Microsoft Display Dock Unboxing & Hands-on with Continuum

Microsoft’s idea of Continuum using their Display Dock is a stand out idea. Not only Windows 10 is the first platform to do it, it just works.  Those who are hearing it for the first time, this technology converts your phone into a traditional PC. All you need is HDMI enabled TV or Monitor, Microsoft’s Display dock, and a Lumia 950 / Lumia 950 XL (or any Windows 10 Mobile which supports Dual Display Output). Check out the first impression about the technology followed by the Unboxing

IMO, using this technology, Microsoft is delivering the idea of single-device experience through their Universal Windows 10 Platform. Imagine if you can skip carrying your Windows 10 Laptop on a family trip, and still get the same kind of experience for most of your work. If this picks up, Microsoft may indeed change the game.

Speed and Performance of Continuum using the Microsoft Display Dock & Lumia 950 XL

It is truly impressive. 950 XL is a high-end phones, and it comes with enough horsepower to get some tough work done on it (except for video editing).  After using it for 30 minutes of using Office Documents, Some third-party apps like Gaana, and playing some videos I did not find any lags.  Now here are some facts you should know:

• While you can run multiple apps in the background, you can only have one single app on the display. You can use Multitasking App on taskbar to switch
• You can close, minimise but there is no way to shrink an app right now to have two apps side by side.
• You can connect any external hard drive, USB devices, and bluetooth dongles to connect more devices.
• Its more than just duplicating the display on to an external monitor. The way universal app scales to TV’s as big as 52 inches is impressive.
• There is no session maintained here. If you disconnect from the dock suddenly, the apps were still running on your phone.

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Design, Build and Overview

• It’s a heavy device, but it feels amazing for the build quality.
• While some may take the outer build for metal, it’s actually hard plastic, and  given a look of brushed metal.
• The rubber pad in the rear makes sure that the dock doesn’t move with all the cables plugged in.
• The back side of the dock has 3 USB ports, One HDMI, One DP and a power socket. You can plugin your ADCL Outlet, HDM cables, USB adapters and external hard drives.
• To connect with the Lumia 950 / 950 XL you need USB Type C Adapter that comes with the box.
• You can also connect a bluetooth keyboard and mouse
• Display Dock supports only 1080P right now.  On wired connection, the output is at 60 FPS while on wireless (miracast), it’s 30 FPS.
• It Charges the phone when connected with Dock.

How to Connect with Display Dock and enable Continuum:

• First connect all the respective wires except for the USB type C cable with the phone.
• Next launch the  Continuum App, and here you can select Wired and Wireless.
• Now plugin one end of the USB Type C on the dock front, and the second end in the phone.
• It will automatically then launch Continuum, with a notification on top of the phone.

Using Continuum with Phone: Tap on the notification, and it enables a full scree touchpad. When you are at places where text editing is required, the keyboard shows up automatically. To scroll, you need to use two fingers gesture.

Using Standard Keyboard and Mouse: You can use it just like you use on PC or a Laptop.

Overall it’s an amazing concept. I would like to see how Microsoft actually carry this forward, and gets them to more Lumia Devices in future.