What do you think of this idea for Continuum?

[Kieran Jeffery]

Hey Dan,

Apologies as this will be a long one, but please, when you get a few minutes have a read through and tell me what you think.

So Continuum has the selling point that it can replace a laptop and PC, the problem's lie in the fact that the LapDock from HP is the cost of a mid range laptop and it's just not powerful enough to be a PC.

So, as that's the case, I really think MS is coming at it from the wrong side. Instead of having the phone power everything in that way, and as the accessories are that expensive anyway, why not have them enhance the phone.

Basically, the phone can act as your PC storage device, including things like the windows registry, installed apps, docs etc. Essentially act as your PC's main system drive. Then the accessories can be actual mid range laptops, the dock could be a mini PC etc etc. That way, when docked, you have access to the full range of Windows 10, as if running the full desktop version.

So adding to this, in an office environment for instance, they can have docks at workstations which employees will just dock their phones and work from there. Same thing in schools. Even Starbucks, McDonalds, Libraries can have similar setups. And even Laptops.

The advantages here are that data can be made more secure for both enterprise and consumers. Having everything on there phone, all the docks, lapdocks etc. could run windows 10 from a ROM, having necessary updates on the mobile device itself. Your phone essentially becomes your C: drive. You can even take it to a friends house and dock it in their dock and it's now your computer.

If someone snatches your backpack or it gets lost in an airport, if you only have the lapdock type thing, you're phone's going to be in your pocket with all your data.

Obviously there will be limited storage on such a device, maybe they could squeeze a 250GB SSD in there and you'd have to carry around another storage device if you had a lot of large programs etc.

So, for example, you could have a LapDock that has a core i3/i5, 16GB RAM and a GTX 1050, even a 1TB hard drive but Windows 10 essentially locked into a ROM. then you dock your phone to get it booted and ready to go. At work you have a basic workstation kind of set up, dock your phone and that's your work PC. Lunch time, go to Starbucks, they have some docks and you do all your Facebooking, then you get home and dock it into your Project Scorpio and it has all of your profile etc. on the mobile.

Sound's a little unnecessary, until you think of your mobile becoming your key to everything and also the memory. As soon as you undock it from everywhere, you're signed out and because everything was stored on your phone, there's nothing to leave behind. You could even then have continuum on low end devices as the brains behind it are all in whatever it's docked into.

Anyway, that's my idea for a more fruitful Continuum experience. Hope you like it.

Thanks for reading.

 

[juanitoriv]

I'm not sure about this idea. Seems overkill & expensive.. As far as pricing goes, Miracast and Bluetooth seem the best idea.

What you're talking about is basically using your phone as a bootable drive. Could work.

In a way it's almost just like the "Project My Screen " app.

 

[Kieran Jeffery]

I'm not sure about this idea. Seems overkill & expensive.. As far as pricing goes, Miracast and Bluetooth seem the best idea.

What you're talking about is basically using your phone as a bootable drive. Could work.

In a way it's almost just like the "Project My Screen " app.

The problem with miracast and Bluetooth is they are laggy and a bit of a hassle to connect if your using different devices all over the place. Unless you take advantage of that new 60Ghz WiFi standard and connect via NFC, maybe that could work.

As far as expensive goes, to the consumer they wouldn't have to worry so much as it'll be more like these docks and whatnot are already in the coffee shops a d libraries and maybe even trains and planes etc. Plus because all of your form fill and bookmarks are already on your phone, you wouldn't need to worry to much in the library about forgetting all that stuff. Also you wouldn't have to worry about logging out, just remember to take your phone!

Again this can transfer to places like internet gaming cafes, where some people can't afford a high end rig or whatever, they can go to one to play on an overkill rig, but still have all their progress and whatnot for when they get home to continue on their budget system.