Google is building its own DeX: First look at Android's Desktop Mode

I’m against smartphones. Sure, they’re a technological marvel, but they’re also incredibly dumb in practice. They’re built mainly for consumption, not creation. They feel like walled gardens that limit freedom and stifle creativity. The hardware might be amazing, but the software is awful. In the end, they mostly just make our kids dumber.

What I’d really like is a personal computer I can plug into a screen to work, then carry with me when I’m done. That would be a real step forward in personal computing. It would make laptops unnecessary.

This would be close to it. Google added a Linux VM to Android 15 QPR2. You can already try it on Pixel devices by enabling it through the developer options:

https://www.androidpolice.com/android-15-linux-terminal-app/

As linked somewhere else in the thread, Google wants to extend it to run (non-Android) Linux desktop apps besides Android apps. So once this is refined, plugging in an Android phone will give you a general-purpose desktop.

Exciting times!

This is largely due to the popularity of full touchscreen smartphones compared to those in the past that had hardware keyboards (for example Blackberry and Palm Treo devices).

Devices with hardware keyboards were easier to use for creation (especially writing) and more of the software was focused on creation because of the more limited media processing capabilities of those devices (e.g. less processing power, less memory, more restricted media codecs at that time).

>They’re built mainly for consumption, not creation.

This is true for almost all computers. That doesn't mean you can't use a computer built for consumption for creation.

strong disagree, computers are built for creation and work, not mindless consumption.

What's a good form factor for that? A Mac mini is an overkill for most of my needs. I wish there was a smaller form factor!

Have you never heard of categories such as "gaming pcs" or "netbooks" whose name literally describes how people will consume using it. Laptops advertise how long you can consumes using it's battery life in terms of movies and music.

Look at the ultra-compact form factor minipcs from e.g. beelink and gmktec. It's pretty much what you describe, and is an actual computer that you can run real operating systems like Linux on. The form factor is roughly 4" x 4" x 1.5", so fits in a pocket. On the low end, you can get an N150 with 8GB DDR4 for ~$125 on Amazon, which is still monstrously powerful for productive desktop use.

Something like a Steam Deck or RoG Ally could also fit the bill. Gaming handhelds seem to be turning into "phones but if they didn't suck" (i.e. didn't run Android/iOS).

that's why i say a phone could be perfect for the job. it's just that current smartphones are stupid.