Some people ask me what the advantage is to using a Librem 5 + laptop dock instead of just carrying a laptop around. After all, the dock is a similar same size and weight to a laptop. I discussed some advantages in my recent article, but here are a few others:
1. Having not just all your data with you on a single device, but having *running apps* using that data that can migrate to and from larger screens. Often I dock so I can expand an app I'm already using right then to the larger screen. Handy for multi-tab web research and email.
2. Keeping a laptop w/ you at all times when traveling is a pain. It's easy to keep a phone w/ you. When I travel again, I can safely leave my laptop dock behind in a hotel room. If someone steals it while it's unattended I'm also out much less money than with a laptop.
@kyle this last one is exactly what I was thinking. Docks are cheap. Work already provides USB-C docks. I could easily stash docks at any location I frequent, and have no need of bringing my Linux laptop everywhere I go if I already have a Linux computer in my pocket. I’ve also got reliable and secure network access to my most powerful resources at home no matter where I am, so even if the Librem 5 lacks the power I can have it trigger actions on stronger hardware.
@kyle Yup, that's what I have in mind too - and I've got a small bag to hold an itty bitty bluetooth mouse, keyboard, and phone stand for the times when I do need to work on something without a dock.
Unfortunately I'm also sometimes on-call and can't use an L5 for work, so... only works sometimes :P
@kyle Yeah but now you have all your data on you all the time as you are out and about. I can see several instances where that would be a bad thing. Just saying but I'm totally down with the convergence front.
3. I work from home, but if I commuted (and the Librem 5 could replace my work laptop) I wouldn't need to commute w/ a laptop *or* a dock. Hubs and laptop docks are cheap enough I could leave one at home and one at work. Any work in transit I could handle directly from the phone.