Surely everyone Windows owner 10 Mobile devices I wanted to try Continuum at least once in action. Finally, it became possible on smartphones that do not support the main feature of the new tiled operating system. This guide will tell you How to run Continuum on any Windows 10 Mobile smartphone.

A warning: this procedure is very difficult and requires good nerves, patience and confidence. Remember that you and no one else are responsible for modifying your smartphone operating system files. The author of the article is not responsible for the damage caused to the smartphone in the event of a malfunction.

Warning 2: you can return everything to its place only by flashing the smartphone with using Windows Device Recovery Tool. A regular reset will only reset the registry values ​​to default.

We've tested this tutorial and were able to successfully launch Continuum on Lumia 735 using Miracast standard. This means that on smartphones 640, 730, 830, 930, 1520, Xiaomi Mi4 and so on, Continuum will work without problems (as far as unsupported devices can be said). Note that on all unsupported devices, Continuum will work only over Miracast - the USB ports of older devices do not support the ability to connect to a docking station.

1. Download. Unpack it and run the installation package.
2. Download.
3. Connect your phone to your computer.
4. Press Win + X and run command line with administrator rights. Depending on the bitness of your OS, enter one of the following commands:
   

   64-bit: CD C: \ Program Files (x86) \ Windows Kits \ 10 \ Tools \ Bin \ i386

   32-bit: CD C: \ Program Files \ Windows Kits \ 10 \ Tools \ Bin \ i386

5. Don't close the command line.
6. Copy the address of the folder with the cab-file that you downloaded earlier. Important: the file must be in separate folder, without any other files. The folder name should not contain spaces and Cyrillic letters.
7. Go back to the command line and enter the following, only without the square brackets:
   

   iutool -v -p [address of the folder with the cab-file that you copied from the previous paragraph]

8. If everything is correct, the smartphone will turn off and start installing updates. Do not disconnect your phone from your computer until the process is complete.
9. Once enabled, you will find Continuum in the list of apps.
10. Now do Interop Unlock according to the instructions "".
11. Open up Interop Tools... Go to This Device - Registry Editor... Enter the following parameters:
    Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM)
    Registry Type: Integer (REG_DWORD)
    Registry Key Path: SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Shell \ Docking
    Registry Value Name: EnabledForTest
    Registry Value Data: 1
12. Click on Write Data.

Continuum is now running on your smartphone. Nothing will break when the system is updated. After resetting the settings, you only need to re-enter the key value in the registry, you do not need to install the CAB file.

Together with the announcement of a new operating system for smartphones under Windows name 10 Mobile, Microsoft has unveiled a revolutionary new Continuum feature that claims to enable users to use their mobile gadget as a full-fledged computer... Judging by the reviews of specialized online publications, this is how it turned out in practice, albeit with some reservations. For example, to organize a full-fledged workplace, you need to purchase a special dock that unites the smartphone itself and peripherals(keyboard, mouse, monitor, drives, etc.). But even in this case, playing serious games is unlikely to work, but working with text or photographs, crawling through sites in a browser is very even.

Recently, a blog post appeared on the Microsoft site in which the developers shared the story of the creation of Continuum and its main features. It says that planning for the creation of this feature began three years ago. Initially, it was just an observation and thought that smartphones entered our daily life very tightly, they are always at our fingertips and play the role of the main source of information and communication in social networks... While for a full-fledged work, you still had to use laptops and desktops.

The article also mentions that such an idea would be most in demand in emerging markets, where a mobile gadget is often the only device for accessing the Internet. So far, this is hard to believe given the cost top smartphone Lumia lineup bundled with Microsoft Display Dock, but relatively inexpensive solutions may appear in the future. Representatives of the company around the world conducted surveys and many studies to thoroughly study the needs of users in this area.

During the development of Continuum, Microsoft engineers faced many challenges.

First, it was necessary to choose the most suitable option for connecting an external monitor, and so that the screen of the smartphone itself would work too. They had to invent essentially a new method that had not been used before. Over the course of many months, they considered different prototypes until they came to the final version.

Secondly, with the introduction of full-fledged keyboard and mouse support, there were also problems that required changes to the system architecture. On this moment Continuum function works under Windows control 10 Mobile, but Microsoft does not stop there and plans to implement it in its other products, such as Xbox one or HoloLens.

Mobile devices running Windows 10 Mobile contain a number of useful functions for business: applications for working with documents, spreadsheets and presentations, task planners, cloud storage... But there is one more thing that sets the Windows smartphone apart from the competition - the Continuum function, which allows you to turn it into a full-fledged desktop computer.

Often people have to carry a laptop with them everywhere in order to work on the road or to be able to demonstrate current developments on any issues to partners. A Continuum-enabled smartphone removes this burden: just have a dedicated docking station and a monitor to give your mobile device the functionality of a full-fledged desktop.

How it works

So what you need for Continuum:

• Smartphone with support for this technology, quite productive and equipped with Windows 10 Mobile. According to official data from Microsoft, devices based on Qualcomm Snapdragon 808, Snapdragon 810 and Snapdragon 617 processors have received support. Among the confirmed models - Microsoft Lumia 950 and 950XL, Acer Liquid Jade Primo, Funker W6.0 Pro 2, NuAns Neo, Elite X3.

• Display Dock, which connects to a smartphone via a port, to a monitor via a Display Port or HDMI cable, to a keyboard and mouse via USB ports. There is also the ability to connect via Bluetooth via Miracast-compatible devices, but still Display Dock is more convenient and reliable in operation.

• Monitor, keyboard and mouse. All information is displayed on the monitor screen - the Start menu, documents, browser windows, various applications and games, and so on. if you wish, you do not have to connect the keyboard and mouse: their functions will be replaced by the smartphone screen.

By connecting all devices with each other, the user will receive an almost complete desktop versionWindows 10, where you can work with documents, browse the Internet, play, shop in a store, chat via video.

Configuring and getting started with Continuum is automatic, so anyone can easily figure out this technology. At the same time, the smartphone continues to perform its functions, thanks to which it is possible to respond to phone call or send an SMS message without stopping working with desktop applications.

Conclusion

Microsoft is constantly striving to improve the lives of Windows users by developing new technologies for work and play. Continuum is ideal for corporate employees looking to replace bulky laptops with a small smartphone that can be turned into a desktop computer if needed. Yes, the technology has not yet been perfected and has a number of small drawbacks such as incompatibility with some applications, but even those functions that are available now allow you to perform a variety of tasks.

Since mini-computers made in the form factor of a flash drive have become more and more popular lately, they cannot be ignored. Especially if you have something to compare with.

The main competitor for such devices is the Continuum function. It is available on smartphones with Windows 10 Mobile and turns a mobile gadget into a full-fledged PC. Which of these two devices should a user choose if he loves mobility and travels often?

A few words about competitors

The Continuum feature began to push Microsoft with the release of top-end devices running Windows 10 Mobile. These are the flagships of the Lumia line: 950 and 950 XL, and smartphones from other manufacturers with powerful technical "stuffing".

When using this option, the smartphone becomes system unit, and the connection of the peripherals and the monitor is done through the docking station (synchronization with the screen can be done using Miracast).

USB stick computers are connected mainly via the HDMI connector. The necessary devices are connected to them via USB ports or using Bluetooth communication.

Both devices allow the user to remain mobile, not tied to the workplace, and at the same time carry a minimum load. But for work, you need compact peripherals - at least a keyboard and a mouse (in the case of Continuum, the smartphone screen is used as a full-fledged trackpad). Plus, unlike a laptop, you need a free display with a suitable digital input.

Apps are our everything!

Continuum works with UWP apps. They are intended for installation on mobile and stationary Windows 10. But you can download them only through Windows Store, which is also still developing and gradually the list of available applications in it is expanding. But this is not happening as quickly as users would like.

Another disadvantage of Continuum is the lack of multitasking, so the user will not be able to simultaneously work with by e-mail and read text in Office. This is one of the main problems of the function, but the developers will fix it in the near future, otherwise it will not be possible to develop Continuum in the future.

As for computers-flash drives, they run full-fledged Windows 10, so users do not face similar problems. Such gadgets have more modest specifications, but they are not limited by anything and work with classic Windows programs and UWP apps. Moreover, talking about multitasking is not even worth talking about here.

Thus, each user must independently determine what is in priority for him: a huge set of win-32 programs or using the browser / office in turn, but with better performance. Depending on this, he chooses a smartphone with Continuum or a computer-flash drive.

Choosing a flash drive

Just like stationary PCs or laptops, USB sticks vary in price and performance. Depending on the requirements, inexpensive models built on Intel processors Atom, or super-powerful gadgets assembled on Intel Core m3 or m5. But the cost of the latter is very high (the price of the Intel Compute Stick CS325 starts at $ 400).

For example, a user can pay attention to the MeLE PCG02 Fanless or Pipo X1S models, which cost $ 120 and $ 85, respectively.

Deciding on a smartphone

Everything is not so simple here. First of all, the work of Continuum depends on the technical "stuffing" of the smartphone. But not all top-end devices support this technology.

Continuum requires Snapdragon processor 617 or newer and higher performance. But it doesn't have to be older generation models like (Snapdragon 800 or 801).

To save on budget and get a smartphone that supports Continuum, you can purchase the Vaio Phone Biz or NuAns NEO, which belong to the budget segment.

If the user prefers high performance and does not save on gadgets, he will purchase Microsoft's flagship - Lumia 950, 950 XL or models third party manufacturers- Acer Liquid Jade Primo, HP Elite x3 (it is still preparing for release). Moreover, in the case of an Acer smartphone, the user will receive a docking station in the kit. And when you buy Lumia devices, you will have to buy it separately.

Output

If a user chooses between a USB stick or a smartphone with Continuum, he must weigh the pros and cons. But an objectively more acceptable option is a full-fledged Windows 10 on a mini-PC.

The main problem with Continuum is dampness - the technology has yet to be finalized. Therefore, while it is inferior in almost all respects to a computer in the form factor of a flash drive.

What would you choose?

It's no secret that the world of personal computers has not been going through the last few years. better times... Desktop PC sales are falling and, unfortunately, there is no upward trend. Admittedly, Steve Jobs was right, and we, without noticing it, entered the post-PC era. Smartphones and tablets are pushing desktop computers out of our lives more and more every day.

I have long wanted to have one device in my pocket or briefcase with which I can make calls, communicate on social networks, visit my favorite sites, read news, take photos and videos, but also work with documents and files, make presentations, write articles. A phone or tablet doesn't do it all. The introduction of the Continuum feature in Windows 10 immediately piqued my interest. I wanted to study it, try to work in it, find out if it is worth my attention. I was soon lucky enough to figure it out when testing the Microsoft Lumia 950XL. I will share with you my observations and work experience.

What is Continuum?

Microsoft's Continuum is Plug and Play. Continuum function is when the phone works like Personal Computer... You don't have to carry a laptop or large tablet to work comfortably. It is enough to have a smartphone running Windows 10 Mobile. This operating system has the Continuum function, with which you can connect a monitor and keyboard to the phone, therefore, get an analogue of a desktop PC. The idea for Continuum came about three years ago after it became apparent that we depend on our phones and take them everywhere, but these gadgets are of little use for the work we do on computers. Without laptop or desktop computer difficult to demonstrate in PowerPoint, work in Office, use new features Microsoft browser Edge.

The hardware of the phones already allows them to handle popular tasks. When engineers created Continuum, they faced many technical and design challenges. For example, there were two popular ways to connect additional displays. This could be a duplication of the phone screen on a large monitor, or a scheme was used, as when connecting a PC to multiple displays. However, these solutions were not suitable for Continuum, since it was necessary for the phone to work unchanged, and on the large monitor to display the computer desktop.

Microsoft Display Docks

And soon a solution was found. In the depths of Microsoft, the idea was born to create a special docking station Microsoft Display Docks. It allows you to connect your Windows 10 Mobile smartphone to external monitor or even a TV and turn it into a real desktop version of Windows 10 with all its attributes: the Start button, the desktop and universal apps.

When you buy the flagship Microsoft Lumia 950 / 950XL, this wonderful docking station comes in a separate box, very similar to the one in which the smartphone itself. So when testing Microsoft Lumia 950 XL, it was also provided to me.

What is it like? When I opened it for the first time, I saw compact device, which has a heavy monolithic metal body.

True, the top cover is made of plastic with the company logo in the center, and the bottom is rubberized, which undoubtedly pleased me: it will not slide on the smooth surface of the table.

On the front panel there is a port USB Type C for connecting a smartphone and of course the connection indicator, which lights up with a green light when connected.

Three USB 2.0 ports are tightly located on the rear panel (you could have put at least one of them 3.0), USB port Type C for power supply, two video outputs - DisplayPort and HDMI. Everything is extremely simple, I would say ascetic, in metallic colors.

Also included are Charger for the docking station and a USB Type C to USB Type C cable for connecting a smartphone to it. It is worth noting that the charger is similar to the one that comes with the smartphone itself. So one of them can simply be left out of the box.

As an alternative to the docking station, you can use a Miracast adapter. For obvious reasons, this option has some drawbacks - first of all, it is the difference in performance that usually exists between wired and wireless connection... On the other hand, it avoids the need to overpay for the Display Dock and can be useful in situations where cables are inconvenient or problematic. In this case, you can interact with your smartphone using wireless keyboard and mice thanks to USB OTG support.

How do I get started with Continuum?

The connection is very simple. Through the HDMI or Diisplay Port (I used the HDMI connector) you connect a monitor or even a TV, plug it into the Microsoft Display Docks socket, using USB cable Type C connect your smartphone to the docking station. The smartphone will be automatically detected and put into Continuum mode. The smartphone screen can be used as a touchpad for cursor control, like a touchpad.

For convenience, of course, it's best to plug your keyboard and mouse into a USB 2.0 port.

Thanks to the Continuum function, the phone is actually two devices with which you can interact in parallel. For example, when the monitor is running Word app, Excel can be running on the smartphone at the same time. The most interesting thing is that when working in Continuum mode, the smartphone continues to function as usual. From the screen mobile device at this moment you can call, reply to messages, watch videos and so on.

How does it actually work?

If everything is connected correctly, then after a couple of seconds a desktop will start on the screen, similar to the desktop Windows versions 10. Similar, but not quite. In the upper left corner, you will see mobile elements such as signal strength mobile communications, and in the upper right corner there will be a battery level sensor and date.

You will also see the differences in the menu. Start. Instead of the usual set for desktop devices, there will be Desktop your smartphone with all tiles and settings. By the way, only through the Start menu will you be able to run programs in Continuum, alternative options the developers, unfortunately, did not foresee their launch.

Now let's move on to the nice features of the program. We can see the list of running applications in the Taskbar (implemented exactly as on stationary computers). It is worth noting that universal applications will be highlighted, and those that cannot be launched in Continuum mode seem to be in the shade. By clicking on them, you will not be able to open this application.

To switch between programs, we just need to click on their icons. You can also click the "View Tasks" button to view all running applications and go to any of them.

Continuum mode on Windows 10 Mobile supports the same keyboard shortcuts as the desktop version of Windows 10. You can easily switch between apps by simply pressing Ctrl + Tab. Working with a document, you can highlight desired text, then press Ctrl + C or Ctrl + X to copy or cut it, and then paste it in the desired place using the Ctrl + V combination. All this creates the feeling of working at a full-fledged computer.

Running programs on big screen work in the same way as we see them on a PC. Microsoft has achieved this effect thanks to the development of universal applications that themselves understand what screen they are currently running on - 5 "or 22" and automatically adjust the application design for a new monitor or TV.

I was very pleased with the opportunity to connect an external drive to the Microsoft Display Dock, in other words, a USB flash drive or external drive... In doing so, you get full access to content on external media, you can open it, edit it, copy it and even print it, if necessary. Now you don't need a PC for this. Just plug in an external drive and it doesn't need to load any drivers or require any installations additional programs, opens on your monitor or TV using Continuum mode. For people in the business segment, this is just a godsend.

At first, you really get the impression that you are sitting at a familiar computer. You can quite routinely go to your mail, open a letter from a colleague with an attached presentation and by clicking on its icon right click mouse, quietly run in the program you need.

With Continuum on your Lumia 950 XL, you won't be able to expand or display your phone screen on external screen, you can't just drag icons from one screen to another. That is, if you need this or that application, you will have to launch it through the Start menu. For example, if you want to open mail on the big screen, just go to the start menu on the same big screen and open it. If you want to start mail on your phone, go to the start menu from the phone screen and click on the mail icon.

I'm not a big fan of smartphone gaming. Nevertheless, I decided to check if many of them start in Continuum mode. I will disappoint game lovers right away. In the store, I managed to find no more than a dozen of these. Many of them are the simplest, but there are some worthy of attention. Fans of World of Tanks Blitz will be especially delighted. Your favorite toy runs easily in Continuum mode, and at the highest settings. Moreover, there is no braking or freezing. Everything works great. True, the tank will still have to be controlled from the surface of the phone.

Remote Desktop Preview App

At first glance, everyone is familiar with the application for remote access to a PC. But not everything is so simple. It now has Continuum support. Remote Desktop Preview allows you to remotely connect to computers connected to the Internet via the RDP protocol.

This app has revolutionized my understanding of Windows 10 Continuum forever. Now you can easily access your Windows 10 laptop or tablet from far away. To do this, you will need a couple of minutes, and ask your household or work colleagues to just turn on the laptop, without even entering a password or pin code.

How does all this happen? It is enough to download it in the Store from your phone (do not confuse it only with old version applications).

You need to be prepared for the fact that the interface and settings are in English, but even school knowledge of English language it's enough for you to figure it out.

The setup procedure is extremely simple. Run the application, in the window that opens, click on the plus sign for adding your device.

Enter the name of your PC, add it to remote access... Remember that your laptop must have Remote Access permission.

You will also need Account with which you log into your laptop. I think this is not a problem for anyone.

In just one second, your device's desktop appears on your monitor in Continuum mode. Everything is exactly the same as you are used to. True, in the upper corners you will notice the mobile signal strength, the charge level sensor and the date, and in the center there are three dots on a black or white background.

Thus, you get full access to your files, programs and applications, you can open browsers, use all the properties of Windows 10. There are no restrictions. The screenshots show how I freely open files, move them from folder to folder, use a browser, do everything that I usually do while sitting at my laptop.

However, you will not be able to use your Skype. But you can successfully use your smartphone and chat on Skype, but so far only from the smartphone itself, since there is no universal application for this program yet. According to the latest rumors, the developers are working on this issue. In the latest build of insider fast, a universal Skype app (beta) has been added. Although it's strange why only now, and not before the release. This is a question for Microsoft itself.

In three weeks, I just gave up the laptop, since I didn't need it. Everything was already at my fingertips and there was no need to carry it with me to work or sit behind it at home. All this I could easily do, for example, lying on the couch, even on the TV screen. This is very impressive.

What can't be done in Windows Continuum mode?

The first and probably the biggest problem with Continuum is the lack of universal apps. In this mode, you can open only those programs that are indexed by Universal Apps, that is, universal apps. There are still very few of them, but work is underway, and applications appear more and more often. It is easy to distinguish them in the Store because they are signed as Built forWindows 10. In Continuum mode, when the monitor is connected, the application data is immediately visible. I think Microsoft needs to find a way out of this situation.

And not all applications will look like you are used to. Even office applications have mobile view rather than desktop PCs. Users who are used to making the most of everything Excel functions Continuum is unlikely to please.

Another unpleasant moment is the inability to run programs in several windows at the same time. In other words, Snap view cannot be used with Continuum at all. You can only work in two applications at the same time - one on the phone and one on the large monitor screen.

Windows Continuum users do not have the ability to drag and drop images and programs from the smartphone display to the monitor. This feature is not available because Continuum is not a pure projection onto a connected screen. Of course, this is a controversial drawback, but such a function could come in handy.

Let's sum up

Even if Continuum itself remains niche in the end, I really hope that its ideas and thought itself will become a watershed milestone in the history of post-PC. Manufacturers may be chasing ultra-thin and powerful devices, but users want to hold a universal device in their hands. The device that will simultaneously replace a smartphone, a player, a laptop, and even a game console.

I am more optimistic about Continuum than before. It still has a long way to go, and on its own it will not be a lifesaver for the platform. But for a number of users, it can be a great investment of money.

For some reason, I'm sure that the Continuum mode has a good future, especially in the business segment. After all, a business person who is in the office or on a business trip, holds an online meeting or training, wants to have such a device. It will allow him to be mobile, modern and interactive. For simple user it can also be very useful and replace a lot of required devices... Having a docking station and a smartphone, you can chat with friends on social networks on the big screen of your TV, use it instead of game console, run their work programs interactively work and learn. I am sure that such a future is not far off and the Continuum mode is only the first step on this long journey.