CMetaphor
Quadfather
Hello again all, I'm once again asking for your opinions and help. I quite like the idea of a mobile display that can add functionality to different devices. And after rediscovering the Kickstarter app and looking around amazon, I'm completely lost. some people claim one option is perfect for everything, but others claim they are a scam.
So, with a little luck HWC can help me figure out which option is best for me, but I also hope to gather enough information in one place to help others searching for a similar display to make an informed decision.
So, ill start by dropping some of the kickstarter and most popular amazon options here into a big list, then will add information/opinions/discoveries for each based off of what I can find as well as anything the HWC community can find as well.
(links will come soon)
From Kickstarter :
1) PhoneBook - "Turn ANY smartphone into a laptop computer"
Information/specifications:
- 15.6'' touchscreen display, 1080p resolution
- Laptop-like clamshell, aluminum construction*(IF the next goal is reached)
- Integrated keyboard and karge touchpad
- Integrated battery (?? aH, claimed 8 hrs battery life)
- Ports: 3.5mm stereo, USB C(?? unclear)
- 3 Lbs (actually heavy, but not bad considering the keyboard + battery)
Comments:
- Like the the claimed "any phone"support, but the total lack of information on how this screen mirroring + input additions is accomplished makes me hesitate. Also, anything thats THAT universal should be compatible with more than just phones as well, shouldnt it? Strange omission.
2) Espresso display - "The world's thinnest portable display, top to bottom"
Info/specs:
- 13 or 15'', 1080p led-backlit display with touchscreen
- USB C and Micro hdmi? (just two ports)
- 1.5lbs, very thin. Aluminum construction.
- Claimed support for Windows/mac, all current-gen consoles, and *certain* samsung and Huawei smartphones.
- Magnetic flip case, magnetic solid stand and megnetic vesa 75x75 mounting, all available.
Comments:
- This kickstarter team paints themselves as the most honest and trustworthy on all of app, but one of their founders has been spending days attacking another (next option in this list) product, going back and forth with them claiming "fake" and "scam", despite saying on their own kickstarter page that their competitors Don't respond to messages.
3) DeskLab - "Ultralight portable 4k touchscreen monitor"
Info/specs:
- 1080p or 4k resolution, 15'' display with touchscreen
- Ports: 2x usb C (both claimed to be data+charging capable), mini hdmi, 3.5mm stereo, micro usb* (unsure about its purpose for now)
- Built-in battery (can charge other devices or diminish/eliminate drain from another device like a phone *claimed*), built in speakers.
- Osd and/or display control buttons (worth mentioning because it seems to be one of the few that has this)
Comments:
- This company appears to be legitmate, or at least somewhat legitmate. But comments and questions from the kickstarter page (ignoring those left by angry espresso co-founders) seem to raise some questions about its compatibility and how that compatibility is acheived. Yes, it has a regular hdmi port so all the basic stuff, aka working like an external monitor, will be fine. Both this device and the Espresso use hdmi direct and usb for power when working with consoles and similar devices. It's the USB C support and how its implemented that gives me pause. This was a kickstarter I was ready to back, but the compatibility question mark made me hold off, at least for now.
Now, personally, I'd love to have a universal screen with touch that works with all my devices. a big screen for my phone would be fantastic when im unwell or if i want to read/ watch something while on the go. Lots of connectivity without a hub would be a fantastic addition too, because it would be excellent to have such a screen that always has a port available, be it for a keyboard/mouse, usb key, etc. Lightweight and solid are a must, because by its very nature it will be moved around a lot, and i really dislike plastic cheap things that are unnecessarily flimsy and/or heavy.
Obviously there are other options out there, and I havent even begun to add in the plethora of Amazon equivalents for the above, but I dont have much more time to write right now, and Kickstarters (at least one of them) will end in a matter of days, so I need to know whether to back it or not, avoid it or not.
Again, any and all opinions, addition information or firsthand reviews would be more than welcome. For now, ill just submit the thread and see what happens
So, with a little luck HWC can help me figure out which option is best for me, but I also hope to gather enough information in one place to help others searching for a similar display to make an informed decision.
So, ill start by dropping some of the kickstarter and most popular amazon options here into a big list, then will add information/opinions/discoveries for each based off of what I can find as well as anything the HWC community can find as well.
(links will come soon)
From Kickstarter :
1) PhoneBook - "Turn ANY smartphone into a laptop computer"
Information/specifications:
- 15.6'' touchscreen display, 1080p resolution
- Laptop-like clamshell, aluminum construction*(IF the next goal is reached)
- Integrated keyboard and karge touchpad
- Integrated battery (?? aH, claimed 8 hrs battery life)
- Ports: 3.5mm stereo, USB C(?? unclear)
- 3 Lbs (actually heavy, but not bad considering the keyboard + battery)
Comments:
- Like the the claimed "any phone"support, but the total lack of information on how this screen mirroring + input additions is accomplished makes me hesitate. Also, anything thats THAT universal should be compatible with more than just phones as well, shouldnt it? Strange omission.
2) Espresso display - "The world's thinnest portable display, top to bottom"
Info/specs:
- 13 or 15'', 1080p led-backlit display with touchscreen
- USB C and Micro hdmi? (just two ports)
- 1.5lbs, very thin. Aluminum construction.
- Claimed support for Windows/mac, all current-gen consoles, and *certain* samsung and Huawei smartphones.
- Magnetic flip case, magnetic solid stand and megnetic vesa 75x75 mounting, all available.
Comments:
- This kickstarter team paints themselves as the most honest and trustworthy on all of app, but one of their founders has been spending days attacking another (next option in this list) product, going back and forth with them claiming "fake" and "scam", despite saying on their own kickstarter page that their competitors Don't respond to messages.
3) DeskLab - "Ultralight portable 4k touchscreen monitor"
Info/specs:
- 1080p or 4k resolution, 15'' display with touchscreen
- Ports: 2x usb C (both claimed to be data+charging capable), mini hdmi, 3.5mm stereo, micro usb* (unsure about its purpose for now)
- Built-in battery (can charge other devices or diminish/eliminate drain from another device like a phone *claimed*), built in speakers.
- Osd and/or display control buttons (worth mentioning because it seems to be one of the few that has this)
Comments:
- This company appears to be legitmate, or at least somewhat legitmate. But comments and questions from the kickstarter page (ignoring those left by angry espresso co-founders) seem to raise some questions about its compatibility and how that compatibility is acheived. Yes, it has a regular hdmi port so all the basic stuff, aka working like an external monitor, will be fine. Both this device and the Espresso use hdmi direct and usb for power when working with consoles and similar devices. It's the USB C support and how its implemented that gives me pause. This was a kickstarter I was ready to back, but the compatibility question mark made me hold off, at least for now.
Now, personally, I'd love to have a universal screen with touch that works with all my devices. a big screen for my phone would be fantastic when im unwell or if i want to read/ watch something while on the go. Lots of connectivity without a hub would be a fantastic addition too, because it would be excellent to have such a screen that always has a port available, be it for a keyboard/mouse, usb key, etc. Lightweight and solid are a must, because by its very nature it will be moved around a lot, and i really dislike plastic cheap things that are unnecessarily flimsy and/or heavy.
Obviously there are other options out there, and I havent even begun to add in the plethora of Amazon equivalents for the above, but I dont have much more time to write right now, and Kickstarters (at least one of them) will end in a matter of days, so I need to know whether to back it or not, avoid it or not.
Again, any and all opinions, addition information or firsthand reviews would be more than welcome. For now, ill just submit the thread and see what happens
