Galaxy Note 10 DeX Now Works In Window On Your Laptop, But Why?

Today Samsung got serious about their desktop software DeX with confirmation that they would, indeed, be delivering compatibility software for Windows and Mac computers. If you've got an Apple computer like a MacBook or an iMac, or basically any Windows 10 (or thereabouts) PC, you'll be good to go. The DeX software will load inside a window in your laptop, via USB... but why?

Samsung suggested today that users might use DeX to "make presentations a breeze." They've suggested that you'll flip through slides using your phone as a controller, showing your stuff on a big monitor in your office's meeting room. This system is compatible with Adobe Sketch – which, with DeX, can show the BIG version of your drawing while you zoom in on a tiny part to draw details on the phone.

This same interface – connected with USB-to-HDMI – can mirror a video call using a big giant TV screen – that's less about Mac/PC and more about using the video capabilities of USB-C. DeX seems to be about bringing a desktop interface to whatever screen you've got available to connect with using USB-C. ...Yet most of the use-case scenarios presented by Samsung seem to do mostly with sending content to a second display like its an extension of the phone's mobile capabilities.

Above you'll find a demonstration of the abilities of the Note 10 and DeX per Samsung's preview of the phone at launch time. This is part of our hands-on with the device – also release on launch day. Stay tuned for our full review – coming soon.

It's tough to wrap one's head around how this is different from Samsung's previous efforts in this space with Flow. That's explored a bit more in a recent column from my colleague JC called Samsung DeX missed its chance to make a big splash, which I recommend you peruse after you're done here.

UPDATE: While the app for Mac and PC seemed to be available for a short while earlier today, it is not currently listed by Samsung as downloadable. We'll let you know when this changes!

We're back to the Ian Malcolm complex, here, from Jurassic Park, where he says, "Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." It's not the same situation there as here, as the film dealt with deadly animals being brought back from extinction and we're talking about ways to use a smartphone, but, I still question the end product. Is this more necessary than fun, or more fun than necessary?