Using an Android Device as a Desktop Computer
- Thread starter Cosimo
- Start date
I think this is the beginning of a big change in how people use 'computers'...
I suspect mobile devices such as tablets or phones will become the personal processing device for all things and they will eventually interface with all devices which use computer power and become the processor for it.
Desktops are the beginning, but I suspect they'll be doing the same for cars (why not just download the BMW 5-series app that controls what your 5 series does?), media consumption (will substitute in for optical media players), "smart homes", hwatever.
Your mobile will eventually become your unique control unit. The Motorola Atrix was ahead of its time in this regard, but it will slowly happen as the internet becomes faster, phones become more powerful and capable, and people increasingly rely on their mobile devices for... anything.
Thanks for reposting!
I suspect mobile devices such as tablets or phones will become the personal processing device for all things and they will eventually interface with all devices which use computer power and become the processor for it.
Desktops are the beginning, but I suspect they'll be doing the same for cars (why not just download the BMW 5-series app that controls what your 5 series does?), media consumption (will substitute in for optical media players), "smart homes", hwatever.
Your mobile will eventually become your unique control unit. The Motorola Atrix was ahead of its time in this regard, but it will slowly happen as the internet becomes faster, phones become more powerful and capable, and people increasingly rely on their mobile devices for... anything.
Thanks for reposting!
The Atrix was the first to bring the components together in one package but other phones have had the featureset since launch, S2 for example has always been able to bluetooth up or USB up a keyboard and mouse and hook up to a monitor for 1920x1080 of computing.
It's a good move, the idea of Android being in all devices that can connect to the web such as cars is a brilliant thing. It also means those apps that have amazing features like Cerberus can be embedded into cars and become real time trackers and if those units have the ability to interface with the car's systems then you could remotely manage your car if it's lost (in a carpark) or stolen.
If insurance companies take this onboard too it could add an extra level of policy insurance cover and drop premiums further for those who have these devices.
There's loads of uses in other ways too.
It's a good move, the idea of Android being in all devices that can connect to the web such as cars is a brilliant thing. It also means those apps that have amazing features like Cerberus can be embedded into cars and become real time trackers and if those units have the ability to interface with the car's systems then you could remotely manage your car if it's lost (in a carpark) or stolen.
If insurance companies take this onboard too it could add an extra level of policy insurance cover and drop premiums further for those who have these devices.
There's loads of uses in other ways too.
No the only cable you need is the MHL cable. You could use a bluetooth keyboard.
Another great demonstration on why soft buttons aren't a good idea. 
I do similar with an iPad, but using an Apple TV so no cables are required as you can mirror the screen. My HP Touchpad keyboard works ok with it.
I do similar with an iPad, but using an Apple TV so no cables are required as you can mirror the screen. My HP Touchpad keyboard works ok with it.
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I hooked my Arc up to my 22" monitor over HDMI the other day and it looked fantastic!.. just need the Sony Ericsson Dock thinngy (about £30quid) and I could hook up a Mouse/Keyboard etc.. to it and use it as a PC...
It's a toss up for me, with that or a Raspberry Pi with Ubuntu on it really!!
It's a toss up for me, with that or a Raspberry Pi with Ubuntu on it really!!
The Asus pad phone should shift it up a gear when it's announced in a few weeks.
It should offer the full tablet/desktop UI when attached to a bigger screen, rather than mirroring a UI designed for a 4" screen (hopefully apps designed for ICS too)
It should offer the full tablet/desktop UI when attached to a bigger screen, rather than mirroring a UI designed for a 4" screen (hopefully apps designed for ICS too)
hang on?? i could hook up the monitor/keyboard/mouse from my SG2? how so? what do i need exactly? said:
Clearly not. I now know about 8 people with an S2, none of them knew that they connect pair up KB/Mice or hook up a display until I showed them when we watched a movie once around one of their houses.
Just one example.
One thing is for sure is the geeks know the capabilities and as you have displayed.
Whether those eight have rushed off to connect a KB/Mouse is a different matter. I bet that if you showed the other 95% of users how to connect a KB/Mouse the majority of them would say "that’s nice" and not bother. There is still a long way to go.
Well they would have but the moment they heard they have to buy a cable to do it.....
They'll buy it if they absolutely have to but before this they knew nothing of the capabilities.
That's my point.
Edit*
And it's because the people selling them these phones only gloss over the paper specs and sell on that merit. Most/all of them don't even know the capabilities themselves unless their company selling materials tell them.
They'll buy it if they absolutely have to but before this they knew nothing of the capabilities.
That's my point.
Edit*
And it's because the people selling them these phones only gloss over the paper specs and sell on that merit. Most/all of them don't even know the capabilities themselves unless their company selling materials tell them.
How many of those 8 have subsequently tried it then?
ps3ud0
Probably one and then gone back to using a PC.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 21 Jun 2006
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although this is nice, most people with a smartphone you would think also own at least one of the following, a laptop, a pc or a tablet.
a mobile phone cannot ever replace a pc for most things like gaming as an example, most graphics cards are 3-4 times the size of the average phone for instance.
therefore having the capability is nice for watching movies and showing pictures off, but that's about it really.
maybe in 10 years time this may be a viable solution to no longer buying laptops, but using a phone instead and hooking it up to tv's and using bluetooth KB's with trackpad's / rollerballs, because by then the difference for browsing and software integration would have caught up with laptops you would think.
however a mobile phone will never be able to replace a PC in most cases for at least 50 years. by then the GPU's should be small enough and powerful enough to play pc games at low settings, have blu ray writer capabilites programmed into software, etc.
the possibilities with a pc are endless, currently the phone is only useful for watching movies and looking at pictures on a big screen.
a mobile phone cannot ever replace a pc for most things like gaming as an example, most graphics cards are 3-4 times the size of the average phone for instance.
therefore having the capability is nice for watching movies and showing pictures off, but that's about it really.
maybe in 10 years time this may be a viable solution to no longer buying laptops, but using a phone instead and hooking it up to tv's and using bluetooth KB's with trackpad's / rollerballs, because by then the difference for browsing and software integration would have caught up with laptops you would think.
however a mobile phone will never be able to replace a PC in most cases for at least 50 years. by then the GPU's should be small enough and powerful enough to play pc games at low settings, have blu ray writer capabilites programmed into software, etc.
the possibilities with a pc are endless, currently the phone is only useful for watching movies and looking at pictures on a big screen.
So in 50 years a phone should be able play a PC game on low settings? No way... Maybe in another few decades (Next year they'll have the same power as a 360/PS3)
Personally I only need a Lightroom equivalent and desktop UI to dump my PC completely.
(Next year they'll have the same power as a 360/PS3)Personally I only need a Lightroom equivalent and desktop UI to dump my PC completely.