What are the potential obstacles to adopting the Phonebloks concept, including economic and aesthetic factors? Answer according to: We all know that the cycle of electronics consumerism is broken. Because it's an endless money drain for consumers to keep their gadgets current. Because the never ending desire to show off new features leads to bloat and complexity of design. And because all our outdated, abandoned gadgets have to go somewhere. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, we Americans threw away 310 million electronic gadgets in 2010 alone. That's about 1.8 million tons of toxic, nonbiodegradable waste in our landfills.
At least somebody's expressing concern about this problem—nearly 15 million somebodies, actually. That's how many people have watched a viral YouTube video called Phonebloks, which touts a new phone concept by Dutch designer Dave Hakkens.
Hakkens wants the people of Earth to rise up and demand a new kind of cell phone, in which the various components—camera, processor, GPS, screen—snap together like Legos.
This system, he says, would let you build exactly the phone you want. If you keep your files online, you could remove the storage module and replace it with a bigger battery. If you are older, you could unplug the camera and replace it with a bigger speaker.
Above all, though, he suggests that the Phonebloks concept would dramatically cut down on e-waste. You wouldn't throw away a phone every other year; instead you'd own just one phone that's built—and rebuilt—to last. If one component broke or became obsolete, you'd just unplug it and replace it with a new one.
Clearly, this concept is consumer catnip. It offers the promise of staying current—without the guilt. And of saving us money and of making it easy for anyone to build a customized phone.
There's only one hitch: Phonebloks will never happen.
The first problem: physics. Today's smartphone is a miracle of miniaturization. To keep the size small, the speed up and the battery life long, the components are packed in as closely as possible. In Apple's iPhone, for example, the memory, the processor and the graphics circuitry are all built into a single chip. A Phonebloks phone would introduce relatively gigantic distances between these elements, which would kill the battery life, speed and size.
Which brings us to the second problem: bulk. Steve Jobs refused to put a removable battery on the iPhone for this reason. A removable battery has to be enclosed in rigid walls so that you, the human, can handle it safely. If every component of your phone were a self-contained, sealed box like that battery, you'd have one very boxy, very bulky, very heavy phone.
The third problem: given the limited real estate, today's smartphone engineers sweat over component placement. Where should the antennas go for the best reception? Where does the speaker go for best audio? With free placement of any block on a Phonebloks phone, you would lose enormous advantages of quality, convenience and speed.
The fourth problem: economics. The Verizons and AT&Ts of the world love that we throw away our phones every other year; indeed, locking us into new two-year contracts is their business model. Why would they support any movement that would disrupt their herd of cash cows?
And finally: aesthetics. Who would buy the big, boxy, gray, sharp-cornered prototype illustrated in the video?
You want to love the Phonebloks concept. You'd love to have more control, greater savings and less guilt. Unfortunately, you'd pay quite a penalty: your phone would be big, heavy, slow, hot, fragile and ugly. Some analysts have even asserted that we would wind up with more electronic waste, a result of consumers discarding more modules more frequently.
There is some good news on the discarded-phone front: from all indications, the smartphone is maturing. The improvements in each year's new models are getting less dramatic. These days it's primarily the software that distinguishes your iPhone from your Samsung—and software leaves nothing in landfills.
Even so, e-waste and obsolescence remain distressing problems. No, Phonebloks is not the solution. But at least it has drawn attention to our current system—and just how broken it is.
David Pogue is the personal-technology columnist for the New York Times and an Emmy Award-winning correspondent for CBS News.
What are the potential obstacles to adopting the Phonebloks concept, including economic and aesthetic factors? Answer according to: We all know that the cycle of electronics consumerism is broken. Because it's an endless money drain for consumers to keep their gadgets current. Because the never ending desire to show off new features leads to bloat and complexity of design. And because all our outdated, abandoned gadgets have to go somewhere. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, we Americans threw away 310 million electronic gadgets in 2010 alone. That's about 1.8 million tons of toxic, nonbiodegradable waste in our landfills.
At least somebody's expressing concern about this problem—nearly 15 million somebodies, actually. That's how many people have watched a viral YouTube video called Phonebloks, which touts a new phone concept by Dutch designer Dave Hakkens.
Hakkens wants the people of Earth to rise up and demand a new kind of cell phone, in which the various components—camera, processor, GPS, screen—snap together like Legos.
This system, he says, would let you build exactly the phone you want. If you keep your files online, you could remove the storage module and replace it with a bigger battery. If you are older, you could unplug the camera and replace it with a bigger speaker.
Above all, though, he suggests that the Phonebloks concept would dramatically cut down on e-waste. You wouldn't throw away a phone every other year; instead you'd own just one phone that's built—and rebuilt—to last. If one component broke or became obsolete, you'd just unplug it and replace it with a new one.
Clearly, this concept is consumer catnip. It offers the promise of staying current—without the guilt. And of saving us money and of making it easy for anyone to build a customized phone.
There's only one hitch: Phonebloks will never happen.
The first problem: physics. Today's smartphone is a miracle of miniaturization. To keep the size small, the speed up and the battery life long, the components are packed in as closely as possible. In Apple's iPhone, for example, the memory, the processor and the graphics circuitry are all built into a single chip. A Phonebloks phone would introduce relatively gigantic distances between these elements, which would kill the battery life, speed and size.
Which brings us to the second problem: bulk. Steve Jobs refused to put a removable battery on the iPhone for this reason. A removable battery has to be enclosed in rigid walls so that you, the human, can handle it safely. If every component of your phone were a self-contained, sealed box like that battery, you'd have one very boxy, very bulky, very heavy phone.
The third problem: given the limited real estate, today's smartphone engineers sweat over component placement. Where should the antennas go for the best reception? Where does the speaker go for best audio? With free placement of any block on a Phonebloks phone, you would lose enormous advantages of quality, convenience and speed.
The fourth problem: economics. The Verizons and AT&Ts of the world love that we throw away our phones every other year; indeed, locking us into new two-year contracts is their business model. Why would they support any movement that would disrupt their herd of cash cows?
And finally: aesthetics. Who would buy the big, boxy, gray, sharp-cornered prototype illustrated in the video?
You want to love the Phonebloks concept. You'd love to have more control, greater savings and less guilt. Unfortunately, you'd pay quite a penalty: your phone would be big, heavy, slow, hot, fragile and ugly. Some analysts have even asserted that we would wind up with more electronic waste, a result of consumers discarding more modules more frequently.
There is some good news on the discarded-phone front: from all indications, the smartphone is maturing. The improvements in each year's new models are getting less dramatic. These days it's primarily the software that distinguishes your iPhone from your Samsung—and software leaves nothing in landfills.
Even so, e-waste and obsolescence remain distressing problems. No, Phonebloks is not the solution. But at least it has drawn attention to our current system—and just how broken it is.
David Pogue is the personal-technology columnist for the New York Times and an Emmy Award-winning correspondent for CBS News.
user
The potential obstacles to adopting the Phonebloks concept include the physics involved in miniaturization and current component placement in smartphones that enable the speed and size needed. Bulk is also a problem as a removable battery has to be enclosed within rigid walls for safe human handling. Moreover, the limited real estate takes into consideration component placement for optimal quality, convenience, and speed. Economics is also another obstacle as many carriers lock consumers into two-year contracts and subsequently make it a part of their business model. Aesthetics can also be a hurdle as consumers may not want to purchase a bulky, heavy, slow, hot, fragile, and ugly phone. Finally, some analysts believe that consumers may discard more modules more frequently, leading to more electronic waste.
assistant
Can you please provide more information about the current state of e-waste and obsolescence?
user
E-waste and obsolescence both remain pressing problems in the modern world. As technology continues to advance rapidly, electronic devices quickly become outdated, leading to massive amounts of electronic waste. It is estimated that Americans alone threw away 310 million electronic gadgets in 2010, leading to about 1.8 million tons of toxic, non-biodegradable waste in landfills. 

The current method of designing and producing smartphones and other electronic devices is not sustainable, as consumers are encouraged to replace their devices every two to three years to keep up with updated features and capabilities. Furthermore, the toxic chemicals and rare earth metals used in the production of electronic devices make the disposal of e-waste a hazardous process.

The solution to this problem will require a shift towards more sustainable practices, both in the design and production of devices and in the way consumers use and dispose of them. This could include a move towards a circular economy, in which devices are reused and repaired rather than discarded, and efforts to reduce the use of toxic chemicals and rare earth metals in production. Additionally, manufacturers and policymakers need to work together to create policies and incentives that encourage consumers to hold onto their devices for longer, rather than replacing them every few years.
assistant
Can you provide some examples of companies or organizations that are implementing more sustainable practices in the design and production of electronic devices?
user
Yes, there are many companies and organizations that are prioritizing sustainability in the design and production of electronic devices:

1. Fairphone: Fairphone is a Dutch company that produces sustainable smartphones. Their devices are designed to be easily repairable and upgradeable, with components that can be swapped out as needed.

2. Dell: Dell has implemented a closed-loop recycling program in which they use recycled plastics from used electronics to create new products.

3. Samsung: Samsung has implemented a take-back program in which they collect and recycle old electronics in an effort to reduce e-waste.

4. Apple: Apple has made significant strides in sustainability, aiming to power all of its facilities with 100% renewable energy and using recycled materials in the production of its devices. They also offer a trade-in program for old devices, and have implemented a recycling program in which they recover materials from old devices to be used in new products.

5. Greenpeace: Greenpeace is an environmental organization that has been advocating for sustainable technology for many years. They have encouraged companies to prioritize the use of renewable energy in their facilities and to design devices that can be repaired and recycled at the end of their life.

These are just a few examples of companies and organizations that are prioritizing sustainability in the production and design of electronic devices. There are many more out there, and there is still a long way to go in terms of achieving a truly sustainable electronics industry.
assistant