Framework Won't Be Just a Laptop Company Anymore (theverge.com)
- Reference: 0173628374
- News link: https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/24/04/24/1711252/framework-wont-be-just-a-laptop-company-anymore
- Source link: https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/23/24138475/framework-laptop-product-categories-new
> That's one of the biggest reasons it just raised another $18 million in funding -- it wants to expand beyond the laptop into "additional product categories." Framework CEO Nirav Patel tells me that has always been the plan. The company originally had other viable ideas beyond laptops, too. "We chose to take on the notebook space first," he says, partly because Framework knew it could bootstrap its ambitions by catering to the PC builders and tinkerers and Linux enthusiasts left behind by big OEMs -- and partly because it wanted to go big or go home.
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> If Framework could succeed in laptops, he thought, it would be able to build almost anything. After five years building laptops, what might Framework add to the portfolio? Patel won't say -- I only get the barest hints, no matter how many different ways I ask. He won't even say if they'll make less or more of a splash than laptops. Framework might choose an "equally difficult" category or might instead try something "a bit smaller and simpler to execute, streamlined now that we have all this infrastructure."
[1] https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/23/24138475/framework-laptop-product-categories-new
Project Ara (Score:2)
[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
Google's abandoned modular phone concept.
The slick concept combined with the utter economic impracticality made it very cool. Be interested if someone could actually make it succeed, regardless of if it's a good idea or now
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Ara
If they don't want THIS, what ELSE do they not..? (Score:4, Insightful)
"If Framework could succeed in laptops, he thought, it would be able to[--]"
STOP. Stop, Dummy. To put it in terms I can only hope you understand: Make sure the IF part is true before you start doing what's between the braces.
Re: (Score:2)
More to the point, the "else" part is dubious too.
> If Framework could succeed in laptops, he thought, it would be able to build almost anything.
Pretty sure the "almost anything" bit is a HUGE stretch. Cars? Spaceships? etc..
More likely, they want to expand into other areas as a hedge against relying solely on building laptops, especially more expensive ones, for revenue.
my framework (Score:2)
...runs ubuntu 23 just fine...
HF communications receiver (Score:2)
Build a decent bare bones receiver, and not just a re-branded piece of junk imported from china and you will attract a cult following, something similar to Ten-Tec 1254 with digital tuning and SSB [1]https://www.tentec.com/ten-tec... [tentec.com]
[1] https://www.tentec.com/ten-tec-1254/
Re: (Score:2)
Honestly that's where I'm at with this. I have a General license, but the only reason myself and my friends did this was to have high-power radios in areas where there is no cell service, with the added benefit of being able to hit distant repeaters for emergencies. We've gotten tons of use on the first point, but fortunately never had an emergency for the latter.
Re: (Score:2)
I'd just like the amateur radio manufacturers to all agree on one programming standard. I want to be able to fire up Chirp and send the same stored frequency list to all of my radios using a regular USB connection.
To the point of HF, any affordable solution would be a winner, but in the end we're just WAY too small of a market in general.
Get house in order first (Score:3)
I just read an article that pointed out that Framework's software has fallen way behind with BIOS patches/fixes/updates being the hardest hit. Sounds like the company needs to mature a bit more before venturing off into other areas.
Re: (Score:3)
Exactly this. They also have situations where some firmware for products they sell requires running Windows long enough to install it. Kind of annoying if you are buying for Linux or *BSD use.
I bought a laptop last year that I absolutely hate. I was trying to save money over a framework or thinkpad. Big mistake. I'd like to see them get the bios issues resolved so I can consider one to replace this POS HP Victus.
Taking bet on modular NAS (Score:2)
I am thinking NAS might be a good product category. But NAS software is notoriously hard to get right as there are many failed NAS companies or products on life support. Thecus, western digital, dlink are just some that I can think of.
Phone please (Score:2)
Sounds good, how about a landscape slider phone? My F(x)tec Pro1 is getting a bit long in the tooth...
Distractions are great for quality (Score:2)
You know, whenever I want a good product to get better, the first thing I do is ask the people making that product to make an entirely different product. The result is always awesome.
> what might Framework add to the portfolio? Patel won’t say — I only get the barest hints, no matter how many different ways I ask.
So this article is basically completely empty aside from one big "tease" to advertise the name of the company.
repairable phone with free software (Score:1)
the world STILL needs a smart phone that runs on free software, not google's enshittified android
Nice idea (Score:2)
But this has been tried and it's just not economically viable. If your hardware doesn't break in the first two weeks, you can probably get ten years out of it. And nobody really upgrades a laptop.
Re: Nice idea (Score:1)
Dell still makes repairable laptops and zero-tool hardware for their business line as does Lenovo and others. The question is not, do you want repairable, the question is do you want to pay for it. For businesses, yes, swapping out a hard drive quickly is generally worth it, for consumer end stuff, theyâ(TM)d rather save $200 and use the warranty period, by the time something breaks, the low end stuff is already years old at the time of purchase (current offerings at the bottom end are uniformly 10th-1
Re: (Score:2)
Framework is not so much about upgrades as it is about repair and modularity. The idea is that a lot of laptops are written off as a total loss after minor damage (whether from component failure or accident) because they are too hard to repair.
I have next to me a perfectly serviceable laptop that had a piece of the display hinge and mounting frame break. It works, but opening and closing the screen is an ordeal and each cycle damages it further.
I got a Framework instead. A replacement display hinge for it i