Hello all!

Due to the recent statements by Google (as well as their track record the last few years) I’ve decided I do not want to use Android as a phone operating system anymore. But Apple is just as bad, if not worse. So I’ve decided to build my own custom device.

I am working on building a phone using a single board computer, right now I’m using the raspberry pi 5. This is still a proof of concept, but I want to share my ideas with others, so like minded individuals can start messing around with this idea in their own homes to further this goal.

You can view more images of the device here, as well as the step by step instructions here (these are still very rough and incomplete) https://github.com/muhammadmanwar/cheaphone OR https://codeberg.org/muhammadmanwar/cheaphone

Right now it just runs raspberry pi OS, with a different desktop look and feel. Everything that normally works in a pi 5 works on this device, additionally I am experimenting with a Mobile Broadband modem, to allow the device to text and call, as well as access internet, like a normal phone off wifi

The total cost is around 200 dollars, not including the 3d printer to make the custom case.

This project is barely off the ground, and I’ve got a lot to learn before I can stop relying strictly on the raspberry pi 5, my end goal is to custom design SBCs, and release those designs for free alongside the plans for the device, so that interested parties can select their own System on a Chip to use for the device. I need to get into designing boards, I’m interested in trying Stephen Hawes’ Lumen PnP (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlkTcxh-9gA) for that phase.

But that’s for the future, for now, I’m hoping to get more people interested in the prototype so that I’m not the only one noodling around on this idea. I’d love some feedback, and if anyone was willing to put one together for testing, I would appreciate it greatly!

    • Lucidlethargy@sh.itjust.works
      10·
      3 days ago

      I don’t care about this at all. This is a niche interest.

      I just want a phone that isn’t backed by assholes that want to sell my data.

      • digitalRights4All@lemmy.zipOP
        2·
        2 days ago

        That was actually one of the things I was interested in as well. The pi 5 comes with two micro hdmi ports, which allows the device to be plugged into a monitor and used “as a desktop”. You can even have the device propped up next to the monitor for a dual monitor experience. Some people already use a pi 5 for web browsing or document editing. I can easily imagine people using a single device for both personal home PC use as well as on the go computing and calling, and only having a dedicated device at home for heavy gaming or potentially home server use.

          • psud@aussie.zoneEnglish
            1·
            2 hours ago

            My PC has water cooling and 64 GB ram, and 32 GB vram. The video card has a half kilogram heat sink and two 10cm fans

            Phones, even laptops, can’t compete, especially if they are running on batteries

          • Scoopta@programming.dev
            2·
            2 days ago

            8 phone cores are not 8 laptop cores which are not 8 desktop cores but if it meets your use case that’s cool. I need more compute then that myself

            • Valmond@lemmy.world
              1·
              2 days ago

              Sure, I prefer my PC cores & faster bus to my incredible SSD, but I feel we’re getting phones that might be enough for many people.

              Just out of curiosity, are you doing heavy lifting like CAD or such, or why do you need more power? Again I’m only currios, we all have wildly different needs!

              • Scoopta@programming.dev
                1·
                1 day ago

                Software development and gaming are the 2 main things I do with my computer. The more compute you have the faster your software compiles so you can iterate faster, and then games need no explanation.

                • Valmond@lemmy.world
                  1·
                  1 day ago

                  Old video game dev so compiling needs no explanation either :-D I dreamed of those 20 cores cpus back in the day… Feels like at 8-10 cores you’re hitting a reduced returns though.

                  And obligatory have you accepted the lord and saviour CCache?

                  Cheers

      • macros@feddit.org
        3·
        3 days ago

        Lika a Nokia N900 with a modern prozessor, camera, some GBs of RAM and a 5G modem. And of course Open Source drivers for the Hardware. This would be my dream phone (As the N900 was, back, when its Hardware was recent)

    • Muffi@programming.dev
      2·
      3 days ago

      Fuck yes. Like a tiny little laptop or Gameboy Advance. I would replace my smartphone immediately.