It is easy to construct your individual desktop PC however, in order for you a telephone, you normally must accept a sealed field that is made by one among a handful of huge firms. Maker Evan Robison desires to alter all that as he posted directions for an open-source, Raspberry Pi-powered referred to as OURPhone (opens in new tab) with the acronym OURS standing for Open-source, Upgradable, Repairable Smartphone.
In response to Robinson, the thought was to create a smartphone various for individuals trying to management their privateness. He additionally needed to make a smartphone that might be simply modified and repaired, so an open-source resolution was the right match. The OURphone undertaking has fairly a couple of specs that you just’ll discover on many smartphones together with 4G LTE web assist, GPS assist, Bluetooth and WiFi functionality, in addition to primary telephone operations like the power to name, textual content and save contacts in an tackle e book.
Nonetheless, as a substitute of working on Android or iOS, the telephone makes use of Raspberry Pi OS, the Linux-based native working system for Raspberry Pis. Which means that you’ve very high quality management over what software program you run on it, however the UI (as pictured) is just not notably contact or telephone pleasant. You could find the entire code used within the undertaking (in addition to detailed directions) at GitHub.
In his construct information, Robinson is utilizing a Raspberry Pi 3 B+ however there’s no purpose you couldn’t improve it to a Pi 4. It’s accompanied by a 4G HAT with GSM and GPS antennas. It has a Waveshare touchscreen for video output and consumer enter. A digicam could be hooked up nevertheless it isn’t vital for the construct. A pair of headphones with a built-in microphone is used for name assist. To maintain the unit cellular, it operates off of a few 18650 batteries.
The housing, ade out of 3mm MDF board, is a bit cumbersome however essential to comprise the entire {hardware}. It’s laser reduce with port entry made accessible throughout the sides.
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There are already plans within the works so as to add extra options like a Pi improve, a capacitive contact display, and a monitoring system to verify the battery stage. Robinson asks that anybody be at liberty to enhance upon the design and share any modifications they implement. He’s additionally made himself accessible at LinkedIn (opens in new tab) for anybody that has questions alongside the way in which.
If you wish to get a more in-depth have a look at this Raspberry Pi undertaking, try the official undertaking web page over at GitHub and you should definitely comply with Evan Robinson for future initiatives in addition to any updates on this one.