back to article Microsoft enables phone calls from your Windows PC (as long as it's paired with an Android)

Microsoft has decided that the Calls feature of its Android-bothering Your Phone app is ready to be unleashed upon the wider world. Yes, we know the Windows 10 Your Phone app can talk to Apple devices as well, but frankly the functionality is so limited when it comes to the fruity phones that it is barely worth noting. …

  1. karlkarl Silver badge

    So if I glue an android phone to my butt, I can state that my I have enabled calls from my butt?

    Wow, technology is so darn easy.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Yes but everyone you speak to will think you are talking shit.

      1. SuperGeek

        Brings new meaning to "talking out of your arse", and being the "butt" of "phoney" jokes. OK, I'll stop now :)

  2. Alister

    Tele 746

    Mmmmm....

  3. Mike Shepherd
    Meh

    Why?

    Why do I want to make calls from my PC when I have a phone?

    Why do I want to turn on my heating before I'm home when I have a pullover?

    Why do I want to switch on the bathroom light when I'm in the kitchen?

    1. Khaptain Silver badge

      Re: Why?

      <Why do I want to make calls from my PC when I have a phone?>

      Because MS are proabaly bringing out a new device in the near future and they are preparing to bait you in.

      <Why do I want to turn on my heating before I'm home when I have a pullover?>

      Because you took your wife's pullover by mistake and she left yours at work.

      Why do I want to switch on the bathroom light when I'm in the kitchen?

      When you are finished baking those nice hot cookies, you can take then directly from the oven, still on that very hot plate which requires 2 hands and oven gloves, straight into the bathroom without having to fiddle with the light switch. And please don't try and fool us into believing that you don't eat cookies whilst having a bath and reading El Reg..

      Next question!

      1. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge
        Joke

        News just in

        Microsoft buys Android from Google

        [see icon]

        1. jelabarre59
          Meh

          Re: News just in

          Microsoft buys Android from Google

          Somewhat less of a joke; could they do any worse?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Why?

      Well, it it works as well as it does with Mac and iPhone:

      1) You can start a call from within an email on your desktop.

      2) You can start a call from an entry in your contacts list (yes, you may already have them all on your phone).

      3) You can use one headset for Skype, WebEx, phone, when you want hands-free.

      4) You can pickup from whichever of your devices you are using when the call comes in - no more missing calls because you got to the phone too late.

      As for heating, that's great when you work away a lot and put it into "frost protection" when you leave - it can take many hours to get the place warm, so much nicer to be able to switch it on some hours before you get there (it's not always possible to use a timer, as return time may not be known in advance). Maybe not so much help when you have a family, as I find they complain about the cold.

      I can see controlled lights being useful for disabled people, but not for me - it's not that far to go to reach the switch!

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Why?

      to answer your question, kind of, why do men NOT lick their balls?

      1. georgezilla Silver badge

        Re: Why?

        Because that would require way to much psychical effort.

  4. Mr Dogshit
    Headmaster

    Erm

    That's a New Zealand phone in the picture. Just saying.

    1. Alister

      Re: Erm

      New Zealand Dial type, yep, reversed numbering compared to the standard one.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Erm

        is that because the toilets flush the opposite way?

        1. Khaptain Silver badge

          Re: Erm

          "is that because the toilets flush the opposite way?"

          Either that or because the Kiwis think backwards...

        2. GBE

          Re: Erm

          is that because the toilets flush the opposite way?

          In NZ when you push the lever "stuff" spews up instead of being sucked down?

          That sounds a bit messy...

  5. Swordfish1

    Do what they want but I'm using the Galaxy Note 10 plus, and the phone companion on Windows 10 1909, keeps dropping, and is no use.

    My PC is high end, with a fast processor, fast graphic's, and 32Gb of RAM

    So I'm not going to hold my breath with this announcement.

    1. Alan Sharkey

      I'm using the phone app with my oneplus 5 running android 9 and it works fine. I can send and receive texts - which is nice when my PC is the other end of the house from my phone.

      Making calls with it? Not sure why I'd need to as I have a perfectly good landline phone on my desk.

      Alan

  6. ecofeco Silver badge

    Hard pass

    How long before they discontinue it?

    I already now how long it will be when they break it first.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I wish I could say Linux got there first ...

    but my experiences have been disappointing to say the least. In theory all the pieces are there. In practice ... well it's do-able. But I really wouldn't rely on it.

  8. jelabarre59

    Signal? Hello? Beuller?

    Sure, all fine and dandy. I'm presuming it would be making cellular calls, not using your wifi for establishing the calls. Not going to do any good at MY house, where I usually have zero bars, and "G" would probably be 0.5G at best.

    I think of the actor up the road from me who has done commercials for *TWO* cellular companies, yet I don't know if he even has a cell signal at his house.

    Not that it's worth the effort for the very rare times I'm running MSWindows.

    1. mm0zct

      Re: Signal? Hello? Beuller?

      That depends if your phone and carrier support WiFi calling, it's a feature on newer Android handsets which some, but not all, of the providers support. I know Vodaphone do for example. This will automatically use the WiFi for the call if the phone signal is weak.

  9. darklord

    Time machine

    OOOOOH I could Make calls and send texts with Nokia suite back in 2009 and that actually worked well on a windows machine. bit late to theparty really.

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