$20 Cellphones Possible with TI's New Chip 298
swimgeek writes "Texas Instrument's Indian branch has succeeded in developing a single chip which combines the functions usually performed by multiple chips in a GSM cellphone. By doing so, cellphone costs can be dramatically reduced, thus making cellphones more affordable in developing economies. Nokia has been contracted to make the initial sets, with market launch in as soon as 9 months. More coverage here and here."
Is It Just Me? (Score:3, Insightful)
Neat fab techniques but... (Score:2, Insightful)
What about (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:who gives a shit (Score:1, Insightful)
They guy on the line went silent for ages as he tried to think of a response to my reply that I only ever use voice, and don't want or need a camera or anything else.
The phone I have, a Nokia 5120iA does everything I want or need it to, as did the old Ericsson phone I had before that. I only upgraded from the Ericsson to this Nokia because I was given a cool faceplate which didn't fit the old Ericsson phone!
Cheap Phones expensive calls (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Why is this interesting? (Score:3, Insightful)
phones have been incredibly cheap to make, cell phones doubly so because of the vast volume they deal in.
it's all irrelevant because you'll never be able to buy a usable cell phone cheaply... because the hardware is tied to the service. the 20 dollar phone looks less cheap when you pay 20-40 bucks a month for service.
honestly, the cell phone "service" looks a lot like inkjet ink. way out of proportion to what it actually costs and what they foist on people to pay. what the market will bear... well this market should stand up and tell them they won't bear it anymore.... well dreams are all we have in these troubling times.
Think smaller, not cheaper... (Score:5, Insightful)
One chip means smaller and lower power consumption possibilities as well. It goes hand in hand with cheaper.
It will help lead to phones in watches as well as integration into other devices (eg, directly into mobile PC's as a standard chipset for GPRS integration. )
Cheap is nice too, but it's just part of the overall advantage.
GrpA
Re:GNAA outreach program hailed as a success (Score:0, Insightful)
Re:who gives a shit (Score:3, Insightful)
Let's edit the original post for reality... (Score:3, Insightful)
should read:
"thus reducing the cost to manufacture cell phones"
The term "affordable" is objective, not subjective.
Theoretically, this should allow reduction in price in ALL markets.
Re:Neat fab techniques but... (Score:3, Insightful)
No. Supply & Demand.
Re:Dial-A-Bomb (Score:3, Insightful)
About 40 years ago.
Any terrorist that needs to wait for a big company to release sub $20 mobile phones before he can make a cheap remote detonator isn't trying.
A 7 year old could make a cheap remote detonator from parts bought at Radio Shack with his or her pocket money.
Feeding the troll, just in case someone agrees. (Score:5, Insightful)
But even if that weren't the case, stop making every fucking thing about terrorism. You're making us all dumber.
Re:How will they keep C and A separate? (Score:5, Insightful)
What the article is talking about is incorporating RAM, the RF circuitry, probably flash, and power management (usually done by an external microcontroller). That is, bringing all the other chips on the board into the die. Mind you, they are talking about a 20$ bill of materials (BOM) cost for the phone, this is NOT the price that you would pay. An OMAP sells for about 10-12USD in massive quantities. The price of this new part would probably be similar, but it would eliminate the need for many peripheral chips (thereby reducing the total board cost). What we're talking here is probably a reduction from 25 USD to 20 USD in the BOM. If they were sold through normal retail channels, expect to pay 2x to 4x the BOM cost.
The CNET reported does not seem to be clued in on what this really means. This in no way means 20 dollar phones for anyone. It just means that phones are going to get just a little bit cheaper to manufacture, and that TI is going to take away some business from other part suppliers. Good news for TI, pretty much meaningless for everyone else.
Comment removed (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:who gives a shit (Score:3, Insightful)
There should be a little switch on the side/botttom of every phone manufactured lately (last 30 years or so).
I think that's the grandparent's point -- every phone. In many (most?) households, that may be two, three, four phones in a single house in any number of places: Kitchen area, a family/rec room/, basement, bedrooms...
Much easier to turn one off than four.
Re:Is It Just Me? (Score:3, Insightful)