If you want a faster desktop computer, you can swap out the CPU or even motherboard for a newer, faster model. But if you want a faster tablet, you pretty much have to go buy a new tablet.
But what if you could just open your tablet, pop out a module holding the processor, graphics, memory, and storage, and slap in a newer, faster board?
Navarre Bartz wants to develop an upgradeable tablet that would let you do just that.
His entry in the Instructables/Jack Daniel’s Independence Project contest shows how the system would work.
Basically, his tablet motherboard would consist of two parts. There’s a main board which features input and output ports, and which could include WiFi, Bluetooth and other components. And there’s a slot for a secondary board that holds the CPU, memory, and storage.
In his prototype, that secondary board is a Toadex Colibri computer on a module, a tiny PC system that looks like a stick of RAM, but which features an NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual core processor.
I’m not sure we’ll ever see this device make it to market, but if Bartz wins the contest he could get $25,000 to move his upgradeable tablet concept a little closer to reality.
But he’ll have to contend with other projects such as an automated micro brewery, a robotic strawberry picker, and other projects.
via reddit
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5 Comments on "Upgradeable tablet concept features replaceable CPU module"
Whether or not this gets to market, you have to give the developer credit for making something like this in a world of ever increasing numbers of disposable, non-upgradeable electronic devices. The amount of electronic waste that would be reduced by something like this is not insignificant.
Now if only wi-fi and bluetooth was also upgradeable, but that could be done by making them tiny USB modules with a antenna connector.
Good stuff
if he doesnt win there’s always kick starter….