Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. Mobile
  4. News

NexDock laptop shell for smartphones raises $300K

Add as a preferred source on Google

The NexDock, a device that aims to turn your smartphone into a fully fledged laptop, has successfully met its crowdfunding goal on IndieGogo. The campaign, which launched back in February, has managed the $300,000 stipulated to make the project a reality from some 2,000 backers.

Described as “revolutionary” by its creators, the NexDock is designed to make your smartphone a little bit more functional while you’re on the move. iPhones and Android devices can connect via its mini HDMI port or wireless adapter to allow users to take advantage of a 14-inch screen and a physical keyboard.

Recommended Videos

However, it’s phones running Windows 10 that can make the most of the NexDock’s capabilities. Taking full advantage of the Continuum functionality introduced by Microsoft last year, the accessory makes it easy to switch from using your device as a typical smartphone to implementing it as a convenient replacement for your laptop.

With nine days left to go before the crowdfunding campaign ends, it seems that a late influx of backers helped save the project from missing its target. Just a week ago, the NexDock was more than $50,000 short of its goal, according to a report from SuperSite for Windows.

Given the ubiquity of smartphones, it’s of little surprise that a device that seems to provide a simple and cost-effective method of turning your smartphone into something capable of typical computing tasks would prove popular. However, it remains to be seen whether the finished product can deliver the desired user experience.

If you’re interested in ordering a NexDock of your own, there’s still time to get in on the crowdfunding campaign. The device is currently available for $130 — which is set to rise to $150 for the product’s retail release — and is expected to ship in June 2016.

Brad Jones
Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…
DuckDuckGo’s browser now blocks the YouTube ads everyone hates
DuckDuckGo adds a Brave-like YouTube ad blocking feature
Text, Aircraft, Airplane

DuckDuckGo has spent the past few months gaining fresh attention as more users look for alternatives to Google’s increasingly AI-heavy Search experience. Now, the privacy-focused company is adding a feature that could make its browser even more tempting for everyday use. DuckDuckGo says its browser can now block most video ads, including those on YouTube, when a video is playing inside the browser.

What’s happening?

Read more
ChatGPT Live could make talking to AI feel straight out of the movies
We might finally get the AI sidekick sci-fi movies promised
Elderly women using ChatGPT live on a smartphone

AI voice assistants have been chasing the sci-fi dream for years, but they still have a hard time holding a conversation with humans. Most voice systems still need clear turns, clean pauses, and a few seconds before they respond. OpenAI is now rolling out GPT-Live, a new voice model for ChatGPT Voice that is designed to make those exchanges feel faster and less scripted.

The main upgrade is what OpenAI calls a full-duplex architecture. In simpler terms, GPT-Live can listen and speak at the same time. It continuously processes what the user is saying while also generating its own response, allowing it to decide when to talk, when to pause, when to keep listening, and when to use a tool.

Read more
A broken Galaxy Fold 5 just became the Pixel desktop future I want Google to steal
A broken Galaxy Fold 5 became a tiny PC because Samsung already built the desktop mode Google keeps treating like a side quest.
Desktop mode within Android 16.

A broken Galaxy Fold 5 should be a sad little monument to modern gadget math. One busted outer display, one repair bill nobody wants to inspect too closely, and suddenly a powerful foldable starts heading toward a drawer. Instead, a Redditor turned one into a glowing acrylic DeX box with spare parts, fans, a USB hub, and the kind of LED lighting that makes every homebrew computer look mildly illegal.

https://www.reddit.com/r/SamsungDex/comments/1upica7/fold_5_dexbox/

Read more