Given that Broadcom originally designed the BCM2835 for smartphones, this could be said to be an actual "intended application" of the SoC. :)
$15 for a 2.5Ah battery is rather overpriced, however - as are the rest of the components like the screen and DC-DC. I found the SIM900 on eBay for $15, the DC-DC for $1.50, and ~ $5 for a battery of similar capacity. He could've put the whole thing together for <$100. Having done some electronics sourcing in China really changes your perspective on cost... amusingly enough, there was actually an iPhone 3G clone a few years ago called the PiPhone.
It's an interesting project but practically speaking $100 (no contract) can already buy a pretty good smartphone these days... and one with a more "unofficially open" SoC too.
$15 for a 2.5Ah battery is rather overpriced, however - as are the rest of the components like the screen and DC-DC. I found the SIM900 on eBay for $15, the DC-DC for $1.50, and ~ $5 for a battery of similar capacity. He could've put the whole thing together for <$100. Having done some electronics sourcing in China really changes your perspective on cost... amusingly enough, there was actually an iPhone 3G clone a few years ago called the PiPhone.
It's an interesting project but practically speaking $100 (no contract) can already buy a pretty good smartphone these days... and one with a more "unofficially open" SoC too.
The antenna sticking out of it is the best part.