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Comment by robsh | Hacker News Reader

When plugged in to a computer, it would be cool if it reverts to being a smart display with touch screen. It could still charge and transfer files too maybe? I don’t know enough about USB-C, but I really wish devices could do dual function like this.

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It's feasible: a couple of Lenovo Yoga Tabs do this* running Android 13+ until plugged in by an HDMI out (which I believe works with an adapter to USB-C). Ex: https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/p/tablets/android-tablets/lenov... *(Not touch-enabled in display mode, I believe.)

I have a Yoga Tab 13 (the more interesting sibling of the P-series) I regularly use as a standalone tablet and external laptop monitor - usually lives in the same bag. It's been perfectly seamless for me whether using a PC or a smartphone (surprisingly so). (I believe it shipped w Android 12.)

Of course, it's not epaper - but it is technically feasible.

Can you run Linux on this yoga tab?

When venturing into the file transfer territory, a lot of employers are going to veto the device over security concerns. Just like they wouldn’t want employees plugging in random USB drives found on the street.

Or USB drives period. My former employer didn't allow cell phones or really any device that could connect things from the outside. We had the Internet, but it all had to go through their own managed pipes.

Totally fine to bring in a monitor though. Not sure if that would still be true today, given the connectivity of things. I bet you could still bring in a monitor, but you'd risk needing to prove that there was no way it could do anything other than be a monitor.

I think there would be better luck with a dedicated monitor port (HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, VGA), rather than a USB-C monitor, depending on how hard things are locked down.

The Minisforum V3 is a tablet that can also be used as a monitor via USB-C, so definitely possible. I wish more tablets would work that way.

There's the spacedesk app that can do this with Android and Windows. Works fairly well.

USB-C iPads can act as monitors via HDMI adapter + various apps.

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