I converted my Motorola Razr into a portable PC, and it was surprisingly capable

Sitting at a table working with a Razr Fold, keyboard, and portable monitor. Adam Doud/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Motorola's Smart Connect adds a desktop mode to the Razr Fold.

The phone becomes a trackpad for your keyboard and monitor. It works well with a portable monitor or smart glasses. Less than a week after I talked about devices I use (other than a laptop) as a mobile writer, a new contender has emerged. The new Razr Fold comes equipped with Motorola's Smart Connect software, which is similar to Samsung's Dex Mode in giving you a desktop interface. One way I've talked about working on the go is with Xreal 1S Glasses and Samsung Galaxy's S26 Ultra and Dex mode. When you plug the glasses in, and enable Dex mode, you get a desktop-like windowed interface for your apps, similar to Windows or MacOS. Also: I tested Motorola's $1,900 Razr Fold, and it gives Samsung and Google serious competition Just like on a laptop, you can resize windows, move them around, stack them on top of each other, place them side-by-side, etc. Connect a Bluetooth keyboard to type, and you functionally have a laptop to work on. The ProtoArc XK01 keyboard I have has a built-in mouse, which is handy. You can also use the phone itself as a touchpad to move the mouse around the screen. This time around, I'm pairing the Motorola Razr Fold with a Logitech Keys 2 Go keyboard (which does not have a touchpad) and an Arzopa Z3FC 16-inch portable monitor. This has one big upside and one big downside.

Key points

• The phone becomes a trackpad for your keyboard and monitor.
• It works well with a portable monitor or smart glasses.
• Less than a week after I talked about devices I use (other than a laptop) as a mobile writer, a new contender has emerged.
• The new Razr Fold comes equipped with Motorola's Smart Connect software, which is similar to Samsung's Dex Mode in giving you a desktop interface.
• One way I've talked about working on the go is with Xreal 1S Glasses and Samsung Galaxy's S26 Ultra and Dex mode.