A Spanish company by the name of ImasD is working to solve one of my complaints against Project Ara: the size.
Earlier this week imasD unveiled the Click-ARM One, a modular tablet with removable modules for the CPU, storage, connectivity, battery, and more.
Due to ship later this year, the Click-ARM One is still more of a prototype than a complete system with multiple alternative components.
The first production run is just now going up for pre-order. It's going to be based on a 10" Samsung screen and run your choice of Ubuntu, Tizen, or Android on an Exynos 4412 CPU with 2GB RAM. The Click-ARM One will also have a 16GB storage module as well as other modules. (I would assume there is a battery and Wifi module, but they're not mentioned specifically.)
The backbone of this system is a board which combines both ImasD's proprietary ARM (Advanced Removable Modules) tech as well as slots for mini-PCIe boards:
The ARM will go in the white squares labeled modules, while the mini-PCIe boards will go in the cutouts to the left and right. And yes, it does look like they'll have slots for up to 4 mini-PCIe cards.
The Click-Arm One is up for pre-order now. The price plus shipping is 289 euros, and shipping to the US is not an option (I tried).
All in all this looks like a nifty idea, and I'm thrilled to see the multiple Samsung connections. It's not just that I assume Samsung will pilfer any of the ideas which prove useful, but also that imasD had to have at least some Samsung assistance in designing this tablet. That gives it a better chance of actually shipping, IMO.
But I'm not so sure about iMasD's other partner.
This tablet came across my desk in connection to the PuzzlePhone, a modular smartphone being by the Finnish Circular Devices. The PuzzlePhone is a much simpler alternative to Project Ara which combines a minimum of modules into a smartphone:
Circular Devices last got attention in January when they proposed that users could recycle their old PuzzlePhone CPU modules as cores in modular supercomputers.
I didn't think much of the idea at the time because we knew almost nothing about the PuzzlePhone's modules, but yesterday TheNextWeb reported that the PuzzlePhone would use ARM tech.
They might also end up sharing battery tech, but that's about the limits of their cooperation. ImasD and Circular Devices have radically different approaches to the modular electronics; one is going for as minimalist approach while the other is going for an excess.
Frankly, I'm surprised that they will even be able to share the CPU module.
In addition to ImasD, Circular Devices also announced several other branding and tech partners, such as Grant4Com, AT&S, Fraunhofer IZM andOgilvyOne Barcelona. These partnerships, according to Circular Devices CEO Alejandro Santacreu, have the company on track to bring the PuzzlePhone to market later this year.
The Next Web, Computer Hoy, Liliputing
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