PureBasic Forum

A full Ubuntu desktop, on your docked Android phone!

http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/android

But how would you use a keyboard and mouse with it?

Don't think so, still nowhere near as powerful as the desktop

With deforming displays which give haptic feedback .

My smarthphone have a keyboard and i can put a mouse on the usb-port.

The Ubuntu website claims:


According to Distrowatch Linux Mint is #1
(The world’s favorite free desktop...)

P.S. I know the Distrowatch ranking is about clicks on a distro's link on their webpage, but anyhow... I feel better now

Fantastic isn't it? I just can't wait to get one.

USB ports or Bluetooth, take your pick.

How much power do you really need? It'll be plenty powerful enough for the vast majority of uses.

I think it's pure genius by Canonical.

The Motorola Photon (for instance) has an optional docking station with both USB and HDMI outputs, in addition to an optional bluetooth keyboard. It has a "desktop" mode, and it's not too bad. I played with one a little, and with its dual core ARM, it was about as speedy as a low-end netbook plugged in to a big screen. It was noticeably better than the original EEE PC netbooks. Certainly "fine" for email and light browsing.

It won't be long and most folks except hardcore gamers and workstation users will be able to use their phone in lieu of a desktop.

This is just a gimmick, a fun idea imho.

You can't reasonably expect such a device to compete with a desktop machine either. Much less if you have to plug a keyboard or at least a mouse into it.. Even with just a mouse plugged in, I would go insane trying to type on such a small keyboard.

And if you're going to plug-in (or use even wireless) why not a keyboard? And why not a screen, you know so you can actually see?

Well... I'll be damned.. It's a desktop. Might as well keep mine

In its current state, yes, it is a gimmick--the performance is not quite there. However, I don't think it will be a gimmick for very long--especially if Intel can get their act together enough (and soon enough) to compete with ARM.

That Photon, for instance, has a docking station with all of the required connections. That means that with less effort than plugging in a usb cable (a dock is one-handed), you turn your phone into a "desktop." This has a few advantages; first, you only buy one device--it's a lot cheaper than a phone and a desktop. Second, you can store all of your data on one device--no more syncing with your desktop! And with the phone plugged in, power draw is much less of an issue, so it can automatically overclock the cpu.

Like I said, we are already to the point that the docked phones are functional, with "nearly reasonable" performance. Within a couple years--what's the point in having a desktop??? Why would you want one, when you can just plug your phone in? Maybe if you have only one desktop for the whole family, but in reality, most folks who can afford a pc have multiple phones in the house anyway. (In the US, anyway.)

Sure, it won't satisfy the cpu taxing heavy 3d gamers. It will, however, suit most people who use their pc's as a browser, text editor, and music box.

Yes it is just like a desktop, that's the whole idea! When you're at home or at your office you use Ubuntu with a proper keyboard, mouse and screen (TV or HDMI monitor) and mains power too. When you're mobile with your device then Android OS is more appropriate. Your data can be shared between both.

At MWC companies like LG will be introducing their new Android devices with quad core processors and >= 1GB RAM, I've had Ubuntu running very happily on a laptop with a lower spec than that.

You can be pretty sure the spec of smartphones will just keep getting higher too.

How many businesses are there where PCs are mostly used as a "browser, text editor, and music box"?

As long as businesses use PCs, Windows will dominate because of all the business related software where MS dominates. We've been seeing these predictions that Linux or MAC OS will soon rule the universe for the past fifteen years, or more, yet...

OS market share:
http://marketshare.hitslink.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=8
http://marketshare.hitslink.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=8&qpcustomd=0
http://marketshare.hitslink.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=8&qpcustomd=1

Android version share:
http://www.informationweek.com/byte/news/personal-tech/232601140

And the miniscule Linux share is shared by 4000+ distros according to http://www.DistroWatch.com. Plus, the figures are based on browser hits so Windows may be severely under-measured as most businesses frown on employees spending their time browsing the web.

MS will soon be releasing the beta of their third OS in a row that is anti-business. MS has been unable to convince businesses they need to invest in SM3 capable gaming rigs just to properly run the newer versions of Windows. Since January of 2007, businesses as a whole have told Microsoft they have no interest in what Microsoft is now offering when it comes to Operating Systems and they have been sticking with 2000 and XP. There really is no other choice for these businesses. Unless Microsoft finally learns their lesson with Windows 8 not being adopted, businesses will have no other choice but to look for alternative operating systems by the time Windows 9 is released. XP and 2000 will just be too dated at that point to continue using.

Is Ubuntu on a smart phone a solution? Of course not, but Linux or Mac workstations (with Wine) could be viable alternatives. It is not like MS is giving businesses a choice in the matter. I have never seen a company work so hard to drive their gravy train away.

First, I never said anything about MS going away. In fact, as Intel gets more competitive with ARM, I think they are likely to stay far in the lead. You will notice, however, that Mac sales jumped with the release of the iPhone and iPad. (The unfortunately thing for MS is that I really do think a large part of their success is dependent upon Intel. ARMs are a lot cheaper, and require a lot less battery.) My comments were directed towards the concept of a phone that doubles as a "desktop computer," and those comments were o/s independent.

Second, from everything I have seen, about 90% of all business computers are used for nothing more than text editors. Sure, maybe that text is in little boxes, but very few businesses use any software that would tax a fast ARM. Based on that, a phone would happily do the job (even a modern top-of-the-line one). However, I was mostly thinking of home use, as most businesses would not let their employees take home their "computer" every night.

Heck, even PB compiles so fast that it would be "just fine" on even a modern-day mediocre ARM! (Comparing cpu speeds, NOT cpu architecture.)

Smartphones outsold PCs in 2011 and the smartphone market is still growing at a vastly higher rate than the PC market. Android is the most popular smartphone OS out there, if Canonical can persuade the big Android players like Samsung, HTC, LG, Sony, Moto to install Ubuntu by default it will be an absolutely massive coup.