OLPC hardware: what if there was an SDR modem / chipset?

[Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton]

On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 4:25 PM,  <david at lang.hm> wrote:
> On Mon, 25 Jan 2010, NoiseEHC wrote:
>
>>> i've been doing some research and found a couple of companies with SDR
>>> R.F. front-end ICs.  one is 40nm and is so tiny that it will only cost
>>> about $2, mass-produced.  also thanks to being in 40nm, the speed of
>>>
>>
>> vs
>>
>>> i repeat.  all those can be replaced with _one_ i repeat _one_ single
>>> solution, costing roughly... $12, if that.
>>>
>>
>> Was the first $2 a typo or maybe I do not get something?
>
> he claims $10 for the board and other components to drive the $2 chip.

 yeah, roughly.  RF MEMS are the cheapest filters needed.  the $2 chip
basically has an A2D and a D2A so the Intermediate Frequencies come
out as Digital.   check the design of the USRP for example to see how
it all fits together.  i'm still finding out about this stuff and
tracking it down but i had enough to say "this is what's known right
now: is it worth it?" even at this early stage.

 l.