I wish I could use my smartphone as a desktop computer.

So many devices, and the desktop is still the nicest to use

I have a desktop I built for gaming, a laptop, a tablet, and a smart phone. I bought the components and built the desktop myself. The phone I purchased out of contract. The laptop and tablet were gifts. I have so many devices, and really only ever use the laptop and smartphone. 

I'm sitting here using my desktop at my fiancee's father's house, and I'm thinking "man it's too bad I don't have anywhere to put this desktop at Mom's house". My large monitor, small monitor, huge mouse pad, nice mouse, headphones with amplifier, and full size keyboard are refreshing to use after being away from them for so long. 

The desktop experience itself is something I miss a great deal when I'm away from this house. My laptop just can't hold a candle to the feel of a real desktop. 

It isn't all about power. Yes this computer has two graphics cards connected together to allow much more capability, but the multiple screens and increased comfort of use are the main selling points.

So here's an idea to consolidate some of them

I want everything to run through my smartphone. I want to be able to sit down at my desk and use my phone like a desktop. I want to use a wireless keyboard, mouse, and monitor. 

Maybe I'll put my phone on a wireless charging pad if I'm going to be sitting down for a while. Maybe this pad could also keep my phone a little cooler, since it will be doing a lot of work while I'm using it as a desktop computer. It could even "wake up" the desktop peripherals connected to it when placed on the pad, though ideally placing the phone on the cradle wouldn't be necessary to use the desktop. The increased workload on the phone might drain the battery too quickly for practical use, and putting the phone on the charging pad would make a lot of sense unless you just wanted to do something quickly with your phone still in your pocket.

Imagine no WiFi router or cable box to install and fool with, unless you wanted to.

You can make a video call on the monitor's front facing camera and see your friend's face on a big screen. If you pick your phone up off of the pad, you could be prompted to switch the video call to your phone with a tap. 

Proximity to your desktop workstation could allow you to open a larger, external drive "on" your phone's interface. You can either tap a button on your phone screen to move all your photos to this storage drive or you can open and organize files on a larger screen with a mouse and keyboard in desktop use mode.

For added security, you could choose settings on your smartphone that restrict connections to peripherals and other devices unless your phone is physically present on the charging pad. Maybe you connect and unlock access to all of your peripheral devices by setting your phone down on the desktop charging pad for the first time, prompting entry of a pin code and giving a list of peripherals you can connect your phone to. Password entry for unlocking your phone, apps and website passwords would use the front facing camera facial recognition used by the newest generations of current smartphones.

Imagine that your headphones, something like the new wireless earbuds that charge in their own carrying case, can be charged by being laid on the pad as well. They would work through your phone, meaning that whether you were casting something to your big TV in your living room or using your phone as a desktop, sound would be cable-free and work seamlessly.

Now lets say you want some couch time in front of your big TV. Maybe you want to play a console game. Maybe you can put your phone on a charging pad next to the couch and just pick up your wireless game controller from the same pad. The controller's in your hands. You have either already casted your game library to the TV's screen before you put your phone down, or pressing any button to wake the controller has done so for you. You can play any game made to work with your phone. You don't need a dedicated console anymore.

How incredible is this? Game console, desktop computer, phone, camera. Everything you used to get access to by purchasing a completely separate device is now just an extension of your smartphone. 

For now though

While the simplicity, ease of use, and expand-ability of this kind of system is enough to make a minimalist drool, as it is you still have to have a separate desktop computer or laptop. Smartphones are getting close to a point where they could be capable of this kind of use though.

I worry a little that companies would prefer to produce and sell desktops, laptops, and smartphones separately, delaying the development of something like this. Maybe this would make them more money?

Until something like this is possible, I think the laptop will be the king of casual computer use. A tablet or phone screen just can't stand up to a real mouse and keyboard.