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Let's dock iOS devices!

WMGroomAK

An article posted on Hexus today shows a new patent published by the US PTO revealing that Apple has at least considered  a scenario where you could dock your iPhone or iPad into a MacBook style enclosure to build yourself a laptop.

http://hexus.net/mobile/news/apple/103840-apple-considering-iphone-laptop-dock-designs/

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While Apple Insider is speculating that these dock designs are "highly unlikely" to go to market, especially with things like bluetooth keyboards that you can use with your iPad or iPad Pro, it is interesting to see some directions that Apple has considered in the laptop replacement market.  Of these designs, I think the phone dock is probably the most intriguing as the article state that:

Quote

Apple Insider reports that the Apple iPhone dock would be designed to look like a MacBook with the signature aluminium construction and so on. While the iPhone provides CPU and OS the 'headless' dock could bolster its capabilities, not just with a larger screen and the physical keyboard, but with GPU, extra connectivity options, battery expansion, and more.

Kind of an easier approach to on the go productivity than trying to type on your iPhone or carry around a MacBook and iPhone.  

 

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So... all in all... it'll cost (device + dock) around $700+ for the iPad variant and $1500+ for the iPhone one... and it still can only run iOS apps. And you thought the iPad Pro was useless. Ain't got nothing on this.

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so basically lets copy Microsoft's continuum. 

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Just now, vorticalbox said:

so basically lets copy Microsoft's continuum. 

Motorola did this first I believe. Not that it bloody matters anyways because nobody has done it well yet.

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6 minutes ago, nerdslayer1 said:

i would hate to have my i phone touchscreen as my mac's trackpad. 

It looks less awkward than the iPad variant would and it might explain why Apple was doing away with the external ports... You know, if there is only one connector, easier to hook up with. :)

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Just now, Kloaked said:

Motorola did this first I believe. Not that it bloody matters anyways because nobody has done it well yet.

I think Microsoft have gotten close, and if they weren't so cheap and included it with the 950/xl it would have been much better off. I mean I will have fork out another £70 to use a feature on my phone.

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1 minute ago, Kloaked said:

Motorola did this first I believe. Not that it bloody matters anyways because nobody has done it well yet.

I'm fairly sure that is true of most of Apple's products... Someone else has done it first, but Apple usually either markets it better or improves on the base idea.

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Just now, WMGroomAK said:

It looks less awkward than the iPad variant would and it might explain why Apple was doing away with the external ports... You know, if there is only one connector, easier to hook up with. :)

 

well i guess a complicated facebook machine wouldn't hurt. 

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4 minutes ago, Kloaked said:

Motorola did this first I believe. Not that it bloody matters anyways because nobody has done it well yet.

I had it with the atrix 4g. But it did not let you run internet over 3g/4g, only wifi. And then motorola released a firmware update that bricked wifi/bluetooth for many users, including me. 

I had a 600$ paper weight as a result. 

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6 minutes ago, WMGroomAK said:

I'm fairly sure that is true of most of Apple's products... Someone else has done it first, but Apple usually either markets it better or improves on the base idea.

Exactly, they market so well that they convince their customers/fan base that their ideas are revolutionary when they're just modernization's of things that the masses didn't adopt. 

 

Strange @goodtofufriday mentions the Atrix because it was also the first to use finger print unlocking which many tout as another Apple innovation.

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both motorola, and HP have tried this, and guess what it doesn't work, apple's best bet is to stick with ipads and a keyboard case.

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Or here is a good idea. How about just put a fucking decent track pad in the dock....

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6 minutes ago, TidaLWaveZ said:

Exactly, they market so well that they convince their customers/fan base that their ideas are revolutionary when they're just modernization's of things that the masses didn't adopt. 

 

Strange @goodtofufriday mentions the Atrix because it was also the first to use finger print unlocking which many tout as another Apple innovation.

And that finger print sensor stopped working 100% after 6 months.... even if you re-scanned your finger. it was another common failure point.

 

That phone sucked.

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4 minutes ago, ashypanda said:

both motorola, and HP have tried this, and guess what it doesn't work, apple's best bet is to stick with ipads and a keyboard case.

I just don't see any scenario where people would need it or benefit from it. IMO the idea is only appealing to such a small audience which is why I feel like it's done poorly in the past.

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For the phone one.. I don't get it.

Why not do like the HP Elite x3. The phone remains on your pocket, and when you open the lid of the laptop dock, it connects to the phone and Continium mode is streamed to the dock display? This would allow Apple to use their excellent trackpad.

 

As for the iPad one... Why not do like the Surface Book? And this way you'll save on thickness and weight when you carry the dock.

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34 minutes ago, TidaLWaveZ said:

Exactly, they market so well that they convince their customers/fan base that their ideas are revolutionary when they're just modernization's of things that the masses didn't adopt. 

I never actually see Apple fans claiming Apple is the one who invented everything. Instead they are aware that Apple takes existing ideas and refines or tweak them. Apple seems to be doing it less and less though.

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1 hour ago, nerdslayer1 said:

i would hate to have my i phone touchscreen as my mac's trackpad. 

Why? Its got just as much surface area, multitouch, and more compute power than an average trackpad

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Just now, iamdarkyoshi said:

Why? Its got just as much surface area, multitouch, and more compute power than an average trackpad

sensitivity, macbooks have the best trackpad in any laptop combined with perfect surface area, the new MacBooks ruined it. 

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1 minute ago, Bensemus said:

I never actually see Apple fans claiming Apple is the one who invented everything. Instead they are aware that Apple takes existing ideas and refines or tweak them. Apple seems to be doing it less and less though.

You're lucky then, take a stroll through the hipster filled areas in Louisville/Cincinnati and you'll get more than you bargained for. These aren't the kind of people that will agree that Android is best for some people and iOS is best for others.

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19 minutes ago, iamdarkyoshi said:

Why? Its got just as much surface area, multitouch, and more compute power than an average trackpad

If it has just as much surface area and multi touch just like a normal track pad has, why the hell do you need more compute power?  When has anyone asked for more computing power on their trackpad? Have trackpads been missing this feature I dont know about and the way to fix it is with a $800 device? 

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18 minutes ago, mynameisjuan said:

If it has just as much surface area and multi touch just like a normal track pad has, why the hell do you need more compute power?  When has anyone asked for more computing power on their trackpad? Have trackpads been missing this feature I dont know about and the way to fix it is with a $800 device? 

Apple doesn't want you to think about why, they just want you to use their products.

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so no phone case would be required, which would kill it for most people

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one iPhone as a mouse track pad!? that's one hella expensive trackpad

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1 hour ago, GoodBytes said:

For the phone one.. I don't get it.

Why not do like the HP Elite x3. The phone remains on your pocket, and when you open the lid of the laptop dock, it connects to the phone and Continium mode is streamed to the dock display? This would allow Apple to use their excellent trackpad.

 

As for the iPad one... Why not do like the Surface Book? And this way you'll save on thickness and weight when you carry the dock.

don't forget the huge amount of shit thats going to get behind your ipad/iphone with this system.

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