Google targets $50 entry price tag for Project Ara smartphone

According to a report in Time, Google’s project Ara smartphone could arrive in early 2015 with an entry price tag of $50. The search giant retained the team behind the project when it sold Motorola to Lenovo last month.

The affordable price is said to include the most basic setup with Wi-Fi, but no cellular connection. Additional modules will cost extra. Multiple models may be available when the device is launched.
Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group told Time that Project Ara will come in three different sizes which will cover everything from a pocket-friendly device to a full-blown phablet. Size of the devices will reportedly not be customizable.
As expected, Project Ara will be built around an endoskeleton which will be supplied by Google. This way, the search giant will be able to maintain tight control over the platform.
According to the report, the prototype of a Project Ara main unit with added modules is 9.7 mm thick. With larger batteries planned, the thickness of a full setup is expected to remain in the ballpark of 10mm.
Project Ara will also likely be visually customizable. ATAP is working with 3D printer tech to allow users to change the look and the materials of their device.
More info on who will be making additional Project Ara modules is expected soon. We already told you that Google will be holding a dedicated conference on its brainchild in mid-April.
There is a lot of work to be done before Project Ara becomes reality, though is certainly exciting to know that Google is working on it. We will be keeping a close eye on any developments.

Comments

Post a Comment

Kindly Comment Only related to Post

Popular posts from this blog

Attopedia puts Wikipedia on your Android Wear smartwatch

Image
If the recently gone native Wikipedia mobile app seems to much of a hassle for you, meet Attopedia – the first Android Wear app to put Wikipedia on a smartwatch. The app is free and features an interesting UI paradigm in line with Android Wear’s gesture based control. Once you’ve selected an article, swiping up or down selects an article section, while a left or right swipe explores the content of the section. The project looks like it could be really useful, but we’re sure most of you would prefer to get the phone out of your pocket and browse it on a bit larger display. Nevertheless, this could be an ideal solution for a light reading if reaching for your phone isn’t an option. Packing an Android Wear smartwatch? Great, now head over to the source link below and get Wikipedia on your wrist.
Read more

Chromecast Audio currently available for just £15 in UK

Image
Google's Chromecast Audio dongle has received a price cut in the UK, where retailer Curry's PC World currently has the device listed for just £15, which translates into a solid 50% discount given that the Google Store is selling it for £30. The retailer is also offering the Google Chromecast at discounted rates - £25.00, down £5 compared to what Google is selling it for. However, other third-party retailers like Argos and Tesco are offering the same discount as well. In case you missed, recently, both Chromecast and Chromecast Audio received a $5 price cut in the US as well. Source
Read more

D.M.A. Navi Watch app for Galaxy Gear puts Google Maps navigation on your wrist

Image
You own a Galaxy Gear and need to get somewhere but don’t know the way. While Google Maps integrates with Android Wear, your Tizen-powered Samsung Gear smartwatch can’t use Android Wear apps. How to get out of this conundrum? The free D.M.A. Navi Watch app. The app still uses Google Maps for navigation, but transfers the notifications put out by Maps onto your wrist. To do this it will need access to read your notifications. Here’s a video that shows how that’s done plus the rest of the setup process to get D.M.A. Navi Watch up and running. And here’s a video of the app in action: The app is available for free from the Samsung Gear app store. People have reported successfully running it on both the original Galaxy Gear and the Gear 2. You can get in touch with the app’s developer at the XDA Developers forum .
Read more

iPhone SE teardown shows hardware ranging from iPhone 5 to 6s

Image
The Apple iPhone SE is a 6s in a 5s body, but Chipworks dug into the internals and it turns out the story is more complicated than that. It straddles multiple generations - from the iPhone 5 selfie camera to the iPhone 6s chipset, a whopping four generations. The Apple A9 chipset is brand new and the SK Hynix-made LPDDR4 2GB memory matches the 6s as well. The NFC, audio chips and motion sensor are from that generation as well. The storage appears to be from the 6s as well, but an earlier 19nm chip instead of the 15nm being shipped now. The Qualcomm modem from the earlier iPhone 6 model while the touchscreen controller goes back to the iPhone 5s. Using the images and info from Chipworks, I labeled the parts on the motherboard with the iPhone generation they come from. Source | Via
Read more

OnePlus 2 torn down, gets 7/10 for repairability

It’s not the first time we’ve seen the OnePlus 2 disassembled, but since we haven’t practised our Chinese this lifetime, we have to admit we struggled a bit with the translation on the previous occasion. It’s nice then that iFixit got round to tearing down the self-proclaimed “2016 Flagship Killer” so we can gather up some more easily digestible info. The procedure kicks off with an X-ray shot of the smartphone, but regardless of its outcome, the device was already scheduled for surgery. Removal of the back cover is simple and the non-proprietary screw heads to reveal the innards are a nice touch. The folks then proceed to remove the non-removable battery and dismantle the camera modules, pointing out that the 1.3 micron pixel size of the 13MP sensor is the largest they’ve seen. The mainboard is held by a single screw, while the microUSB Type-C connector/cable assembly should be easily replaceable. Of course, the various chips are detailed, but the bottom line is
Read more

Can a Chromebook Replace Your Laptop?

Image
For years, my daily computer was a commendably-powered and somewhat pricey Asus gaming laptop, but after natural wear and tear began to set in, it became obvious that my machine was slowly but surely breaking down—performance was becoming more and more sluggish, the battery's capacity was dropping, and I even had to have its charging port repaired at one point. But as clear as my trusty Asus' inevitable demise was, I didn't have the funds to replace it with a new Windows-powered machine, so instead of continuing to use an unreliable computer for work, I was given a Chromebook Pixel to try out. The idea had me feeling somewhat uneasy. CES was quickly approaching and the thought of tackling one of the year's biggest tech events using a glorified Chrome browser didn't exactly seem like the best plan. But I was just as curious as I was cautious. Could a Chromebook really replace my traditional laptop? Fortunately, I survived CES using the Pixel a
Read more