Be more mobile with the ‘pocket desktop’

Phones really are becoming smarter. We depend on them for the smooth running of our daily lives and when we are without them we can literally feel like our right arm has been cut off. As phones become smarter we expect more and more from them and now the gap between phone and computer is closing even further.

Canonical are set to release Ubuntu for Android. So, all of you with Android phones will be able to run a full desk top computer from your phone. All you need is a docking station which you use to connect to a monitor (via HDMI) and then a keyboard and mouse (connected via Bluetooth or USB) and voilà, you have a desktop computer coming straight from your phone.

In practical terms this is amazing as you can take your desktop computer with you in your pocket. This gives you real flexibility to work how you want to. Now you don’t have to boot up a separate desktop computer just to edit a spreadsheet on a big screen or open a file attachment you can’t normally work with on the phone. Logging into a normal computer takes time and then you need to log into your email, just way too much time wasting. Instead dock your phone and see your phone screen on a monitor immediately, yes it really is that simple!

You could be editing and writing away and a phone call comes through. You would think that by undocking to answer you would lose anything not saved, which would be a disaster! But Ubuntu for Android has this covered, when you re-dock your device it resumes from where you left off. The same goes for text messages which you can actually reply to from your desktop. Give your thumbs a rest from text cramp and type on a full size keyboard on a screen that you actually read without squinting, your eyes and your thumbs will be very grateful for this.

Work can be made so much easier as you can have your phone and your computer together on one device and your whole life in one place. Now, wouldn’t that be nice?

The ‘pocket desktop’ looks to be a flexible and quick solution to many mobile working issues. It balances the need for miniaturisation of devices and the productivity advantages of big screens and desktop software. One to watch we think.