You too can build your very own cell phone from scratch for just $200

posted by Maxwell R. / Nov 28, 2013, 5:07 PM

You too can build your very own cell phone from scratch for just $200

If you have a couple blocks of wood, or access to a 3D-printer, the rest of the parts come together nicely in this most basic of basic phones.

David Mellis, who occupies his time at MIT’s Media Lab, has provided all the plans needed for someone to build their very own cell phone. Notice that we are talking an actual mobile phone, like the type you make phone calls with, not a smartphone that does everything else.

The plans allow for either an LCD display or LED matrix display (a-la old-school Motorola flip phones from the early 1990s). The plans also allow for charging the battery via mini-USB, probably a cost consideration, though enterprising individuals will likely be able to adopt a micro-USB if they want.

The circuit board can be printed via OSH Park, where $60 gets you three copies (which could come in handy if you mess up and melt something). The case materials are up to your imagination, wood, plastic, whatever you can create that will enclose the other parts. Using a laser cutter for the wood is not a bad idea. You will also need to be able to handle a fair amount of hand-soldering. All told, to cover the basics, it should cost about $200-ish out of pocket.

Once you are done, pop in a standard sized (now mini) SIM card from either AT&T or T-Mobile (it has also been tested in Europe, India and China), and you have an honest to goodness cell phone. If any of you decide to build one, send us your progress, pictures and tell us the story of how it all came together, and most importantly, that it works.

The "Do It Yourself" Cellphone

View more + 8 images

sources: MIT Media Lab via The Verge

photos: Copyright of David Mellis, republished under the Creative Commons license. The images have been cropped.

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16 Comments

1. madmikepr

Posts: 138; Member since: Aug 09, 2011

this is the start of the PhoneBloks or project Ara maybe ??

posted on Nov 28, 2013, 5:28 PM 7

3. Shatter

Posts: 2036; Member since: May 29, 2013

They don't want phone blocks to become a reality because it means they lose a ton of $.

posted on Nov 28, 2013, 6:04 PM 6

9. TechBizJP08

Posts: 495; Member since: Mar 25, 2013

another cellphone trigger for those crazy bomber. Not good at all.

posted on Nov 29, 2013, 12:53 AM 0

15. tuminatr

Posts: 1141; Member since: Feb 23, 2009

naa they would just go buy a prepay phone much cheaper

posted on Nov 29, 2013, 3:10 PM 1

2. SiehSamuel

Posts: 1; Member since: Nov 28, 2013

This can be the begining of project ara

posted on Nov 28, 2013, 5:34 PM 0

4. mturby unregistered

build this for $200 or buy a Moto G for the same price.

posted on Nov 28, 2013, 6:30 PM 8

5. apple4never

Posts: 1064; Member since: May 08, 2013

x2 or even buy a optimus g for 200

posted on Nov 28, 2013, 7:12 PM 2

6. protozeloz

Posts: 5396; Member since: Sep 16, 2010

Moto G Is Not hipster enough tho

posted on Nov 28, 2013, 7:33 PM 2

13. DAMONORIBELLO

Posts: 109; Member since: Mar 18, 2012

Keep buying what they're selling, monkey. ; )

posted on Nov 29, 2013, 9:06 AM 0

7. Jurdiales

Posts: 138; Member since: Oct 10, 2012

What if we put an EB40 battery on that piece of wood? (The EB40 is the Droid RAZR MAXX battery - 3300 MAh!)

posted on Nov 28, 2013, 7:44 PM 0

11. TheOldOne

Posts: 196; Member since: Mar 29, 2012

no need, you can have a wire going into your backpack, where you will keeping the (really huge) battery ;)

posted on Nov 29, 2013, 6:36 AM 0

8. itsdeepak4u2000

Posts: 3718; Member since: Nov 03, 2012

Phonebloks! by Dave Hakkens may be a start for the project Ara or something similar.

posted on Nov 28, 2013, 11:48 PM 0

10. DOODpls

Posts: 14; Member since: Sep 08, 2013

Orrr, just buy a $50 phone

posted on Nov 29, 2013, 4:36 AM 2

14. DAMONORIBELLO

But what if you can learn to build a phone yourself? Then one day as the parts become less expensive, your new design is the next big hit. If we continue to just buy these things, eventually no one is left to invent.