NexDock turns your smartphone into a laptop

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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…

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.

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).

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.

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/

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

shame that Samsung handicapped their flip product line by removing dex

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

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.

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

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 :)

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.