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I tried to grok what "free silicon upgrades" means and the closest I can get is the SoM package is user upgradable. The actual SoM replacement or upgrade module
by chrsw 4y ago
I tried to grok what "free silicon upgrades" means and the closest I can get is the SoM package is user upgradable. The actual SoM replacement or upgrade module will cost money but you don't need to buy another laptop or pay someone else to do the upgrade for you. Doesn't really fit my definition of "free" but it's my best guess at what's being announced here.
My initial thought was this laptop is somehow FPGA based and new designs can be loaded with near zero cost to the user at the moment of upgrading. But after reading the article, I don't think that's at all what they're implying.
- rjsw 4y agoPine64 had planned to allow upgrading for their laptops but found it too hard to get the thermal design to work.
- chrsw 4y agoI think the MNT Reform project is heading in this direction. But many people don't want to lug around a laptop that looks like it's straight out of the early 00s.
- black_puppydog 4y agothen on the other hand, some people do! :)
- otter-rock 4y agoThank you for pointing this out. I think most people assume that companies are just being greedy when they solder previously socketed parts, for example. I'm not saying it's never a factor. But it also solves real engineering problems. Modern technology often requires tighter integration. We accept integrated circuits because we're accustomed to them. But then people flip out when they see what's effectively a naked module because it looks like a greedy version of the old thing.