One of the nifty things about the PinePhone is that there are a series of pogo pins hidden behind the back cover that make it possible to add new hardware to the phone. Individual hardware hackers have used those pins to add things like a thermal camera or a fingerprint reader. But, as revealed earlier […]
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PineEye is a DIY thermal camera add-on for the PinePhone
Pine64 is working on several official PinePhone accessories that add features like wireless charging, NFC, or a physical keyboard. But independent developers have also developed their own add-ons including a fingerprint reader and a 3D-printed keyboard. One of the newest DIY PinePhone add-on projects is a thermal imaging solution called PineEye. In a nutshell, PineEye […]
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Essential is launching an HD audio module for its smartphone this summer
The Essential PH-1 smartphone has a set of Pogo pins on the back that you can use to attach modules that extend the phone’s functionality. But since launching the phone last year, Essential has only offered a single module: a 360-degree camera. This summer Essential plans to launch its second module. It’s a hi-fi audio […]
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New Moto Z modules: Gamepad, wireless charging, Amazon Alexa
LG may have given up on the dream of swappable smarpthone modules, but Motorola is going full-steam ahead. The company has already announced that Moto Mods will not only work with the current Moto Z smartphone family, but also upcoming devices launched over the next three years. And at a Mobile World Congress press event […]
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Motorola and Indiegogo want your Moto Mod ideas (Moto Z smartphone modules)
Motorola’s Moto Z can be used as a standalone smartphone, but what makes the phone unusual is its support for Moto Mods, which are modules you can slap on the back of the phone to add functionality. Right now Motorola offers 5 different Moto Mods, including a speaker, a projector, a camera with a zoom-lens, […]
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Moto Z smartphone’s first MotoMods priced between $70 and $299
One of the most intriguing features of Motorola’s new Moto Z line of smartphones is their support for snap-on modules that extend the functionality of the phones. Called MotoMods, these modules can add extra battery power, high-quality speakers, and even digital projectors to your phone. But if the prices for the first few MotoMods are […]
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Blocks modular smartwatch might support Project Ara smartphone modules
The folks at PhoneBloks have been envisioning a future where consumer devices are modular: want a new screen, a bigger battery, or a new camera for your smartphone? Just pop out your old module and slide in a new one. PhoneBloks served as part of the inspiration for Google’s Project Ara modular smartphone, and now the […]
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Google Project Ara: Marvell, NVIDIA developing CPU modules
Google plans to launch its modular smartphone code-named Project Ara in 2015. Eventually what Google hopes to sell is just the skeleton of a phone designed to run Android software. Customers will be able to choose their own screen, processor, camera, and other hardware by picking modules. Early prototypes have been powered by Texas Instruments OMAP […]