I don't understand why in 2020 ability to dock and connect to K&M and display is not supported by most phones. There were attempts to do just that right before Windows Phone died, but hardly anyone tried this again. You now have enough RAM and CPU to run most desktop applications except maybe high end gaming. Why is it not done more?
What good is a thin client if you don't also have a server to control with it?
And if it's a thick client - then great, now you have to spend a bunch more money for a second computer just to use at the desk, when you're already carrying around a perfectly good one in your pocket.
I am missing something. Phones today can very competently run office suites and other similar software. The can run browsers and some more complex stuff like basic EDA applications, simple graphics and even video editing tools. Why would you need "a second computer just to use at the desk"? Thick client? For most people the phone is all they would need, besides a dock and a KVM bundle.
AC said they didn't understand why you'd want to connect your phone to a docking hub, when you could just have a thin client instead of the hub (and leave your phone out of it.)
My response, was a condensed version of:
A thin client is by definition useless on its own - it's just enough computer to handle the I/O for a remote server that's doing all the work, so you'll also need that server (as opposed to a thick client, a.k.a. fat client, which is a fully functional computer on its own, but can
The problem is that the "much cheaper dock" turns out to not be all that much cheaper. And from the manufacturer's perspective, the amount of money to be made is not enough to justify the work to produce such a device.
Really? I see a bunch of well reviewed, and quite sophisticated, USB C "laptop docks" on Amazon for under $50, most of which actually include on-board video cards (as evidenced by VGA out), ethernet, various card readers, etc. And that's with them currently being relatively new niche products not benefiting from long optimization, large economies of scale, or expired patents. A simple adapter cable for standard Thunderbolt HDMI-over-USB-C can be had for closer to $10, scarcely more than a standard USB cabl
Docking smartphones (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:0)
I don't understand why in 2020 ability to dock and connect to K&M and display is not supported by most phones.
Because if you're dedicating desk space to a KVM dock you might as well just put a thin client there.
Re: (Score:2)
What good is a thin client if you don't also have a server to control with it?
And if it's a thick client - then great, now you have to spend a bunch more money for a second computer just to use at the desk, when you're already carrying around a perfectly good one in your pocket.
Re:Docking smartphones (Score:2)
I am missing something. Phones today can very competently run office suites and other similar software. The can run browsers and some more complex stuff like basic EDA applications, simple graphics and even video editing tools. Why would you need "a second computer just to use at the desk"? Thick client? For most people the phone is all they would need, besides a dock and a KVM bundle.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, we agree.
AC said they didn't understand why you'd want to connect your phone to a docking hub, when you could just have a thin client instead of the hub (and leave your phone out of it.)
My response, was a condensed version of:
A thin client is by definition useless on its own - it's just enough computer to handle the I/O for a remote server that's doing all the work, so you'll also need that server (as opposed to a thick client, a.k.a. fat client, which is a fully functional computer on its own, but can
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Really? I see a bunch of well reviewed, and quite sophisticated, USB C "laptop docks" on Amazon for under $50, most of which actually include on-board video cards (as evidenced by VGA out), ethernet, various card readers, etc. And that's with them currently being relatively new niche products not benefiting from long optimization, large economies of scale, or expired patents. A simple adapter cable for standard Thunderbolt HDMI-over-USB-C can be had for closer to $10, scarcely more than a standard USB cabl
Re: (Score:2)
The problem is that the "much cheaper dock" turns out to not be all that much cheaper
Exactly. And they aren't universal (unless by "dock" you mean a USB-C hub) so you need a new one with each phone.