Does this photo remind you of something you read about last month? I dunno, perhaps something called Phonebloks? Well, with the help of Motorola, who has been in cahoots with Phoneblok creator, Dave Hakkens, this second attempt towards a modular smartphone is definitely happening. When were talking Motorola, were referring to Google's GOOG +2.13% part of the company, Motorola Mobility. Together they announced Project Ara, described as “a free, open hardware platform for creating highly modular smartphones”.

Now, if your memory jogs you, this isn’t the first time Motorola has dabbled in phone customization. Just this year the company unleashed the Moto X, a smartphone with a certain level of customization, yet nothing special. It centered only on color options and accents, as well as one hardware component- the decision of including a 16 or 32 GB hard drive. With Project Ara, the endeavor will be far more focused on all aspects of the hardware; with the endoskeleton (endo) being the structural frame that holds the modules in place. Modules, being the other aspect, are swappable blocks with electricity-conducting connector pins. And what you can swap is entirely up to you. Is your screen cracked? Have you been wanting that fast processor? Rather have a bigger battery than all that local storage?

“Project Ara is designed to be a free, open hardware platform for creating highly modular smartphones. Take note of that- a platform, not a specific model. It's goal is to give you the power to decide what your phoned does, how it looks, where and what it is made of, how much it costs, and how long you'll keep it.”

Motorola being the technical work sector, they are currently soliciting scouts for Ara who will be working on the direction of the project for the next 6-12 months, and then will soon evoke developers to create modules to test on the platform. All the while Hakkens will be engaging within the community in hopes to solicit feedback. Together, they anticipate seeing a Module Developer's Kit (MDK) sometime this winter! Looks like a serious second chance is happening here. Swapping parts out to possibly get a little more of this or waste less of that? It may sound like a win-win, however there are a few speed bumps for Project Ara. Assembling one module next to another could effect their compatibility in terms of space and and insulation. In addition, once assembled, there is worry whether the device will turn out as durable and rigid as a smartphone made out of glass and aluminum. A lot of things to be tested but it looks like they’re on the way. In actuality, a smartphone should be perceived as what it technically is: a small but powerful computer. With that in mind, doesn't it make more sense for individuality to be far more specific than just choosing a carrier and model?