Location of the Pyra's mobile functionality?

[Pyramancer]

Do the mobile versions of the Pyra have the "3G/4G and GPS module" on a fourth board? Or is it on the mainboard? Or CPU board? (I assume it is not on the display board?)

Will there be the potential for removing the mobile functionality entirely (for example if it is found impossible to make secure)?

Will there be the potential for converting a US-mobile device to an EU-mobile device (or vice versa) when travelling abroad?

Thanks in advance for any insight into this question (I wasn't able to find an answer in the product information / FAQ).

 

[Askarus]

The Module is on the Mainboard.

You can order a Pyra without the Module.
If you want to remove it you have to replace the mainboard which should not be too expensive. They are not sold separate yet.

 

[WizardStan]

If you do order one with a module and then later decide against it, the power trace is apparently very easy to cut. No power, no snooping.
But as Askarus says, the module is on the mainboard so there's no easy way of switching it between US and EU, unfortunately.

 

[Askarus]

But as Askarus says, the module is on the mainboard

I did say that.

there's no easy way of switching it between US and EU

I did mean the exact opposite.
It's so easy to swap the board.
Three screws, the LCD-Cable and the CPU-Board is all that's in your way. The procedure will take about ten Minutes or less if you have some practice.

 

[WizardStan]

Ok, sure, I guess, technically it's about as easy as swapping out any main board: just take everything apart and then put everything back together.
I'm pretty sure from context, however, Pyramance meant easy as a single component that can be removed and replaced. I can swap the motherboard on most desktops in under ten minutes but I wouldn't call it easy; replacing a RAM module is easy.

 

[Silent-Hunter]

You'd lose all your settings though, unless you boot from MicroSD.

 

[lukey]

You'd lose all your settings though, unless you boot from MicroSD.

Um... No, as the eMMC sits on the CPU Board.

 

[Silent-Hunter]

Um... No, as the eMMC sits on the CPU Board.

Oh oops.

 

[levi]

So, we will lose our package configurations when we upgrade our CPUs then. That's probably not a biggie, as I have built four arch systems from scratch in the past couple of years, and I generally find it a good opportunity not to install stuff you previously installed but have basically stopped using over time. That's arch though, which starts off as a pretty minimal install, whereas with debian you might potentially have a bigger list of default installed stuff that you've uninstalled over time. It would be nice to have /home on an SD card maybe though - I generally port my /home partition to new installs on the same machine, and it's always nice to have things set up nicely as soon as you've installed them.

 

[Pocak]

If you do order one with a module and then later decide against it, the power trace is apparently very easy to cut. No power, no snooping.

To expand on that, there's a load switch (TPS22963C) you can turn off in software to keep the modem without power.

If you do want to get physical, I guess lopping off the sense resistor (used for measuring the power use of the modem) would be easiest. Though it would be nicer insted if you exchanged the board for a no-modem version.

Also, if you're very paranoid, you may want to keep the USB host powered off as well, as the VAUX output of the TPS2505 is connected directly to the VBUS pin of the modem. I don't actually think the modem is able to power itself from that, but hey, paranoia... You'd lose the type-A USB ports and, possibly, HDMI.

 

[Grench]

It becomes even more secure if you remove the battery, disconnect the mains and lock it in a steel box blind bolted to the floor.

 

[Pocak]

Nah, that would just slow down the hacking a bit.