Android By Lee Mathews Oct. 25, 2015 12:46 pm

A top-end smartphone can easily run you $800 or more. That’s as much as a decent PC, so why not be able to use it just like one? Continuum lets you do that with a Windows 10 phone, and the SlimPort Nano Console lets you do it with an Android.

You may not have heard of SlimPort before. It’s the mobile equivalent of DisplayPort and an alternative to the more widely-recognized MHL. Want to hook up your smartphone or tablet to an HDTV or projector to share videos or play a slideshow to clients? Just plug in a SlimPort adapter and a VGA or HDMI cable and you’re good to go. But say you wanted to get a big screen Simpsons fix and play Tapped Out, or maybe work on your vault in Fallout Shelter? That’s when you’d want to hook up the SlimPort Nano Console.

At its core, it’s a SlimPort HDMI adapter cable. It’s built into a small cradle that you can leave cabled in to your TV or monitor for speedy hook-ups, but it provides more than just a way to quickly plug your phone or tablet in to an external display. The Nano Console also comes with a power adapter so you can recharge your device while it’s docked, and there’s even an HDMI input so you don’t have to constantly swap your Chromecast or Apple TV whenever you want to plug in the Nano Console.

Obviously, sitting right next to your big screen isn’t a great way to play mobile games. That’s why the Nano Console comes with a Bluetooth trackpad they call the Nano remote. It gives you the same kind of control you’d have if you were playing on your device’s touchscreen. That also means you’re not limited to games that have been retooled specifically to support the Nano Console.

The Nano Console is up for pre-orders over on Indiegogo. The basic package — which includes the dock and Nano remote — will cost you just $34 if you snag one of the first 200. After the Indiegogo campaign closes, it’ll be priced at $59.

If you anticipate doing some more intense gaming with your device, you might want to up your pledge by $20. Kick in $54 and you’ll get the Nano Console, remote, and a Mad Catz CTRLR Those go for $30 to $40 on their own, which makes an already good deal on the Nano Console that much better.

Just make sure you check to see if your device is SlimPort ready before making a pledge. If it’s made by Amazon, LG, or ZTE, there’s a good chance it’s compatible.