File manager, usb on the go and MHL?

[pranav rai]

Doesn't blackberry run all apps in a sandbox, over a qnx kernal? If they - the purported most secure os in the world - can have an AMAZING IN BUILT FILE BROWSER... Why cant wp8?

I remember wm6.5... Loved that file browser, and the ability to manipulate, zip and attach to emails, any file i felt like (ok major file types, but whatever

I would love a file browser, usb otg and open vpn access... Would make wp8.1 an enterprise beast!!!!

MS made a business call to not have a file explorer. Doing it right takes a lot of time and effort.
That being said the said rumors about file manager on WP8.1 show exactly that - MS getting the time to try and get it right. I'd still bet that the explorer will NOT be accesible via an API and will be a privileged system app - an app that you cant uninstall.

 

[CSMR250]

That assumes that giving API access to files and directories to arbitrary apps is a good thing. From the point of view of security, thats a cardinal sin.

The whole spectrum of computer users requires multiple apps to access the same files, from the most casual users (take photo on camera, upload in browser, attach to email) to professionals in the FBI or CIA. Cardinal security sin indeed. SOME users can get by with a phone that cannot do this, if they use other OSes for anything non-trivial. Then the phone is just a multifunction device with apps that cannot work together.

You are now letting a third party app acess data from another app, who might not have encrypted it on the ROM - thats where security nightmares begin.

Either an app intends data to be private, in which case it should put the data somewhere private (isolated storage), or it intends the data to be public, in which case it should put it somewhere public.

Openness can be employed along with secirity, but that is a two pronged effort - MS has to provide additional API's and programmers actually have to use good practices to store data and the like.

This I agree with. There is no need to compromise.
It's quite easy to get apps to avoid saving data to public places except when intended.
E.g. just ask for user confirmation before writing any file outside isolated storage.

 

[Rodrigo Mendes]

I don't see any use for File Manager in Windows Phone concept. These things need to be totally transparent for users. We don't need a 80's feature in my brand new smartphone, that's useless. But USB UTG is a great feature and MHL maybe too.

 

[Jas00555]

See, my hope is just that the file manager will collect files that Windows Phone doesn't recognize or stuff that you would download as opposed to something for all files. My hope is that the apps stay sandboxes, but let's say that when VLC comes to Windows Phone, I can download a file such as an .MKV or .avi and have VLC read my file manager to play them. That's my hope, anyways.

 

[Rodrigo Mendes]

See, my hope is just that the file manager will collect files that Windows Phone doesn't recognize or stuff that you would download as opposed to something for all files. My hope is that the apps stay sandboxes, but let's say that when VLC comes to Windows Phone, I can download a file such as an .MKV or .avi and have VLC read my file manager to play them. That's my hope, anyways.

But why you need a File Explorer to do this? Just open the right app to open theses files.

 

[Ankit Nawlakha]

I don't see any use for File Manager in Windows Phone concept. These things need to be totally transparent for users. We don't need a 80's feature in my brand new smartphone, that's useless.

But dude.. dont you download files from internet explorer or any other browser on your Wp..??? Dont you want them to show up somewhere on your phone...??
Lets say i want to download a .rar file... the download begins.. the download completes... and then BOOM.. You have no idea where that .rar file just vanished..!!

 

[Poirots Progeny]

Precisely - and that goes for any file type. I deal with multiple zips and pdfs and lord knows what else file types on a daily basis. If i am out and need to do something i use my blackberry. I would rather just use my wp8 phone. A file browser, and proper file organisation and manipulation and attachment options (including usb otg) well that would be superb. Not everyone uses the "cloud" - in fact we're not allowed to! Do have a microsd card though, and there is more than just pics and music on it. I would like to be able to interact with it in the same manner one does on windows proper

 

[N_LaRUE]

Not this discussion again.... sigh.

Let's all wait for WP8.1 to be released officially in a couple of weeks then we can see what this so called 'file manager' is. I don't think it will be anything like Android or Symbian.

As for USBOG, whatever makes the masses happy I suppose. I'm sure lots of people will be happy about that.

So we'll have HID support so people can get their keyboards and mice. Now USBOTG for a media HDD. Then you add a file manager and look a computer! So much for smartphones being smartphones....

I did like WP. So much for it being 'unique'.

 

[Rodrigo Mendes]

But dude.. dont you download files from internet explorer or any other browser on your Wp..??? Dont you want them to show up somewhere on your phone...??
Lets say i want to download a .rar file... the download begins.. the download completes... and then BOOM.. You have no idea where that .rar file just vanished..!!

Well, in this case, like I say, just open some RAR app or click on file in IE (it's open the apropriate app). It's not important for user where's the location of the file, this is a 80's concept. File structure it's a OS job, not mine. We don't need to worry with these things anymore. We already do a lot.

We must also remember that Windows Phone is an extension, an addition of a desktop/notebook. Mobile system need to to be more limited and practical. I'm work with IT support and I know how people still do not really understand Windows Explorer and file structure on Windows.

 

[eruptflail]

Are you sure a File manager isn't going to operate like a file explorer? My impression is that it will. Hopefully this will let you default apps to open specific files from specific location, ie. alowing the music app to open music files from your skydrive.

 

[Rodrigo Mendes]

Are you sure a File manager isn't going to operate like a file explorer? My impression is that it will. Hopefully this will let you default apps to open specific files from specific location, ie. alowing the music app to open music files from your skydrive.

I have no problems with File Explorer implementation, I just think we really don't need.

 

[Poirots Progeny]

Different people use their phones in different ways. Choice is good.

 

[heat 33330]

Not this discussion again.... sigh.

Let's all wait for WP8.1 to be released officially in a couple of weeks then we can see what this so called 'file manager' is. I don't think it will be anything like Android or Symbian.

As for USBOG, whatever makes the masses happy I suppose. I'm sure lots of people will be happy about that.

So we'll have HID support so people can get their keyboards and mice. Now USBOTG for a media HDD. Then you add a file manager and look a computer! So much for smartphones being smartphones....

I did like WP. So much for it being 'unique'.

So much crap I can't even begin.

 

[N_LaRUE]

So much crap I can't even begin.

Go for it. I'm sure I've heard everything you said before on the other dozen or so threads on these topics.

I'm excited to hear your new perspective. Dazzle me with your unique insight.

 

[RustyU]

I did like WP. So much for it being 'unique'.

If being unique is down to missing features that the competition has, then it's uniqueness is a bad thing.

 

[N_LaRUE]

If being unique is down to missing features that the competition has, then it's uniqueness is a bad thing.

Your impression of what the competition is limited by your idea that WP was competing against Android which was never the case.

MS wanted WP to be the new iPhone. The mistake that people keep making is thinking that MS planned on going to emerging markets, that was never the case, it was Nokia that took WP there, not MS. It is this group which is most vocal about wanting features like a 'file manager', SD app support and things like USBOTG. Don't get me started on background images...

I just hope you're not all too disappointed when things aren't what they seem. There won't be a file manager like Symbian or Android. It will be integrated within Onedrive where Onedrive is more integrated into WP. This is something that's been said for some time. As for the rest of what this thread is about, whatever. USBOTG, I had it on my N8. Used it once. Only people who have any need of this would use it. Same goes for a file manager.

Be clear on another thing. iPhones don't have a file manager. They are also very similar to WP in the way they function. The difference between them WP and iPhone has been the opening of the SDK to allow better apps. This is what WP needs to do and appears to be doing. This IS what is most important. Features come and go but a good open SDK to make killer apps is what is needed. This is where WP has fallen down so far.

Also for my friend up there. With the Nokia N8 you could hook up a powered external hard drive, HDMI cable out to a monitor and use a mouse. It was literally a small computer or a media player. People did it. I prefer that we move away from this idea personally as smartphones have become something unique in themselves but people keep wanting to return to this idea.

WP is a great platform. Different in its own way from the competition, however, many only see the negatives. It needs to be updated, it needs better features. Does it need the kitchen sink too though? That's my question for you.

 

[pranav rai]

Your impression of what the competition is limited by your idea that WP was competing against Android which was never the case.

MS wanted WP to be the new iPhone. The mistake that people keep making is thinking that MS planned on going to emerging markets, that was never the case, it was Nokia that took WP there, not MS. It is this group which is most vocal about wanting features like a 'file manager', SD app support and things like USBOTG. Don't get me started on background images...

I just hope you're not all too disappointed when things aren't what they seem. There won't be a file manager like Symbian or Android. It will be integrated within Onedrive where Onedrive is more integrated into WP. This is something that's been said for some time. As for the rest of what this thread is about, whatever. USBOTG, I had it on my N8. Used it once. Only people who have any need of this would use it. Same goes for a file manager.

Be clear on another thing. iPhones don't have a file manager. They are also very similar to WP in the way they function. The difference between them WP and iPhone has been the opening of the SDK to allow better apps. This is what WP needs to do and appears to be doing. This IS what is most important. Features come and go but a good open SDK to make killer apps is what is needed. This is where WP has fallen down so far.

Also for my friend up there. With the Nokia N8 you could hook up a powered external hard drive, HDMI cable out to a monitor and use a mouse. It was literally a small computer or a media player. People did it. I prefer that we move away from this idea personally as smartphones have become something unique in themselves but people keep wanting to return to this idea.

WP is a great platform. Different in its own way from the competition, however, many only see the negatives. It needs to be updated, it needs better features. Does it need the kitchen sink too though? That's my question for you.

​You are too sensible to be commenting here :>

 

[tgp]

With the Nokia N8 you could hook up a powered external hard drive, HDMI cable out to a monitor and use a mouse. It was literally a small computer or a media player. People did it. I prefer that we move away from this idea personally as smartphones have become something unique in themselves but people keep wanting to return to this idea.

A few of my colleagues and I were discussing the future of tech last week, and we agreed that this is exactly where we may find ourselves in the future.

At the moment hardware & OS (mostly the OS) aren't quite ready for a smartphone to replace a PC, but that day could be here soon. You would have a docking station for your phone on your desk, and your phone is your mobile device AND your workstation.

 

[N_LaRUE]

A few of my colleagues and I were discussing the future of tech last week, and we agreed that this is exactly where we may find ourselves in the future.

At the moment hardware & OS (mostly the OS) aren't quite ready for a smartphone to replace a PC, but that day could be here soon. You would have a docking station for your phone on your desk, and your phone is your mobile device AND your workstation.

Well, it's closer than you think. Could possibly be done with W8/WP8 mix. Two interfaces. One when in 'mobile mode' another while docked in desktop. Not too far fetched really.

Question will always be though, is it a good idea? We need prices of SSDs to come down to make it viable. We know things are getting smaller, thinner, more powerful and so on with the tablet market so next step... ? Can a smartphone replace a computer, really? Heat issues and all?

When I was first getting into smartphones I remember lots of people showing the 'future' with all kinds of neat things. I thought that was neat then. Now though, not too sure. There is some value in the different ecosystems while at the same time allowing them to merge.

It's a hard one.

 

[tgp]

Can a smartphone replace a computer, really? Heat issues and all?

At the moment, no. But we see constant progression. It doesn't seem very feasible now, but hardware keeps changing. The modern high end smartphone has hardware that's just as powerful as the PCs from 5 years ago. That's why I say that the OS is probably the biggest restriction right now.

Awhile ago I saw a YouTube video that someone posted showing how a Note II could replace a desktop. What he displayed was indeed very impressive. He attached a mouse, keyboard, and large screen. With multitasking and split screen he could in some ways emulate a PC. But Android is still a mobile OS. And while Android is the most capable of all mobile OS's, it's still not anywhere near ready to replace a desktop OS. Microsoft could get there first if they can successfully combine Windows, RT, and WP. Apple has both a desktop and a mobile OS, but as far as I know they're not even trying to merge them.

The question remains: is it realistic to have an OS that is ideal on screen sizes that range from 4" to 27"? I think that there might need to be different modes, based on screen size currently used.