4 ms·

I would prefer if smartphones and tablets would finally make the push to become desktop/laptop replacements. Microsoft tried it with the Windows Phone. Samsung

I would prefer if smartphones and tablets would finally make the push to become desktop/laptop replacements. Microsoft tried it with the Windows Phone. Samsung and Huawei still have desktop modes in their phones. Google kinda explored the idea in some developer settings but the Pixel phones don't even support HDMI out via USB-C. Just like the Nintendo Switch allows us to play video games on the go and on the big screen with one device, I want to finally have a smartphone / tablet which makes a laptop obsolete. Just plug it into a dock and start using a monitor, mouse and keyboard. It appears, that apples performance boost makes it more feasible than ever now.

purplecats 6y ago
that's a really neat and plausible idea. i could imagine a case where the mbp essentially becomes a glorified shell for the iphone to dock into, and provides a large battery, keypad, speakers, and a screen without any of the core computer innards.
- jonplackett 6y ago
  It makes sense in theory, but it's always going to be a lot less performance than having a device specifically designed for what you need. M1 is great because it fulfils that specific need.
  - purplecats 6y ago
    unless you could somehow leverage distributed computing. for instance, the shell "laptop" has a couple cores that can seamlessly modularly enhance the capabilities of the phone. I don't believe such a functionality exists as of yet.
    - jonplackett 6y ago
      I think if anything is becoming clear from apple’s new direction it’s that putting everything on the same chip is a lot faster! I guess one thing you could do is have a chip that’s potentially faster in the phone and have better cooling in the laptop but even that seems kinda pointless with the air having no fan anyway. I can’t see apple doing this ever, it’s just too messy for them!
- bergie 6y ago
  This is a product category that kind of exists. There are companies like https://nexdock.com https://nexdock.com making these "lapdocks" that work with phones, but also with things like Raspberry Pis. And then there are dozens of Chinese clones on AliExpress. I'm personally using DeX (Samsung's desktop mode) on daily basis. It is a bit clunky, but better than owning, maintaining, and carrying a second big device. The "real computer" on my desk has only work stuff on it, and all my open source development etc. happens in DeX, mainly via the Termux app.
  - purplecats 6y ago
    oh wow. that is literally better than what i had imagined. great price point too.
Hamuko 6y ago
>Just like the Nintendo Switch allows us to play video games on the go and on the big screen with one device, I want to finally have a smartphone / tablet which makes a laptop obsolete. Considering how underpowered the Switch is when compared to consoles that came out years before it, I'm not really sold on this idea. If you want to get a full experience in any game that requires performance, you're not really getting it on the Switch. There's even some Switch exclusive games that have pretty significant performance issues, like the Xenoblades remaster that might dip down to 540p even when docked. Really, the only thing that the Switch replaced was the Nintendo 3DS.
- Farbklex 6y ago
  As with computers in general, it depends on the use case. The Switch is definitively underpowered compared to other consoles or a gaming PC. The competition offers a better at-home experience in AAA games. But for many indie games and first party titles, I enjoy the flexibility. I don't have to sync data. I can take it to friends and plug it into their dock. A hybrid desktop smartphone / tablet with the correct ecosystem will offer a worse performance than pure desktop systems. But for most users, it will probably be good enough to browse the web, edit photos and play some games.
- pjmlp 6y ago
  Switch, like most Nintendo game consoles isn't about latest cry in technology, rather about the gaming experience. Nintendo has survived this long by not focusing on console wars for AAA titles.
  - Hamuko 6y ago
    >Nintendo has survived this long by not focusing on console wars for AAA titles. Nintendo has a shorter history in consumer electronics than Sony and considering how badly the Wii U went down, I'm not sure if "surviving this long" means the same as Nintendo knows what they are doing. If you compare the sales projections and actual sales of the Wii U, it's pretty clear that they didn't understand the market at all.
    - 6y ago

purplecats 6y ago

that's a really neat and plausible idea. i could imagine a case where the mbp essentially becomes a glorified shell for the iphone to dock into, and provides a large battery, keypad, speakers, and a screen without any of the core computer innards.

jonplackett 6y ago
It makes sense in theory, but it's always going to be a lot less performance than having a device specifically designed for what you need. M1 is great because it fulfils that specific need.
- purplecats 6y ago
  unless you could somehow leverage distributed computing. for instance, the shell "laptop" has a couple cores that can seamlessly modularly enhance the capabilities of the phone. I don't believe such a functionality exists as of yet.
  - jonplackett 6y ago
    I think if anything is becoming clear from apple’s new direction it’s that putting everything on the same chip is a lot faster! I guess one thing you could do is have a chip that’s potentially faster in the phone and have better cooling in the laptop but even that seems kinda pointless with the air having no fan anyway. I can’t see apple doing this ever, it’s just too messy for them!
bergie 6y ago
This is a product category that kind of exists. There are companies like https://nexdock.com https://nexdock.com making these "lapdocks" that work with phones, but also with things like Raspberry Pis. And then there are dozens of Chinese clones on AliExpress. I'm personally using DeX (Samsung's desktop mode) on daily basis. It is a bit clunky, but better than owning, maintaining, and carrying a second big device. The "real computer" on my desk has only work stuff on it, and all my open source development etc. happens in DeX, mainly via the Termux app.
- purplecats 6y ago
  oh wow. that is literally better than what i had imagined. great price point too.

Hamuko 6y ago

>Just like the Nintendo Switch allows us to play video games on the go and on the big screen with one device, I want to finally have a smartphone / tablet which makes a laptop obsolete. Considering how underpowered the Switch is when compared to consoles that came out years before it, I'm not really sold on this idea. If you want to get a full experience in any game that requires performance, you're not really getting it on the Switch. There's even some Switch exclusive games that have pretty significant performance issues, like the Xenoblades remaster that might dip down to 540p even when docked. Really, the only thing that the Switch replaced was the Nintendo 3DS.

Farbklex 6y ago
As with computers in general, it depends on the use case. The Switch is definitively underpowered compared to other consoles or a gaming PC. The competition offers a better at-home experience in AAA games. But for many indie games and first party titles, I enjoy the flexibility. I don't have to sync data. I can take it to friends and plug it into their dock. A hybrid desktop smartphone / tablet with the correct ecosystem will offer a worse performance than pure desktop systems. But for most users, it will probably be good enough to browse the web, edit photos and play some games.
pjmlp 6y ago
Switch, like most Nintendo game consoles isn't about latest cry in technology, rather about the gaming experience. Nintendo has survived this long by not focusing on console wars for AAA titles.
- Hamuko 6y ago
  >Nintendo has survived this long by not focusing on console wars for AAA titles. Nintendo has a shorter history in consumer electronics than Sony and considering how badly the Wii U went down, I'm not sure if "surviving this long" means the same as Nintendo knows what they are doing. If you compare the sales projections and actual sales of the Wii U, it's pretty clear that they didn't understand the market at all.
  - 6y ago