The Superbook

[Soul_Est]

As my current portable machine stays docked or plugged in most of the time, I have been considering new options for when I do a full upgrade (smartphone and computer). This Superbook seems like a nice replacement for my ThinkPad for as I don't do too many CPU-intensive tasks any more when I'm on the go.

http://kck.st/29OjmFX

​

What do you all think?

 

[jØrd]

Andromium... no thank you
an SDK devs have to buy into to optimize their apps for the andromium platform... no thank you
i wonder what their reasoning was for not running w/ remix OS
as with remix os my guess is their going to have issues w/ android updates, especially major ones.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andromium.os&hl=en

 

[jØrd]

this also isnt their first shot at trying to kickstart this thing

 

[Soul_Est]

Andromium... no thank you
an SDK devs have to buy into to optimize their apps for the andromium platform... no thank you
i wonder what their reasoning was for not running w/ remix OS
as with remix os my guess is their going to have issues w/ android updates, especially major ones.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andromium.os&hl=en

Thank you for bringing the SDK lock-in to my attention. That said, according to this (http://andromiumos.freeforums.net/post/288/thread), the SDK is only to add windowed mode and improve performance (quite vague there) on the 'Andromium platform'.

this also isnt their first shot at trying to kickstart this thing

That, I knew about. It seems like they decided to go the Motorola Lapdock route this time which would have been smarter the first time around.

 

[jØrd]

SDK is only to add windowed mode and improve performance (quite vague there) on the 'Andromium platform'.

Id argue that an app without window mode and poor performance isnt going to be that useful on this "laptop replacement" platform. Id also argue that no one is going to bake this additional support into their apps. Also the second Google get the native windowing mode stuff baked into android properly this thing will be dead in the water, depending on a windowing environment no one supports and unable to take full advantage of the native support google bake in (this also seems like an issue remix OS will (and iirc to an extent have already) run into)

The reason that we going to have an app store as well

just no.

 

[IntoxicatedPuma]

I switched from Windows Phone to Android back in January. After 6 months on Android, I'd be thrilled to go back to Windows Phone, especially for the HP X3 and its mobile dock. Unfortunately the one app I use the most in China (WeChat - like WhatsApp + Facebook + Android Pay + Paypal combined) is outdated by a couple years on WP

 

[Phuncz]

I really like the Windows Phone platform, but the lacking app store is a pain indeed. Especially with Continuum, relevant to this topic.

 

[IntoxicatedPuma]

My fear is that by the time Microsoft can get the apps ready for Continuum, Android or Apple (well, most likely not Apple as it'd butcher sales of their own products) will come out with their own version of this feature.

I wouldn't mind having my Mi5 be able to do the same thing as Continuum, but with RemixOS or maybe used as a Chromebook.

 

[Phuncz]

Microsoft won't do Windows Mobile hardware anymore, or atleast not focused, because they have sold their phone division which they bought not so long ago (Nokia). Their Surface does seem more popular and bridges this gap considerably, although too expensive for my taste.

Google's Android is still lacking in the tablet world due to Android apps not scaling well (not literally) to larger devices, although Chromebooks might be a good tie-in for this, since their price is already low and the hardware wouldn't be completely redundant.

Apple already has a full range of products from a 4" phone up to a 15" notebook, along with a good continuity between iOS and macOS (Hand-off and iCloud with basically everything synced) by default, so they just need to have marketing release an ad with "already possible on Apple". For instance, you can already answer your incoming phone calls with your iMac or Macbook and this has been possible for a while now.

 

[veryrarium]

I wish I could love scissor switches like some coders do.

 

[PlayfulPhoenix]

My fear is that by the time Microsoft can get the apps ready for Continuum, Android or Apple (well, most likely not Apple as it'd butcher sales of their own products) will come out with their own version of this feature.

I'm doubly-confused by your comment. For starters, Apple is notorious for cannibalizing its own products again and again and again - just look at the iPod, the iPad/iPad Mini (and especially the iPad Pro now), the MacBook... They've done this in many instances with their software as well. If there's any company that refuses to challenge their own existing lineup, it's almost certainly Microsoft, especially in the Ballmer years. Why do you think Windows Phone has been nothing but a commercial failure? (And remember the Kin?)

Furthermore, Apple's Continuity is by far the best example of what Microsoft's Continuum is meant to deliver - a seamless experience across devices - that works well, and that you can actually have today. Apple's approach is different, since it's desktop-first and mobile-first operating systems that underpin the platforms, but the feature set you get - same app on multiple devices, synchronized files, passing over work, universal notifications, and so forth - are identical. I frequently start writing things on my iPhone and effortlessly continue them on my desktop. Or pass calls from my phone to my laptop. Or open a webpage I had on my laptop, and keep reading it on my phone. Or buy an iPhone app and have the desktop version waiting for me. This is not the future for Mac and iOS users; this is two years old now.

With the upcoming OS releases in the fall, it gets even better. Now my watch unlocks my laptop for me. Now developers can do a lot more over iCloud between iOS and macOS apps. Now more of the features of both platforms, such as Siri, are universal. And on and on.

Frankly, Microsoft has been parroting the idea of "one platform for all devices" for nearly a decade, and every single attempt to realize that vision has been a failure. Every single one! Vista on tablets was a failure, the original Windows for smartphones was a failure, Windows 7 on tablets was a failure, the new Windows Phone was a failure, Windows 8 on tablets was a failure, Windows 8.1 on desktops was a failure... They're still failing at it right now, too, because they can't get a sizable chunk of people to download Windows 10 even when resorting to stuffing it down people's throats, and because they have a nearly non-existent mobile user base, and because they have a convoluted approach for developers for Universal Apps. They've also been remarkably inconsistent about the tools and strategy for mobile, which is about the worst invitation you can give to a developer when asking them to sink time into supporting an unproven ecosystem.

Meanwhile, Apple's already providing the benefits of that vision, in an effective way, for several years now, that developers have been building upon. I have no idea why PC-only folks haven't started revolting over this Microsoft has been pulling a Molyneux for a decade with respect to this.

 

[Phuncz]

I have this conflicting issue with Windows 10 and DX12. On one hand, Windows 10 and DX12 are great tools, promise a lot for the future, etc.
But they need you to use the Marketplace. But wait, why do you want me to commit to spending money on that, when you've just pulled the plug on your own phone division ? How long will UWP last and replaced by some other concept that just leaves us hanging to dry ?

I just don't trust Microsoft anymore at this point because they've been all over the map in the past 10 years, trying to drill for oil. Too many CEO changes with huge plans that all require the entire eco-system to be uprooted and Shift-Del-ed, should we expect this again in a few years when Nadella doesn't strike oil ? The problem is that they don't commit. Most likely the shareholders are demanding this strategy, since they were used to seeing all that profit a decade ago, only to see companies like Google, Facebook and Apple fly past Microsoft.

 

[iFreilicht]

As my current portable machine stays docked or plugged in most of the time, I have been considering new options for when I do a full upgrade (smartphone and computer). This Superbook seems like a nice replacement for my ThinkPad for as I don't do too many CPU-intensive tasks any more when I'm on the go.

http://kck.st/29OjmFX

​

What do you all think?

I like the basic idea, certainly, and the price is pretty amazing, too. Though if I were to buy something like this, it would absolutely have to have a touchscreen, I'd pay an additional 100$ for that in a heartbeat. After using a convertible for over 2 years now, there's no going back to non-touch laptops.

How long will UWP last and replaced by some other concept that just leaves us hanging to dry ?

Yeah they are so super inconsistent with that stuff that mostly very big companies and app-spammers are creating apps for W10 an WP. I had a small game close to completion for Win8 and then heard about the launch of universal apps so I thought I'd delay and make it ready for that. Turns out there were quite significant changes to be made and that there were parts of the API that were not available on Windows Phone (so much for universal), so I ultimately just stopped trying.

Why do you think Windows Phone has been nothing but a commercial failure?

Dear god, I just looked at the market share reports. They had over 10% in Europe, but fell below 6% in February this year. Guess my next smartphone is going to be Android with Cyanogenmod or something.

Then I'll be able to buy into hype devices like this as well.

Id argue that an app without window mode and poor performance isnt going to be that useful on this "laptop replacement" platform. Id also argue that no one is going to bake this additional support into their apps. Also the second Google get the native windowing mode stuff baked into android properly this thing will be dead in the water, depending on a windowing environment no one supports and unable to take full advantage of the native support google bake in (this also seems like an issue remix OS will (and iirc to an extent have already) run into)

Why would it be dead in the water?

The FAQ of the kickstarter states that the Superbook is using DisplayLink for the screen, which only requires a driver you can install through google play. As the thing is based on OTG, I'm pretty sure it has just a hub controller inside that connects the Display, Keyboard, Trackpad and outgoing USB port to the phone. Apart from the display, all of this is supported by Android already, so with the DL driver, this thing should be running just fine.

 

[PlayfulPhoenix]

Dear god, I just looked at the market share reports. They had over 10% in Europe, but fell below 6% in February this year. Guess my next smartphone is going to be Android with Cyanogenmod or something.

Sorry to do this to you, but...

 

[iFreilicht]

Sorry to do this to you, but...

Meh, there are quite a few android forks, I'm sure until the time I've got one there'll at least be two good alternatives. But that's a discussion for a whole different time, and none of those things would impact the use of the Superbook, so right now I'd say it's a pretty swell product if you don't buy into their "ecosystem".

 

[Soul_Est]

After using BlackBerry 10 for over a year and loving it for it's productivity, I was hoping to switch to WP. As BlackBerry ported some of their best applications to Android, I may just switch to Android for the foreseeable future and drop as much of Google as I possibly can.

 

[PlayfulPhoenix]

After using BlackBerry 10 for over a year and loving it for it's productivity, I was hoping to switch to WP. As BlackBerry ported some of their best applications to Android, I may just switch to Android for the foreseeable future and drop as much of Google as I possibly can.

That's probably your best bet. I'm happy Blackberry pivoted in this way, there's just no way they'll meaningfully remain in the hardware business at this point. Certainly not with their own OS, at least.

 

[Soul_Est]

That's probably your best bet. I'm happy Blackberry pivoted in this way, there's just no way they'll meaningfully remain in the hardware business at this point. Certainly not with their own OS, at least.

I do agree. I do miss the flow of the BlackBerry 10 though. It made switching between tasks near effortless.

 

[Soul_Est]

I like the basic idea, certainly, and the price is pretty amazing, too. Though if I were to buy something like this, it would absolutely have to have a touchscreen, I'd pay an additional 100$ for that in a heartbeat. After using a convertible for over 2 years now, there's no going back to non-touch laptops.

I hear you. The reason I did not touch on that is because I have a Galaxy Note 10.0 and a Motion Computing stylus.

 

[IntoxicatedPuma]

I'm doubly-confused by your comment. For starters, Apple is notorious for cannibalizing its own products again and again and again - just look at the iPod, the iPad/iPad Mini (and especially the iPad Pro now), the MacBook... They've done this in many instances with their software as well. If there's any company that refuses to challenge their own existing lineup, it's almost certainly Microsoft, especially in the Ballmer years. Why do you think Windows Phone has been nothing but a commercial failure? (And remember the Kin?)

They have a bad habit of gimping their devices however. The iPad Pro's would be a great laptop replacements but Apple doesn't give them mouse support. I don't feel their products are cannibalizing each other because I know lots of people who own both an iPad and a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air. Even Cook himself said he believes the products are meant to be separated (when asked about the Surface).

"Anything can be forced to converge, but the problem is that products are about tradeoffs, and you begin to make tradeoffs to the point where what you have left doesn't please anyone. You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but those things are probably not going be pleasing to the user."