Optional 3G/UMTS module

[Klumpen]

No 3G please, just makes it even more expensive and I wouldn't use it at all.

 

[TrashyMG]

It's already in the build plans.

 

[Askarus]

And you don't have to buy it as it's optional.

 

[WizardStan]

ED still hasn't mentioned the upgrade path though, if people want to start with the basic unit (or even the 3G) and then get a 4G module later.

 

[comradekingu]

Short of replacing the board, its a very involved and advanced approach to do smd soldering.

 

[WizardStan]

That doesn't do anything to answer the question.

 

[oxym]

Now when the (apple/non-apple) switch was included into board design I have a question which wasn't really answered here (at least I haven't found the direct answer in this thread).


gta04 has said:

It is not planned to have a phone earpiece (placing the Pyra to your ear).

My question is: why?

When closed pyra would be samller (except the thickness) than Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3 mm (5.95 x 3.12 x 0.33 in)).


Millions of people are using Note 3 to place phone calls without using headsets. Why can't pyra give same capability to its users?


And just for referrence this is how Note3 looks (please note where is the earpiece and how much space does it occupy)

http://cdn2.gsmarena.com/vv/pics/samsung/samsung-galaxy-note-3-1.jpg

 

[TrashyMG]

Because the Pyra is trying to put a bus load of features in a prius sized container.. there is only so much room.

 

[Neelix]

Also the Pyra was never intended to be a phone as such. Yes, it can be used as such,  but it's not the primary function, and not what it was designed for.

- Neelix

 

[Natsu]

My question is: why?

Kind of agree.

Because the Pyra is trying to put a bus load of features in a prius sized container.. there is only so much room.

Still, if this is cheap and it fits, would be nice to have.
Otherwise, it's muffled sound,bluetooth/headphones or speaker.

Also the Pyra was never intended to be a phone as such. Yes, it can be used as such, but it's not the primary function, and not what it was designed for.

- Neelix

The Pyra is not a primary type of device. It's design to be more than one thing.

A lot of people are hoping to replace their phone with the Pyra.

 

[ekianjo]

The Pyra is not a primary type of device. It's design to be more than one thing.

It's not because it can do everything it means it's practical for all purposes.

 

[levi]

Designing a good phone takes a lot of work (as evidenced by manufacturers spending millions developing new phones that are still not as good in terms of call quality as an old nokia). From preventing feedback from the speaker to the microphone, to noise cancelling ambient, it's a combination of device shape, microphone placement and software.


It's entirely understandable that ED and GTA04 wouldn't want to take on that responsibility, and would rather make not-a-phone than a bad phone. We can after all plug in a headset (either physically or via bluetooth) and experience a properly designed headset experience - assuming it's possible to not only initiate the call but hook up the headset headphones and microphones to that call.

 

[Natsu]

The Pyra is not a primary type of device. It's design to be more than one thing.

 It's not because it can do everything it means it's practical for all purposes.

Not trying to be rude, but this is relevant to my post how?

Designing a good phone takes a lot of work (as evidenced by manufacturers spending millions developing new phones that are still not as good in terms of call quality as an old nokia). From preventing feedback from the speaker to the microphone, to noise cancelling ambient, it's a combination of device shape, microphone placement and software.

All we are asking for is a mic and speaker which are probably best place on the lid. The software is going have to be donefor the 4G/3G regardless of it.

It's entirely understandable that ED and GTA04 wouldn't want to take on that responsibility, and would rather make not-a-phone than a bad phone.

Except the fact they are giving you the option to use it as a phone.

We can after all plug in a headset (either physically or via bluetooth) and experience a properly designed headset experience - assuming it's possible to not only initiate the call but hook up the headset headphones and microphones to that call.

We can also use a phone, which both are defeating the purpose.
Why get/use a phone when the Pyra can do that and much more?

 

[levi]

They aren't giving us the option to use it as a phone.  They're giving us an open device that can connect to a cellular network, that we're discussing hacking to make it do phonecalls.

The difference between plugging in a headset and using a discrete mobile phone is that one uses the same phone contract, while the latter requires you to pay for two.  I don't see how the options are comparable at all.

 

[Natsu]

They aren't giving us the option to use it as a phone. They're giving us an open device that can connect to a cellular network, that we're discussing hacking to make it do phonecalls.

What are you talking about? Link Sounds like "you can use it as a phone" to me.

The difference between plugging in a headset and using a discrete mobile phone is that one uses the same phone contract, while the latter requires you to pay for two. I don't see how the options are comparable at all.

Or just pay one and use your phone since you still need carry another device anyway. I don't think you understand the


gripe in having to carry another device when trying to replace a device to carry less in the first place.

 

[Tenka]

I also plan for the Pyra to be my phone, and think having to use a headset every time I received a call would be lousy.  A third speaker on the case (on the bottom I'm thinking, since the top may require running more wires through the hinge) and either a side placed single microphone or two microphones is all that it would take to give the Pyra the ability to operate as a phone while the lid is closed, and in time to receive calls, and without us having to hold it in two hands in front of us while talking on the phone.  They are already doing what they can to make the Pyra phone capable, so they shouldn't be opposed to these unless there really is no space left for a speaker and a microphone on the bottom (or perhaps top) of the closed case.  I don't know if there is, I hope so.

 

[bzar]

I wonder if there are currently even over fifty people planning to use pyra as a phone replacement? Not to play down your user profiles or extrapolate any final demography sizes, but saying there are "many" people wanting to do so if it's a marginal amount even amongst the people currently holding an opinion on the matter is something of an exaggeration. Until there's some idea of how many actually want to do this, saying something like "several" might be more approppriate, since at least that can be backed by showing the handful of forum posters claiming to do so. I may have missed some of those posts, but I haven't seen even ten people saying so? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[thatgui]

Altough Natsus statement, I am (indirectly answering), is from another thread, I guess it fits here:

The Pyra won't be a multipurpose device to an extent some people seem to expect: it is still a UMPC with adjustments for gamers. The mobile data feature spawns from that purpose, and the possibility to make voice calls is just a byproduct of that "sidefeature". So my guess is that there won't be "real" official support from EDs side, escpecially not software wise - there may be someone who rips the phone software part out of some other open source project (openmoko or similar) and if its somewhat stable and not too hacky ED surely would agree to integrate in the official distribution, but that is as far as it would get.

I may have missed some posts, but from what I read there are already more people stating that they have no interest in a mobile dataconnection than in using the Pyra as a phone, so with the mobile data/voice capability beeing only an option, EDs motivation to pour resources in that particular "feature" will probably be not very high.

On a more personal note: Just accept that the Pandora will be no phone as hard as that may be. My (not so short as I would like it to be) "life" experience is that as soon as you start pouring in more features the more the project strays away from excelling in the features that it was originally planned to have.

 

[slaeshjag]

I can see myself using my future pyra as a phone. I  get about 4 phone calls a year, so I don't mind if it's a little bulky. One device less to carry.

I also have a friend not registered on these boards that intends on replacing his N900 wih a pyra.

 

[oxym]

^ I guess that majority of people being interested in using pyra as a phone might be former N900 users (like me)


Even if the number of people wishing to use pyra as a phone is in the same range as the number of preorders of neo900 it would still be only 3% of pyra users