Can a smartphone replace a laptop?

[MrMaxwell]

I don't know shit about smartphones and I hate them, but I just about have to get one, I suppose. How powerful are the phones, these days? Are they as powerful as, say, a core2duo laptop with 4gb ram? Are they making docks for them? With decent size screens, maybe?

The goal would be to be able to dock the phone when I'm sitting down somewhere so I could use it like a laptop. That way I would be able to eliminate the laptop.

Only problem is, carrying around an lcd monitor would be worse than having a laptop with me.

So- is there a way to use a phone like I'm trying to?

I cannot type on those tiny keyboards and don't want to try and I want to be able to use a mouse with it .... Is there anything out there for this?

[Maqua]

I did a quick google and there appears to be lots of bluetooth keyboards for the smartphones and they seem to be just about the regular size, and it looks like there are some options for the mouse, I personally can do just about everything on my Iphone as I can do on the laptop

[DVTimes]

In truth it depends what you want to do with it.

Many use tablets now rather than a laptop.

If your looking to do photo and vid editing then a pc may be easer, but for most things a tablet is ideal.

I use a mobile on wifio only for skype, icq, and a few apps. In truth i find icq and facebook work far better on a mobile app than a website. In fact for some things I find websites are not any way as good. In fact I do wonder if websites can keep up with there apps as the apps can do far more.

If you plan on looking at websites I think a phone may start to be a pain.

Look at tablets.

The adavantage too is you should find typing into a tablet screen much easer.

Of course you can buy a keyboard for a phone, but that sort of defeats the object and its more things to carry. By the time you have bought a phone and keyboard you may as well have bought a tablet.

One thing you coulod do is buy a cheap samsung phone with wifi. In the UK I got one for £80 with wifi and thats no contract. I use it daily on wifi for skype and icq. Its also usfull for apps such as one that calculates vat and other stuff. You can get cheaper but the problem is they come with low storage. And the problem with samsung (and others using the same operating system) is apps can only be saved on the main memory not any storage cards.

[DVTimes]

Originally Posted by Maqua

I did a quick google and there appears to be lots of bluetooth keyboards for the smartphones and they seem to be just about the regular size, and it looks like there are some options for the mouse, I personally can do just about everything on my Iphone as I can do on the laptop

I think with some phones you can plug a keyboard in, and a monitor/tv, plus other bitys. You can turn them into a sort of pc, but to me thats a bit of an overkill.

[DVTimes]

As for docs, most (if not all) will plug directly into your pc via usb.

But better than that, they are now set up with cload, so you can share files that way.

But docking them with your pc today is no more difficult than plugging a usb dongel into your pc.

[woj]

If you are going to carry additional equipment, it kinda defeats the whole point?

you aren't going to be able to "work" on a smart phone, you can check email, IM, light browsing, but not much more than that, at least not easily...

technically you can ssh to your server and do anything, but anything more than something simple like rebooting a server is a huge pain...

[candyflip]

Not only can they, they will.

Ubuntu Edge.

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ubuntu-edge

[DVTimes]

Originally Posted by candyflip

Not only can they, they will.

Ubuntu Edge.

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ubuntu-edge

for a lot of people they are.

or to be more honest the phone and tablets now are replaing laptops/pc's for many people.

I would think very soon most offices will be tablet only, linked up to a single pc for storage.

in less than 5 years very few will be using a pc. it will be phones and/or tablets.

[Look Chang]

Can a scooter replace a limousine?

[L-Pink]

I need a big screen.

[HomerSimpson]

it cant... I have Galaxy S4 with 5" screen and it's good for emails, IM, some browsing but other that that - it's useless for any serious work...

IMO for work you need big monitor and good keyboard/mouse...

[Sly]

I have a 27 inch monitor, and an additional two other monitors, just so I can see multiple things at the same time. Think about working on a regular desk with open books and notebooks. Those books and notebooks are going to be spread out all over the desk so that you can easily reference various items, glance over at quick to double check something, etc. I use my large, multiple monitors for the same purpose. I could not imagine doing anything real productive on a 5 inch screen.

[96ukssob]

Smart phones are awesome, you should get one.

Check out this plan for you - http://www.assurancewireless.com/Public/Welcome.aspx

[candyflip]

Originally Posted by L-Pink

I need a big screen.

The point is that you will carry your computer around with you and plug it into a dock with monitor, keyboard and mouse...then it becomes your desktop.

[MrMaxwell]

I considered a tablet with a stand, but, then there'd still be no keyboard. I don't need it to do encoding and shit- I just use it for posting ads and deleting ads and playing the word game I like to play.

Looks like I just need to keep my laptop

[pornguy]

I have a tablet to deal with email and browsing. works well but a pain to carry.

[SilentKnight]

Smartphones and tablets are for people in the audience.

Laptops and desktop PCs are still the choice of producers on stage.

[SBJ]

for a lot of people I know their smartphones are the only form of internet they have at home now. I don't think I could ever really work from my ipad or 4.7" droid though. How are you going to photoshop, edit php and html code, and ftp large files on just a smartphone. Also the average smartphone has 16-32g of space and that's not large enough when working in porn. Not sure how you hook up my USB TB drives to a smartphone..

[SBJ]

Originally Posted by SilentKnight

Smartphones and tablets are for people in the audience.

Laptops and desktop PCs are still the choice of producers on stage.

QFT!

[candyflip]

Fuck...was supposed to be a new thread.

Sorry for that.

[Chosen]

Not yet, at least for me.

[DWB]

It already has in countries where people can't afford laptops.

[ls101]

Whether some smartphones has higher specs but still some things smartphone cant do.

[freecartoonporn]

yes, only if mototrola atric / droid comes with linux os so i can hook it up with laptock and enjoyyy.........

[mamaliga]

Originally Posted by DWB

It already has in countries where people can't afford laptops.

a smartphone may cost double than a laptop so far

[seXXXhub]

didnt readed anything from your post, just the topic title, the answer for your question is NO

[Grapesoda]

Originally Posted by Sly

I could not imagine doing anything real productive on a 5 inch screen.

or viewing a film or video

[crockett]

With in the next year or two we will cross the mark where more people connect to the net via smartphone that pc.

[DWB]

Originally Posted by mamaliga

a smartphone may cost double than a laptop so far

Yea, if you buy them outright, but that isn't how most people in developing countries (which make up the bulk of the planet) are doing it. They can get brand name phones (and tablets with sim cards) ridiculously cheap by signing usage contracts. So that is what they are doing, and it doesn't cost much at all. Where a laptop is unaffordable for most unless they are wealthy or have credit.