First finish making the best possible laptop, so that FW can jump into the mainstream with it.
A polycarbonate, ruggedized version of the laptop with space for bigger cylider Li-ion batteries and built-in low-profile mechanical keyboard. This enclosure could be made in the USA. Maybe even farmed out e.g. to a US keyboard maker like Wasd.
A proper “NUC” standalone computer, based on a lower-end processor e.g. 1235U, with four USB-C (no slots).
A new motherboard based on an ARM64 processor and with 32GB LPDDR5 RAM.
A new motherboard based on a 9 watt Intel processor for people who’re concerned about fan noise.
A robot vacuum kit based on the Raspberry Pi. I’ve seen videos of people making these from spare parts in an afternoon, but a kit would be so much nicer.
More about the vacuum: Every year, people buy robot vacuums. Often it is their 2nd, because the first one was the cheapest, randomizing vacuum. So they upgrade for better software, maybe mopping, maybe LIDAR. What annoys people are the “gotchas” of needing to pay for extra cleaning paraphenalia e.g. for mopping. Some people stop using a robot vacuum because of these hidden costs.
One detail that goes unnoticed though, is that consumers who have technically savvy kids may see a robot vacuum as a dead end: They cannot program the vacuum. Vacuums are just boring unprorarmmable appliances. They are not parent-and-kid projects.
A Pi-based vacuum kit could be an open ended project. If you want to help educate the next generation of AI enthusiasts and roboticists, and facilitate parent-child bonding experiences, I say a robot vacuum kit would be a good way.
The problem seems to be that multiple funded organizations wanted to move in and own Linux on the phone, like prospectors seeking control of some gold in the ground, and each stopped serious work before finishing. Each “flavor” of Linux phone OS is therefore unfinished, buggy, and neglected in various ways.
Yes, I would like to see them complete their primary task of making the best laptops.
That said, they do need to find a new, consistent money-maker. Eventually if they don’t go mainstream (e.g. selling at Costco), they will run out of enthusiasts to sell new laptops to. My guess is that they are already looking at a graph of a decreasing demand. (That is also partly because of the glossy screen. Glossy is becoming less and less popular every year…)
Most of the suggestions so far (printer, earbuds etc.) are not very feasible.
Yes and no. I really see why a glaring screen can be a bad choice but as shown in this LTT video there are also clear advantages to a glaring screen (pun intended). The right way to go here would be to offer both variants as a choice for new Laptops and as a replacement part. Or simply a perfectly sized foil which can be added afterwards if needed.
I’m not talking about the OS, the FW laptop will never run MacOS with Apple’s blessing so that just leaves Windows and some flavor of Linux, neither of which is tightly integrated with hardware (except for the Surface line). Which is the very issue I’m raising here. Software integration will be key for milking the most performance for the least cost out of hardware moving forward. This is how game consoles remain relevant and iPhone competes with Android. It isn’t even a question that performance under Linux is worse on the FW compared to Windows. It isn’t enough to merely support Linux and have things work properly, that’s the bare minimum we should expect. The fact that manufacturers have traditionally failed Linux users shouldn’t mean that FW is a hero for meeting the lowest bar. I want to see serious dev work go into firmware refinements so that FW is the obvious choice for anyone serious about open hardware/software or R2R. If the firmware is locked down, the minute that FW decides to abandon support, that is the time you now own a potential vulnerability.
Firmware improvements for the expansion cards and the laptop itself is how FW can alleviate the poor battery life. Not eliminate it, that will require hardware improvements I’m sure.
Software is the future as hardware improvements slow down. Software can keep products relevant for years after replacements have hit the market. Again I point to iPhone and the unparalleled software support compared to Android.
Tighter integration with firmware isn’t antithetical to FW’s mission, it is the fulfillment of it.
Most users have said this but a printer would be so amazing like never having to buy a new printer would just be a godsend. Maybe even like a modular system where you can have a regular just dumb printer where you can slot in a scanner / toner / high volume paper system or even FW mainboard for full customization?!
Definitely a 2-in 1 either frame or full new laptop skew.
A modular powerbank where you can slot in more cells / replace those cells and integrate that with the expansion card system so you can have any output / input you want in terms of ports
A modular phone like Google’s project ARA would be so sick~
A full configurable dock that integrates with the current expansion card system (You could even slot in a storage expansion card :O)
Like a very well made machined aluminum version of the 3D printed desktop enclosure for the FW mainboard that already has like WiFi antenna’s / power button / powersupply built in.
Something a little easier but still like worth looking into: Maybe like a case for the screen that you just plug the eDP connector into and it just transforms it into an external display?
Could go on for days but those are my main ones. Hope this helps even a little!
We need a 2-in-1 so we’d love to have that option available in the Framework. 360 hinge and multi-touch screen would be wonderful for us to do digital art.
We’d love a dGPU somehow but that’s clearly easier said than done just in design alone, let alone the niche nature and low sell rate compared to a non-dGPU SKU.
A phone would be very cool but probably not realistic in the near future.
I strongly think Framework shouldn’t venture too far from their existing strengths (yet!) and make something that is synergistic with the current laptop line.
My advice is a modular upgradable all-in-one (think iMac/surface studio) that can function without the brains as a USB-C monitor/laptop dock. I’d have three configurations: monitor only, all-in-one, and all-in-one with a touchscreen.
A work boot with a replacable zip… mine needs fixing after the pups had a chew on it…
The rest of the boot is fine, but the zip is one of the first things that is attached to the boot when it is made, so it’s just about impossible to replace…
Oh, was it supposed to be electronics related?
I think that the solution may be to evolve the component parts of the framework to stand alone units - for example, a wireless KB that uses the framework keyset (+ numeric), as well as a scalable dock using the expansion cards.
I’d be interested in a mechanical keyboard with the existing touchpad installed on one end… As a plus, allow the user to select a left-side or right-side touchpad arrangement.
A modular Dock, that I can use with my Framework, but also use the Modules in. So any extra modules. maybe 3 in a row, or six with 3 stacked on 3. It doesnt have to look great. It just has to work.
(I really hope this could become a thing) A compact phone, with a height no more than 135mm. If you could make a modular one, I would be on that bandwagon for the rest of my life, just as I hope to be with the Frame.Work Laptop.
But how about a car computer? I’d love something that could interface with both the existing information/entertainment systems and the ODB-II interfaces to let me bring my own music and collect telemetry from my car…
I have… I believe you’ve mentioned it several times on this board.
My opinion: it’s not particularly helpful to keep directing people towards an outside product in a forum thread about potential new products for Framework. We’re discussing new products Framework could bring to market, not products someone else is selling.
If the Cairn Mesa has features you think Framework should offer in a similar product, referencing it and calling them out is helpful. If you think the Cairn Mesa has features Framework should avoid in a similar product, pointing them out is also helpful.
It is not helpful to link to an outside product everytime someone mentions ‘keyboard’.
All that said: I did look over the project (English page here: The Cairn Mesa | Key : a mechanical keyboard by Cairn Devices — KissKissBankBank)… It looks nice: it’s thin, which certainly appeals to a segment of users, and build quality seems reasonable. But it’s expensive: $300 for the standard model and over $400 for the ortholinear. That’s a lot of money for a mechanical keyboard, open source or not, particularly when customization doesn’t include options for switches.
Not necessarily hardware, but software, as mentioned on my comment here:
It would be great to see Framework expand the current marketplace to allow users to sell leftover/unused parts. It goes with the ethos of re-usability and being more environmentally friendly.
A platform for selling open hardware replacement parts.
I guess many different open hw manufacturers would love to be able to provide parts to their end customers, without the hassle of analyzing their market and restocking warehouses.
