »Google’s project Ara smartphones to have hot-swappable components
At a recent developer event Google re-emphasized plans to show a fully-functional prototype of its modular Ara smartphone platform in late 2014 and revealed some additional details about the project. Apparently, Google’s plan is to keep everything simple and therefore the majority of modules of Ara handsets will be hot-swappable. …
Read More »Google to start sending out Project Ara hardware this month
Google's modular phone project is well underway as the company has announced plans to start sending out Project Ara hardware to developers this month. The company has previously stated that it hopes to have a finished product out on the market during the first quarter of 2015, meaning that this time …
Read More »Google aims to bring project Ara to life within a year
Project Ara is happening and its happening fast, Google has taken charge of the modular smartphone project and is aiming for a January 2015 release- it won't cost much either, with the standard price coming in at $50. That said, new modules and customisation options will likely bulk up the …
Read More »Google reveals Project Tango- A smartphone that maps its surroundings
Google is expanding its lineup with a newly revealed smartphone prototype, currently named Project Tango. The Android phone is built to learn about and then map the world around it, for example, the phone will learn the dimensions of your room just by being carried around and then eventually learn …
Read More »Motorola’s Project Ara is one step closer to reality
A few weeks back we reported on Motorola's ‘Project Ara', for those who didn't see, Motorola has teamed up with the man behind the Phonebloks campaign and is aiming to make a modular and customisable smartphone. Motorola is now one step closer to making this happen as it has penned …
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