Project Ara Spiral 2 PCB Teased, DevConf To Be Livestreamed
The second, bigger, and more ambitious Developer Conference is barely a month away and Project Ara believers, supporters, and maybe even naysayers are probably starting to get excited about it. To get that hype machine started, Google's Advanced Technology and Projects group or ATAP is teasing the crowd with the Spiral 2 board fresh off the press, so to speak. They are also sharing some good news for those who won't be able to physically attend the Conference in any of the 2 days and any of the 9 locations it will be held in.
Spiral 2 is an important milestone for Project Ara. Not only is it the second major iteration of the modular smartphone design, it is also the next major step in making that dream a viable commercial reality. While the prototype based on Spiral 1 is already functional, it didn't actually leave much room for other modules on the printed circuit board or PCB. That room is crucial if it is to be developer, and therefore, module friendly. After all, there isn't much point in a modular smartphone if there aren't much modules to make it worth your time and money.
This Spiral 2 PCB is, of course, just the beginning. Google plans to give the public a closer view of the next iteration of Project Ara, and perhaps even reveal solid retail plans, at the second Project Ara Module Developers Conference in January. This time around, the conference will be held on two dates, with each date taking place in different cities:
• January 14 – Mountain View, CA, Buenos Aires, London, New York
• January 21 – Singapore, Bangalore, Shanghai, Taipei, Tokyo
The Project's fans are surely looking forward to it, but not all will have the privilege of being able to attend. Giving in to public demand, Google has decided to livestream the event globally for free. Both days' conferences will be streamed, but specifically only those happening in Mountain View on the 14th and Singapore on the 21st. Interested viewers can simply visit the Project Ara website on those days, but those really interested in joining can opt to sign-up for more timely updates and information.
SOURCE: +Google ATAP