I think it’s time for a configurable mobile device platform. Like ATX of the previous generation, this could serve as the foundation upon which many fun projects are born.

As the industry fights for thinnest and lightest, they’ve shattered many form and function boundaries. Form and function are separating. Function no longer requires the volume, mass, energy, or cooling of past technology. As this separation progresses, we have a lot more leeway on form, but we seem strictly focused on sleekness. A standardized mobile form might cost some volume and weight, but could still be well within the state-of-the-art dimensions of a few years earlier.

I write this on an Asus UX305FA, an impossible device a mere decade ago. The thin-and-light notebook market has exploded with models and options, all of which have a slightly different mix of features, none of which seem to match any particular person’s needs. Most probably aren’t terribly successful products.

The die-hard DIY crowd has put together projects involving clusters of Raspberry Pis and other groups of small computing units like Intel’s NUC. People are making this work, awkwardly, without any particular standard. The motivation for creative exploration is there, but the industry isn’t facilitating as well as it used to. This slows creativity.

Project Ara by Motorola and then Google looks like a good swing at this idea, but they may be thinking too small — smart phones might be the wrong target. The one place where space is at a premium is in your pocket. However, tablets, notebooks, and even high-performance systems could benefit from a fresh look at smaller standardized form factors.

Of course, with this idea comes all the traditional problems of customizing systems of “standard” parts. Components could be slightly wrong on the spec, parts could conflict in unspecified ways, you’re responsible for whatever monstrosity you manage to cobble together yourself. However, the opportunity for creative experimentation is enormous. Companies like Dell, HP, and Compaq grew up supporting their particular grouping of standardized components. There is still a healthy market of PC customizers and modders. One need look no further than YouTube channels like LinusTechTips to see the enthusiasm, both on their part and the part of their subscribers.

With a mobile component interface standard, component manufacturers would have more freedom to experiment on their own in their domain. Phone, tablet, notebook, and stationary case manufacturers could experiment with all kinds of forms what wouldn’t necessarily survive the design process of a mass produced device. The same is true of the components themselves.

This certainly wouldn’t make the large manufacturers like Apple, Asus, and Toshiba irrelevant. Someone still needs to push the leading edge of technology. It might even make their products better. Their current innovations seem to be more miss than hit. A customization community might provide an idea pool from which they could refine the next major features.

If there are other groups pushing in this direction, I would love to hear about them.