THIS could bring me back to smart phones.

[e30saam]

Is your post not full of assumptions? The quote I posted came from an electrical engineer, sure they are assumptions, but educated ones made by an expert in that field. That's like getting a diagnosis from a doctor and saying it is BS because it is just assumptions.

Haha.. Good analogy.

[nando]

I don't understand what isn't so feasible about it.

Let's break it down a bit.

Say each module uses 3 pins. 1 for power, 1 for ground, 1 for data.

Have a row of power, a row for ground, and a row for data. Just need a standard to the design and it COULD work. This is very simplified, and just a very basic thought, mind you.

I find it amusing that so many are saying it is not possible. While no one cared to address my CAN BUS reference.

Modern vehicles have a LOT of modules. Somehow all of these modules communicate with each other on a 4 wire system. Even on those 4 wires, only 2 are really used all the time. How is it that 20 modules can all communicate with each other on 2 wires, but somehow this isn't possible?

those modules are all individual computers. the data they send to each other is an order of magnitude less than what a CPU bus would need to send to different parts of a computer. a CAN bus (which is what you're talking about) runs at a snails pace compared to a CPU, GPU, or RAM.

sending all a CPU or GPU data over a 1 or 2 pin bus? you're dreaming. There's a reason a typical CPU has far more pins packed in a smaller space than it did 10 years ago.

agreed, cool concept, but basically not possible to build (at least not at a price anyone is willing to pay).

[Swanny]

I've work on a surface mount line. These processor are called "BGA's" and they have so many pins you can not place it by hand, its nearly impossible. You must have a machine do it or you have leads running together and the chip will be use less.

All you need to to is put together a simple Mega Squirt board to start to realize the complications in designing a PCB and further more the impossibility of designing a chip that will work with said PCB without a degree in electrical engineering. There is a reason engineers typically have the highest paying 4 year degrees.

Cars "comunicate" with a 4 wire that leads to a ECU (a printed circuit board with chips) not to a magic peg board.

Although, I'm not surprised the OP is confused. He had difficulties with an iPhone.

I've messed up a BGA with over 1000 pins. all in two or three square inches.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_grid_array

No way! Do you populate only or are you vertically integrated? We're kinda in the same field.


We made a board for IBM/Celestica that has a 4inch LGA area. 44 layers with all testing areas integrated into the board and not just the frame. Weird stuff!

[lolcantturn]

This will never work. People do not want to fix shit. They just want it to be simple and to work. That's why iPhone's and iPad's are so popular - it just works. If it fucks up, throw it away, buy a new one.

[Exodus_2pt0]

needs more than the few pins that you seem to think that every "module" in this phone can be summed down to.

This is what's required for a simple 20 mhz processor to interact with the chassis , a pager style LCD screen, and a speaker.


To say that a modern smartphone's architecture needs a few more is a massive understatement.

I'm well aware of a processor's pin counts, thank you. I build my own computers and have assembled a few MS boards in the past.

My point is, to say that this is impossible is a ridiculous claim. And my few pin count point was as stated, a very simple description.

Also, why not make each block it's own module.

It is claims of impossibility that make people do the opposite. In its current exact design it may not happen. However, it COULD push smart phone designers to release upgrade lines.

[Holland]

This will never work. People do not want to fix shit. They just want it to be simple and to work. That's why iPhone's and iPad's are so popular - it just works. If it fucks up, throw it away, buy a new one.

This is so true anymore, especially with cars. I tend to wonder though, now that money is more tight and people are starting to become more frugal, if the demand for less throw away things will increase?

About the phone, I think it's a neat concept, but I would love to see some actual feasibility with it.

[Wschnitz]

I'm well aware of a processor's pin counts, thank you. I build my own computers and have assembled a few MS boards in the past.

My point is, to say that this is impossible is a ridiculous claim. And my few pin count point was as stated, a very simple description.

Also, why not make each block it's own module.

It is claims of impossibility that make people do the opposite. In its current exact design it may not happen. However, it COULD push smart phone designers to release upgrade lines.

Lol it would work but it would be slow as shit, more pins = faster data. Honestly you need to sit down and think about it. Making each block its own computer would make the phone huge, like really huge. And really pointless, why should each block have its own CPU? This is another case of design students pushing a product yet have not even engineered yet.

In my opinion these designers need to learn. Make a prototype device first and then try and pitch the product...