Motorola Edge Plus smartphone can now be connected to a monitor and used as a computer replacement
Motorola has expanded its flagship Edge Plus smartphone’s capabilities with a new desktop computer interface called Ready For. As with the Samsung DeX, it allows you to connect the device to a large screen (via a USB-C cable) to use the Edge Plus (and presumably future Motorola devices) as a sort of desktop alternative.
The company actually envisions four different Ready For use cases. At its most basic level, users can transform the Edge Plus into a mobile desktop, complete with a Bluetooth mouse or keyboard – similar to the Samsung DeX.
But Motorola also has more interesting ideas on how to use the Edge Plus. Another, for example, turns the Edge Plus into a video conferencing station, using the smartphone’s excellent cameras (either a 108MP main lens or a 16MP ultra wide-angle lens) as a webcam for video chat.
Also, there are entertainment options. Players can plug in a controller and use Edge Plus as an impromptu console for running mobile games like Fortnite or streaming services like Google Stadia or Microsoft xCloud.
Finally, users can also connect their phone as a mobile set-top box – Motorola expects to connect the Edge Plus to a hotel room TV, accessing all of its already registered streaming apps while traveling without worrying about setting up Wi-Fi or connecting their personalized in-room services.
Ready For is not the first attempt at turning a smartphone into a computer. The history of mobile phones is littered with past failures. You can recall both the Palm Foleo subnotebook’s ambitious folded project and Motorola’s own LapDock accessory. One way or another, the expansion of smartphones’ functionality is welcome, especially since, in this case, you only need a USB-C to HDMI adapter.
