Tablets etc

Having previously suggested the possibility of docking your smartphone into a tablet, I now am unsure about this as an idea. To take calls quickly, the ability to answer on the smartphone and hold the smartphone to your ear is too important.

So instead of convergence, what do we actually need? This depends very much on the situation. A few key situations:

• Permanent desk
• Hot desk
• Improvised desk (i.e. just a table)
• Meeting room
• Train/Plane

Permanent/hot desk

For a permanent desk, you need:

• A large screen (or two, three, etc)
• A wireless mouse
• A wireless keyboard
• A tablet (for handwriting entry)
• A wireless headset (with cradle)

For example, a call comes in on the computer – you answer by pressing the answer button on the headset. Midway through the call you can transfer it across to your smartphone so that you can continue talking as you walk to your next meeting.

Improvised desk

The mobile worker having a teleconference at an improvised desk needs:

• A wireless headset (mic + headphones)
• A wireless mouse
• A tablet (for handwriting notes)
• A screen (to see a presentation or for the video element of a video call)
• Perhaps a keyboard (for text entry)

So they need two tablets (that can dock into each other), a keyboard that can dock to the tablets (or be used wirelessly), a headset (wireless, with wired backup option), a smartphone, a stand for the screen (or a built in screen), a projector (for dealing with meeting rooms without screens)

It would be idea to have the tablets able to dock on both horizontal and vertical axis. You might use the docking on the short axis when the device (it's not a laptop after all!) is perched on your knee.

It would be useful to have a telescopic screen-to-base link. This would allow the screen to be at an optimum height when taking that impromptu teleconference.

Planes/trains

The seats in planes could have hooks so that the screen could be held up, whilst the keyboard remains on the tray table or lap.

Meeting rooms

• A very large screen on the wall
• A wireless mouse
• A mic on the desk (for conference calls)