The Latest Phone-To-PC Device, Mirabook, Is a Success on Indiegogo


As of late, there have been countless efforts made in rendering smartphones enough to enhance their functionality. Not only do we see better and longer lasting batteries with the help of additional attachments, but multiple stabs at smartphone-to-computer alterations. Because smartphones are pretty much powerful enough to function as a standalone computer these days, connecting a them to a larger display, or other external peripherals like the keyboard and mouse, make them perform more like a desktop PC more than ever.

It goes without a doubt that many of the projects, from crowdfunding campaigns to big tech companies like Samsung (the Samsung DeX), or Motorola (the Motorola Lapdock), have fallen short of their promises when designing their own versions of this idea. As another attempt in that same vein, the Mirabook on Indiegogo is said to be “safe” from failing. If the device ships out to customers successfully, it has enough flexibility to perhaps work with a variety of customers and their devices. In a nutshell, this is a laptop powered by your smartphone. The French company Miraxess, has come up with Mirabook without much of anything inside, or any accessory outside.

The handset you use is what provides the vital components needed to run the Mirabook laptop. All that is actually inside Mirabook, in fact, is a battery. Quite similar to the Superbook, a Kickstarter sensation from last year, the laptop is an aluminum-finished clamshell, featuring a 13.3-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display, with a full-sized keyboard, touchpad, and an on board battery can last 24 hours and recharge your mobile device. The setup’s operation is as simple as plugging your phone into Mirabook via USB Type-C port to replicate your phone’s screen.

Aside from the USB, there’s also an HDMI port, SD card slot, and two “premium” laptop speakers, which, rather than arguing about what they are and how much they blare, are at least better than your smartphone’s, so, there’s that. The only other factoid worth considering here is the Mirabook’s price, and for comparison’s-sake, we should compare to last year’s Superbook, which was just about $100. The Mirabook, however, has a few pricing options worth taking a look at. Since the device has been fully funded, 181% of its $50,000 goal in fact, and with 451 backers, there’s an early bird price for $199 plus shipping, while the actual price for the Average Joe is $249 plus shipping, which will be around December 2017.

So, technically this laptop is a bit higher in price than the its crowdfunding successor in the latest realm of “mobile convergence”. The decision is yours. Is access to a notebook just by plugging in your smartphone a genius idea, or should you just bring your laptop around with you if you need to get productive tasks done on-the-go? Whether or not you see yourself partaking, the concept of connecting a smartphone to a larger display/external peripherals with just one cable, although not only an idea birthed from Miraxess, is one that is on the increase. Will we soon see it on a larger scale with the tech giants, or is this something for the indie lovers and developers to play with?

Topics: Technology News Convergence & Convertible Hybrid PCs Laptops & Ultrathin Ultrabooks Smartphones & Mobile Devices

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