@advocatux cool thanks!
I will try it ad hopefully won't brick my phone
I want this black version because it's very very bright and really distracting when I reboot my E5 LOL

@advocatux The instructions just say go to fastboot and execute the command so it's unclear where to put the file...at least to me

Where do you put the file?
I wanna try this on my E5

My opinion is that there's no immediate need yet for an easy way to go to the "background".
This is mainly because the background has not much use or functionality right now. It's just a background.
I myself is one of the people who usually go back to the "home" (dash at the moment) before locking.
I guess I really like using the left swipe and seeing the animation But it's a habit I learn to give up when I'm using the edge channel.

We have to be careful adding UI elements in the application spread because it could get crowded especially once the workspace switcher gets into the action. Perhaps a quick solution for now is to have a bottom edge gesture in the app spread to hide all apps AKA "Show desktop". Well it might not be actually quick since the animation might have to be handled

As for the possible functionality in the "background" to make it something useful, my mind is a bit confused because the things that come up in my mind are like "scopes" LOL. Like aggregating all your favorites - apps, folders/files (file manager), links (browser), etc.

I guess I could live without "home" until we get a great idea that's really a game changer

@magicalex75 The problem is that the Nexus 5 and 7 does not support video out and USB data/input simultaneously so you really won't be able to use the keyboard nor the trackpad.

@guru If that's using GTK 3+??(can't remember the actual version) and there's an arm build then I would think it can already run now natively in mir. You can try if you want

It is a very well known issue for a long time. and unfortunately, it is specific to the Nexus 5 which is the best device to try out external display (desktop mode). It works fine on Nexus 7 2013 when I last tried (vivid? )
https://github.com/ubports/ubuntu-touch/issues/301

For now, you'd have to use a bluetooth mouse, the OSK works fine but I'd still recommend using bluetooth mouse + keyboard for better experience.
As for the other bugs you encounter when switching back and forth in desktop mode, sadly they also happen. It's not a stable feature yet and hasn't been touched for a long time. Hopefully once we get the new Unity 8 and mir, someone can take a look on this feature and improve it and that Android Q is about to officially have desktop mode

Maybe you can check Seabass from the store. I believe it uses Cordova as well and has UT styling.

I agree with Rodney about convergence on the software-side. It will benefit both developers and users and I think it would be really awesome. But I guess this thread wants to focus on the "phone-to-desktop" side of convergence?

Just to add, I think if "phone-to-desktop" becomes a thing, we won't have problems finding dock stations anywhere. I'm pretty sure facilities will cope up and we might see docking stations in public places like airport. A big concern with that though is security. We'll need USB condoms