I’d also be interested in some fun radio stuff. High-power WiFi with external jack, SDR, LoRa, etc.
Some flexible mesh networking would make it really interesting for EMCOMM.
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It may be possible to put this USB 3.0 NanoHub from Muxtronics on Tindie in a card with some modifications.
The source files for USB 2 is Muxtronics NanoHub , and USB 3 Muxtronics USB 3.0 NanoHub .
I don’t have enough time to work on this, but it shouldn’t be too difficult to modify this to have two A ports, and a single C plug. Could also use C ports as well.
This will ONLY be USB 3, and not any PD, display, or thunderbolt.
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Isolation for USB devices.
Power meter for USB devices.
I agree that the two-ports-per-hub, in at least one of the ways mentioned so far, is necessary for this project to be taken seriously by many.
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First let me say I had this idea 20 years ago but using the PCMCIA cards. I had a network card and it occurred to me why couldn’t we just make all the components modular like a desktop PC. I may have even sketch up something. Unfortunately, I was just in college back then and laptops hadn’t become as thin and light as they are today so a slightly larger form factor of expansion cards would have been required. I am glad someone was finally able to run with the idea though, just wish it hadn’t taken so long.
So some of my ideas for expansion cards have already been proposed but I am going to list them here anyway just as a + 1 for those ideas.
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Obviously dual USB-C ports on a single card would be nice. I’d really like to have 2 Type C and a Type A but leaving room for 2 more expansion cards.
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I will second the multiple speed network cards. I did see there are some challenges there in terms of form factor. As I wrote my intro to this post, I remembered that my PCMCIA network card actually had a bulge that hung outside of the card slot. The card itself was the size of 2-3 credit cards and slid into the laptop much the same way Framework’s expansion cards do, just used a different interface. I am wondering if you could fit the circuitry into the card itself and then use a bulge on the outside for the port. Wouldn’t be quite as “sexy” but if it gave you multiple speed Ethernet, it might be a reasonable compromise.
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Here is the ultimate expansion card: a GPU. Yes, that would probably be hard to accomplish, especially cooling. I don’t see this one happening too soon but it is a thought. This is part of what led to me thinking about a modular laptop 20 years ago. I wanted a GPU that I could replace.
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One type of USB-C dock that I was interested in was the ones made for Mac’s that use the two USB-C ports and hang off the side. I don’t use Mac’s so I could never really find one for a non-Mac that I liked. I am envisioning a dock similar to that but it would either use a single card slot and just cover the other one because of its length or make use of both card slots. If the dock used a single slot, the other one could be used for a storage card. Likewise, if the dock used both slots, the second slot could just indeed be a storage card. Thus, you could get even more expansion but have something that would be semi-permanently attached to your laptop.
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Sticking with the dock idea, a modular docking station would be sweet. You could have a base that would take the expansion cards. You could have whatever ports you wanted. Need 3 monitor support? Three DP modules. Need loads of USB-A ports? Done. The possibilities are endless. I could see maybe a 6 port dock with an Ethernet jack built in. I’d love to have a configurable docking station since many of them usually fall short by a port or two or have ports I am never going to use.
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I am sure this next one will come in time but a slightly larger capacity storage expansion card would be nice. Especially since there is only a single M.2 slot internally. I’d really like a 4 TB expansion card but that may be a ways off before the capacity and price get to a decent level.
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Finally, and this may take some engineering, but if you could find a way to remove the central support or have it be removable so that a longer expansion card could be inserted. Naturally the longer card would take up both ports though it may not have to actually use both Type C connectors, the larger card may provide some other options for expansion. Maybe the next gen could have two smaller expansion slots and one big one on opposite sides. A longer expansion slot would possibly allow for a second M.2 drive to be inserted, maybe one of the shorter varieties.
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Oooh, just thought of a niche one: an Ethernet port which can regulate Power-over-Ethernet from 48V down to 20V and present as a USB-PD source for the laptop to get its power from. If I’m not mistaken, PoE can only supply in the ~30 watt range, but just putting the idea out there.
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I’d love to have a PC based oscilloscope, for DIY / arduino type projects. (Obviously, not the world’s fastest scope, but enough for audio work, and to look at some interfaces.)
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Full size SD would be a big one for me. I (and many others) still use that for photography, and having a reader around is a must. Although I don’t use it personally, it seems many high-end cameras are starting to move to XQD, so that might be a good one to look into as well.
I also had the idea of integrating a Logitech unifying receiver or at least having an inset USB port to accept one. I thought I was really clever, but I see a ton of people are already on that idea. It would be really nice, since I am always worried about having those things sticking out of ports when a computer is getting knocked around in my bag.
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Friend of mine suggested Zigbee and ZWave controllers. It’s useful for testing/development at least.
Some more ideas:
- IR transmitter
- Simple case to enclose security keys (like Yubikey)
- Firewire
- Serial Port (too big?)
- Logic Analyzer
- a MagSafe like charger cable
- Slide-out Apple Watch charger
- NFC reader/writer
- Environmental sensors (humidity, temperature, pollution)
- Bright notification light
- Down facing dock connector to attach to a desktop dock
- Simple programmable push button
- Pill case
- Slide out magnetic card reader
- Measuring tape
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We need to get some kind of module that we add that can interface with possibly the Dell docking station connector?
A barrel plug for power would be really handy; USB-C for power & data is really convenient but the cables are also really fragile compared to the bulkier, cheaper barrel plugs. Having the option for a right-angled 12V barrel would be nice.
A ethernet port 1/10 gigabit that accepts Type3/4 POE++ input for power / charging
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Here is a link for it https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.zmUBvhMNfyWIUzgPPQ4XsQEgDY?w=261&h=196&c=7&o=5&pid=1.7 @Colton_Idle It is quite old but I am sure the community or framework themselves could create a system for it, making a ginormous expansion card!
@Josh_Cook once it gets thunderbolt cert… I plan on using this dock. A single cable to connect to the dock and I get like 20 ports + charging of the laptop!
Super basic, but a sunk-in version of the USB port. Just flip the laptop upside down to unplug a dongle.
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@Barryn_Chun Maybe we could create something that puts it inside of the expansion card, there is circuitry inside of the expansion cards but from what I understand we do not exactly need that, we can just get the USB-C plug broken out to the USB 2.0 standard and attach a female USB A all enclosed so you would be able to have them in a sealed unit and not hanging out.
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It would be kinda cool to have an xqd card reader for an expansion card but I’d imagine the form factor would be too small. It would definitely set you all apart from any other laptop manufacturer.
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But even if It took up 2 slots and was a bit bigger than the laptop would be nice, wether that be adding length down the side for more capacity it would be worth the 2 port give up especially since USB-C passthrough would be easy to implement a single one from 2 but allows for the battery to be more secure.