TL;DR
- A new dongle dubbed Auto Pro X allows Galaxy device owners to use Dex mode on their car screens.
- This allows you to use apps that aren’t supported via Android Auto, or to use your car screen as a PC of sorts.
- The new gadget has already been fully funded on Kickstarter to the tune of $64,000, far surpassing its modest $5,000 goal.
One of the selling points of Samsung phones is the Dex mode, offering a PC-like interface when you connect your phone to an external display. Now, a new gadget promises to bring this experience to your car’s display.
Auto Pro X is a $199 dongle that allows owners of Galaxy devices to wirelessly use Dex mode on their car screens (h/t: Auto Evolution). That means you can get a laptop-like experience on your car’s display. Getting started seems easy, as you plug the dongle into your vehicle’s USB port, tap the “Dex” option in your Galaxy device’s quick settings menu, and that’s it.
Auto Pro X manufacturer Mayton explains that the main advantage of this approach over Android Auto is that far more apps can be used on your car display. So unsupported streaming apps and games should work here (along with wireless gamepads). However, the PC-like UI means you’ve got much smaller icons here. So this might not be the ideal solution when you’re actually driving and need to use the screen.
The company also points to the productivity advantages of this approach, as you could use your automotive screen as a laptop when paired with a keyboard and mouse. I’m not sure this is going to be anyone’s first choice for getting work done on the go, but it could be a decent backup option if you’re on the road a lot.
The good news is that Auto Pro X has already been fully funded on Kickstarter, blowing past its $5,000 goal and currently sitting on over $64,000. The device has a regular price of $199 and an early bird price of $140, with deliveries taking place from June. This isn’t the company’s first automotive dongle, either, as the original Auto Pro offered wireless Android Auto support and apparently sold over 200,000 units. So this doesn’t seem to be a fly-by-night company.
