Superbook, turning smartphone into laptop.
Discussion
Only with Android for the moment... looks worth it for $159.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/andromium/the...
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/andromium/the...
Doofus said:
I'm struggling to work out what I'm looking at. Is it the screen/keyboard combo? If so, I'm guessing for that price it's essentialy a dumb terminal.
I think it's exactly that. I do have some apps on my phone that I don't have the equivalent of on my PC so I see potential. Not to mention being able to make my business partner envious (he has an iPhone).That said, you're supposed to install some app to make this work. Does the app just go on the phone?
Doofus said:
So why this, and why not Chromebook?
I can only guess that it's the expense. Also, if it's a dumb terminal, when Chromebook is a slow clunky machine, this Superbook will plug into your Galaxy S35 (assuming USB works in a few years and you haven't already trashed your Superbook).
Looks like a good idea to me. I haven't bothered lugging a laptop around with me for a few years now. What I really need is to be able to log into my office workstation remotely, and a mobile phone with an HDMI adapter, USB keyboard and mouse just about did that if I was in a hotel with suitable TV to use as a monitor. At a push I could just use the phone's screen.
The main problem was the combined hopelessness of Citrix and our IT services. Even if you could get the remote client to attach to the server, the chance of the keyboard mapping working was close to zero. But thats just a minor embuggerment in the grand scheme of things.
The point is that your phone is a powerful computing device with amazing built in communication. Having the ability to hook it up to a proper keyboard and screen is a great idea.
The main problem was the combined hopelessness of Citrix and our IT services. Even if you could get the remote client to attach to the server, the chance of the keyboard mapping working was close to zero. But thats just a minor embuggerment in the grand scheme of things.
The point is that your phone is a powerful computing device with amazing built in communication. Having the ability to hook it up to a proper keyboard and screen is a great idea.
Hoofy said:
That said, you're supposed to install some app to make this work. Does the app just go on the phone?
Yes, I've installed the app, but not launched it yet. I've a few days off during the week so was going to try this at home -- on a 6P via a Chromecast into the back of a monitor with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse.I'll post with my first impressions once done.
Doofus said:
So why this, and why not Chromebook?
That's my reservation too. Chromebook still has advantages, and I get the idea that phones are quite powerful nowadays, but I'd imagine the battery in the Powerbook will be waining after a few years use too, and Chromebooks do give you extras over Android only.I'm also going to try Maru OS on my old N5, and see how that behaves. Something like Maru on a 6P or similar has more potential I feel.
Edited by Corso Marche on Saturday 30th July 16:02
Corso Marche said:
Hoofy said:
That said, you're supposed to install some app to make this work. Does the app just go on the phone?
Yes, I've installed the app, but not launched it yet. I've a few days off during the week so was going to try this at home -- on a 6P via a Chromecast into the back of a monitor with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse.I'll post with my first impressions once done.
Doofus said:
So why this, and why not Chromebook?
That's my reservation too. Chromebook still has advantages, and I get the idea that phones are quite powerful nowadays, but I'd imagine the battery in the Powerbook will be waining after a few years use too, and Chromebooks do give you extras over Android only.I'm also going to try Maru OS on my old N5, and see how that behaves. Something like Maru on a 6P or similar has more potential I feel.
Edited by Corso Marche on Saturday 30th July 16:02
So I need a Chromecast device, too, if I set up something with a monitor, kb and mouse?
Corso Marche said:
It'll apparently work with Chromecast or via a USB/MHL lead. I'll try both.
If you want to try it you need one of the above options, plus a display and a bluetooth keyboard and mouse.
I'll give it a go on Monday or Tuesday and report back.
If you want to try it you need one of the above options, plus a display and a bluetooth keyboard and mouse.
I'll give it a go on Monday or Tuesday and report back.
I wouldn't mind being able to use a portable device as a mini media centre in the living room!
Is this supposed to be like a Continuum on Windows 10?
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/continuum
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/continuum
Pretty much. They reckon a phone which people change every 2-3 years is as much computing power as a lot of people need, so this 'Superbook' is their attempt to provide a portable dock for the phone so as it becomes people's most often used device, with a larger battery which will charge the phone to aid mobility.
Ditto you could mount it at home to a full-size display and keyboard on your desk.
Time will tell, I guess... I'm a little sceptical the market is ready for such a device.
I tried Remix OS on a laptop previously, and stuck with a Chromebook. With more transformable Chromebooks coming to market and ChromeOS supporting Android apps and the two OS's becoming quite similar in feel I'm not sure Andromium has any mass-market appeal. Their potential full RRP is going to be too close to the current pricing of an acceptable ChromeOS device. Heck, it appears at a guess their entry level RRP will be comparable to that of an entry level Chromebook.
Ditto you could mount it at home to a full-size display and keyboard on your desk.
Time will tell, I guess... I'm a little sceptical the market is ready for such a device.
I tried Remix OS on a laptop previously, and stuck with a Chromebook. With more transformable Chromebooks coming to market and ChromeOS supporting Android apps and the two OS's becoming quite similar in feel I'm not sure Andromium has any mass-market appeal. Their potential full RRP is going to be too close to the current pricing of an acceptable ChromeOS device. Heck, it appears at a guess their entry level RRP will be comparable to that of an entry level Chromebook.
ninja-lewis said:
Is this supposed to be like a Continuum on Windows 10?
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/continuum
A poor mans version by the looks of it. Continuum works very well, and here is hoping the Surface phone is x86 to kill all other mobile devices dead in the water. Continuum is Miracast compatible so works with most modern smart TV's as well.https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/continuum
Update to this;
I've tested the current beta release on my Nexus 6P and Nexus 5.
It has a long, long, way to go - quite a lot of further development work is needed. It's more like an alpha test version than a beta version. Everything breaks intermittently, and not one function or native app works anywhere near close to being usable. I won't start a list of the issues as I'll be here for the next month.
It's unusable on the 6P (most recent dev version of Nougat) and so buggy on stock Marshmallow on the N5 that it's also not even worth trying !
Pity, they've been working on this for a few years now, and have received huge backing this time around on Kickstarter, but with shipments supposed to start in 6 months time I think all anybody will be getting is a terminal to hook to their phone with a buggy and very limited interface which can't handle Android apps in a desktop environment.
I'm going to try Maru OS on the N5 next, and see how that behaves and if it's viable.
I've tested the current beta release on my Nexus 6P and Nexus 5.
It has a long, long, way to go - quite a lot of further development work is needed. It's more like an alpha test version than a beta version. Everything breaks intermittently, and not one function or native app works anywhere near close to being usable. I won't start a list of the issues as I'll be here for the next month.
It's unusable on the 6P (most recent dev version of Nougat) and so buggy on stock Marshmallow on the N5 that it's also not even worth trying !
Pity, they've been working on this for a few years now, and have received huge backing this time around on Kickstarter, but with shipments supposed to start in 6 months time I think all anybody will be getting is a terminal to hook to their phone with a buggy and very limited interface which can't handle Android apps in a desktop environment.
I'm going to try Maru OS on the N5 next, and see how that behaves and if it's viable.
This is hardly a new idea
We have a few Motorola Atrix's that do almost this, same idea except they run their own software with Firefox. Works quite well but getting slow & tedious now. The lapdock is just a dumb battery & keyboard, also there is a dock to plumb it into a TV via HDMI that does the same.
Brilliant for travelling & better in function than this idea.
We have had these for 5 years or more
We have a few Motorola Atrix's that do almost this, same idea except they run their own software with Firefox. Works quite well but getting slow & tedious now. The lapdock is just a dumb battery & keyboard, also there is a dock to plumb it into a TV via HDMI that does the same.
Brilliant for travelling & better in function than this idea.
We have had these for 5 years or more
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