NexDock turns your smartphone into a laptop

https://nexdock.com/

by Bluestein • 2 years ago

180 212 2 years ago

nexdock.com

tempest_• 2 years ago

15 years ago something like this was sold for my Moto Atrix

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_Atrix_4G#Accessories

Never bought but seemed interesting at the time.

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

Actual buttons :)

Nice phone.-

DaoVeles3• 2 years ago

Look at the UI on that thing! Right before we started to flatten all UI design into bland shapes!

ThatPlayer• 2 years ago

I got one of the lapdocks for the Atrix a few years after the Atrix because you could hook it up to a Raspberry Pi and it'd work. Broke the HDMI port at some point though, mini HDMI is just too fragile.

boffinAudio• 2 years ago

I still have one that I use as a raspberry Pi workstation, and yeah .. you have to maintain those cables.

Still, a great device to have around a pile of rPi's.

Although, I do prefer to just use my external LCD monitor .. far less likely to destroy the cables.

xeromal• 2 years ago

I wanted an Atrix so bad when I saw it announced. Alas, I was a broke college student

crooked-v• 2 years ago

This website is pretty badly designed. The home page should be selling me on what phones this works with, and why I should trust these people to pull it off when a bunch of other projects have come and gone that failed to do the same thing.

Zambyte5• 2 years ago

The home page should be selling me on what phones this works with

Anything that can be connected to an external display, keyboard, and mouse.

why I should trust these people to pull it off when a bunch of other projects have come and gone that failed to do the same thing.

My NexDock has served me well for 7 years. Even if the company flopped tomorrow, it would continue to serve me for years. I don't see the risk here even if you don't trust the company to continue to thrive.

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

I'd be (am) curious about the quality of the keyboard ...

arghwhat• 2 years ago

https://nexdock.com/compatible-smartphones/

And while the site is badly designed, it does not have to explain why you should "trust these people". They should tell you what the product is, and for you to decide whether you like this product enough to buy it. Unless you suspect they'll run with your money (this isn't a kickstarter) or that the product claims are untruthful, trust is irrelevant.

The reason companies in this space fail is just because too few people have been interested in this class of product. Maybe one day, when smartphones are more powerful and these products are convenient enough.

nulld3v• 2 years ago

Agreed that the website is mid but I don't get the part where you say:

when a bunch of other projects have come and gone that failed to do the same thing

This has been "pulled off" successfully for a long time now. Nexdock themselves have been around and shipping different "convergence" products since at least 2016.

jauntywundrkind• 2 years ago

I started using my new 18" monitor attached to my phone.

I just need a second phone so I can control my phone now. The Samsung remote control alas doesn't work with Linux, otherwise maybe I could try that (although I doubt it's really be all that.for this remote control case).

Zambyte5• 2 years ago

I've had a NexDock for about 7 years or so. Definitely a nice tool to have. I don't really have a normal laptop besides my work laptop anymore. I primarily just use my NexDock with either my phone or my Steam Deck. I've also used the dock with Raspberry Pis in the past.

The older model that I have has a pretty terrible trackpad, does not have a touch screen, and does not fold back (I normally use my ergonomic keyboard with it). I think these are all resolved in newer models though.

thebruce87m• 2 years ago

Hadn’t thought of the steam deck as an option, how do you find it?

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

use my NexDock with either my phone or my Steam Deck.

Indeed. What a combo ...

capitainenemo3• 2 years ago

I've just been using a small folding bluetooth keyboard and a mini-bluetooth mouse. Both are easy to carry around and fit in pockets. I find the steam deck's screen large enough to use on its own, although sometimes I plug it into an external monitor over HDMI. I use an overlay of /usr to add things to make the steam deck more useful.

Zambyte5• 2 years ago

I can obviously only use it with ample desk space for both the dock and the Deck, but for my use case (usually visiting family or my local maker space) desk space is not an issue. As for the experience of using it, it just feels like it's a reasonably spec'd gaming laptop when I use it with the Deck.

hexmiles• 2 years ago

Not op, I have the previous model with the keyboard, and it works well but a bit janky: the screen and the keyboard are pretty good, the combination of touch screen e touchpad make it usable without a mouse for most workload.

I use it for anything, gaming, web surfing, developing and sometimes even work (it does raise a few eyebrows when I take it out of the bag)

The big problem is the connection between nextdock and steamdeck: if I connect it directly via single usb-c cable I lose the ability to charge the steamdeck (the nextdock does not supply enough energy for keeping the steamdeck charged) and I also lose a lot of io (next dock as only one fullsize usb 3.0 port) so instead I use the steam-deck-dock and connect it to the nextdock with two cable (hdmi e usb) so that I can keep the steamdeck fully charged.

I would love to find an usb-c cable splitter so that I can have a device simultaneously connected to an usb-c pd charger and a second connection only for usb data, there are some but none of them support usb alt mode necessary to use external screen.

pony_sheared• 2 years ago

I have one of the originals too, I only use it in an emergency (e.g. maintaining a Raspberry Pi) because the trackpad is so awful - I can't type on it because the cursor jumps all over the place.

That basically shattered my dream of leaving my work laptop at home on short business trips. Well, that and it weighs as much as a laptop anyway so there wasn't actually a benefit.

moneywoes2• 2 years ago

what keyboard?

segasaturn• 2 years ago

I've seen these before and I always loved the idea of "convergence" even though its never been successful. I remember in at least 2013 when the Ubuntu Edge had a convergence feature that would blow your phone up into a (very slow) desktop PC over DisplayPort that you would then control via the phone touch screen [1].

I suspect the reason that mobile convergence hasn't been successful is that people like owning multiple devices that fit the mood you are in. My phone is for social stuff, my tablet is for entertainment stuff and my laptop is for work stuff. The thought of cramming all of those head-spaces into one device feels stressful, like putting all my eggs into one basket. I'm always very happy when I hear about updates to DeX or new convergence docks though

1:https://youtu.be/bk9-v8Sl4yU

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

that people like owning multiple devices that fit the mood you are in

Sounds reasonable.-

PS. As a counterpoint to that, many will I am sure remember how one PC *was* everything and one did everything on it. One per household, even ...

wkat42422• 2 years ago

Haha.

* counts 4 in the living room, about 10 servers in the lab, probably 20 computers in total in my single person home not including raspberry pis, mobiles or tablets :)

wkat42422• 2 years ago

Meh, it works fine for me. You can also use work profile (island app) to segment your phone a bit further.

I really love DeX and I just spent a whole week working with it as my primary computing device. I don't have a mobile dock though. The reason being that they're not an awful lot cheaper or lighter than a real laptop so what's the point.

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

they're not an awful lot cheaper or lighter than a real laptop so what's the point.

True. Probably one of the biggest obstacles to adoption. Their price point pretty much overlaps with an entry-level laptop.-

maxglute• 2 years ago

It wouldn't be hard to trigger DEX/desktop enviroment to load a different profile. I feel like most hardware companies don't want to eat away at different segments.

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

(Along those lines, some phones have a "second" or "secret" profile/mode that is accessible through a different PIN code at the lockscreen, for example ...)

obscurette• 2 years ago

I see a an increasing number of people around me using phone only for stuff they absolutely need to carry around – payment/banking, loyalty cards, 2FA, maps. Maybe also some pure messaging app, some puzzle game, but that's it. No any social media, news, work etc.

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

Two (diverging, yet simultaneous) tendencies: "The phone as a glorified wallet" and "The phone as your life". Both at play ...

MikeTheGreat• 2 years ago

Now that you mention it, that's a good way to think about it.

Of all the things on my phone, the only thing I feel like I absolutely can't live without (in my phone) is my OneBusAway app that tells me when my next bus is coming.

Also: /shameless-plug-for-free-and-awesome-app :)

xattt• 2 years ago

I've got a Samsung Android phone that I tried with a DisplayLink dock for browsing. It was able to use the Ethernet OOTB, but browsing was PAINFUL. The responsiveness is/was not there.

gumby2• 2 years ago

A scooter, motorcycle, car, and delivery van all serve different purposes, though there is a little crossover between each stage.

The same is true about these devices: yes, in a pinch you can grab that document and search for something but really when editing it you want not just a keyboard and larger display, but a bit more horsepower and different apps.

So I use to think a fancy dock like this would be good, but their continued failure has taught me a lot.

bluGill• 2 years ago

A basic phone blows away the early computers. 40mhz one core cpus (spark, mips, 80486...) used to do a lot of work and be fast. What has changed is bloat.

bee_rider• 2 years ago

We need different types of vehicles for all those things because they cover use cases with different storage capacity and performance requirements. This seems less true for cellphones now.

signaru• 2 years ago

Sometimes I still find the need to write a lot on a phone and it's thumb typing in a touch mobile device that frustrates me the most. I believe a good add-on keyboard, preferably just as portable as the phone, would have more use cases than a hollow laptop that can be just as big (and similarly less convenient) as a normal laptop.

RachelF• 2 years ago

Yes, Samsung has had their "Dex" which looks just like NexDock.

Modern Motorola phones have a similar feature.

VNC has been around for a long time.

It just seems like something people don't want to use. I'm not sure why, though?

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

Price point might be an issue ...

Narhem• 2 years ago

Super book was another example of these type of devices which never got to market. Had the chance to play with the foldable devices and thought they are actually pretty great.

I think these type of formats are decent for travelers.

maccard2• 2 years ago

There was a meme a while back - my most millennial trait is that big purchases must happen on a big screen”.

My brother is a zoomer and the only computing device in his house is his mobile phone and work laptop. He does absolutely everything on his phone. I think we’re moving away from separated devices, honestly

gwervc• 2 years ago

I feel like it highly depends on what people are doing with a device: if there're only a consumer (of digital content or physical product), only owning and using a smartphone is fine. However for creating things (writing a PhD thesis, making a game, editing horizontal video) a PC is still required.

lmm• 2 years ago

I suspect the reason that mobile convergence hasn't been successful is that people like owning multiple devices that fit the mood you are in. My phone is for social stuff, my tablet is for entertainment stuff and my laptop is for work stuff.

Nah, I used to think the same thing about desktop vs laptop but turns out once laptops got good enough to be a true desktop replacement it was much better to just have one device. Phones aren't there yet, even if the raw processor speed numbers suggest they should be.

kristopolous5• 2 years ago

Not really. Let's look at Bell's Law from 1972 to understand this:

"Roughly every decade a new, lower priced computer class forms based on a new programming platform, network, and interface resulting in new usage and a new industry."

So we can say, generally, mainframes, minicomputers, workstations, microcomputers, laptops, smart phones, and now wearables (watches, rings, wallets, bracelets, glasses, etc)

Next we'll have something I'll call the Mckenzie corollary (that's me I guess):

"Roughly a decade or two after introduction, the lower price computer class will subsume the upper price computing class."

So the minicomputers took on mainframe tasks. The workstations took on the minicomputer tasks. The microcomputers took on the workstation tasks. Laptops took on the micros. All this happened with a significant lag time.

And now, the smartphones are vying for the laptops.

These are superstructural transformations and take years because a bunch of new things need to be invented, developed, mastered and widely deployed for it to happen.

We are roughly in the wearables and phones-become-laptops epoch.

card_zero• 2 years ago

Let's look at The Poverty of Historicism from 1944 to understand why you can't predict societal change with laws.

"[The evolution of] human society, is a unique historical process ... Its description, however, is not a law, but only a singular historical statement."

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

and widely deployed for it to happen.

(And, don't forget, "mass adopted" ...)

sitkack4• 2 years ago

The low end always eats the high end.

Lerc• 2 years ago

I always liked the idea that rather than your phone being the powerhouse for a laptop or desktop environment that it instead be a receptacle for data.

If only there were a standardized protocol enabling browsers (could be any smart terminal protocol, but browsers exist now, and would mostly work) to securely connect to nearby devices, maybe even require a physical connection if you want extra safety.

Then instead of a specific dock you could use just about any capable laptop or desktop as an environment.

I don't think it can be done at the moment without an on-internet intermediary. A local discovery and connection system that the terminal(browser) could be aware of. Maybe this could be shoehorned into existing systems like Bluetooth.

You could get an absurd usb connection working if the phone appeared as both a file store as well as a keyboard that types in the commands to launch itself. I see no potential pitfalls with that approach.

fragmede• 2 years ago

avahi/bonjour for discovery, vnc served up over http for UI. Intel proposed a box with Ethernet over USB for this a long time ago but it never caught on.

treflop• 2 years ago

For me, it’s that I don’t have a monitor on hand to plug my phone into. And if I’m going to plan to bring a monitor, shit, I’ll just bring my laptop anyway.

vasco• 2 years ago

Convergence happened already, I'm logged into the same apps from any device and have access to mostly the same files and functionality through the cloud.

type0• 2 years ago

the real convergence will happen eventually, when Google merges Android with ChromeOS and we will get the worst of both worlds

diffeomorphism3• 2 years ago

Luckily, it will include FSL-Fuchsia Subsystem for Linux. Enabling it will block Netflix and YouTube though.

DaoVeles3• 2 years ago

The last generation of Windows Phone had convergence that provided a version of this. Allowed you to run UWP apps on a Windows desktop. But like many things in the Windows phone universe, it was simultaneously 10 years ahead and 10 years behind.

I miss the thing all the time.

coredog64• 2 years ago

There was also a dock for your Windows Phone that granted a desktop UI and allowed for light MS Office usage. Used it a couple of times in a pinch.

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

was simultaneously 10 years ahead and 10 years behind.

This is a great way to put it. "Recipes" were ahead of their time, but half-baked ...

zozbot234• 2 years ago

Convergence should work fine from modern desktop Linux: you should be able to attach a tiny, phone-sized screen to any SBC or mini-PC and run a mobile-focused experience (such as Phosh or Gnome-Mobile) and it should just work. Attach a bigger external monitor and apps should just scale up seamlessly. This will get quite interesting with the newer device form factor of handheld consoles running x86-64 hardware, since they too have a roughly phone-sized screen that usually supports touch input, as well as analog sticks that might be readily usable for pointer movement or scrolling, and lots of physical buttons that might be usable for gestures or chorded input.

yjftsjthsd-h3• 2 years ago

Convergence should work fine from modern desktop Linux: you should be able to attach a tiny, phone-sized screen to any SBC or mini-PC and run a mobile-focused experience (such as Phosh or Gnome-Mobile) and it should just work. Attach a bigger external monitor and apps should just scale up seamlessly.

My Pinephone Pro runs Plasma Mobile and yeah you can just plug it in to a USB-C dock with HDMI out and a mouse+keyboard plugged in and it scales up into a slightly odd desktop:)

weitendorf• 2 years ago

people like owning multiple devices that fit the mood

Agree this is a big factor, but with peripherals to extend your smartphone into a laptop you do still have to own multiple “devices” (discrete units of physical hardware). If you’re already gonna have to lug around a dongle/adapter and one or more pieces of hardware (mouse, keyboard, screen) to get the laptop experience, you might as well just lug around an entire laptop.

Also, “cloud” software (not just things like Google docs, but the widespread use of web applications allowing you to log in to some app from anywhere) has solved a lot of the biggest problems in this space. You can easily access all the important things on your phone from a laptop, unless you go out of your way to not upload something somewhere. So being able to convert a smartphone into a laptop is mostly about saving money on hardware (which may not be that much. Do you pay $200 for peripherals to get an underpowered laptop powered by a phone, or a mid-like laptop?) or addressing a very niche UX need.

vsuperpower2021• 2 years ago

This looks like a neat idea but the marketing for this is scummy. Adding a keyboard and screen does not like a "gaming PC" just because you can run cloud games on it. It advertises plugging a raspberry pi into it for a "fully functional computer at a revolutionarily low cost" which isn't true. You also can't turn your phone into a windows 10 laptop by running cloud services.

jwells89• 2 years ago

I understand the limitations resulting from differences in form factor between different smartphone models that make the idea impractical, but it's too bad these docks aren't designed for the phone to slot into them, Duo Dock[0] style. That'd be super slick.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerBook_Duo#Docking_stations

ClassyJacket• 2 years ago

I don't see why it's impractical. Just have a soft spring loaded clamp, like universal car phone mounts. Maybe it would be hard to line up the USBC port?

miffe• 2 years ago

I've wanted to try one of these together with my steamdeck for a long time.

Do they offer international key layouts yet (Swedish specifically)?

Also i find the dimensions a bit funny, 320x240 :)

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

(Somebody upthread - aptly - mentioned non-US keyboard layouts were a problem for these sort of setups [so far] ...)

627467• 2 years ago

shame that Samsung handicapped their flip product line by removing dex

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

Really a missed opportunity there ...

a-dub• 2 years ago

will be interesting to see if google ships a decent desktop mode for the pixel line in the next revision.

da7682• 2 years ago

Looks like it's finally getting somewhere in the latest Android beta, but definitely not read for production.

NexDock 360 works pretty well with the Pixel 8a in desktop mode so far

shortformblog• 2 years ago

I like the idea of using a mini PC with one of these and then swapping that out while keeping the display and keyboard.

The Khadas Mind, which has been controversial in tech reviewer circles, kind of carries itself like that: https://www.khadas.com/mind

The pricing is all off, but the model has potential.

rcarmo• 2 years ago

You can get a nice N100 mini-PC for much less than $200 (I got a nice compact one for my electronics bench for EUR 150: https://taoofmac.com/space/blog/2024/07/04/2200), and those pack enough computing power to be seriously useful… Especially when compared to ARM SBCs.

perryh2• 2 years ago

I came across this which fits an Intel N100 in your pocket: https://store.minisforum.com/products/minisforum-s100

solardev3• 2 years ago

Does anyone know if the Pixel phones will ever support this?

da7682• 2 years ago

Pixel 8a works just fine.

It's still using mirror mode by default. There's a Desktop mode you can enable in developer settings which works well with the NexDock hardware, but the desktop mode UI is still pretty buggy at the moment.

solardev3• 2 years ago

Good to know, thanks!

ianburrell• 2 years ago

Google only recently enabled USB-C display mode recently. It is only the Pixel 8 and later. Don't know if earlier phones will get it, it depends on having the hardware and getting the OS update.

solardev3• 2 years ago

Darn, thanks. I only have a 7, will have to see if that ever happens.

forgotacc240419• 2 years ago

Bought an S8 a few years back cheap and Dex basically replaced my desktop and Android box until the phone stopped working. Think with some better communication to older people the format could have taken off because it did do all the basic functionality you'd need from a larger screen if you're not very technical

laconicmatt• 2 years ago

Wild that I'm seeing this on Hacker News. I just found out about the Dex capablilties of my zfold phone. I've been using it pretty much all week and have been considering going all in on this format.

I love that I can just use my phone for virtually everything I use my laptop for (developing probably being the only obsticle).

I've been considering some of the other options out there for portable monitor/keyboards and these seem (so far) the most affordable option. I wonder how the build quality it.

bergie• 2 years ago

I love that I can just use my phone for virtually everything I use my laptop for (developing probably being the only obsticle).

I used to write software on my phone using termux (usually via DeX).

figmert2• 2 years ago

What was your setup? I'm currently going on that journey.

wenc• 2 years ago

I've just been using a Samser Bluetooth foldable keyboard/trackpad with my iPhone (or iPad). It's great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C1VSRZ59/

You don't get the large display, but you get a full keyboard/trackpad for $50 at Amazon. It's great when I'm on the road or traveling and need to write stuff on Google Docs. I don't bring my laptop when I travel -- just my phone, iPad and a keyboard like the above. I get to travel really light.

anonzzzies• 2 years ago

I have the same setup but for large screen I have the xreal glasses. Still travel very light but big screen when I need one.

zer0zzz• 2 years ago

I’m convinced the only reason Apple invented continuity is so that people don’t realize that they only need one or two devices total.

ThinkBeat• 2 years ago

I have bought two different earlier generations of these and I never got either to work properly. The second should also be able to operate as a terminal, (Monitor and keys) for a computer, which was basically impossible to get working.

The user experience to operate / change modes was exceptionally poor. I figure plug in the HDMI from the computer plug in the provided USB cable and it's smooth sailing. but that was not the case at all.

Connecting a device was difficult to get working but it varied by which device.

I hope they are better now. It is a great idea.

tambourine_man3• 2 years ago

This appeals to us hackers, but it doesn’t really make that much practical sense, I think.

The SOC and storage you’re saving by using your phone aren’t the most expensive items. A good 14” screen, keyboard, trackpad and battery aren’t cheap. And if you’re paying $300 for them, you might as well throw in a few hundred dollars more and get a full laptop.

ranger_danger• 2 years ago

For low-income users who don't already own a desktop, I think it can make quite good sense. A "good" keyboard/mouse/monitor/etc. are not strictly necessary, and if you can't afford new ones, used ones can be had for extremely cheap or even free often times, like from garage sales, thrift shops, friends etc. And most of those people have a phone already, so adding the peripherals is not a big cost for them, but a full size desktop likely would be.

I can get a working LCD screen, keyboard and mouse from my local thrift shop for $20, whereas the cheapest new laptop is at least $200.

fbdab103• 2 years ago

I am curious how many people even own a personal desktop/laptop anymore. I imagine that more and more people do everything on a phone or maybe a tablet. Are past peak PC?

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

used ones can be had for extremely cheap or even free often times, like from garage sales, thrift shops, friends etc. And most of those people have a phone already

What you described is actually an use case. Hadn't considered the 'second hand' peripheral options ...

localfirst• 2 years ago

Looks like they pissed off a lot of ppl when they couldnt deliver on 120hz

donatj• 2 years ago

I am genuinely surprised none of the attempts at this sort of things over the last 10+ years have gained much traction.

On it's face, merging the device we have in our pocket and on our desk makes so much sense. The biggest difference being screen size.

skeledrew2• 2 years ago

Reminds me of the Neptune Duo[0], which sadly never became a thing. And the ASUS Padfone[1] which barely did. Would've loved to get my hands especially on the former. Actually still would even today, as it would really reduce the waste of having multiple smart devices that inevitably reach EoL with lots of still-working parts. Looking at my nonfunctional ASUS Transformer[2] that served me so well in college years ago, with its phenomenal battery life (keyboard dock also has a battery), and I still have hope I can get it repaired and use it again, even if only as an e-reader.

[0] https://www.cnet.com/reviews/neptune-duo-preview/ [1] https://m.gsmarena.com/asus_padfone-3965.php [2] https://m.gsmarena.com/asus_transformer_tf101-3936.php

egypturnash3• 2 years ago

Huh. It's a lot cheaper than I expected it to be. Only $300.

Might be kinda useful if the pendulum swings back towards actually storing all your data on your own devices instead of in the clown. And if anyone starts writing actual tools for Desktop Android.

a1o• 2 years ago

clown

That's the best typo ever, I had an extension for chrome many years ago that allowed to replace "cloud" with a different word for funsies because it was used everywhere, might ressurect it using clown.

DaoVeles3• 2 years ago

I'm not sure it is a typo. I have been calling it 'the clown' or 'the clod' for years. So I suspect others have been too.

egypturnash3• 2 years ago

Deliberate. I’m working on a comic set in a dystopia run by AIs that have decided that “cartoon clowns” are the best way to tell humans what to do.

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

Gosh. "Clown Devices" :)

PS. Actually, it might be a good word for "self hosted cloud" setups, where you "[c]loud [own] (as in, 'ownership')" your data and infra is under user control ...

zoom6628• 2 years ago

I have 7" touch screen waiting me to attach a pi4 to make a proper portable Linux device I can travel with. Laptops too big and the GPD tiny ones too expensive for me. I can't use anything smaller than 7" and don't want bigger than 10" for convenience. Less than $200 can have "ideal" setup.

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

7''/8'' is indeed some sort of sweet spot.-

(I was doing "portable" using a then-huge 8'' 'generic android phablet' with a foldable Bluetooth keyboard a few years back ...)

theshrike794• 2 years ago

You can swing your own pendulum any time you want, there are very few services (email being one IMO) that aren't worth self-hosting.

You can easily sync your media to a server you own (Immich or NextCloud), Notes can live in Obsidian, which syncs to a place you control etc.

marcogarces• 2 years ago

I've said this for years, since I owned a Samsung Galaxy something with the dock that had USB, ethernet and HDMI; you put your phone in and you have a desktop...

This will be the future, but only when Apple does this to their iPhones lineup; the experience will be consistent and seamless; I'm not a fan boy, but one thing i'm sure is that they will release this and it will be like working on macOS, but you have it in your pocket.

bdcravens• 2 years ago

That would be amazing, but history suggests Apple would never do this.

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

(Unless they can charge you extra. Several times, preferably, for it ...

... and - methinks - couple it with JobsAI :)

... somehow, maybe through a "token hardware" AI device. "AIOT" (?).-

Euphorbium• 2 years ago

I totally want to lose all of my desktop computer stuff when I smash my phone. “But you are not supposed to have anything locally, everything you do has to be in The Cloud”. You will own nothing and you will be happy. Not even any data.

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

Totally the next thing: "Diogenes Computing" :)

fsflover3• 2 years ago

Did you hear about backups?

praveen9920• 2 years ago

Isn’t it against their self interest? If my iPhone is acting as my laptop with just an additional screen, why would I buy a Mac book.

karteum• 2 years ago

Reminds me of Razer project Linda (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gKu-T13vXs )

laweijfmvo• 2 years ago

Is Samsung still supporting Dex well? I remember a few years ago when I had a sudden [work] laptop fail during the pandemic and couldn’t get a new one until it was shipped out. My work phone was a Galaxy S20 and I was able to Dex my way into the corpnet and basically get by for a week. It was shocking and amazing, and yet I’ve never used it since…

userbinator2• 2 years ago

More like "turns your smartphone into a smartphone with a keyboard and a bigger screen."

No matter how much RAM, storage, or CPU power it has, a smartphone is ultimately still a locked-down media consumption device.

yjftsjthsd-h3• 2 years ago

That's not universal; mine runs termux or a chroot in a pinch.

neals• 2 years ago

Must be annoying in Google maps

theshrike794• 2 years ago

If your criteria of "not locked down" is being able to run a full-ass IDE on your phone, then maybe.

But if using a Web-IDE via a browser[0] is enough for you, we're already there. You do need to adjust how you work, and that's a huge sticking point for some people.

[0] https://vscode.dev

userbinator2• 2 years ago

But if using a Web-IDE via a browser

...and be constantly tied to the clown? No thank you.

fsflover3• 2 years ago

Except if it's a GNU/Linux phone already running a desktop OS, like Librem 5.

srinathkrishna• 2 years ago

For the most part, one should also likely get a compatible phone and Samsung phones that support DEX are not cheap!

I have a Pixel and have owned Pixel phones for a while and it's a shame that Google is only just opening up HDMI external display on the Pixel 8!

It's a neat idea but I find it hard to succeed at scale.

Jach3• 2 years ago

I wanted to like it but it's mostly been a paperweight in the closet for two years now... My problem is ultimately that none of the smartphones I've used or tried (a few androids and a librem) offer a desktop/laptop experience that's any good. In theory I still like the concept, upgrade a phone every N years but don't have to get a new laptop form factor, but the execution from all sides (even if mostly on the phone sides) isn't there. A few months after being disappointed I got an older Lenovo laptop from ebay that was $100 cheaper and obviously a lot more capable, being a full computer I could throw Mint onto, and have a nicer screen/keyboard as well as a better experience remoting into my home workstation. (NoMachine mostly, though it can also do games via steam's remote streaming or Moonlight/Sunshine. Natively the laptop can run some games but its limits are roughly unreal engine 4 tier on low-to-medium settings.) Since my usage is probably 90-95% on my home desktop, I really just wanted a travel laptop, and it serves that job just fine.

More recently I've been impressed with my steam deck's desktop mode that's a fairly no-frills Linux distro, its use of flatpaks everywhere is kind of annoying though. When it's good enough to make a game for steam deck on the steam deck with e.g. godot and blender, it's good enough for a lot of other things. I've been chucking it in with my travel laptop for trips, but one of these times I'm going to have to try just taking it alone with just a mouse and keyboard to complement.

nicoburns• 2 years ago

It's a crying shame that Apple don't offer a desktop mode on iPhones. The chips are more than powerful enough to give a no-compromises experience (for most use casual use cases at least), the disks are large enough to store 2 OSs, and they have a full desktop OS sitting around ready for use.

It'd make it a lot harder to sell macs, but it would be an absolutely killer device.

jsheard• 2 years ago

People have been begging for a real desktop mode on the iPad forever, if Apple won't even do it for a device which uses the same processor as their laptops and even has an official laptop-style keyboard accessory then they're certainly not going to do it for the iPhone.

wraptile• 2 years ago

Apple will never cannibalize themselves like this. There isn't event multi user support on iPad which would be something trivial to do and everyone know ipad is a family device yet here we are.

kingkongjaffa• 2 years ago

I love having different devices for different things.

Macbook pro for coding and designing in figma and light gaming, web browsing

iPad mini for reading, travelling, sketching with apple pencil.

iPhone for doing phone things.

Sure I buy 3 devices (4 if you count apple watch) but they last several years and have decent resale value.

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

I am thinking Apple would not want to cannibalize some lower end notebook sales ...

beAbU• 2 years ago

"Just buy an iPad/Mac"

- Tim Cook probably.

rchaud• 2 years ago

Samsung Dex is incredible, I use it with a lapdock the way I would a real laptop. Multiple windows on screen, Kb shortcuts to navigate, plus drag and drop functionality with a mouse that is unheard of in regular Android.

akira25012• 2 years ago

Meanwhile my NUC fits in my back pocket.

Hamuko• 2 years ago

Those are some large back pockets. I'm thankful that my preferred model of jeans has pockets deep enough for an iPhone 14 Pro.

antifa3• 2 years ago

A device with the NUC's power and size that could have it's own battery (if external, not too huge) would be awesome.

650REDHAIR• 2 years ago

Which model? Would you recommend?

jeroenhd2• 2 years ago

Has one of those Androids been capable of running Samsung Dex? I've used it on my tablet (without an external screen) with a USB dongle and I found it surprisingly competent for a lot of desktop work, if I weren't for the lack of RAM in my device.

Jach3• 2 years ago

Yes, though my current phone is a red magic 8 pro, so no DeX (or other things, good and bad). I wasn't really impressed like another comment, but admittedly I didn't spend too much time trying it since it wasn't my phone that had DeX. Though I still think I got enough data. On android, the biggest issue for me is probably the android apps themselves, what's effectively a glorified launcher that's still not quite there is a side issue. I know some people have managed to root their phones and get some sort of real linux on there (emulated?) but the actual experiences when you dig into it don't sound that great (i.e. very bad performance).

fsflover3• 2 years ago

Depending on your typical tasks, convergence can work fine today: https://puri.sm/posts/my-first-year-of-librem-5-convergence/

Jach3• 2 years ago

Yeah, I'm glad some people are able to live the dream. Not for me though, the issues being terribly obsolete hardware leading to poor performance and also terrible feature parity on phone-side table stakes. I should boot and fully update my librem to see how things have progressed, it's been another paperweight in the closet. Honestly while I could rant about it, this thread's not really the place, and I'm actually not all that disappointed anyway because from the time when I pre-ordered it I convinced myself to treat it more like a donation to the cause and have zero expectations for anything personally useful to come out of it.

j45• 2 years ago

I’ve bought so many of these types of devices and just want one that is real and works and stays working and has new versions. Maybe someone like framework will make it happen.

Samsung is not an option because they don’t security update their phone quick enough with the latest 0 day patches. If there’s monthly releases it’s full of patches a few months in the past.

MrDrMcCoy• 2 years ago

I would use mine a lot more if it supported power delivery passthru. That it doesn't kind of limits it's uses to an emergency kvm for my homelab and SBCs.

RainaRelanah3• 2 years ago

I've been bothering them about this since Steam Deck first launched, if it could actually pass thru full USB-C PD it would be insanely useful. Portable gaming device that can be converted into a fully functional laptop easily (with a second screen!) is a long time dream of mine. But it can't do the ~40w charging the Deck needs. Also the touchpad is complete garbage as it was designed for use with phones.

Sadly, NexDock doesn't design their own products and has little influence over engineering decisions of their partners. They're just slapping their logo on it and reselling it. There's a dozen other brands selling the exact same product on Alibaba/Taobao.

dcchambers• 2 years ago

People have been trying to make this a reality for over a decade. Remember the Motorola Atrix + "Lapdock" from 2011? It seems like it's something the consumer just doesn't want. They want separate computing devices for different functions.

Ironically we're finally at a point now where phones have the power to run desktop-class applications without compromise. Most flagships phones are more powerful than the average laptop sold these days.

nullify88• 2 years ago

I still wish Samsung hadn't killed Linux on Dex.

BLKNSLVR• 2 years ago

Tangential: I followed the rabbit hole to Bliss OS, which I now want to try installing on one of my old laptops.

https://blissos.org/

figmert2• 2 years ago

I've been on the verge of buying one of these for a while, but I think my biggest problem is they don't offer international keyboards. Only US qwerty. It's not a huge problem, but definitely not preferable.

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

You need an external non-US keyboard for your dock :)

LoganDark• 2 years ago

I love the idea of lapdocks. I've just never found one that has a good keyboard, trackpad, and screen, at the same time. There are those with good keyboards, and those with good screens, but not both, and never a good trackpad. (I guess I've been spoiled by using Apple Force Touch trackpads for years.)

My use case is actually accessing my desktop from bed. I ended up using something called an "overbed table" (with tilt adjust!) with a monitor arm on it. Monitor goes on the arm, peripherals go on the table. That way, I can mix and match into something I like.

But it's not really the same as a real lapdock, because it depends on the table. I can't easily move it around the room or anything. I can't use it in my lap, only on the table that floats above me. (I prefer the table in most cases, but the lap is sometimes useful.)

It'd be nice if I could easily move it between my bed and a real desk, for example. If on the table there were a lapdock I could simply pick it up, but with separate peripherals I cannot.

EVa5I7bHFq9mnYK• 2 years ago

XL version weights 1910 g and has 1920 pix resolution. I have a $300 15 inch laptop with 2560 resolution, its own processor, disk and everything, that weights 1655g including the charger. It's good for movies, web and remote desktop. I can also install samsung dex app on it.

The only reason that thing might be useful, is if it were lighter, thinner and cheaper than the laptop, and it isn't.

Another reason to avoid these toys is because phones are not built for desktop-like work - they just overheat.

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

if it were lighter, thinner and cheaper than the laptop, and it isn't.

This. I am afraid it comes down to price point and physical specs ...

(And beyond some point they economically cannot get any better, for, as a manufacturer, you'd be almost rebuilding a notebook (as far as parts anyway) with a (decent) screen, keyboard, (some) electronics, etc.).-

Bluestein32• 2 years ago

PS. Only option would (perhaps) come if and when (mostly, when) display technology makes a breakthrough enabling very oh so ever extremely cheap manufacture to occur where you can put a screen on anything for the price of ... paper?

And, at that point, of course ...

hi-v-rocknroll• 2 years ago

A few times, I've considered if Apple would make a turducken iPhone sleeve becomes an iPad, and then an iPad with a magnetic base, telescoping laptop hinge, and battery becomes a MBP with touch interface. For profit and usability reasons, it ain't ever gonna happen in that garden.

In Android or DIY, sure it makes sense to offer a keyboard and possibly a bigger battery and more hardware resources as a dock. The only downside is now there's only 1 device that can be used instead of 2 discrete devices that can be used simultaneously and independently.

RainaRelanah3• 2 years ago

These make great KVMs for homelab solutions. You'll need a VGA to HDMI adapter, but I am very thankful I no longer have to lug a monitor/keyboard/mouse into my closet when a server without IPMI won't boot.

Ezhik• 2 years ago

Oh wow, I was actually worried about this - right now I have a small USB-powered display and a TrackPoint keyboard and was wondering about whether I could get a laptop shell that would just combine the two, but all I can find are either these phone docks or heavy server rack KVMs. What's your setup like for this?

RainaRelanah3• 2 years ago

The NexDock came with an HDMI (output) to mini-HDMI (input) cable, and a USB-B to USB-C cable (for mouse/keyboard), which is all you need to connect to anything modern. I bought an $8 VGA to HDMI adapter for use with my older enterprise equipment without HDMI. I just keep all of them next to my rack, and connect the HDMI and USB as needed. The NexDock has a basic OSD that let's you switch between USB-C or HDMI video inputs.

I already owned a NexDock so this is just what I've stuck with. These days I'd probably recommend a PiKVM with a networked KVM switch, if you have like 4+ physical servers it can be cheaper + give networked access. With added complexity and failure points.

naikrovek3• 2 years ago

This device is much less about phones, for me. I've never used mine with a phone. It's a type-c monitor with an integrated keyboard and pointing device.

it's like a portable physical console in a laptop form factor. I carry it around and plug it into Raspberry Pis (via HDMI, not type-c alone) so I can get a physical console. I have a few smaller single board computers that I occasionally use it with as well. It folds completely backwards so you can use it as a monitor alone, if you want, and I do that with my MacBook so it's a 2nd monitor (or 3rd depending on where I am) and it's great.

It's just a single type-c cable to give the Steam Deck a keyboard and a larger, higher resolution screen, for games that don't do well with controller inputs. Plug in a mouse, turn off the trackpad, and you're gold.

This is far more than just a "turn your phone into a desktop" thing.

antifa3• 2 years ago

IME 99.9% of android apps have no hotkeys or mouse support, firefox shockingly has no hotkeys, and chrome is missing enough things (like mouse middle click, which currently works consistently windows+mac+linux) that the experience is completely broken. How bad the android desktop experience is really holds back these awesome devices.

NexDock turns your smartphone into a laptop

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