Motorola have been doing desktop modes since the Atrix 4g. Samsung have had it for a long time as well (s8 or s9?). Its kinda crazy how slow google is at getting this out for stock android.
Comment on First Look at Google’s Unfinished DeX-Like Desktop Mode for Android
peterg75@discuss.online 1 month ago
My Motorola Edge+ 2023 has desktop mode when connected to an external display.
CameronDev@programming.dev 1 month ago
Ulrich@feddit.org 1 month ago
I still have one. The problem was 1. It was not powerful enough and 2. It required dedicated hardware.
With new phones coning with the option of 16GB ran and up, and being able to connect to any monitor over display port alt mode, the time is ripe.
peterg75@discuss.online 1 month ago
It all depends on what you are trying to accomplish with this mode. If your goal is to do basic documents, web browsing, media consumption, or email/chat/etc, then the Motorola latest phones are more than capable. I’m pairing my phone with a portable display and a foldable keyboard/track pad combo (Bluetooth). It is perfectly capable of day to day light computing. I’ve even done some very light python programming using PyDroid.
Ulrich@feddit.org 1 month ago
Yeah I figured as much. If this ever happens I’ll have to finally upgrade from my Pixel 7.
CameronDev@programming.dev 1 month ago
Having used dex on a Samsung s10, I think 1 still applies to some extent. But maybe new phones are better?
Single universal cable is pretty good though, definitely required.
Ulrich@feddit.org 1 month ago
Believe it or not, phones have gotten a lot more powerful over the last 6 years.
Cort@lemmy.world 1 month ago
I really wish their whole lap-dock concept had succeeded. Or at least ran a few more generations, so I could get an upgraded model with USBc
JollyGreen_sasquatch@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
There are modern labdocks with usbc
Cort@lemmy.world 1 month ago
Wow, there actually are! Thanks. I hadn’t looked In a long time
CameronDev@programming.dev 1 month ago
Dont take this as an endorsement, I have 2 semi broken ones, but nexdock/uperfect make lapdocks. The touchpads are pretty awful though.
Suburbanl3g3nd@lemmings.world 1 month ago
Windows Phones had this even earlier
CoriolisSTORM88@lemmy.world 1 month ago
Continuum was ok, but Motorola’s Atrix 4G had a lap dock even earlier. It was an outdated version of Ubuntu, if I remember, but it worked. I still miss WP though.
P1nkman@lemmy.world 1 month ago
My Huawei P10 Pro that i got in 2017 had a desktop mode. That was 8 years ago!
can@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
And my Samsung has had it for longer than that. But this one is made by Google.
Kusimulkku@lemm.ee 1 month ago
So it’s gonna be feature starved and then gets abandoned and killed
can@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
That’s implied
joshchandra@midwest.social 1 month ago
Can DeX be used with just an external monitor without a PC?
captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
Yes; using a USB dock with HDMI out you can use a Samsung phone as basically a desktop PC. For some reason. Having tried it, the experience isn’t great, none of the apps are really designed for it so I guess if you want to type an email on your phone, knock yoruself out.
BastingChemina@slrpnk.net 1 month ago
I used it a few times for work even. At the time I had a usb-c hub connected with a screen, Ethernet, 65w charger, a keyboard and mouse and I had my laptop that I was carrying with me.
Once or twice I arrived at work and realized I forgot my computer at home … And I have a 2hour drive … So I connected my phone to the hub and work on it. It worked well to send email, use an internet browser, a bit of document editing and mostly connecting to remote desktops.
joshchandra@midwest.social 1 month ago
Darn! Well, at least the option is available for computer-less smartphone owners, I guess.
NotKyloRen@lemmy.zip 1 month ago
Yeah, that’s the entire point. There’s a DeX program on PC that just lets you use DeX on your computer (using your phone). The latter is a much more niche use case.