I bought a Dex. How many of y'all have one?

boltsbearsjosh

Well-known member
Sep 4, 2016
522
0
0
Visit site
I had a Amazon gift card that I couldn't find something better to do with so I decided to get a Dex. Just got a S8 plus the other day. Anyone else have the Dex? How do you like it? Seems like a neat idea if enough people get behind it and Sammy ends up developing it further.
 

arunma

Well-known member
Dec 3, 2015
1,535
43
48
Visit site
I've seen the reviews and I do want one, but $150 is way too much for me. I wonder if they're being sold used on Amazon at this point...
 

tracypagedotnet

Well-known member
Apr 10, 2016
137
0
0
Visit site
I tried to replace my PC with the Dex, but it's just not there yet. One issue I have/had is it doesn't like playing YouTube vids in a browser, but the YouTube app works great. The problem is you cannot make any app full screen after that or the Youtube app will stop playing music. Another issue I had is my widgets either would not load after taking my phone out of the dex, or sometimes they would be so heavily distorted that I had to reboot phone. And of course, I miss being able to look up something on my phone (OK Google) while the PC is in use, since your phone is the computer.
Over all, I really do like the Dex and where that technology is headed, but it's just not ready to replace your home computer...and, unfortunately, now that my PC is hooked back up, I don't see myself using the dex much more in the future, if ever again.
 

natefish

Well-known member
Jun 6, 2012
73
0
0
Visit site
I kind of want one, but I was wondering about major advantages. I can mirror my phone to a Chromecast, put the phone on a wireless charger, and plug a wireless mouse/keyboard combo into the OTG adapter. I can even fire up the Sentio desktop app for a more PC-like UI.

So, I do sincerely want to know because I'd be interested in having this device: What can it do that my described experience cannot offer?
 

tracypagedotnet

Well-known member
Apr 10, 2016
137
0
0
Visit site
There probably isn't a significant advantage over your setup (at least that I'm aware of), but 35 for a Chromecast, 60 for a wireless charger and 25 or so for the wireless keyboard/mouse combo puts you at $120 bucks. For 30 more dollars you could have a Dex
That's really more of a personal preference thing....my Mom has had the same flip phone for about 10 years now and love it whereas I'm on the Verizon edge plan and get a new phone every 12-15 months. I like gadgets and thus I like the Dex, it's just not ready to replace the PC yet (IMO)
 

bthornton84

Active member
Jan 1, 2014
29
0
0
Visit site
I got one off Amazon on sale for around $90. I really wanted to like it, but I ended up returning it because:

1. The phone wouldn't physically seat/connect with my case on. I have one of the thinnest cases Spigen makes, so they obviously weren't considering cases when making this thing. That means I had to take my case off to use it, and that's a pain.
2. The Remote Desktop client for Android--which works great on the phone--would not go fullscreen in the Dex, rendering it useless on the desktop. That's unfortunate because, if I could remote into my Windows boxes, the phone doesn't have to be much more than a thin client + a browser/audio/video player (which, incidentally, I think it did a good enough job of).
3. Kind of a nitpick, but when you pull the thing out of the box and look at it, it's just begging to be a wireless charger--but it doesn't have wireless charging capabilities. For the price, this seems like a miss.

So I'm in the "has potential, but not quite there yet" camp.
 

boltsbearsjosh

Well-known member
Sep 4, 2016
522
0
0
Visit site
I got it today and tinkered around with it some. For what I am planning to use it for, it will work. I run an at home engraving business so I have my laser machine hooked up to one PC and then Iusually have another PC next to it that I read orders from PDF's off of. Thats what I will use the Dex for. And thats what its best used for, simple lightweight stuff. Its definitly not worth $150, not even close. But I only paid $50, so, its fair for me. I like the tech, we will have to see where it goes. It has a lot of potential...quite a few bugs they need to work out that I have noticed.
 

boltsbearsjosh

Well-known member
Sep 4, 2016
522
0
0
Visit site
One thing I don't like about it as well as the Gear VR (I'm such a huge fan of the VR overall though) is that you have to take your case off to use either one.
 

Doug Moffat

Well-known member
Aug 21, 2016
765
0
0
Visit site
Would love the Dex as a toy. But I opted for the Gallery Book 12 so I could pursue the Windows option w/flow and sidesync. Just a different path.
 

boltsbearsjosh

Well-known member
Sep 4, 2016
522
0
0
Visit site
The biggest problem with this thing is the price. The fact that they are charging $150 for, basically a dock and a fan is just kind of insane. Honestly, the Gear VR is overpriced as well. Neither of them have anything actually happening, its the phone that is doing all of the work. If you don't have an extra monitor, keyboard and mouse ready for it then its downright silly to buy this. There's really no need for them to upgrade this thing either, unless they want to release one with USB 3.0 or extra USB type C ports, as again, its the phone thats driving it.

With all that said, I DO like this. The fact that this even exists and that you can pop your phone on a dock and use it as a computer while still having all the functionality of a phone..I really like the idea here. It needs some work, for sure. But this definitley has potential. I like the idea of in the future just having 1 device that you use as a phone and a computer.
 

flyingkytez

Banned
Jan 28, 2011
3,368
0
0
Visit site
I had a Amazon gift card that I couldn't find something better to do with so I decided to get a Dex. Just got a S8 plus the other day. Anyone else have the Dex? How do you like it? Seems like a neat idea if enough people get behind it and Sammy ends up developing it further.

What's the point? My tiny little $30 Moto E 2nd Gen has screen cast. I can cast the screen to my TV with my $25 Chromecast. Attach a keyboard and boom, you have a computer (micro USB to USB converter, attach keyboard). This feature has been out for years (Samsung AllShare and screen mirroring, Samsung smart TV's has it built in).
 

boltsbearsjosh

Well-known member
Sep 4, 2016
522
0
0
Visit site
What's the point? My tiny little $30 Moto E 2nd Gen has screen cast. I can cast the screen to my TV with my $25 Chromecast. Attach a keyboard and boom, you have a computer (micro USB to USB converter, attach keyboard). This feature has been out for years (Samsung AllShare and screen mirroring, Samsung smart TV's has it built in).
What your talking about and what Dex is trying to do is two COMPLETELY different things. And also, the Dex can do what your Moto e can do too but that's not what it's purpose is.
 

flyingkytez

Banned
Jan 28, 2011
3,368
0
0
Visit site
What your talking about and what Dex is trying to do is two COMPLETELY different things. And also, the Dex can do what your Moto e can do too but that's not what it's purpose is.

Google Chromecast can cast your entire screen onto a TV or monitor. You can attach a keyboard and mouse, then use it like a computer.