Test: Iphone as pc

[CaptainComedy]

Why do you have so much dislike for them? Have you even used one for a prolonged period of time?

everyone has a good reason to hate apple - they suck at listening to their target audience, sell their products at a ridiculous price, love to tell the consumer what they can and cant do with their product all at the same time claiming they are the bees knees compared to microsoft... yeah right.

But thats going off topic.

what I want to know is if there is anyway of unlocking the iphones bluetooth technology so it can accept all bluetooth devices.

 

[~J~]

ok firstly give 6 years and mobile devices will be our computers - chips will be 16nm in size (for those that know our current cpu chips are at 40nm depending on the cpu you have.

secondly its called the iphone because there are technophobes that dont have an ounce of innovation in their body post nonsense like this



Its a mobile device. its called iphone so you know primarily thats what it does. It also browses the internet but you dont call it an ibrowser do you.

The device uses an operating system and from what I see windows mobile isnt as inovative as apples, I read good things about their next version but the software just isnt there yet.

My approach isnt meant to beat the pc at anything, just be able to do what the day to day user wants to do (create documents, browse the net etc) its not gonna play crysis war head at 100fps - your just being stupid. Try thinking out of the box for a second and look at what the device can do now and why cant it do anything else and you find that its limitations are very few and still possible to do.

Oh I do think outside of the box, especially how one of my day to day tasks is developing software for, mobile phones!

BUT, despite the pee-take, it is a phone with a few additional bells and whistles blown on.

As for what it can do now, yes it's pretty impressive, has a GPS and tiltometer built into it.

But I now ask you, for what purpose would you be 'both' travelling down a motorway or going around town to get to a specific location while compiling your latest sales figures on iSpreadsheet or iWordprocessorthingie?

If you're sat at your desk, the sun outside, little butterflies flapping their wings on a beautiful summers morning, what use would the tiltometer be other than to tell you that your lovely glass desk is perhaps 2 degrees skew?

For a 'quick' jump onto the internet, the iPhone is great. For a quick little game of something, then yeah, it's got some great games, but you compare the following:

iPhone
plus big TV
plus keyboard
plus mouse

to

netbook (with built in screen, keyboard, mouse) and at a cheaper price, then what use is the iPhone as being the next PC?

Just doesn't serve any major purpose other than eye-candy.

 

[Raumarik]

I don't quite understany why they limited the bluetooth support for peripherals such as keyboard/mouse.

However I think part of the reason it only has component is that the HDMI/DVI outputs are large and clunky in comparison and far from aesthetically pleasing even if you can squeeze them into the small iPhone case.

 

[G-MAN2004]

I don't quite understany why they limited the bluetooth support for peripherals such as keyboard/mouse.

It's so you can't steal, or provide, music to another. Possibly.

EDIT: I read it wrong.

 

[CaptainComedy]

Oh I do think outside of the box, especially how one of my day to day tasks is developing software for, mobile phones!

BUT, despite the pee-take, it is a phone with a few additional bells and whistles blown on.

As for what it can do now, yes it's pretty impressive, has a GPS and tiltometer built into it.

But I now ask you, for what purpose would you be 'both' travelling down a motorway or going around town to get to a specific location while compiling your latest sales figures on iSpreadsheet or iWordprocessorthingie?

If you're sat at your desk, the sun outside, little butterflies flapping their wings on a beautiful summers morning, what use would the tiltometer be other than to tell you that your lovely glass desk is perhaps 2 degrees skew?

For a 'quick' jump onto the internet, the iPhone is great. For a quick little game of something, then yeah, it's got some great games, but you compare the following:

iPhone
plus big TV
plus keyboard
plus mouse

to

netbook (with built in screen, keyboard, mouse) and at a cheaper price, then what use is the iPhone as being the next PC?

Just doesn't serve any major purpose other than eye-candy.

well isnt it obvious? convenience? practicality?

PC scenario:
you got a pc with a 1080p movie on it you want to watch on a big tv, what do you do? you connect it via hdmi to display - why not do the same with an iphone too?

Laptop/netbook scenario:
I want to sit outside on a sunny day and do work with butterflies. I could take a laptop/netbook but why not have a mini keyboard and mouse with a small portable monitor?

Mobile Scenario:
I want to call someone on my phone - no problem. on pc/laptop I have to use messenger/social networking sites or a free texting site.

so for the basic user, there isnt a reason why it cant serve the same purpose.

for me - laptop keyboards are to cramped and the pads are aweful! if I had a laptop, I'd have to buy a seperate keyboard and mouse which then makes the laptop/netbooks practicality a little less impressive.

why have a laptop/netbook take up all the room when you can have an iphone 1/4 of the size doing exactly the same thing? and look at the carry cases you need for them? you NEED a carry case for them. for the iphone you just put it in your pocket.

your asking the question "why have an iphone when you can have a netbook"? you should be asking "why have a netbook when you can have an iphone".

If I had an iphone that had full bluetooth capability with a hdmi cable instead of crappy component, and we was to compare the iphone to a netbook - how different do you think it would be?

 

[G-MAN2004]

for me - laptop keyboards are to cramped and the pads are aweful! if I had a laptop, I'd have to buy a seperate keyboard and mouse which then makes the laptop/netbooks practicality a little less impressive.

why have a laptop/netbook take up all the room when you can have an iphone 1/4 of the size doing exactly the same thing? and look at the carry cases you need for them? you NEED a carry case for them. for the iphone you just put it in your pocket.

You dislike laptop keyboards, and you want a keyboard for the iPhone. This contradicts your point of simply placing it in your pocket. Yes, you can get a pocket-sized one, but then I guess this also contradicts your dislike for "cramped" keyboards, as, you know, it would be pretty "cramped".

 

[J.B]

LOL, worst idea ever.

Even if this is a good idea, you'd probably be better off using a Windows Mobile based phone for maximum compatability.

Just buy a webook man!

 

[InvaderGIR]

does YOUR pc have sat nav?

Yes. (and I mean GPS satnav)

Next question.

 

[CaptainComedy]

I consider it cramped because the keyboard to output device is far too close for comfort which forces you to "hunch" into an awkward reading position.

 

[~J~]

well isnt it obvious? convenience? practicality?

PC scenario:
you got a pc with a 1080p movie on it you want to watch on a big tv, what do you do? you connect it via hdmi to display - why not do the same with an iphone too?

You can't. So, that argument becomes null.

Laptop/netbook scenario:
I want to sit outside on a sunny day and do work with butterflies. I could take a laptop/netbook but why not have a mini keyboard and mouse with a small portable monitor?

But the problem is practicality. With a laptop the tools you require are in one box, on your lap, on the floor, wherever you want. With an iPhone, you'd need to drag out a screen (and a long extension cable!!), a keyboard, mouse, etc.

Mobile Scenario:
I want to call someone on my phone - no problem. on pc/laptop I have to use messenger/social networking sites or a free texting site.

so for the basic user, there isnt a reason why it cant serve the same purpose.

Fair point, which is why again practicality reigns and you'd have your mobile, DECT, whatever nearby to handle this. Incidentally, the "laptop" AND "mobile phone" is still 2 devices to carry, whereas your still talking about carrying an iPhone, keyboard, mouse and display unit and STILL need to power all of this.

for me - laptop keyboards are to cramped and the pads are aweful! if I had a laptop, I'd have to buy a seperate keyboard and mouse which then makes the laptop/netbooks practicality a little less impressive.

Fair point, but a laptop can have an additional keyboard plugged into it, so again, neither wins the argument here.

why have a laptop/netbook take up all the room when you can have an iphone 1/4 of the size doing exactly the same thing? and look at the carry cases you need for them? you NEED a carry case for them. for the iphone you just put it in your pocket.

But you still need to carry the keyboard, mouse and display unit. There is NO WAY you could work for long periods of time on an iPhone screen.

your asking the question "why have an iphone when you can have a netbook"? you should be asking "why have a netbook when you can have an iphone".

Not asking at all, my answer is my own opinion.

I just don't see any practical values in what you're saying. I DO see the challenge, it would be fun, it would make a little personal challenge that bit more interesting.

But long term? Nope.

Besides which, even if you do manage to get a HDMI converter, a bluetooth connection to a keyboard and mouse, you've still gotta power it via the USB connector which, er, plugs where exactly?

 

[krooton]

well isnt it obvious? convenience? practicality?

PC scenario:
you got a pc with a 1080p movie on it you want to watch on a big tv, what do you do? you connect it via hdmi to display - why not do the same with an iphone too?

Because the iPhone isn't powerful enough to render 1080p?

 

[LordSplodge]

The iPhone works well as a mobilr data device but it isn't meant to be a PC.

The OP is very brave opening an iPhone post in GD and as predictable as the sun rising along came the "OMG fashion phone and "OMG overpriced locked down apple crap"

It's boring and contrite.

 

[syke]

Fantastic phone, but you're wanting too much from it. Making yourself sound stupid asking all these questions, too.

 

[CaptainComedy]

Yes. (and I mean GPS satnav)

Next question.

what use is a gps on a stationary device? (pc) to that extend even on a laptop would be awkward! ("hmmph, I'll just get out my 22inch laptop, boot it up here.... (1 minute later) I'll just start up the application..... (2 minutes later) ok I need to walk 300 yards, taking the 3rd left, then the first right and then second left..... I'll check back in a minute to make sure I didnt miss anything"..... not only that but you'd look pretty stupid walking with a netbook in hand with gps looking clueless on the street.

still its totally irrelevant to the topic.

LOL, worst idea ever.

Even if this is a good idea, you'd probably be better off using a Windows Mobile based phone for maximum compatability.

Just buy a webook man!

what makes you say that? wouldnt you prefer a device like your computer thats already on and ready to boot an application when you want to use it? to always have your computer on you at all times? to be able to communicate to anyone when ever you want without paying a penny because your phone is also your pc?

I mean you can lol about it now all you want but I believe its going to happen regardless

 

[Seft]

Can iPhone do proper multitasking yet?

 

[~J~]

I mean you can lol about it now all you want but I believe its going to happen regardless

100% agree with you there. But NOT with the iPhone.

The only thing on the horizon that will even come close to what you're asking for is the Samsung Show with it's built in projector.

THAT will potentially allow Bluetooth Keyboard and Mouse connection and whatever OS they decide to throw on it (I've been told WM), then you have 'potential' to do what you're asking.

A mobile phone, screen (50" projection IIRK) and bluetooth enabled devices in your pocket.

But even so, it's still not 'exactly' what you're after, we're still a long way from that yet.

( Samsung Show - http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2009/02/16/samsung-show-i7410-projector-phone-unveiled/ - and yes, WM enabled)

 

[CaptainComedy]

Fantastic phone, but you're wanting too much from it.

Im not asking questions, I just stated why it cant do what I was aiming for and it can already do spreadsheets, basic word processing, browse the internet, watch movies of certain sizes to some degree, watch streaming content.

I dont care what platform the possability is on, as long as its available. I'd prefer a windows mobile platform as microsoft loves open source. But they just arent ready right now.

 

[Tunney]

Some very clever people did something similar with the Nokia N95.

Bluetooth mouse and keyboard plus existing TV out support = portable PC.

The problem with the iPhone is that the operating system isn't very open. The APIs available don't give you low level control. Something might be possible after jailbreaking though.

 

[G-MAN2004]

The OP is very brave opening an iPhone post in GD and as predictable as the sun rising along came the "OMG fashion phone and "OMG overpriced locked down apple crap"

Seems mostly to be people jumping on the bandwagon and claiming it's rubbish, without any experience of the phone at all most likely.

 

[CaptainComedy]

100% agree with you there. But NOT with the iPhone.

The only thing on the horizon that will even come close to what you're asking for is the Samsung Show with it's built in projector.

THAT will potentially allow Bluetooth Keyboard and Mouse connection and whatever OS they decide to throw on it (I've been told WM), then you have 'potential' to do what you're asking.

A mobile phone, screen (50" projection IIRK) and bluetooth enabled devices in your pocket.

But even so, it's still not 'exactly' what you're after, we're still a long way from that yet.

( Samsung Show - http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2009/02/16/samsung-show-i7410-projector-phone-unveiled/ - and yes, WM enabled)

yeah I dont care if its on the iphone, but from what Im seeing by using it and the apps on offer, all I see is a lack of software developement and a hdmi connector. Im not saying that I wasnt able to use it as a computer because I am saying I did this last night.

I had my iphone connected via component to tv, audio connected to my creative dts decoder which was set to a creative 7.1 sound system.

the 40 inch tv displayed iphone fine but due to the connection being component, the upscaling was wrong (it just enlarged the iphone screen which was still clearly visible, just image quality wasnt very good and would have loved the extra space

I had the note application up and was writting on it no problem, the animations and load times were no different.