Do you NEED Continuum?

[theefman]

No matter how its portrayed, its still a niche feature REQUIRING you to be tethered to a monitor, the very antithesis of a "mobile" computing solution. Case in point, I'd like to see how continuum helps if you're a journalist covering its reveal at the Microsoft event next week...... It has its place but this is not the solution to all computing needs.
Sent from my Lumia 1020

 

[alex Anderson6]

No matter how its portrayed, its still a niche feature REQUIRING you to be tethered to a monitor, the very antithesis of a "mobile" computing solution.

What do you mean by a monitor? I don't consider a notebook to be immobile.

 

[ttsoldier]

What do you mean by a monitor? I don't consider a notebook to be immobile.

But if you have a notebook, why would you tether your phone to it. This is the point i am trying to make. You will have the same apps on both devices.

 

[Gregory Tripp]

It makes complete sense for business... we've been over this.

 

[Justin Engel]

I do not have a laptop, and I really don't need a laptop. I view tablets as pointless. I had a tablet and rarely used it. I am looking forward to Continuum! I am rarely at home. Having my phone with office and continuum will be very convenient at times. It also helps that I have extra crappy old monitors lying around.

It is simply something to look forward to in the future. Everyone knows Microsoft is way behind in mobile. It gives windows mobile fans something to brag about. It is an incredible step and something unique to mobile.

 

[alex Anderson6]

But if you have a notebook, why would you tether your phone to it. This is the point i am trying to make. You will have the same apps on both devices.

I addressed this in my other post (#99). Windows Continuum makes it possible to have "host" devices, or if you prefer the term, "shell" devices. Right now we're buying new laptops, new phones, new tablets, and new desktop computers. With Continuum, there's an alternative strategy. We could purchase a shell laptop that consists of nothing more than an encased keyboard, touchpad, display and battery, and it could be the last laptop we have to buy. It could be cheaper and lighter than any regular laptop. And instead of trying to decide between a small, ultra mobile laptop for travel and a bigger one for home use, we could easily have both.

What Continuum brings is value. We don't have to buy a new phone, a new laptop, and a new tablet. Upgrading the phone can upgrade all 3 at once. It can also upgrade our 20 inch drawing tablet and our smart TV.

 

[snakebitten]

Again, Continuum2015 on a Lumia 950XL will be one thing,

But Continuum2016,17,18... on a SP950XL will be completely another.

(note: SP does NOT mean Surface Pro)

 

[donkiluminate]

I don't see the use of continuum for me personally or professionally. Now a days most of what I use a computer for is surfing the internet and playing the occasional youtube and that is on a laptop sitting on the couch cause I don't want to sequester myself to the office to sit at a desktop. Maybe I could turn it into a part time HTPC(SP)

Professionally, when I'm mobile I still need a real computer with real processing power to work in Excel/Powerpoint so I take my laptop. Maybe it would work for upper level execs who don't use a ton of heavy lifting in Excel and need to use Office in general for report viewing..

It sounds cool but until you can actually get an x86/x64 onto a phone I think the usage will be very limited.

 

[minhin]

It could be use with HoloLens. I can project what I use on my phone, tablet, desktop to my hololens.

 

[Yangstax]

I plan to get one dock first to make up a backup PC with one unused 23"monitor. Later on, when I get a 4K TV set I might get another one dock to play back the recorded 4K video files, to do Skype on TV, to play UW games or run other UW entertainment apps on big screen. UW apps will grow over time and that will make Continuum more and more useful. I may take one dock with me on trips in case I need to do work or play back photos/videos on hotel TV. I have no plan to do recycling with my docks.

 

[Petru Moldovan]

If... if Microsoft finds a way to make Continuum work on old phones via a dock, I'll try it out just because I'm curious (assuming the price isn't absurd). I'll unplug my desktop and give Continuum a week.

Microsoft won't be able to upgrade the hardware via a software update, so continuum won't work on most of the old phones. In order to work, the phone needs a GPU capable to project to a second screed and a method to do this (via direct Wi-Fi or an USB 3.1 dock and cables). Snapdragon 808 and 810 both support an internal display up to 4k and two external displays - one up to 4K and one full HD, also support direct Wi-Fi and the dock for 950/950XL will most probable provide a DirectPort for a display up to 4K and a HDMI port for up to full HD. All the old phones are providing a micro-USB port (USB 2.0 or 2.1) which is not able to support cable video, and few of them support direct Wi-Fi/Miracast (those which support "Project my Phone) AND a second display.

 

[athulpk1]

They can make it on project my screen

 

[Citizen X]

No matter how its portrayed, its still a niche feature REQUIRING you to be tethered to a monitor, the very antithesis of a "mobile" computing solution.

Every hotel I've stayed at has a monitor. Do you like lugging laptops from state to state, country to country? Do you have a data plan for your phone AND your laptop?

It is going to be awesome to get to a hotel and watch netflix and hulu on a TV screen without even needing to deal with hotel wifi and a laptop. MSFT is really blowing this situation wide open. Now I don't need to worry about my wireless carrier blocking tethering. I get all the functionality of a laptop or desktop in my phone so all I need is one unlimited data plan. I am so glad I hung on to my unlimited data plan.

 

[11B1P]

Every hotel I've stayed at has a monitor. .

Then you obviously stay at the more expensive hotels

 

[Acejax805]

I think you hit the nail on the head. Continuum is a long-term strategy, not short-term. Right now, we can agree this is cool (because it's new) however, the next time you need to buy a laptop (1-3 years), you may skip the laptop and buy a Windows Mobile device. Continuum does not sound like something for consumers who have a computer/laptop, Xbox, and mobile phone. It is for people that decide they don't want to own all of those devices when one can do it all. I currently have a computer, Windows tablet, Xbox, and Windows phone. In 3 years, I will be happy to know I only need Windows mobile device for home and work.

 

[Acejax805]

The delicate balance between mobile and x86/x64 is trimming enough to make it run well while not requiring i5 processors to power it. Once that happens, Continuum is a reality. Can Qualcomm get us there, or will it be Apple, Samsung, or Intel? This is still TBD.

 

[ttsoldier]

I addressed this in my other post (#99). Windows Continuum makes it possible to have "host" devices, or if you prefer the term, "shell" devices. Right now we're buying new laptops, new phones, new tablets, and new desktop computers. With Continuum, there's an alternative strategy. We could purchase a shell laptop that consists of nothing more than an encased keyboard, touchpad, display and battery, and it could be the last laptop we have to buy. It could be cheaper and lighter than any regular laptop. And instead of trying to decide between a small, ultra mobile laptop for travel and a bigger one for home use, we could easily have both.

What Continuum brings is value. We don't have to buy a new phone, a new laptop, and a new tablet. Upgrading the phone can upgrade all 3 at once. It can also upgrade our 20 inch drawing tablet and our smart TV.

You mean like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67Jm8IiwURQ

 

[Citizen X]

Then you obviously stay at the more expensive hotels

You would be surprised. A lot of hotels in the United States have TVs now.

You mean like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67Jm8IiwURQ

Lol. Did that guy say it had 3g? What year did you dig that up from?

No. Not like that. That thing doesn't have USB C nor any applications other than a browser and some media player... playing back a divx video. Who uses divx anymore?

Continuum is going to have much better connectivity. It is also going to by way more open. Any third party company will be free to create whatever laptop/tablet/desktop dock they want and have it work with any Continuum phone. Furthermore if you have Continuum you will have MS Office tossed in for free. Between having just one data plan and the free Office for your laptop/desktop Continuum is going to save people hundreds of dollars.

I don't get why people can't see the savings. Even if you already own a laptop you still need a data plan for it. You still need to buy office for it. What if you eliminate those costs? Are you beginning to understand?

 

[Laura Knotek]

You would be surprised. A lot of hotels in the United States have TVs now.



Lol. Did that guy say it had 3g? What year did you dig that up from?

No. Not like that. That thing doesn't have USB C nor any applications other than a browser and some media player... playing back a divx video. Who uses divx anymore?

Continuum is going to have much better connectivity. It is also going to by way more open. Any third party company will be free to create whatever laptop/tablet/desktop dock they want and have it work with any Continuum phone. Furthermore if you have Continuum you will have MS Office tossed in for free. Between having just one data plan and the free Office for your laptop/desktop Continuum is going to save people hundreds of dollars.

I don't get why people can't see the savings. Even if you already own a laptop you still need a data plan for it. You still need to buy office for it. What if you eliminate those costs? Are you beginning to understand?

An Office 365 subscription is good for up to 5 PCs/Macs.

 

[alex Anderson6]

You mean like this?

Yes, that's the idea, although I think Microsoft is envisioning something that's less tied to a single device and has better APIs for scaling to different screen sizes. Microsoft has shown they are thinking along these lines. I don't have URL sharing privileges on here, but Microsoft has shown a concept notebook shell device in one of their videos. You can find it by searching for "BUILD 2015 Continuum session - Windows Phone as a PC" on YouTube. Skip to about 12:45.