RePhone Kit Create is a DIY Phone and Cellular Development Kit (Crowdfunding)

Seeed Studio has design a modular and open source phone it calls RePhone Kit Create. The kit allows you, or/and your kid(s), to assemble their own phone based on building blocks including a 2G or 3G core module, a touchscreen display module, an audio module, and pre-cut, seawable, washable, and easily drawable Kraft paper to make the case. The kit can also be used for IoT applications using cellular and Bluetooth connectivity, and extra Xadow modules GPS, NFC, motion sensors, camera and more..

Two cellular “core” module can be used:

RePhone GSM + BLE module with the “world’s smallest System-on-Chip (SOC) for Wearables and Internet Of Things”, GSM, GPRS and Bluetooth 2.1 and 4.0 support.
RePhone Core Module 3G with a “powerful microcontroller”,a standard Xadow interface (USB, GPIO, I2C, SPI, UART, EINT), support for speaker, two microphones and a headset, a Nano SIM, and support for HSPA/WCDMA:850/1900 and GPRS/EDGE:850/1900. Voltage: 3.3 to 4.2V. Please note that the 3G module does not support Bluetooth.

The company has not released the full specs and documentation yet for the modules, but this should be done by October.

Up to eight modules are included with the rewards: Xadow 1.54″ Touchscreen and Xadow Audio included in RePhone Kit Create, as well as Xadow Basic Sensors, Xadow GPS v2 , Xadow NFC v2, Xadow LED 5×7, Xadow Duino, and/or Xadow GSM Breakout in other rewards. A 520 mAh battery, and relevant FPC cables are also included.

The default firmware allows you to make and receive calls, send message, and play music, but the phone kit can also be programmed with the Arduino IDE, as well as Lua and Javascript thanks to an SDK based on Eclipse IDE for C/C++. IFTTT is supported for home automation, and you can control its behavior it using your smartphone. Seeed Studio also claims the kit is compatible with Pebble Time, but details are sparse, except for a “RePhone Strap Kit for Pebble” that includes an adapter, GPS and NFC modules, a battery, and structural support. RePhone project launched today on Kickstarter, and so far, it raised about $45,000 out of its $50,000 target. A $12 pledged should get you the GSM + BLE core module, $29 the 3G module, and $45 the RePhone Kit Create. There are also various other kits with core and Xadow modules for $39 and up. Shipping is not included, and delivery is scheduled for January or February 2016 depending on the perks. If you don’t feel like participating to a crowdfunding campaign, the RePhone will be sold on Seeed Studio Bazaar next year.

Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)

Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.