Since your compact smartphone is a miniature computerwhy not turn it into an almost real one so that it can be used with a monitor and keyboard? Said and done: there are several ways to bridge the gap between mobile phone and PC. And you don’t need any complex accessories.
Do you have an Android phone forgotten in a drawer and would like to give it a second life? You can turn it into a Chromecast, transform this old phone into a smart speaker, a security camera or, as we propose in this article, transform this unused Android It almost acts as a computer. Always saving distances and without complicating the process too much.
With a mouse and keyboard, your Android is almost a computer
The key to using a device as a computer is that the device provide an experience close to that obtained with a PC, macOS or Linuxthe three common desktop systems. And the truth is that Google already includes this use in Android: just connect a keyboard and mouse to your mobile; either wired or via Bluetooth.
Your old Android phone has an on-screen cursor that can be controlled with any computer mouse. On the other hand, if you connect a keyboard to it, you will no longer need the virtual on-screen equivalent: Every time you write on the phone, you can do it key by key
Therefore, to make your mobile phone a basic computer, you need to follow these steps:
- Connect a mouse to your phone. Ideally, it should be Bluetooth, that way you avoid having a cable in the middle (and keep the USB port free to charge your phone). Any Bluetooth mouse works for Android, even Apple’s Magic Mouse (we can attest to that).
- Connect a physical keyboard. Just like the mouse, any Bluetooth keyboard pairs with Android to allow for touch-by-touch typing on the screen. Ultimately, you can use the phone port for the keyboard’s USB.
With both devices connected to your old Android you can control its interface as if you were using a computer. Of course, this interface is still mobile and not desktop. And you would see it small, the best is to project it on TV.
With the mobile screen projected onto the TV, and a keyboard and mouse connected to your old Android, you already have the basic computer kit. What more could you want in a purely office interface to complete the experience? There are ways.
Computer Launcher
Computer Launcher on a Google Pixel 6
Android allows you to completely change its interface to turn a mobile phone into almost any device. What do you want to simulate an iPhone? Why not, there are ways. The same thing happens with the appearance of the computer, there is a launcher that It claims to be Windows almost down to the last detail.
Computer Launcher
Once the application is installed on your old Android, and after having correctly configured the phone’s mouse and keyboard, You will see that the experience is very close to that offered by a PC. And if you project the smartphone screen onto the TV, this experience improves greatly.
With a keyboard and mouse connected to the mobile phone and the mobile phone itself connected to the TV, you will feel like you are using a computer.
It’s not that the launcher completely replaces a computer, but it comes very close. What don’t you like about it? Some brands already include a desktop mode among their cores. Samsung, Motorola or Huawei are three of these brands.
Samsung DeX
Samsung DeX on the Samsung Galaxy Note 10
Samsung’s high-end mobile phones feature Samsung DeX desktop mode, a system that not only mimics the computing experience, but also allows you to take your computer anywhere. DeX is present from the Samsung Galaxy S8 onwards: all Galaxy S, Note 8 and foldables include it. If your old mobile phone is one of these models, you can take advantage of it.
To use Samsung DeX, simply connect your mobile phone to the TV or an external monitor via the phone’s USB C (For older Samsung Galaxy, you will need the Samsung DeX accessory). Change the TV channel to the appropriate video input and you will see how your mobile magically turns into a computer. It is definitely worth using if you have Samsung DeX.
Motorola ready for
Like Samsung, Motorola also includes a desktop mode on its high-end Android smartphones (the latest Motorola Edge family or the Motorola ThinkPhone, for example). When connecting the phone to an external display, be it a TV or a monitor, the Moto mobile projects its panel adapt the smartphone interface to that of a desktop computer. With a keyboard and mouse, the experience is similar to what you get on a computer.
Huawei Office Mode
Another brand that has promoted the pure and simple computing experience from the smartphone is Huawei. With its desktop mode, accessible after projecting the screen on the TV (wired or wireless), the panel adapts the interface to the appearance of a PC for allow easy use with keyboard and mouse. Or simply with the mobile phone, where the screen becomes a touchpad (like Samsung DeX and Ready For).
As usual, this desktop mode is only found in the most expensive Huaweis, the P and Mate of each year (also in foldables). If your old Android belongs to Huawei, try to enable it.
Cover image | Ivan Linares
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