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We are almost reaching tipping point here - my laptop is still more powerful than my phone, but only just. If USB-C can really support this connectivity (2 moni

We are almost reaching tipping point here - my laptop is still more powerful than my phone, but only just. If USB-C can really support this connectivity (2 monitors, plus keyboard, mouse and a couple of usb ports), a really great implementation could work well. I think Apple are the only company that can pull this off right now, everyone else is too fragmented to get the hardware/software integration right, and popular enough for mass adoption. If they release it they could tigger a whole new era of computing. e.g. Imagine going to work without having to bring a laptop along.

maccard 9y ago
My phone has already replaced what I used to use my laptop for, but it's not going to replace my work PC anytime soon. Compiling our work C++ proejct takes about 40 minutes on a 32 core workstation, and my mobile phone isn't going to replace that right now, even if I can connect some peripherals to it.
- albertgoeswoof 9y ago
  I think you're a bit of an edge case though - most people don't need 32 cores, even for work.
  - mschuster91 9y ago
    Hmm something like eGPU, but for "real" CPUs, would be very nice... and interesting. For example, using a low-power ARM core for "daily" work on a laptop (e.g. browsing, text processing), and engaging a heavy-duty x86 CPU only when needed, e.g. by x86-only software...
  - maccard 9y ago
    most may not, but many do. There are also many workloads that require a discrete GPU running at medium to high load constantly. Granted I have an older iPhone, but my battery life drops from ~1 day of normal usage to ~1hr of intensive usage, and generates an _incredible_ amount of heat.
herbst 9y ago
I dont think this will ever be a thing. For me phones are (sorrily) throw away products, usually not build to last. Computers are expandable, upgradeable machines that you build for your use case and have for years without having to worry to much. Even mac folks have their Macbooks at least twice as long as their phones. So i dont see this happening for any kind of professional use anytime soon. But who knows. Disclaimer: My last phone (downgraded recently, because battery life > 4k screens) is more powerful than my Laptop.
- bluedino 9y ago
  >> Computers are expandable, upgradeable machines Not anymore they're not. I haven't bought an upgradeable laptop since 2011.
  - herbst 9y ago
    You didnt. And some others as well. But plenty, especially professionals, still do. Not to mention that nearly all laptops except Apple & Microsofts (which are in minority) are upgradeable to some degree. Written from my Thinkpad :)
    - albertgoeswoof 9y ago
      I have a thinkpad (x1 carbon) and it's definitely not upgradeable :-) The people who will buy a phone dock are probably also the same people that value ultra-lightweight devices, so I don't think you're in the same bracket as them
      - herbst 9y ago
        Good point, the reason i am not on a X1 yet (even thought its so fucking sexy) is that i depend on good battery life and can not buy something without replaceable battery. However this already disqualifies me as general consument i guess.
    - elboru 9y ago
      Plus I think we got to a point where those upgrades are not totally necessary unless you work with cutting edge software, my MacBook Pro from 2013 still works perfectly, and my windows HP from 2014 too... I'm a developer and those two laptops work almost like the first day I bought them without any upgrade, some years ago even Microsoft Office's newest version would slow computers...
fpig 9y ago
But for work you probably want a more powerful computer... So for us devs it would mostly be for non-work stuff. And then you have the problem that you'd have to carry around external hardware with you or find places that offer it for use.

maccard 9y ago

My phone has already replaced what I used to use my laptop for, but it's not going to replace my work PC anytime soon. Compiling our work C++ proejct takes about 40 minutes on a 32 core workstation, and my mobile phone isn't going to replace that right now, even if I can connect some peripherals to it.

albertgoeswoof 9y ago
I think you're a bit of an edge case though - most people don't need 32 cores, even for work.
- mschuster91 9y ago
  Hmm something like eGPU, but for "real" CPUs, would be very nice... and interesting. For example, using a low-power ARM core for "daily" work on a laptop (e.g. browsing, text processing), and engaging a heavy-duty x86 CPU only when needed, e.g. by x86-only software...
- maccard 9y ago
  most may not, but many do. There are also many workloads that require a discrete GPU running at medium to high load constantly. Granted I have an older iPhone, but my battery life drops from ~1 day of normal usage to ~1hr of intensive usage, and generates an _incredible_ amount of heat.

herbst 9y ago

I dont think this will ever be a thing. For me phones are (sorrily) throw away products, usually not build to last. Computers are expandable, upgradeable machines that you build for your use case and have for years without having to worry to much. Even mac folks have their Macbooks at least twice as long as their phones. So i dont see this happening for any kind of professional use anytime soon. But who knows. Disclaimer: My last phone (downgraded recently, because battery life > 4k screens) is more powerful than my Laptop.

bluedino 9y ago
>> Computers are expandable, upgradeable machines Not anymore they're not. I haven't bought an upgradeable laptop since 2011.
- herbst 9y ago
  You didnt. And some others as well. But plenty, especially professionals, still do. Not to mention that nearly all laptops except Apple & Microsofts (which are in minority) are upgradeable to some degree. Written from my Thinkpad :)
  - albertgoeswoof 9y ago
    I have a thinkpad (x1 carbon) and it's definitely not upgradeable :-) The people who will buy a phone dock are probably also the same people that value ultra-lightweight devices, so I don't think you're in the same bracket as them
    - herbst 9y ago
      Good point, the reason i am not on a X1 yet (even thought its so fucking sexy) is that i depend on good battery life and can not buy something without replaceable battery. However this already disqualifies me as general consument i guess.
  - elboru 9y ago
    Plus I think we got to a point where those upgrades are not totally necessary unless you work with cutting edge software, my MacBook Pro from 2013 still works perfectly, and my windows HP from 2014 too... I'm a developer and those two laptops work almost like the first day I bought them without any upgrade, some years ago even Microsoft Office's newest version would slow computers...

fpig 9y ago

But for work you probably want a more powerful computer... So for us devs it would mostly be for non-work stuff. And then you have the problem that you'd have to carry around external hardware with you or find places that offer it for use.