All articles tagged with #modular design
A fresh leak claims Apple’s first foldable iPhone Ultra will emphasize repairability with a modular internal layout and streamlined cable routing, featuring a 7.8-inch inner display, a 5.5-inch cover screen, the A20 Pro chip, and a large 5,400 mAh battery, with a September 2026 launch and a starting price around $2,000.
Ukraine’s DevDroid is rapidly upgrading battlefield robots—remotely patching software within minutes and rolling out hardware upgrades every six months, often with frontline teams to fix and install improvements; soldier feedback drives modular, software-driven designs, a pace Western militaries are urged to emulate.
Hands-on coverage highlights Framework’s complete redesign in the Laptop Pro 13: it keeps the modular, repairable chassis but adds a 13.5-inch touch display (2880x1920) with a 30-120 Hz refresh range, and easier replaceable parts for RAM, storage, and more. The result is a premium-feeling laptop aimed at power users and developers, with upgradeability and repairability as its core selling points, while keeping a similar look to the original, but with a noticeably improved display and build.
Framework’s Laptop 16 gets cosmetic refinements (a translucent bezel option and a new one-piece keyboard plus haptic trackpad) to look more finished, plus a cheaper CPU option (Ryzen AI 5 340) that drops starting prices to $1,599 for pre-built or $1,249 for a DIY kit. The big new feature is the OCuLink Dev Kit, which exposes up to eight PCIe 4.0 lanes for external GPUs and other accessories via dedicated adapters, replacing the laptop’s current GPU/Expansion Bay shell. Pricing for the Dev Kit components isn’t announced yet, and shipping is planned for later this year.
Honda reveals the Base Station, a prototype modular, lightweight camper trailer designed to be towed by compact crossovers and EVs (like the CR-V or Prologue). It features a pop-up seven-foot space, a queen bed with an optional bunk bed, external shower and kitchen, air conditioning, lithium battery, inverter, solar panels, and outlets for off-grid or campsite power. Pricing and production timelines remain undecided, though Honda says it would be competitively priced in the towable segment and could potentially be under $20,000 for a base model; production would depend on market reception and will be clarified in future announcements.
Honda today unveiled the Base Station Prototype, a lightweight, modular towable travel trailer designed to be towed by compact SUVs and fit in a standard garage. It offers seven feet of standing space when raised, a queen bed with an optional bunk, removable side windows, ambient lighting, and modular accessories such as an external kitchen and shower. Powered by lithium batteries with solar panels, it can operate off-grid or be connected to campsite power or a Honda generator. Built on Honda’s Man Maximum/Machine Minimum philosophy, it aims to democratize camping and expand Honda’s adventure-ready lineup. Prototype; not a final product.
At CES 2026, laptop manufacturers showcased a trend towards modular, repairable designs with new processors from AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm, emphasizing sustainability and serviceability, alongside innovative models like Lenovo's Space Frame X1 Carbon and HP's portable EliteBoard G1a, highlighting a shift back to user-friendly, upgradeable laptops.
HP announced the EliteBoard G1a at CES 2026, a modular keyboard with a built-in computer featuring AMD Ryzen AI processors, designed for portability and easy serviceability, with availability expected in spring 2026.
At CES 2026, Twelve South announced their new Valet Tray featuring Qi2 wireless charging and a modular design, aiming to enhance organization and charging convenience for users.
Fender has announced its first wireless headphones, the Mix, featuring a long-lasting, replaceable battery, modular design for customizable colors, and impressive battery life of up to 52 hours with ANC, priced at $299.99, offering a competitive alternative to premium brands like Sony.
Michael Jantzen's Interactive Segmented House of the Future is a conceptual, adaptive dwelling with five movable modules that can rotate to optimize sunlight, wind, and rain collection, featuring environmentally responsive design and flexible interior spaces.
The upcoming PlayStation 6 may feature a modular design with an optional detachable disc drive, allowing consumers to choose between a traditional or digital-only version, which could help Sony reduce costs and adapt to market uncertainties. This approach mirrors recent trends in the PlayStation 5 lineup and reflects ongoing hardware cost increases and market challenges.
Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a modular superconducting quantum processor that can be assembled like LEGO blocks, achieving near-perfect qubit performance (~99% fidelity) and demonstrating a promising approach for scalable, reconfigurable quantum computers. This modular architecture offers advantages over traditional monolithic designs, including better scalability, easier hardware upgrades, and increased resilience, paving the way for future quantum networks.
Framework announced the second-gen Framework Laptop 16 with innovative features like a user-upgradable Nvidia GPU and 240W USB-C charging, and revealed upcoming prototypes including a wide haptic touchpad, an external GPU module for reuse of existing graphics modules, and custom keyboard modules, though some may not reach production.
Framework has updated its Laptop 16 to support an upgrade to the Nvidia RTX 5070 graphics card, showcasing its commitment to modular, sustainable laptops that can be upgraded over time, with a significant performance boost and a new power adapter, at a higher price point.