Comments on: The Next Level of Convergence? http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/ Open Source, Open Standards Sat, 05 Oct 2013 13:48:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: urlflynn http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7572 urlflynn Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7572 <p>Your bullet about \"iPhone requires an Intel based Mac\" is incorrect. I have an \'older\' PowerPC-based PowerMac and my iTunes & iPhone work just fine together. </p> Your bullet about \”iPhone requires an Intel based Mac\” is incorrect. I have an \’older\’ PowerPC-based PowerMac and my iTunes & iPhone work just fine together.

]]> By: dieter@engr.uky.edu http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7573 dieter@engr.uky.edu Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7573 <p>WebOS is based on Linux which already has drivers for bluetooth keyboards and mice. Using a wireless keyboard and mouse is just a matter of getting the device drivers enabled and configured correctly. Someone from Palm would probably have to enable the feature for it to work. The hardest part would be making it easy and bulletproof to use.</p> <p>Video is harder because the bandwidth is so much higher... </p> WebOS is based on Linux which already has drivers for bluetooth keyboards and mice. Using a wireless keyboard and mouse is just a matter of getting the device drivers enabled and configured correctly. Someone from Palm would probably have to enable the feature for it to work. The hardest part would be making it easy and bulletproof to use.

Video is harder because the bandwidth is so much higher…

]]> By: grabur http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7574 grabur Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7574 <p>If anyone ever asks me which laptop they should buy - I invariably tell them to get a netbook, usb keyboard,mouse and monitor. Having HDMI, USB outlets on smartphones - would entice me.</p> <p>You need apps designed to take advantage of a grid. Whether that be the office network or something in the cloud.</p> <p>I guess Google, have seen the browser to be a common platform. And why not, what else do I pick; GTK, QT etc?</p> <p>I do think the browser needs an improved interface to feel a bit more OS like. Plugins should just: plugin, it needs to be intuitive to install apps, data needs to be portable, like you said for syncing. Without comprimising security.</p> <p>Desktops now ooze power, and for what? Eye candy like aero, compiz or for playing HD content? What a waste of energy.</p> <p>I have a friend who runs Win98. I occasionally try to get him to install XYZ linux, but he has no reason to. And despite some stability, what\'s been happening for the last 10 years on the desktop in terms of practical innovation? Not alot. </p> If anyone ever asks me which laptop they should buy – I invariably tell them to get a netbook, usb keyboard,mouse and monitor. Having HDMI, USB outlets on smartphones – would entice me.

You need apps designed to take advantage of a grid. Whether that be the office network or something in the cloud.

I guess Google, have seen the browser to be a common platform. And why not, what else do I pick; GTK, QT etc?

I do think the browser needs an improved interface to feel a bit more OS like. Plugins should just: plugin, it needs to be intuitive to install apps, data needs to be portable, like you said for syncing. Without comprimising security.

Desktops now ooze power, and for what? Eye candy like aero, compiz or for playing HD content? What a waste of energy.

I have a friend who runs Win98. I occasionally try to get him to install XYZ linux, but he has no reason to. And despite some stability, what\’s been happening for the last 10 years on the desktop in terms of practical innovation? Not alot.

]]> By: ddelv http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7575 ddelv Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7575 <p>Good thoughts (bad proofing though, did you really mean to say <code>usually something I usually</code> in the first sentence?).</p> <p>[Also can\'t help commenting that since your laptop drive is readable, the problem is most likely the boot manager (GrUB?), easily repaired by booting RIP Linux from CD.]</p> <p>But back to the thrust of the article. I have an LG Lotus J2ME phone that goes a long way towards being a laptop replacement: 3G, email, web (sort of), even youtube, IM (multiprotocol) plus PIM plus phone plus camera etc. etc. It is buggy, crashes regularly and many of the Java apps have apparent memory leaks and it is still a very useful tool (or do I mean toy?). And my files live nicely on the large SD card. Yes, sometimes a real monitor, keyboard and mouse would be a boon.</p> <p>I believe that neither of the OS\'s you mention will be \'the one\'. There may be no \'one\': but the winner has not yet appeared (Chromium OS in Java?) Let\'s see. </p> Good thoughts (bad proofing though, did you really mean to say usually something I usually in the first sentence?).

[Also can\'t help commenting that since your laptop drive is readable, the problem is most likely the boot manager (GrUB?), easily repaired by booting RIP Linux from CD.]

But back to the thrust of the article. I have an LG Lotus J2ME phone that goes a long way towards being a laptop replacement: 3G, email, web (sort of), even youtube, IM (multiprotocol) plus PIM plus phone plus camera etc. etc. It is buggy, crashes regularly and many of the Java apps have apparent memory leaks and it is still a very useful tool (or do I mean toy?). And my files live nicely on the large SD card. Yes, sometimes a real monitor, keyboard and mouse would be a boon.

I believe that neither of the OS\’s you mention will be \’the one\’. There may be no \’one\’: but the winner has not yet appeared (Chromium OS in Java?) Let\’s see.

]]> By: ddennedy http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7576 ddennedy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7576 <p>I think you are onto something. Many smartphones that have bluetooth could/should accommodate bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Now, some of them are coming with HDMI video out. </p> I think you are onto something. Many smartphones that have bluetooth could/should accommodate bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Now, some of them are coming with HDMI video out.

]]> By: ztschir http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7577 ztschir Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7577 <p>You didn\'t mention anything about Maemo. I have my Nokia N900 and I am able to develop right on the phone! </p> You didn\’t mention anything about Maemo. I have my Nokia N900 and I am able to develop right on the phone!

]]> By: aotto http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7578 aotto Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7578 <p>If we had both these Bluetooth profiles supported in the smartphone, then a remote keyboard and monitor would be possible:</p> <p>Basic Imaging Profile (BIP)<br /> Human Interface Device Profile (HID)</p> <p>I expect the interactive performance would be sluggish, but it would be very interesting to see. I\'d love to see this on a Multi-CPU smartphone design like the Motorola \"Droid\" Android 2.0 from Verizon. </p> If we had both these Bluetooth profiles supported in the smartphone, then a remote keyboard and monitor would be possible:

Basic Imaging Profile (BIP)
Human Interface Device Profile (HID)

I expect the interactive performance would be sluggish, but it would be very interesting to see. I\’d love to see this on a Multi-CPU smartphone design like the Motorola \”Droid\” Android 2.0 from Verizon.

]]> By: aotto http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7579 aotto Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7579 <p>USB integration might work better than Bluetooth. Imagine a little USB docking station that you slip your phone into at your desk, where you have a monitor and keyboard connected to it... and perhaps also a LAN connection for those locations where WLAN frequency bands are too polluted to get decent performance. </p> USB integration might work better than Bluetooth. Imagine a little USB docking station that you slip your phone into at your desk, where you have a monitor and keyboard connected to it… and perhaps also a LAN connection for those locations where WLAN frequency bands are too polluted to get decent performance.

]]> By: fableson http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7580 fableson Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7580 <p>Thanks for the feedback -- this is great.</p> <p>@ddelv: I fixed the poorly written first line, thanks :).</p> <p>@urlflynn: an intel based mac is required for _development_ - which was the point of that section; sorry if that was not clear.</p> <p>A dock with Power/USB/HDMI - that is what I had in mind - and WIFI for connectivity. </p> Thanks for the feedback — this is great.

@ddelv: I fixed the poorly written first line, thanks :).

@urlflynn: an intel based mac is required for _development_ – which was the point of that section; sorry if that was not clear.

A dock with Power/USB/HDMI – that is what I had in mind – and WIFI for connectivity.

]]> By: jandersonlee http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7581 jandersonlee Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7581 <p>The screen and battery are both WAY to small for my needs. I even feel cramped screen-wise on a netbook. I\'m not saying that there aren\'t useful apps that can fit into that form factor, or users for whom it may be enough. A smart phone will just never replace my laptop, especially since my laptop already replaced my desktop. </p> The screen and battery are both WAY to small for my needs. I even feel cramped screen-wise on a netbook. I\’m not saying that there aren\’t useful apps that can fit into that form factor, or users for whom it may be enough. A smart phone will just never replace my laptop, especially since my laptop already replaced my desktop.

]]> By: fableson http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7582 fableson Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7582 <p>@jandersonlee: the idea is that you would plug your smartphone into a dock to use an external keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc. </p> @jandersonlee: the idea is that you would plug your smartphone into a dock to use an external keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.

]]> By: grabur http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7583 grabur Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7583 <p>I\'m hoping netbooks/laptop/desktop OSs and devices learn a thing or two from smart phones - which have carefully crafted, easy to use innovative interfaces. Hence my moan about current desktops OSs.</p> <p>I\'m also wanting, something between the two worlds, perhaps a small tablet. Call me old fashioned, but I feel I can\'t justify the expense of a smart phone right now - I\'d prefer a portable computer.</p> <p>How about some new peripherals for these devices? Light projected displays /keyboards, or perhaps virtual reality glasses - and hand gestures? </p> I\’m hoping netbooks/laptop/desktop OSs and devices learn a thing or two from smart phones – which have carefully crafted, easy to use innovative interfaces. Hence my moan about current desktops OSs.

I\’m also wanting, something between the two worlds, perhaps a small tablet. Call me old fashioned, but I feel I can\’t justify the expense of a smart phone right now – I\’d prefer a portable computer.

How about some new peripherals for these devices? Light projected displays /keyboards, or perhaps virtual reality glasses – and hand gestures?

]]> By: cavemole http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7584 cavemole Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7584 <p>I think it is almost there. We should be able to get bluetooth keyboards and mice running on our Android devices soon. All we need is a minor hardware update with a dongle for HDMI or similar. AFAIK, Nvidia is already working on a GPU with ARM core(s). This should do the trick for display.</p> <p>It would be more of a cloud-computing workstation for me. I would still be connecting to other servers and desktops for the real work. I\'m almost ready to ditch the netbook now.</p> <p>I wonder if the Archos tablet is already there. I think it has a good quality video out (HDMI?). It might not be much work to get it to speak to BlueTooth keyboards and mice.</p> <p>I do think that a dongle interface providing USB and Video would be a great thing to put on a small tablet/phone. </p> I think it is almost there. We should be able to get bluetooth keyboards and mice running on our Android devices soon. All we need is a minor hardware update with a dongle for HDMI or similar. AFAIK, Nvidia is already working on a GPU with ARM core(s). This should do the trick for display.

It would be more of a cloud-computing workstation for me. I would still be connecting to other servers and desktops for the real work. I\’m almost ready to ditch the netbook now.

I wonder if the Archos tablet is already there. I think it has a good quality video out (HDMI?). It might not be much work to get it to speak to BlueTooth keyboards and mice.

I do think that a dongle interface providing USB and Video would be a great thing to put on a small tablet/phone.

]]> By: booghotfoot http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7585 booghotfoot Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7585 <p>I work at a small community college (in IT) and predict that within a short few years, we\'ll be able to eliminate most of our desktop computers in favor of docking stations that students will just plug their phones into.</p> <p>I just picked up a samsung moment (android) phone with an 800Mhz processor. It has the horsepower to do 90% of what 80% of users need to do. We just need to get keystrokes in, and video out.</p> <p>In three years, even the netbook will be a dinosaur. </p> I work at a small community college (in IT) and predict that within a short few years, we\’ll be able to eliminate most of our desktop computers in favor of docking stations that students will just plug their phones into.

I just picked up a samsung moment (android) phone with an 800Mhz processor. It has the horsepower to do 90% of what 80% of users need to do. We just need to get keystrokes in, and video out.

In three years, even the netbook will be a dinosaur.

]]> By: georgiawebguy http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7586 georgiawebguy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7586 <p>A lot of good thoughts. I would love to be able to plug my Iphone into my Linux machine and NOT use Itunes (The world\'s worst UI) to get applications - much easier to just do it from the web. </p> A lot of good thoughts. I would love to be able to plug my Iphone into my Linux machine and NOT use Itunes (The world\’s worst UI) to get applications – much easier to just do it from the web.

]]> By: jmcgill65 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7587 jmcgill65 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7587 <p>I\'ve been interested in the idea of plugging accessories into a smartphone for a while now. Keyboards, mice, monitors, scanners, printers and external storage drives come to mind. These could communicate with the phone via wifi, bluetooth or usb. </p> <p>To attach accessories via a usb cable, the smartphone must be a usb host. Most smartphones are usb clients, not hosts. The Palm Treo 800W and the Neo Freerunner Openmoko phones are usb host capable and thus potentially could run accessories. The Nokia N810 is also reportedly usb host capable. Android OS is not currently usb host capable. The iphone might be an usb host, because http://developer.apple.com/iphone/program/accessories/ describes attaching accesories via the 30 pin connector. </p> <p>A group at Washington University in St. Louis was able to attach a usb ultrasound probe to a Treo 800w for a small medical imaging device, http://news-info.wustl.edu/tips/page/normal/13928.html.</p> <p>Also there is an iphone app that allows you to print to a networked Epson printer.</p> <p>The experimenters at hackndev.com were able to load linux onto a Treo 650 with usb host activated. Under PalmOS, this phone was just a usb client. </p> I\’ve been interested in the idea of plugging accessories into a smartphone for a while now. Keyboards, mice, monitors, scanners, printers and external storage drives come to mind. These could communicate with the phone via wifi, bluetooth or usb.

To attach accessories via a usb cable, the smartphone must be a usb host. Most smartphones are usb clients, not hosts. The Palm Treo 800W and the Neo Freerunner Openmoko phones are usb host capable and thus potentially could run accessories. The Nokia N810 is also reportedly usb host capable. Android OS is not currently usb host capable. The iphone might be an usb host, because http://developer.apple.com/iphone/program/accessories/ describes attaching accesories via the 30 pin connector.

A group at Washington University in St. Louis was able to attach a usb ultrasound probe to a Treo 800w for a small medical imaging device, http://news-info.wustl.edu/tips/page/normal/13928.html.

Also there is an iphone app that allows you to print to a networked Epson printer.

The experimenters at hackndev.com were able to load linux onto a Treo 650 with usb host activated. Under PalmOS, this phone was just a usb client.

]]> By: jobst http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7588 jobst Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7655/#comment-7588 <p>Having a phone and laptop requires 2 devices, having a phone only requires 3 (phone, screen and keyboard). With a X1a and a laptop I have everything I need ... on top of that I have an additional backup device ... AND a (portable) workstation that has replaced my desktop computer at home AND and one of them at work (i am a sysadmin, i have two ... a window box and linux box and the lappy is Linux ONLY ... and I have a debug station ... </p> Having a phone and laptop requires 2 devices, having a phone only requires 3 (phone, screen and keyboard). With a X1a and a laptop I have everything I need … on top of that I have an additional backup device … AND a (portable) workstation that has replaced my desktop computer at home AND and one of them at work (i am a sysadmin, i have two … a window box and linux box and the lappy is Linux ONLY … and I have a debug station …

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