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NexDock turns your smartphone into a laptop
- tempest_ 2y ago15 years ago something like this was sold for my Moto Atrix https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_Atrix_4G#Accessories https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_Atrix_4G#Accessories Never bought but seemed interesting at the time.
- Bluestein 2y agoActual buttons :) Nice phone.-
- DaoVeles 2y agoLook at the UI on that thing! Right before we started to flatten all UI design into bland shapes!
- ThatPlayer 2y agoI 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 2y agoI 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 2y agoI wanted an Atrix so bad when I saw it announced. Alas, I was a broke college student
- crooked-v 2y agoThis 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.
- Zambyte 2y 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.
- arghwhat 2y agohttps://nexdock.com/compatible-smartphones/ 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.
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- jauntywundrkind 2y agoI 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).
- Zambyte 2y agoI'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 2y agoHadn’t thought of the steam deck as an option, how do you find it?
- Bluestein 2y ago> use my NexDock with either my phone or my Steam Deck. Indeed. What a combo ...
- Zambyte 2y agoI 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.
- capitainenemo 2y agoI'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.
- Zambyte 2y agoCan you elaborate on your /usr overlay? I haven't gone very far with modifying my software setup on the Steam Deck, but I have been considering it for a while.
- segasaturn 2y agoI'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 https://youtu.be/bk9-v8Sl4yU
- Bluestein 2y 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 ...
- Narhem 2y agoSuper 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.
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- vsuperpower2021 2y agoThis 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 2y agoI 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 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerBook_Duo#Docking_stations
- ClassyJacket 2y agoI 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 2y agoI'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 :)
- Bluestein 2y ago(Somebody upthread - aptly - mentioned non-US keyboard layouts were a problem for these sort of setups [so far] ...)
- 627467 2y agoshame that Samsung handicapped their flip product line by removing dex
- Bluestein 2y agoReally a missed opportunity there ...
- 879uymghtf 2y ago[flagged]
- a-dub 2y agowill be interesting to see if google ships a decent desktop mode for the pixel line in the next revision.
- da768 2y agoLooks 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 2y agoI 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 https://www.khadas.com/mind The pricing is all off, but the model has potential.
- rcarmo 2y agoYou 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 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 2y agoI came across this which fits an Intel N100 in your pocket: https://store.minisforum.com/products/minisforum-s100 https://store.minisforum.com/products/minisforum-s100
- solardev 2y agoDoes anyone know if the Pixel phones will ever support this?
- da768 2y agoPixel 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.
- solardev 2y agoGood to know, thanks!
- ianburrell 2y agoGoogle 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.
- solardev 2y agoDarn, thanks. I only have a 7, will have to see if that ever happens.
- forgotacc240419 2y agoBought 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 2y agoWild 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.
- wenc 2y agoI'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/ 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 2y agoI have the same setup but for large screen I have the xreal glasses. Still travel very light but big screen when I need one.
- tambourine_man 2y agoThis 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 2y agoFor 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 2y agoI 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?
- tambourine_man 2y ago> Are past peak PC? Very much so. For a number of years already.
- Bluestein 2y 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 ...
- zer0zzz 2y agoI’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 2y agoI 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.
- localfirst 2y agoLooks like they pissed off a lot of ppl when they couldnt deliver on 120hz
- donatj 2y agoI 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.
- skeledrew 2y agoReminds 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/ https://www.cnet.com/reviews/neptune-duo-preview/ [1] https://m.gsmarena.com/asus_padfone-3965.php https://m.gsmarena.com/asus_padfone-3965.php [2] https://m.gsmarena.com/asus_transformer_tf101-3936.php https://m.gsmarena.com/asus_transformer_tf101-3936.php
- egypturnash 2y agoHuh. 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 2y 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.
- DaoVeles 2y agoI'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.
- adamomada 2y agohttps://github.com/apage43/cloud-to-clown https://github.com/apage43/cloud-to-clown
- arcanemachiner 2y agoThis is like the nerd version of rule 34.
- egypturnash 2y agoDeliberate. 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.
- Bluestein 2y agoDo post links, previews, etc. :)
- marcogarces 2y agoI'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 2y agoThat would be amazing, but history suggests Apple would never do this.
- Bluestein 2y 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 2y agoI 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.
- praveen9920 2y agoIsn’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 2y agoReminds me of Razer project Linda (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gKu-T13vXs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gKu-T13vXs )
- laweijfmvo 2y agoIs 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…
- userbinator 2y agoMore 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-h 2y agoThat's not universal; mine runs termux or a chroot in a pinch.
- neals 2y agoMust be annoying in Google maps
- yjftsjthsd-h 2y agoWhat? Termux sits next to the normal Android system, it's completely orthogonal to using Google apps.
- theshrike79 2y agoIf 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 https://vscode.dev
- userbinator 2y agoBut if using a Web-IDE via a browser ...and be constantly tied to the clown? No thank you.
- LinuxBender 2y agoExactly this. I want an x86_64 phone with a completely open motherboard and modem that permits any version of Linux. The modem must be accessed by a kernel module that is reviewed and approved by Linus without triggering a harsh email. No telemetry, back doors, lawful intercept, talking to the cloud without my explicit request to do so. SELinux policies and a policy generator and sandbox that profiles applications on the fly and gives me exactly what the app is asking to do in detail, not what the developer says it does or needs. If the app changes behavior, the profile generator and sandbox alert me to the change and will not permit the change until I review and approve it.
- srinathkrishna 2y agoFor 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.
- Jach 2y agoI 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 2y agoIt'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 2y agoPeople 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.
- j45 2y agoI’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 2y agoI 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.
- RainaRelanah 2y agoI'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 2y agoPeople 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.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- nullify88 2y agoI still wish Samsung hadn't killed Linux on Dex.
- BLKNSLVR 2y agoTangential: I followed the rabbit hole to Bliss OS, which I now want to try installing on one of my old laptops. https://blissos.org/ https://blissos.org/
- figmert 2y agoI'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.
- Bluestein 2y agoYou need an external non-US keyboard for your dock :)
- LoganDark 2y agoI 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 2y agoXL 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.
- Bluestein 2y 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.).-
- Bluestein 2y agoPS. 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 2y agoA 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.
- RainaRelanah 2y agoThese 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 2y agoOh 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?
- RainaRelanah 2y agoThe 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.
- naikrovek 2y agoThis 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.
- antifa 2y agoIME 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.