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I ditched my laptop for a pocketable mini PC and a pair of AR glasses

tomsguide.com

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Re: I ditched my laptop for a pocketable mini PC and a pair of AR glasses

#4

Post by tocs3 »

java-man wrote: post #2

I don't understand. Is this an ad? How long this setup lasts on a single charge? For half the price, one can get a macbook air with fantastic battery life and a good keyboard.

I was looking at wearable computer stuff years ago but gave up. The display was always the limiting factor. It would sometimes be nice to to walk around taking notes without holding a phone.

Re: I ditched my laptop for a pocketable mini PC and a pair of AR glasses

#5

Post by tdeck »

I thought it would be a mini laptop like these:

https://gpdstore.net/product-category/gpd-mini-laptop/

But no, he carries around a little Nuc style machine and a full, separate keyboard and charger. It's cool and all, but there's no way this whole jumble would fit in a pocket or be convenient to use on the go.

Re: I ditched my laptop for a pocketable mini PC and a pair of AR glasses

#6

Post by fragmede »

tocs3 wrote: post #3

Can AR glasses be used as just a monitor? I am under the impression that they are sort of smart devices. How do they get a video signal from the computer?

xreal air just have a usb-C wire coming down from the back of the glasses

Re: I ditched my laptop for a pocketable mini PC and a pair of AR glasses

#7

Post by Borealid »

tocs3 wrote: post #3

Can AR glasses be used as just a monitor? I am under the impression that they are sort of smart devices. How do they get a video signal from the computer?

VR headsets are usually quite smart.

For better or for worse - and I personally think it's very much for the better - many AR glasses are a DisplayPort monitor that you wear on your face. They have inertial sensors and speakers, but the interface to the PC is Displayport-over-USBC for video to the glasses, USB Audio Class for the speakers, and usually a proprietary USB peripheral for the inertial measurements.

Some AR glasses attempt to require being paired with a dedicated video phone-like device, largely to attempt to extract subscription revenue. Most do not.

It's perfectly possible to drive a pair of AR glasses from an Android smartphone, a video-game-focused SBC, or a miniPC. Anything with DisplayPort video out at 1080p or better (3840x1080 if you want 3D videos).

Re: I ditched my laptop for a pocketable mini PC and a pair of AR glasses

#8

Post by Borealid »

tdeck wrote: post #5

I thought it would be a mini laptop like these: https://gpdstore.net/product-category/gpd-mini-laptop/ But no, he carries around a little Nuc style machine and a full, separate keyboard and charger. It's cool and all, but there's no way this whole jumble would fit in a pocket or be convenient to use on the go.

There was a recent announcement of a mini PC that was itself built into a folding keyboard - no screen. That would be the ideal device for this lifestyle.

Re: I ditched my laptop for a pocketable mini PC and a pair of AR glasses

#9

Post by sandspar »

java-man wrote: post #2

I don't understand. Is this an ad? How long this setup lasts on a single charge? For half the price, one can get a macbook air with fantastic battery life and a good keyboard.

Guys who write about tech for a living tend to enjoy working with gadgets in their spare time. He's probably just having fun with a nifty idea.
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