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One of the biggest bonuses of using a desktop over a laptop is its upgradeability. Yeah, sure, laptops have a few PCMCIA slots, but a proper desktop PC lets you pull out every part and replace them on an as-needed basis. What if phones worked the same way? This design dubbed Clover has four slots (one for sound, another for visual, another for navigation, and a last for sensors), that allow you to do just that. Devices like the Versa have toyed with the idea of modules already, but not as far as core functions and hardware. A set-up like this would make the basic phone useable for a much longer amount of time, as well as open up a secondary hardware market.
If the manufacturer could keep apace with the latest advancements across Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, video and audio processors, and so on, then Clover has a shot in the real world. It also offers an amount of scalability – after all, you would be able to build the phone you want, so if you just wanted a cheap-o phone, you could get the base load-out. I’m curious if the sensor module would include antennae as well – it would be especially cool if you could swap it out for local compatibility if you happen to be a globe-trotter. Samsung Corp Milano helped work on this one, so we know where to look for a finished product a few years down the line.
[via Gizmowatch]
About The Author
Simon Sage
Simon Sage’s education largely surrounded writing, technology and online community, leading him to begin his blogging career at www.BlackBerryCool.com and to quickly discover a vibrant and active community surrounding BlackBerry and mobile technology. In exploring RIM’s platform, he has learned what enterprises are looking for in mobility as well as what makes the innocuous BlackBerry so appealing to them. Recently Simon’s been covering RIM’s gradual move into an already-crowded consumer market, and the impact of burgeoning challengers, such as the iPhone, as well as long-time leaders, like Nokia, on BlackBerry’s advancement. With plenty of content under his belt, Simon will be branching off a bit to see what other smartphone manufacturers are working on while still using BlackBerry as a barometer. At IntoMobile, you can count on his posts being even-handed, well-informed and thought-out.
