[Gta04-owner] Invitation to indicate interest in next batch of GTA04A5 boards

[Bob Ham]

On 2013-03-26 14:11, Dr. H. Nikolaus Schaller wrote:
> Am 26.03.2013 um 14:18 schrieb Bob Ham:

>> I believe the high cost can only be dealt with by designing a new 
>> machine with more modest specifications; a "feature phone".  The main 
>> feature of the GTA04 is actually its freedom, not technical 
>> capabilities.  I'm sure there are many free software supporters who 
>> would be happy with a phone with which they can just make phone calls, 
>> send SMSs and browse the Web, that is reasonably priced, rather than a 
>> phone with lots of extra sensors and additional functionality, that is 
>> expensive.  It may be that a new design is the only way to deliver 
>> this.
>
> Unfortunately it is not the extra sensors and the additional
> functionality that makes it expensive. They make less than 20% of the
> total cost. The most expensive parts are (ordered by falling cost):
> UMTS modem, CPU+Memory, LCD, PCB, WLAN, GPS. But the highest cost are
> those from low volume production.

As I understand it, one of the primary design goals of the GTA04 was 
replacing a GTA01/02 motherboard.  This goal restricted the components 
chosen, especially the most expensive component, the UMTS modem.

With the availability of 3D printing, both the plastic case and the 
case kit components are no longer bound to the legacy of the Openmoko 
phones.  Designing a new, unconstrained phone would open up the 
possibility of choosing components with a lower cost.

Reducing the cost of the GTA04 by 27% (WLAN and GPS is 7%) to start, 
coupled with the reduction from using low-cost components, and I can 
easily envision the market price encroaching on the territory of 
economic feasibility.

-- 
Bob Ham <rah at settrans.net>

for (;;) { ++pancakes; }