3D Systems and Motorola partner on project Ara modular smartphone

Motorola (owned by Google) and 3D Systems partner up on modular 3d printed Ara smartphone. Idea behind it that you will able to make a custom smartphone with exchangeable and upgradeable modules.
Update: will not be 3d printed, look below for the link!




Here is a video on why it is not going to work:



http://motorola-blog.blogspot.jp/2013/10/goodbye-sticky-hello-ara.html

http://www.3dsystems.com/press-releases/3d-systems-and-motorola-partner-modular-custom-smartphone#.Up0F98TuJ8E


From 3d Systems page:

As part of this agreement, 3D Systems plans to substantially expand its multi-material printing capabilities including conductive and functional materials. The company also plans to combine additive and subtractive manufacturing methods, and deliver an integrated high-speed production platform. Pending successful completion of the development phase, 3D Systems is expected to manufacture 3D-printed Ara smartphone enclosures and modules as Motorola’s exclusive fulfillment partner.
Motorola and 3D Systems, the inventors of the cell phone and 3D printer, respectively, have previously partnered on the MAKEwithMOTO tour, a series of make-a-thons at the nation’s top engineering and design schools aimed at exploiting the power of open, hackable smartphone hardware and 3D printing to begin seeding an open hardware ecosystem.

Update (11.4.2014.):

Here is video update on project Ara with more images:




Update 2:

Here is even more on project Ara





Update 3:

Here is the first prototype and hands.on with Ara smartphone:


Update 4:

Looks like the Ara will not be 3d printed. It is a setback for the entire 3d printing technology fied:

http://projectaraforum.com/blog/project-ara-modules-wont-use-3d-printers/

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DIY mobile phones projects with 3d printable casing

There are two simple projects: one is a simple candy bar style simple DIY cell phone and second one is a Tyfone smartphone.




From project site:

The DIY Cellphone is a working (albeit basic) cellphone that you can make yourself. It can make and receive phone calls and text messages, store names and phone numbers, and display the time. It builds on the hardware and software in the Arduino GSM Shield but extends it with a full interface, including display, buttons, speaker, microphone, etc. The source files for the cellphone are hosted on GitHub (hardware, software), which also includes an issue list where you can file bug reports or request enhancements.

Project site with detailed information:

http://web.media.mit.edu/~mellis/cellphone/index.html

Tyfone

You can build your smartphone on  Raspberry Pi named the Tyfone with custom Pythone based OS:

http://hackaday.io/project/5083-diy-smartphone

Here is a video of it in action:

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