[Chicago] WiPhone, a phone you can program in Python

[Rob Kapteyn]

I am actually a backer on a similar Kickstarter, a phone that DOES come
with a cellular modem (either 2G or 4G):

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/albertgajsak/makerphone-an-educational-diy-mobile-phone

I am still waiting for it, but it is supposed to ship any day now.

I do have a complaint however  ---
DO NOT ADVERTISE "MICROPYTHON" as "PYTHON"  -- it is not the same thing.
Micropython is a very nice way to program an ESP32 microcontroller -- but
-- to me -- the name "Python" implies a level of of-the-shelf functionality
that Micropython simply does not have.

I have to admit when I jumped on the Kickstarter of the Makerphone, I was
misled in exactly this way.

Why don't you make a phone with a Raspberry Pi Zero ?
THAT would run REAL PYTHON, and THAT I would jump on as a backer.

Hope you appreciate the criticism ;)




On Sun, Apr 14, 2019 at 11:32 PM Joshua Herman <zitterbewegung at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Could you add support for a cellular modem from that expansion slot?
>
> You are taking an esp32 and adding a keypad and a screen . I would be
> expecting a cellular modem to be honest as a part of it. I have seen
> similar builds with that feature . Why did you decide to only support WiFi ?
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Apr 14, 2019, at 11:14 AM, Ben Wilson <ben at wiphone.io> wrote:
>
> Hey all... I'm making a VoIP mobile phone that runs Python apps. The
> firmware will be open. Wanted to share and get the word out.
>
> I wanted a phone that lets hackers do what they want (instead of trapping
> you in a walled garden, huge IDE, non-serviceable design, etc.). The
> hardware is also meant to be easily expandable: the back of the phone is a
> PCB that can be swapped out for custom modules. Sort of like project Ara,
> except it's just a PCB. any hobby-level electrical designer should be able
> to make their own custom module.
>
> Kickstarter link:
>
> https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2103809433/wiphone-a-phone-for-hackers-and-makers?ref=1jz5jk
> <https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2103809433/wiphone-a-phone-for-hackers-and-makers/>
>
> recent Reddit discussion:
>
> https://www.reddit.com/r/Python/comments/bagyxv/wiphone_a_phone_you_can_program_in_python/project
>
> build logs: https://hackaday.io/project/159811-esp32-wiphone
>
> Happy to answer questions here or on Reddit.
>
> -Ben
>
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