The smartphone is one of the most empowering and intimate objects in our lives. Yet most of us have little say in how the device is made, what it does, and how it looks. And 5 billion of us don't have one. What if you could make thoughtful choices about exactly what your phone does, and use it as a creative canvas to tell your own story?
Introducing Project Ara.
Designed exclusively for 6 billion people.
These are the lines inscribed at Project Ara's official website.
The smartphone is one of the most empowering and intimate objects in our lives. Yet most of us have little say in how the device is made, what it does, and how it looks. And 5 billion of us don't have one. What if you could make thoughtful choices about exactly what your phone does, and use it as a creative canvas to tell your own story?
Introducing Project Ara.Designed exclusively for 6 billion people.
What is Project Ara? Overview
Project Ara is a development effort which can, and most probably will, change the future. Its a revolutionary idea to provide cutting edge technology at a cheap rate. It involves hand-crafting your own mobile phone that is tailor-made for your needs and tastes.
Prototype of Project Ara with modules lying around.
Image courtesy: upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7d/Project_Ara_scattered_parts.png
It all start with an endoskeleton or 'endo' for short and buy and put modules in it. The modules are quite diverse, ranging from Cameras, Screens to Batteries or more interesting water tester, or methane detector- possibilities are endless. Their aim is to make it cheap so as to make it affordable and available to the masses. At this instance, you might wonder that this can only satisfy their needs, not their tastes. To give them their personal touch or flavor, get user replaceable covers for modules called 'shells' which can be based on any theme and have any picture. The endo will be available in three different sizes- Mini, Medium and Large. All this makes the statement quite true - "Designed exclusively for 6 billion people". It is in Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group.
Usefulness
Project Ara is very useful for everyone. Imagine you are on a traveling and don't need camera for a while, all you need to do is take out the camera module and replace it with a battery. The endo supports many battery module in one phone. Now you don't need a phone for good processor or camera but a good processor or camera for your phone. You can share a module in the family or amongst your friends and save money on buying high end phones for every one. Project Ara is now working with Phoneblocks, a similar idea. The launch date isn't much clear but the beauty is expected to arrive by end of 2015. With its prototype quite ready, this project is taking shape.
A new perspective: Employment
Project Ara provides job opportunities to everyone. Now anyone who has the will to develop modules or make shells can enroll himself/herself. All the details to become a module developer is available on its official website. All you need to do is download Module Development Kit, learn about it and start developing and selling modules.
Endoskeleton with many modules seperated
Image courtesy: http://www.3ders.org/images2014/project-ara-module-developers-kit-6.png
Conclusion
After making of smartphones and developing of android, this could be the next drink the world is thirsty for. This is going to be a huge success and the time is not far that you will see an Ara phone in the hands of 6 billion people.
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