I actually got one of the Blocks smart watches. Still have it, but it won’t turn on. From a consumer standpoint, it was a fantastic idea, but the battery life on the watch was miserable (about 3 - 5 hours I think). I’d love to see a more mature organization try to make a modular/repairable smartwatch.
How was that acceptable? I think even 24 hours is unacceptable in a watch.
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I would like to see a modular NAS from Framework. As a (typically) always on device, it should be ARM based for lowest power consumption. Running something open source (TrueNAS?). There would be a control module that houses the CPU and no built in storage but an external connector carrying PCIe and power. A storage module attaches to the control module and repeats the external connector so you can stack additional modules. You could have different 3.5", 2.5" & M.2 storage modules that all stack on the same connector system. The 3.5" & 2.5" modules would also have internal SATA/PCIe conversion. Stack up the number of modules you want like a loaf of sliced bread. Start with a single drive and expand capacity/RAID levels as your need grows. You could also have more advanced networking (2.5G / mini-switch) as a separate module.
Producing a separate ARM device would also allow FW to cut their teeth on an ARM development separate from the hassles of supporting multiple OS while Windows on ARM matures.
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I suggested this further up the thread, using the CPU from the FL16, and adding extra M.2 drives in the PCIe ports exposed for the dGPU, as they already have a proof of concept PCB design for that. Using 8TB drives that would give a potential capacity of 3x8 + 2 = 26TB. Doing it this way requires minimal amount of new design, mainly mechanical for the case.
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alternative display resolution:
offer a WUXGA (1920x1200) option for FW16 laptop.
why?
- cheaper entry point for FW laptop
- elderly people and just-be-office-apps-users can better SEE everything in this lower PPI resolution
- fits into FW modular concept
- “easy” to do (panel, adapters, bezel, …)
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Yeah, but I see that as a different product. I’d like to see mix and match drive types so you can suit your storage to usage - flash is great for fast access but still poor compared to spinnys in £/TB for slow moving/archival storage. Also the processor is massively overkill for a NAS.
A NUC sized mini server w/
- dual (or more) nvme sockets
- an ASPEED (or simmilar) remote MGT with a dedicated ethernet port for it
- My perference would be Intel or AMD
- Thermal design so it can idle with fans completely off (less need to clean them)
- Non-soldered memory
- USB-C power IN
I know quite a few places that could use these
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Why does a case with a framework 13 mainboard not work for your use case? Albeit it’s a bit bigger but it does not seem to be significantly so?
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It’s a bit off-topic for this thread, but:
I tried that with the 11th gen intel mainboard (latest bios).
My experience was less than stellar. It randomly did or did not produce video out (tried every port, both hdmi and DP. Standalone mode turned on.)
It has a single full size NVMe socket, making it inconvenient for a raid (or ZFS) mirror
But most importantly, the key to my above request is the dedicated out-of-band management (with a convenient, full-featured, HTML5 based KVM+remote media support). Everything else I could get from a Minisforum or Beelink device.
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I‘d love a larger version of the laptop 13.
- Cheaper than the 16
- without the dedicated graphics option
- include a numpad
- make it compatible with the mainboards for the 13 inch laptop
Maybe 15 inch?
Would buy this in an instant.
The FW13 mainboard is probably the best thing Framework has done so far in terms of setting up for the future. You could put it anywhere and bam, you have a computer. The CoolerMaster case is just the start. You could…
- Make a larger chassis (FW16 lite?)
- Make a rugged chassis (or Pelican Case adapter kit)
- Make a handheld (like some in the community have)
- Make a beefy tablet
- or even make a home automation hub/ server.
That FW13 Mainboard is fairly GOATed and anything they make next should be an extention of that Mainboard or a way to “up-cycle” the individual parts of the laptop (keyboard, monitor, track pad, etc). Instead of whole new products, they should branch out from the existing parts and products they already have so we can keep using then into the future. (Maybe one day I’ll be able to use my Framework keyboard with my desktop.)
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100Wh battery for FW13 mainboard used in DIY projects
DeGoogled phone, can I give a 100 
to your post !
Google and Apple have a duopoly on the market, with privacy only existing in the form of sharing all data with one or the other.
Collaborate with SpaceX so the phone will have satellite connectivity when outside of cell tower range !!!
Here is an idea: optional pop-out back plate that acts as an extra antenna (micro-dish) to get better reception with satellite.
A phone that is free of preloaded crap from MS, FB, spyware and is secure, supported, and with decent hardware would be very welcomed among ppl that have had enough.
Do not preload it with extra apps other than what is necessary, and you will have ppl lining up for it !
Ok, so at home instead of having my hot heavy gaming laptop on my lap, I have it on the floor near my chair, and a wireless mechanical keyboard (thanks Nuphy!) on my lap and a portable monitor plugged into the laptop, plus wireless mouse and trackpad. This makes me think, wouldn’t it be nicer if the keyboard and monitor and trackpad could be nicely packaged together?
So… Why not have the internals of the computer just be a part of the ‘powerbrick’, and have the user interface which goes on the desk or lap be just I/O? Speakers, monitor, keyboard, trackpad, secondary mini-monitor, etc. Keep the heat away from my lap please! Make things even more modular by default! You could have an I/O system for your home desk, your living room couch, and a mini one for travel. All with the same computer/powerbrick behind it! You could even have an option for the mini travel one to be fully wireless, since the monitor latency wouldn’t be an issue. That means you’d need a battery for the I/O system, and a separate one for the compute base. Have the compute base stay in your backpack at the coffee shop!
Also, someone else suggested a modular mouse. You know what I think would be cool? A mouse that had a tiny finger-width trackpad in place of the scroll wheel. You can use it just for scrolling up/down/left/right and single click (mousewheel press).
On modular phones… there’s some cool stuff you can do, like adding a special roaming module (e.g. Lora, like the Meshtastic sysem) for brief texts only (no calls or images or internet) that has boosted range and native mesh network capability. That way you can still send and receive texts while out hiking or at a crowded concert. Have your phone linked to the compute base to automatically backup photos and files and share internet.
That sounds like essentially a NexDock (the NexDock is marketed as for phones but can do essentially what you described).
I suppose a NexDock style motherboard for a Framework Laptop would be cool.
I’ve used something similar to that on the Apple Magic Mouse. I am not a fan.
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like rubbing a zit
I think a tablet would be really cool to round out the Framework offerings, but also GET US SNAPDRAGON X ELITE MAINBOARDS!!! If you could that would be sweet:)
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For a new product I’m not against a Framework 15 (like Apple did we the Air), I mean by that a Framework 13 that have a 15 inches screen with a 16:10 ratio, but with the same parts and thickness than the 13. It will be for people who want a bigger screen but don’t want to carry a big gamer laptop like the 16 is.
The motherboard, trackpad and keyboard should be the same than the 13. Same for the port number (or maybe you could add 2 module port by using an usb docking system)
I like the idea of the Framework 16 but I’m not a fan of the modular keyboard and trackpad on it, I think it add overall design complexity and it seem to have many quality problems out-of-the-box, I’m fine with a centered keyboard and trackpad without numpad.
I know some people want a numpad but it can be solved by producing 2 type of cover, 1 with centered keyboard and trackpad and the other with a numpad, and let the user choose which one at in the shop.
Have you checked if an FL13 has room to fit a 15" screen? Bear in mind that a 16:10 screen is 3.2:2, so near as matters to the same ratio, so you need an extra inch at the top and bottom to fit that screen. I don’t think there is room in the current case, so it will be a bigger case, and as such won’t be that much different in size to an FL16.
I don’t want to update my 12th Gen Framework 13 board until we get an ARM solution with replaceable low power memory (like LPCAMM2).
I would also love the option to pay more for high end speaker, camera microphone modules.
Source: I’m an Android software developer on Linux who relies heavily on multi and single core CPU performance, hates fan noise, and needs all the ram for Java to Java all over the place.