[Toybox] Phone docking stations for general purpose computing.

[David Seikel]

On 2020-05-18 23:49:49, Rob Landley wrote:
> On 5/18/20 4:47 PM, scsijon wrote:
> > Have a look for this, it may do for you.
> > 
> > Hyper HyperDrive SOLO 7-in-1 - Silver
> 
> https://www.hypershop.com/products/hyperdrive-solo-hub-for-usb-c-macbook-pc-devices
> 
> > Turns a single USB-C port into 7 ports (4K/30Hz HDMI, USB-C Power Delivery,
> > 2 x USB-A, Micro SD, SD, 3.5mm Audio Jack), works for MacBook, PC, Chromebook,> Android laptop and phones.
> 
> Also seems unlikely to be widely available thirdhand in the places the planet's
> 3 billion least privileged inhabitants live. They've got phones _now_. More
> people around the world have had phones that toilets since before my 2013 talk:
> 
> https://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/03/23/more-people-have-mobile-phones-than-toilets/
> 
> I've personally helped multiple homeless people buy android phones, Even in the
> $USA "straight talk" phones are $40 at walmart and the prepaid data plan's
> $15/month. (Yeah it's an adware phone, but it still lets them download video at
> starbucks while they're catching up on twitter and charging at an open outlet,
> then watch it that night on battery.)
> 
> > About $A99 at full price, should be able to get cheaper elsewhere.
> 
> It's a good start and it's nice to see it, but this looks like a modern version
> of the samsung "usb docking station" I mentioned ten years ago:
> 
>   https://landley.net/notes-2010.html#09-10-2010
> 
> Meanwhile, food insecurity remains a thing.
> 
>   http://www.fao.org/state-of-food-security-nutrition
> 
> I'm trying to figure out how include those multiple billions of people WITHOUT
> having to solve world hunger first. And "keeping old devices out of landfills by
> still being useful" seems a good start.
> 
> But sure, in a "prototype now" sense, I'm all for it. Might order one. :)
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Rob
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I spent most of yesterday looking at these sorts of devices on Newegg. 

There are plenty of USB-C docking stations, that feed power into the
USB-C host device (if the host device supports USB PD "Power Delivery"
charging), and a variety of video outputs (if the host device supports DP
Alt Mode “Display Port Alternate Mode” and / or Thurderbolt 3) like HDMI,
VGA, and Display Port.  Usually including Ethernet ("for more stable
connection"), card readers, some USB power / data, and maybe audio.  Some
of them just pass through audio from your MacBook.

The great majority of them are for MacBook Pro.  Very few of them mention
using a phone as the host, but lots of them mention plugging in a phone
to charge it.  Slowly.  For some odd reason, phones with PD charging can
only accept 1.5 A through PD charging, but your laptop can accept much
higher.  At least according to those Newegg device descriptions that
bother to mention that detail.

Of those with a list of supported devices, typically they are MacBooks,
Dell laptops, Chromebook Pixels, Samsung Galaxy from about 8 up, and
several other recentish high end phones.  Alas none mention my Motorola
Z, nor Google Pixels.

Priced anywhere between AU$70 and AU$300, though most seem to be Chinese
clones.  Possibly just rebadged from a single Chinese manufacturer.

Since I already had USB-C dongles for audio and display (of the $5
variety), I also went looking for USB-C hubs, but all I could find was
USB-C to multiple USB-A hubs, but at least some of them provided for
getting power into your phone, though most had a OTG / power switch.  So
you could power your phone, or use your keyboard and mouse, but not both
at the same time.

Sadly it looks like there's no "one small device" solution for me, just
"carry around a bunch of adaptors AND the bulky Moto Mod developer box,
plus a wallwart".  At least the Moto Mod dev kit leaves me with four
usable USB ports, KVM and one of audio / Ethernet / power.  Or add one of
those USB-C to USB-A hubs.

So yep, we can prototype the idea now, but I have my doubts that the
world is ready for it yet.  After all, why sell a cheap phone with a
single USB-C port that can do everything via a cheap docking station that
can be bought at your local supermarket next to their cheap USB
keyboards, when you can make more money selling more expensive phones
and lots of adaptors?

Long ago as a teenager I used to enjoy reading hard science fiction where
the protagonists could do wonders with modular technology that you could
just plug it all into each other, and it would just work.  I dreamed of
growing up into that world.  This isn't that world.  This is Profit, Plug
& Pray, toss it all into landfil, PROFIT! world.

-- 
A big old stinking pile of genius that no one wants
coz there are too many silver coated monkeys in the world.