Bixby users. Yes, both of you! Samsung's unloved voice assistant now works with its unloved DeX desktop mode Samsung hasn't given up on Bixby. No, the South Korean electronics giant has confirmed a major update to its voice assistant platform, introducing support for the DeX desktop computing mode while taking design cues from Apple's latest Siri refresh. What has changed? Samsung didn't spare any spit and polish, with the also-ran …
Apparently a police force in a US city was trialling the use of DeX in patrol cars... It seems a reasonable use case: officers leave car, take photos photos and voice notes etc, return to car that has monitor and keyboard to type up report attaching files.
For the rest of us, the question remains: In what situation can I be guaranteed to have a keyboard and monitor and yet not have a normal computer?
Possibly in one's garden shed.
Nope, I've got a desktop in the shed, too. I recently inherited my spouse's Note 9 and I'm really annoyed you can't turn off the Bixby button or reassign it to another function. Useless thing pops up when the button is accidentally pressed. I'm thinking a little epoxy could solve this problem -- too small for duct tape!
You might be able to prise out the Bixby button without damaging it, and snap it back into place in future should you wish. Don't hold me responsible though, I can't remember which phone I did this to.
However, look into BX Actions for a software solution, works flawlessly on my S8 after I paid two quid for the full version and followed the extra steps (turn on USB Debugging, connect to PC, navigate to BXActions app folder, run the executable you find there... for some reason this lets BxActions capture the button input more directly)
Using an Honor View 10, wireless mirroring of the desktop mode to a TV works quite well and has been great for zoom / skype / what have you family calls.
I wouldn't want to use it as a productivity tool unless there was an emergency, but as a quick way of turning the TV into a computer screen, it's surprisingly competent.
Has anyone ever purposefully pressed the "Bixby" button on their Samsung phone?
I know I haven't - I've even deliberately never agreed to the SLA which pops up when you accidentally press the button, so I won't get Bixby springing into life when my phone's sat in my pocket or somesuch...
Originally, I took a scalpel to my aftermarket phone case and shaved away the case's Bixby button to make it harder to press by accident - it was infuriating.
Now though, I use the BxActions app. Free version let's you disable the Bixby button and partially remap it. A couple of quid for the paid version is money well spent and gives lots if options (single and double presses, long press etc). I have it set to 'double tap on lockscreen activates flashlight' and it's very useful convenient - so useful that I'm not sure I want a phone that doesn't have a spare hardware key for me to assign.
> Does BxActions work if you've avoided agreeing to the Samsung agreement which pops up whenever you press it?
I honestly can't remember. I seem to recall something about having to agree to the Bixby stuff just to disable the button natively (before I found BxActions), but it was a couple of years back that I encountered it.
I suspect more people like these "digital assistants" than we imagine. Personally, I don't and get annoyed every time I hit the key by accident when I'm trying to adjust the volume. It should be optional and the button could be better positioned but, in a sense, the more different providers there are, the better.
I just spent ten minutes trying to work out whether my S8 (Exynos) will activate DeX with a generic USB HDMI powered hub... only to find that 'it depends' on which Chinese hub one uses.
Samsung's Official DeX docks are over priced, but if a generic hub only cost £20 works I might give it a go. My aging laptop is still fit for purpose on the productivity apps I use, but it's noisy. If beer money buys me the option of a silent desktop experience for browsing and Google Docs, I'm tempted.
I used to hook my S8 up to TVs and monitors when I was away before I changed job as work would never provide a laptop (!) and I found the tablet and keyboard not to my taste (each to their own).
I bought a cheap hub from a large online retailer for £21 back in 2018 and it works just fine. If you want to use DeX mode you need to use a phone charger to power it but you can add a full-size keyboard if you really want! Haven't tried it with my Note20 but I'm sure it will work.
The brand was called "Goodex" and looked a bit cheap and tacky, but spend more time looking at the screen and not at the hub, so that doesn't matter.
I like DeX (not sure who the other person is though) but also hate Bixby.
I use the Levin 7-in-one USB hub (from a certain on-line retailer beginning with A) with a newer Sammy Note. Was £20, but it's actually a nicely made bit of kit. Works really well, but as noted does need the phone power supply to be connected to it for DeX mode (not mirroring curiously).
Extra annoying... One clumsy fingers when readjusting your grip and you're rudely whipped out of whatever app you were in the middle of using.
It's the phone equivalent of accidently hitting Channel Up instead of Volume Up in a TV remote, and being rewarded with loud audiovisual static as the TV switches from HDMI input to a non existent RF input.
Hmm, I might get the epoxy and disable the Channel buttons on my TV remote.
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I remember when docks and desktop modes were being touted as the way to use phones productively. I still think it's true but for very specific use cases. I recently upgraded to a note 8 plus dock and some other bits and bobs from CEX. £20 for the dock in box including power plug with the protective plastic still attached. Its great for watching disney plus on the big tv or typing long notes into the register. Apart from that to make good use i really need another dock as it is getting a bit annoying to carry the dock around.
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