Superbook - for $ 99 turns your smartphone into an 11 "laptop

The company on the kickstarter has just started, and in the first hour they managed to collect 300% of the required amount. I stumbled upon the news about this gadget by chance and immediately subscribed to them.

What kind of beast is this? In fact, it is a blank with a screen, keyboard and battery, which is connected to the smartphone as an additional screen to which the data is transmitted to a special application . DisplayLink- based thin client


Looks like this.

What do the creators promise? Regular office affairs: browsing, mail, work with office documents, and also more games and, what is not unimportant, coding (what about Android IDE?) ! In general, almost all Android applications, only with a keyboard and a screen for more. The idea is not new, for a long time the Palm company wanted to make the same thin client to its Treo, Palm Foleo .
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What about iron? The “laptop” was originally planned with 11.6 "HD 768p (yes, not 720p, apparently meant 1334 by 768) with a screen and a battery for 8 hours of operation (which will also recharge the phone). If you manage to collect more than 1 million, the screen will turn in FullHD, and the battery will grow stout up to 10 hours of operation. At the same time, the phone will need 1.5GB of RAM and an unknown 2-core processor.




A special holder for the phone, it seems to me not the best option.

Interview with the co-founder of the company:


UPD: I wanted to sum up the correct thoughts of the commentators, leaving the parts I liked.
soshnikov : “The main feature is working with data. The smartphone is poorly suited for processing photos, vidyushechek, potikov. For likes except trample. However, modern technology has made access to data on a smartphone with a computer hellish trash. Palm and donkey cradle hugging in a coffin turn over. " I think for people who use a smartphone more often than a full-fledged PC, this $ 99 prefix will be a salvation, mainly for entering large texts, especially somewhere on the road or at events (8+ hours autonomous yet promise). Yes, most likely "to finish the software under the notebook use model ... no one will," but this device will find its niche, even among several thousand people who prick up. If only "... wait for your device for three years later" (@ lanseg) did not have to, it will become morally outdated.
Now, regarding the Asus Padfone, as for me, it was initially a disastrous idea, the tablet is the same smartphone, only more and insert the phone into a phone with a large screen, as it is strange.
And about Motorola and its docking station (and similar options), here, as with Asus, the attempt to tie everything up on one single device, which greatly limits the choice of alternatives and the future (taking into account constantly changing connectors and sizes) is foggy, as well as smartphone in the "big smartphone" from Asus.

In this device (superbook) there are practically no restrictions on the smartphone (Android, OTG, 1.5GB of memory, not the weakest percent), on its manufacturer, on its form factor, location of connectors, and so on. Moreover, given the fact that there is displaylink (supporting a bunch of platforms), you will probably be able to use the device as a second screen to a computer / laptop, which is extremely useful. I think that the target audience of the device will be: students (it is not necessary to buy a laptop and a smartphone), reporters (the smartphone is always with you, and it will be more convenient to type texts), developers / admins away from your favorite PC / Mac (yes, it’s doubtful , but I will try), more ideas?

UPD2: in the meantime, the project has already gained more than $ 300,000 and a full-fledged USB port for connecting peripherals will be added to it. In the meantime, the developers are playing Pokemon Go on the device, flipping through the pages in the browser:


UPD3: another 27+ days to collect money, and the project has already exceeded half a million dollars, which means who will add a battery for 10+ hours of battery life to a full USB. It would be great to get to 1 million, then the screen will become FullHD.

UPD4: smartbook versus 15 "poppy, like a second monitor:


And as a second monitor with a keyboard for a tablet.


UPD5: the project scored more than 1 million, which means that in addition to a full USB port, 10 hours of battery life and stickers on the keyboard will have a 1080p screen, though for this you need to drop $ 30, but if the project can earn 2 million, the keyboard backlight will appear but you have to pay another $ 25, i.e. totaling $ 154 will be released for the device, which can also be used as an additional monitor + keyboard + mouse.


UPD6: new photos on the eve of the collected 1.5 million





Slightly more photos here

Pi Superbook:


Superbook and Intel Atom Mini PCs:


UPD7: Already close to 2 million, they promise to upload videos with prototypes, while only how it starts


UPD8: Already close, here now $ 2.5 million will be put together by the project, the ability to install a backlit keyboard will be unlocked, but for now the photo with a carbon-skinned skin for the Superbook


UPD9: The project has passed for its final mark of more than two and a half million dollars, now, in addition to the increased battery, screen, carbon sticker-skin, keyboard stickers and case, for an additional $ 25, you can get a keyboard backlight. In thought I need it for such a price. And most likely not needed.

UPD10: the kickstarter fundraising company has ended and clearly succeeded. $ 2,952,508 was collected (26 in the top most successful collections). We will wait for real devices (there will be a review of at least 2 variants of this device, and possibly more), and not just photos of the prototype based on one of Asus laptops.