Flip Phone

Kurt Andro – August 31^st 2014

Main goals

• More control over your own device
• Avoidance of too many data traces
• Better protection against surveillance

Positive side effects

• Display and switch protection
• Saving of battery power
• Can also be used as a stand (for watching videos)

Short description

Hardware add-ons that can be used to easily, quickly and above all reliably switch on and off certain functions relating to eavesdropping security, location tracking and battery reserves, protecting the display from damage and protecting the switches from accidental operation.

Problem

Smartphones reveal their position via mobile network and WiFi permanently and quite accurately. Microphones and cameras can also be tapped by infiltrating malware. With some devices, even when they are switched off. Only removing the battery should help. However, it is often permanently installed.

Who wants to have more control over when and where which functions of the device should be consciously used or rather deactivated has bad luck with conventional devices. WiFi and "mobile data" can still be switched on and off via the settings menu or widget. Switching possibilities for battery (electrically separated, as if one would take it out), SIM card (as if one would take it out) and microphone (also electrically separated) are searched in vain.

Solution

A hinged cover that has its hinge on the upper edge, following the model of conventional hinged mobile phones, covers the entire touch display and offers space on the inside for slide switches to switch the battery, SIM card, mobile data, WiFi and microphone on and off. In addition, all cameras (not shown in the picture) have sliding covers.

Of course it would be ideal to build the whole thing on open source hardware and software.