Using a mobile device as an external monitor

1. A method of using a mobile device as an external monitor for a computing device while simultaneously using a mobile device's communication capabilities, the method comprising:

sending a control signal indicating a command to transfer control of a mobile device display associated with the mobile device, wherein the control of the mobile device display is transferred from the mobile device to the computing device that is communicatively coupled to the mobile device through a physical connection;

receiving, at a frame buffer on the mobile device, a visual content for display at the mobile device display, wherein the visual content has been processed by the computing device, and wherein the visual content is communicated directly from the computing device to the frame buffer on the mobile device, such that the visual content bypasses image processing components including a video card and a display driver on the mobile device;

displaying the visual content on the mobile device display without using image processing capabilities of the mobile device;

simultaneous with displaying the visual content, receiving, at the mobile device, a communication over a radio integrated into the mobile device; and

communicating an indication that the communication has been received.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises detecting that the mobile device is communicatively coupled to the computing device and communicating a driver for the mobile device display to the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an input through an input device on the mobile device;

communicating a signal from the input device to the computing device, wherein the signal describes the input; and

changing a graphical user interface generated by an application or operating system running on the mobile device based on the signal.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the input device is one or more of a keyboard, a trackball, a touch screen, and a button.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication is a phone call and the indication is sounding a ring tone.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication is a text message and the indication is a sound.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises receiving an electrical current from the computing device and charging a mobile device's battery while simultaneously displaying the visual content.

8. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a processor, perform a method of displaying, on a mobile device, content generated by an application running on a computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a first control signal indicating a first command to transfer control of a mobile device display associated with the mobile device from the mobile device to the computing device that is communicatively coupled to the mobile device;

at the computing device, utilizing a driver associated with the mobile device display to process a visual content for display at the mobile device display, wherein the driver converts the visual content into a format suitable for a frame buffer on the mobile device that is utilized by the mobile device display;

subsequent to processing the visual content, communicating the processed visual content to the mobile device, wherein the converted visual content suitable for the frame buffer is communicated directly to the frame buffer on utilized by the mobile device display, wherein the converted visual content bypasses a display driver on the mobile device that is associated with the mobile device display, wherein the processed visual content produces a first graphical user interface when displayed at the mobile device display;

receiving an input signal from an input device integrated into the mobile device, wherein the received input signal is an unaltered signal generated by the input device;

utilizing a driver associated with the mobile device's input device to convert the unaltered signal from the input device into instructions that are compatible with an application running on the computing device; and

changing a second graphical user interface that is displayed on a display associated with the computing device, in response to utilizing the instructions converted from the unaltered signal, wherein the display associated with the computing device is different from the mobile device display.

9. The media of claim 8 , wherein the first graphical user interface may be moved between the display associated with the computing device and the mobile device display.

10. The media of claim 8 , wherein the first graphical user interface may span both the display associated with the computing device and the mobile device display.

11. The media of claim 8 , wherein the first graphical user interface is automatically snapped to the mobile device display upon detecting that the mobile device is communicatively coupled to the computing device.

12. The media of claim 11 , wherein the first graphical user interface displays a stock ticker and is generated by the application operating on the computing device.

13. The media of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises receiving a second control signal indicating a second command to transfer the control of the mobile device display from the computing device to the mobile device.

14. The media of claim 8 , wherein the input device is a touch screen.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a processor, perform a method of using a mobile device, which includes a mobile device display, as an external monitor for a computing device, the method comprising:

sending a first control signal indicating a first command to transfer control of a content displayed at the mobile device, wherein the control is transferred from the mobile device to the computing device that is communicatively coupled to the mobile device;

transferring the control of the content displayed at the mobile device from the mobile device to the computing device;

receiving at a frame buffer on the mobile device a processed content from the computing device and displaying the processed content at the mobile device, wherein the processed content has been processed by the computing device into a format usable by the frame buffer on the mobile device and bypasses image processing components including a video card and a display driver on the mobile device, such that the processed content is displayed at the mobile device without using the video card and the display driver to process the content; and

simultaneous with displaying the processed content, receiving, at the mobile device, a communication over a radio integrated into the mobile device.

16. The media of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises transferring input data generated by an input device on the mobile device directly to the computing device without transforming the input data using a driver associated with the input device.

17. The media of claim 16 , wherein the input device is one or more of a keyboard, a trackball, a touch screen, and a button.

18. The media of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises, subsequent to the receiving of the communication, sending a second control signal indicating a second command to transfer the control of the content displayed at the mobile device from the computing device to the mobile device.

19. The media of claim 15 , wherein the communication is one or more of a phone call, text message, email, and photo message.

20. The media of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises receiving an electrical current from the computing device and charging a mobile device's battery while simultaneously displaying said content.