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Accessories use a phone or tablet like it's a computer

hohum

hohum

Lurker
I have a Pixel 2 XL (cause I'm phat). It sounds pretty powerful. I've had many computers with way less less grunt. So can I start to think about ditching my laptop day-to-day? Is there a docking station like a laptop that I can plug my phone into that will give me HDMI, ethernet, audio, usb (of course connecting keyboard & mouse lol), sd card reader slots et al? With ssh & RDP apps, I can just connect into my grunty desktop anyway for anything real I need to do?

I would imagine that I want to stop charging at 50% to save the battery, but that's a secondary thing.

I found articles about OTP, and USB 3.1, but nothing that jumps out & says "make your phone your laptop" & that's what I'm looking for.

Anyone have a clue? If so, links please :)
 
All I can think of is using a multiport adapter. Not sure if any works or will work flawlessly on the Pixel 2 since I never done that to my phones before. My tablet though have a super rare mini hdmi port so I just plug it in one of my extra monitor and just use a bluetooth keyboard and a wired mouse via usb-otg adapter... and the experience is clunky at best. Android is just not fully designed for a mouse and keyboard.
 
Well, I'm not sure about the pixel. But if you own like a galaxy s8 then you could buy the desktop extension (DeX). Even then, not all apps work on it. ASUS had a similar system, where you could connect your phone to a special dock for that phone.

Here's what I think can be done on the pixel:
- Use the wireless display feature to get the big screen (Wi-Fi)
- Use either a keyboard or mouse or both (Bluetooth / USB)
 
I've been thinking the same way. Why can't I use my phone as a mobile device outside and inside as a desktop computer. I own a LG V30 and it's much more powerful than mine PC. I was thinking about dumping my old PC and into its place buying a USB 3.1 Hub (like the ones for Macs). It has a HDMI output and 3 USB inputs for keyboard, mouse and external HDD. Does anyone knows anything about this setup?
 
A smartphone will never replace your laptop computer.

A F1 car has a more powerful engine than your pickup truck, but it can't replace your pickup truck.
 
You must have a really ancient PC if your V30 is more powerful than it.

The obvious problem with your plan is that you need an external HDD that has its own power source: your phone will not deliver enough power from its USB port to power a HDD. And of course I have to ask what you plan to use the HDD for? You could use it as a media store, no problem, but I'm not quite sure what else.

Once you have got your HDD powered the rest ought to work. Of course it's still a phone, so will still only have access to the same apps it already has. If that covers everything you use your PC for them sure, it ought to work. Samsung have been offering dedicated accessories for doing this (Dex station), but I can't see why a USB-C hub wouldn't work.
 
lvt said:
A smartphone will never replace your laptop computer.

A F1 car has a more powerful engine than your pickup truck, but it can't replace your pickup truck.
Click to expand...

That all comes down to how you use your smartphone and what you have it connected to. Me personally I can do wonders with my smartphone because I have a lot of wireless devices that runs off my mobile hotspot that my laptop doesn't have.
 
KBU2 said:
That all comes down to how you use your smartphone and what you have it connected to. Me personally I can do wonders with my smartphone because I have a lot of wireless devices that runs off my mobile hotspot that my laptop doesn't have.
Click to expand...

It should be able to, not unless your laptop doesn't have WiFi in it?

Windows and MacOS both have Internet Connection Sharing(ICS), so they can share mobile or ethernet to other devices via WiFi, i.e. a hotspot feature
 
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