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.
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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.
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this has almost certainly be mentioned but a 2 in 1, mainly for the stylus support. would be great for note taking :).
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Hi @AspiringLich and welcome to the forum
You are correct it has been mentioned numerous times, and not aside from the request that responses here should be ‘other than a laptop’ 
you can find similar requests, for example.
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I have a couple of things actually!
- 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! 
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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.
[Kaylee]
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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.
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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.
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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.
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2 things I would like to see.
- 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.
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An electric car would be awesome.
(that does count as consumer electronics, right?)
Why?
Current available electric cars:
- Hard to repair,
- immense privacy/security issues,
- often hard to replace batteries
In conclusion: The time is ripe for a frame.work car!
p.s. Printers are also a really great idea.
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It would! Also somewhat challenging…
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…
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Wireless mouse and keyboard. Full-sized with numberpad. Don’t care if it’s mechanical or the same as the current laptop. Just give me my T9!
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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.
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I like the ortholinear option of the Cairn Mesa Key. But microUSB on a $300-400 keyboard in 2022 / 2023? No.
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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.
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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.
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Maybe when FW’s a bit more developed but; A programme that gives development money to colleges / universities / specialty manufacturers to expand the expansion module (pun intended) ecosystem!
Like for example: A university gets paid to take on the project of engineering a development arm board that fits inside an expansion module. Just spitballing!
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I think you should build Laptop V2 next. You just scratched the surface with a single laptop and there are so many things you could do better with V2. The first laptop seems like it’s pigeon holed into a small limited design and customer are suffering because of it. It was said further up by another user, start listening to your customers and doing what they want, so a real V2 laptop I can’t decide how much time I want to get up on my soap box and give you a run down of everything you did right, and everything you did wrong. You built a laptop for 10% of the public when you could have covered 70% with a little more effort. Let’s follow along with what your customers want and perfect it a bit more.
What you have started is a great idea, building a laptop that is easy to take apart and fix. Although you can fix any laptop, even the clipped and glued ones because I’ve done it for years. But we all like what you’ve done and that’s why we are all here. We want you to be successful. All of us want this to get bigger and better, but you should capitalize on what you have now rather than looking to other projects. First let me say your first design is unfortunately too Mac like. And it’s limiting you too much and that’s causing all sorts of issues. People choose laptops for certain features they like, but people also throw out laptops from their decision based on limitations they have… and that’s what you want to avoid. If you want to sell the most amount of laptops and make the biggest impact, you need to build laptops that fit more people. You want to take away objections for reasons why not to buy your laptop.
->Expansion Cards: just a novelty of an idea, meaning nice but not amazing. The fit is loose and lack good tolerances. Most importantly we are stuck with a laptop that can only have 3 ports 
given one is for charging. A separate charging port on the laptop so it doesn’t eat up one expansion port would have been better, even if it was just for charging. My current workhorse laptop for work has 6 ports, (RJ45, SD, USBx2, USB-Cx2). With the framework I have to swap cards and carry others, so it has limited improvements over dongles. I think it would have been better to make the left side full of all the needed ports, RJ45, SD, USB, USB-C, then on the right side have 2 expansion cards like what you have now. Best of both worlds without compromising. I’d love a laptop with both SD and mSD slots. The ability to have 2 RJ45, yeah the Panasonic Toughbook has that, it’s got a selectable port on the back. Maybe on the left side take one USB-C and have that for charging, then put in one mini expansion docking station card to provide all the ports.
->Screen Options - glossy, matte, touch, 13.5" then do a 15" then a 14" then a 16". This is easy, you simply make new cases and lids. Same mainboard, just a side width extension for the thunderbolt ports. You could even have started with the same battery if you had to then offer bigger ones later. Choose a 16:10 screen format so there are lots of choices out to choose from. The 3:2 format is limited in panel choices and resolutions. There’s no reason you couldn’t offer a matte, heck the screen you have now comes in both matte and glossy. Look for screens with a wider color gamut so you can get professionals who do editing pictures and videos. Adobe RGB or DCIP3 will blow your socks off seeing those side by side with sRGB what most people are used to. Oh and keep the screens 400 or better 500 nits of brightness.
->I think the laptop may simply be too thin. Sure it’s Mac like, but too much so. A thicker laptop and you could have a bigger battery. When you designed the 11th gen with a 50w battery it was just enough. Then you got screwed because the 12th gen requires a 70w. Look at all the other manufacturers who have increased their batteries from 50 to 60 to 70 now for the power hungry 12th gen. Because you built too small of a laptop, you don’t have the capability of changing it.
->I think the laptop may simply be too thin. Again this affects the loudness of your cooling fan. A little bigger fan and you could have kept it quiet. Something everyone wants is a quiet laptop. The thermal capacity of the 12th gen is a lot, and there are plenty of complaints of fan noise.
->why aren’t you offering U series chips? They are simply the best choice for laptops, especially thin ones. It shouldn’t be too hard to offer U series mainboards, much easier for you offering AMD chips. I’m sure people think they want a P series, but offer the U if it isn’t too much work because that would surprise you in what it’s actually capable of in real world use. Having a P series that’s thermally limited to a U doesn’t do much good, but eat up battery life.
->sure AMD chips would be ideal, but their slow implementation of USB4 is scary. Sadly the 6000 chips just recently got firmware to do it. I understand the choice you made for Intel, but you have a large number of customers asking for AMD… something to consider.
->Keyboard Choices, there’s no reason you can’t offer different keyboards with different travel and force. Your existing keyboard has good force but feels mushy because the force doesn’t go away as you press down so it’s not tactile like. You should make the ctrl and fn keys the same width, allow people to swap them physically and in the bios. Easy thing to do and opens more doors for people that want thinkpad/mac style. Easy to do.
->Color… oh the Mac silver, sure offer it as a choice, but you should have your own identity. I think a dark gray would be ideal for a laptop… seriously, dark gray would look awesome with a black keyboard
->ruggedized case option, oh lots of people would love that. Think half way between a normal laptop and a Toughbook. But it has to have a handle on it like the Toughbook, I’m jealous of my friends have have Toughbooks because the handle is so nice.
->m.2 slot for 4G that could be used for a 2nd hard drive… but if you’re limited by pci lanes I understand why it wasn’t implemented. Likely avoided in V1 because of size restrictions.
->magnesium instead of aluminum housing option?
->different hinge design that fixes the wobble - please? Perhaps a hack that puts something into the hinge as hysteresis would help?
->oh and the little booklet you send with the laptop, how can anyone read that small of print? Please make it bigger.
These are all doable things and repeated many times by others. Let’s focus on what your customers are asking for and your business will grow. Remember when Dell and Gateway started the revolution of configuring your own computer… that’s what we need here.
*edited on 11-19-22 to sound less rant like!
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