[Arm-netbook] 15in EOMA-68 laptop

[Hrvoje Lasic]

for sure I can help and give part of my time to this project. only problem
i foresee is that we are very deep into our project and it takes us a lot
of engineering time. Therefore I can work as part time and help. But even
as I could work only this project I have no idea how much time it will take
to finish it. generally can be quick and can be time consuming. can be job
for more then one person or one person could be enough. never did laptop
and have no idea. More engineering hours you spend, better product you
have. I guess you dont want cheap looking and badly engineered laptop (more
engineering hours you spend, better quality you have and lower is the cost).

also, you said that somebody will do PCB. Suppose my job (or group) would
be to do casing around PCB. But, we will also need some industrial designer
help to form this product, packaging, visual, ergonomic etc.

I am not sure what level of finishing you really need to put product on
kickstarter. If you need only renderings to that level it should not be so
time consuming. If you need prototype (and solve every mechanical details
you find in laptop) then it is more time consuming (for example keyboard,
touch panel etc). Actually if you ask me you would start laptop design not
from casework but from solving these problems that you define as most
problematic (keyboard, touch key as I can see from this point). Then
building casework around it should be easier job. Also, logically first
laptop should be most difficult to do, later models are variations and
improvements.  And yes it would be great to do such a project.

For our project, that will be based on zigbee networks we also building at
least several casings based on aluminum extrusions. My plan is to build
hand hald device based partially on aluminum, partially on high quality PC
plastic (from Bayer). We builded about 15 aluminum extrusions for one
product we design and we have some experience now. Next thing we will do is
to try to build casings for electronics from aluminum. It requires
extrusion plus CNC machining. In few months i will be able to tell how
successful we are and maybe we can build laptop from aluminum (in which
case you need also to solve some antenna problems _ we are building some
slot antennas, ore leave openings in plastics). Actually it should not add
you too much cost (if any) and build quality/look is great. just an thought.


On Mon, Apr 15, 2013 at 9:38 PM, luke.leighton <luke.leighton at gmail.com>wrote:

> hrvoje (and other 3D CAD/CAM engineers),
>
> we've been asked by a couple of clients if we could do a 15.4in
> EOMA-68 laptop.  i've spoken to bunnie already and he's "head-down" on
> a "non-commercial" laptop and doesn't fully get that that's actually
> what i really really want, so unfortunately we're not seeing
> eye-to-eye and i have to ask other people instead.
>
> so - hrvoje!  or anyone else skilled in 3D CAD/CAM design: would you
> be interested to do an open hardware design for an EOMA-68 laptop that
> takes a 15.4in LCD?  we have someone who can do the PCB so that's
> covered - it's the casework design that i'm looking for.
>
> if we can get to the point where 3D renderings can be done, then we
> can put those onto a kickstarter proposal, get some cash in and make
> it happen.
>
> the client's requirements (yes i know gordan: it'll have dual LVDS so
> you can put in your favourite 1920x1080 LCD :) are:
>
> * 1440x900 $40 15.4in LCD with a LED backlight (not CCFL)
> * a webcam at about the same resolution
> * EOMA-68 compliant
> * 4000mAh battery
> * aluminium or magnesium alloy case
>
> i've added a few others such as:
>
> * 3 USB ports
> * low-profile Ethernet jack
> * mSATA card slot
> * 2 MiniPCIe slots (USB-only) one for 3G with a SIM card, the other for
> WIFI
> * MicroSD
>
> that's it.  very simple.  it _should_ be possible to get this down to
> only 15mm thickness at the widest point.
>
> thoughts?
>
> l.
>


<lasich at gmail.com>
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