the
10.30.13
prowlerentertainment prowler
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Dutch phone designer thinks outside of the ‘bloks’ by
away when something starts to malfunction, you just repair or upgrade that blok. Also, if you want your phone to have a Dutch smartphone designer Dave Hak- bigger battery, more storage or a bigger kens has a new idea that could possibly camera, all you do is buy a bigger blok change phones and how they’re used to- and attach it to the base. day. The primary goal of Phonebloks is to In fact, Phoneblok, Hakkens’s idea, reduce global electronic waste (e-waste). could become the phone of the future. “I don’t like the direction electronics Hakkens published a Youtube video are heading.” Hakkens said in a CNN Sept. 12 that has reinterview Sept.19. ceived more than 16 “They get more dismillion views. The I think it could take posable and get a information has also over everything out there, shorter life with every been shared on social model. This gives a lot if it’s done right.” networking sites like of e-waste,” Facebook more than However, the inmichael curry 650,000 times. ventor of cell phones, junior Hakkens sent out a Martin Cooper, is one Thunderclap blast Oct. of many who thinks 29 letting everyone Phonebloks won’t beknow about Phoneblok through Twitter, come a reality. Facebook and Tumblr. A Thunderclap is “The main reason that the Phoneblok a crowd-speaking platform where people will not hit the market is it will cost more, can join together to get their opinions be bigger and heavier and be less reliable voiced. Thunderclaps are used by orga- ... By the time it could be brought to marnizations such as the White House, Levis ket, the problem that engendered it will be and the United Nations. gone,” Cooper said in a CNN interview Phoneblok’s basic premise is based on Sept. 19. the fact that most phones only last a couJunior Michael Curry disagrees. ple years. Although it’s only one part of “I first heard about this on Facebook a the phone that stops working, consumers few weeks ago,” Curry said. “It popped end up throwing the whole phone away up as a random ad.” because it’s usually unable to be fixed. He thinks a “lego phone” idea is “cool,” With Phonebloks, everything is different and Curry is one of many who would end and it’s built to last. up using this phone. Phonebloks are made out of detach“What’s the point of having bad quality able “bloks.” You connect these bloks to phones when you can just simply upgrade the base of the phone and it makes every- when something starts to go wrong?” thing stay in place and look like an actual Curry said. “I think it could take over evphone. Instead of throwing the phone erything out there, if it’s done right.”
maddie altman & jessica willis entertainment writers
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fast ‘bloks’ facts • E-waste is the fastest growing waste stream rising from 3 percent to 5 percent every year.
• Greenpeace Organization estimates Global E-waste is around 20-50 million tons a year. • Phoneblok was not crowdfunded, meaning no supporters put money in. • Phoneblok phones can be
lego phone | Could this be the phone of the future? Designer Dave Hakkens created a smartphone where you swap the parts that are broken instead of throwing away the whole phone. The main idea of swapping out broken phone parts is to reduce the e-waste amount. [Photo courtesy of Phonebloks]
made for specific needs such as solar powered batteries, a sensitive screen for the blind or a lightweight phone, for example. • Phoneblok can be made into other devices like tablets, cameras, etc.
• Keeping your phone means you can keep your accessories. • The blokstore is just like an appstore for new equipment. • Source: www.phonebloks.com