Build your own Smartphone!!

[Kira365]

Hey Guys!!

I want to build my own smartphone, I know this is thought to be practically impossible because of the parts that are so hard to get if your not a phone company.

I however was thinking of bi-passing this by buying or using old phones (and their parts inside).

My main reason for this is to somehow be able to make a phone that is better for a lower cost, and that can run Linux (through like Ubuntu).

I would really appreciate any help you guys can offer!!

 

[gorcorps]

Phone internals are designed to form fit into their case. What in gods name do you think you'll be able to do with random parts from different phones? You can't desolder chips off of the PCB without damaging them, so you'd have to use an entire PCB from a phone, which won't fit into any other phone case, so you'll end up not being able to change anything.

There is simply no way to do what you're trying to accomplish. Save up and buy the phone you want.

 

[poofyhairguy]

gorcorps is right, the days of off-the-shelf interchangeable parts is almost all gone. And not just in mobile, all over we find laptops with the RAM soldered in or desktops that are "all-in-one" designs.

I like your enthusiasm though, so I will tell you a secret: you need a Nexus 4. Not only are they pretty cheap on swappa, but they are supported for Ubuntu touch:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Touch/Devices

Have fun.

 

[Graze]

Hey Guys!!

I want to build my own smartphone, I know this is thought to be practically impossible because of the parts that are so hard to get if your not a phone company.

I however was thinking of bi-passing this by buying or using old phones (and their parts inside).

My main reason for this is to somehow be able to make a phone that is better for a lower cost, and that can run Linux (through like Ubuntu).

I would really appreciate any help you guys can offer!!

You're quite the dreamer aren't or maybe you are just young(9?)!

 

[poofyhairguy]

You're quite the dreamer aren't or maybe you are just young(9?)!

Pretty sad when you think about it. In many of our youths YOU COULD put together a computer from parts for cheaper than Dell would sell it to you. You could scavenge many machines into one, and then throw Linux on that Frakencomp.

What fills this gap? Sad really what we lost.

 

[antihelten]

As the other posters have already explained, what you are asking is currently impossible (with incurring costs that are an order of magnitude higher than just buying a new phone)

But in the (hopefully not to distant) future, something similar might be possible:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Ara

 

[sweenish]

Pretty sad when you think about it. In many of our youths YOU COULD put together a computer from parts for cheaper than Dell would sell it to you. You could scavenge many machines into one, and then throw Linux on that Frakencomp.

What fills this gap? Sad really what we lost.

The only reason home-built isn't cheaper is that the OEMs stopped using quality components.

 

[Zaap]

Pretty sad when you think about it. In many of our youths YOU COULD put together a computer from parts for cheaper than Dell would sell it to you. You could scavenge many machines into one, and then throw Linux on that Frakencomp.

??

What's changed?

In terms of desktop computers, you can still build a better machine for the same price as the stuff Dell and others will sell you. (Certainly a much more specialized build with no corner-cutting mystery brand parts). You can still scavenge a bunch of older computers into one Frankencomp.

Of course a person can't really build their own smartphone- but then to my knowledge you never could build-your-own mobile phone of any sort.

 

[Crono]

I'm in the process of building a raspberry pi smartphone. It's very low spec and not as cheap as just buying an actual smartphone, but you can put linux on it.

I would have been done by now, but got caught up on the body and am considering getting a 3D printer soon so I can make the body or a mould for the body.

It's a hobbyist project for me because I want to learn more about electronics. The thread is around here somewhere, but haven't bumped it because I've been busy and really do need a 3D printer, which I'll hopefully build or buy next month when I have some spare cash.

It's not easy to build something along the lines of a current smartphone, though, not without some advanced engineering knowledge and tools. I'm hoping Ara pans out, because modular smartphones is the best hope for enthusiasts like us who want to assemble smartphones with modules of our choosing, the way we build computers from parts and components.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I'm in the process of building a raspberry pi smartphone. It's very low spec and not as cheap as just buying an actual smartphone, but you can put linux on it.

I would have been done by now, but got caught up on the body and am considering getting a 3D printer soon so I can make the body or a mould for the body.

It's a hobbyist project for me because I want to learn more about electronics. The thread is around here somewhere, but haven't bumped it because I've been busy and really do need a 3D printer, which I'll hopefully build or buy next month when I have some spare cash.

It's not easy to build something along the lines of a current smartphone, though, not without some advanced engineering knowledge and tools. I'm hoping Ara pans out, because modular smartphones is the best hope for enthusiasts like us who want to assemble smartphones with modules of our choosing, the way we build computers from parts and components.

That is pretty cool Crono. I stand corrected.

 

[master_shake_]

gorcorps is right, the days of off-the-shelf interchangeable parts is almost all gone. And not just in mobile, all over we find laptops with the RAM soldered in or desktops that are "all-in-one" designs.

I like your enthusiasm though, so I will tell you a secret: you need a Nexus 4. Not only are they pretty cheap on swappa, but they are supported for Ubuntu touch:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Touch/Devices

Have fun.

i hate that this is true.