The days of clumsily removing your headset to check Twitter are coming to an end.
Announced during last years 2018 Consumer Electronics Expo, Dell Mobile Connect returns once again to the Las Vegas, this time bringing with it a slew of exciting new features designed to simplify your ecosystem of Dell products.
The application has been receiving regular updates throughout the year, shaping it into what is now a solid application for Dell owners looking to access their phones directly from their Dell PC’s. So far over 30 million phone calls and text messages have been carried out through the application; not a number considering it’s been less than a year since its launch.
Image Credit: Dell
Dell expects that number to rise in 2019 with the companies announcement of VR functionality that will allow users to access not only text messages and phone calls while wearing a headset, but the entirety of their smartphones user interface.
Once users are connected to the system, they can access an interactive 3D model of their smartphone directly inside whatever VR experience their currently engaged in. Using motion controllers, they are then free to swipe through menus, open applications, send and receive phone call and texts; basically everything you can do on your smartphone normally.
While the HTC Vive already provides its own solution for accessing your smartphone while in VR, the notification system is fairly simple, only allowing users to view missed calls or texts, call back contacts, view upcoming calendar events, and reply to text messages (so long as you’re using an Android phone). The functionality is even more limited on the iPhone.
Image Credit: Dell
With Dell Mobile Connect, VR users can access their music, reference online guides, check their Twitter, order food, call an Uber, even open the camera app and view the real world; all without removing their headset or even exiting an experience. According to a hands-on report by Windows Central, however, it does have one major fault: any audio played through the app is emitted through the phone rather than the headset; a small, but noticeable setback when listening to Spotify or watching Netflix.
No word yet on when you can expect to see these features integrated into the existing Dell Mobile Connect app.
