Crowdfunding an Ubuntu smartphone (right now)

[Stefan Monnier]

> Production problems show almost immediately, even if there is only one
> person.  And they show after making let's say 20 units.

As you know, that has not been the experience with the GTA02, where
audio quality output (works fine for line-out but not for headphones),
GPS issues, and the "1024 issue" have appeared over time and some of
them took a long time to track down and fix.

I can bet that your tests for GTA04 did not catch problems along the
lines of power consumption issues that will only show up in particular
usage scenarios that will only be used by the customer number 1462.

>> Also, if you can upgrade the screen and the CPU separately, you might
>> attract a few other users, who aren't so interested in Freedom but do
>> like the idea of customizing their phones.
> That is a dream that is not realistic. Every display has a different
> connector (there is no standardization!). And every CPU has different
> signals and power supply needs. I.e. you can swap an OMAP3505 for an
> OMAP3530 or an DM3730 but nor for an OMAP4 or OMAP5 or Snapdragon or
> i.MX6.  Because they are not designed for this way of use.

I know.  But I'm not talking about swapping the actual CPU or the
actual display.  I'm talking about swapping the "CPU module" or the
"display module".  I.e. create a standardized module interface around
off-the-shelf (i.e. non-standardized) components.

It would have its own cost (in money and in size), but in the long run,
I hope the benefits of relying on standardized interfaces would make up
for it.

>From what I can tell, Free Hardware projects don't benefit nearly enough
from each other's efforts.  Not sure we have enough Sisyphus around to
keep them all alive.


        Stefan