Smartphone dock

[cplush#WP]

will the smartphone dock have better support for periphials than the mobile companion? I got a microsoft wireless keyboard/mouse today and the redfly wont recognize it unfortunently, just wondering if it will work on the dock.

 

[cplush#WP]

let me rephrase that as i have found the problem, will the dock be able to handle a USB hub that has a mouse and a keyboard attached to it? the redfly will only accept the keyboard from teh wireless hub not both the keyboard and the mouse

 

[ckj]

Both products have similar USB controllers. At this time, neither work well with most USB hubs. I believe it's not just a USB controller issue, I don't think WM supports USB hubs well either. Bottom line, I wouldn't plan on great support for hubs in the near future.

 

[cplush#WP]

any idea yet on availibility for the dock?

 

[ckj]

Not yet. If we do customer beta are you interested?

 

[starky]

beta

count me in for beta ;-)

 

[cplush#WP]

i am very interested if you do a customer beta. id love to

 

[mknollman]

I too would love to test out the dock idea. Let me know when the beta starts.

 

[reckless]

I travel for a living and am constantly in different clients offices. I think I'd be a great beta tester and also would add a fair amount of visibility for you in the field.

 

[BengtBeier]

Well, considering I do already think about purchasing one anyway I'd definitely be interested in a beta. It depends on the timeframe, though as I have the necessary equipment (screen and keyboard) at my home in Germany so would need to be there to test it.
I've been contemplating about using one or two redfly docks to realize a media-center like integration of the phone into my entertainment system, though and would love to test that concept (will hopefully bring you more details of that project soon).

 

[cplush#WP]

Im wondering if the dock will have a media port like the C8N? it would be cool and handy i think

 

[BengtBeier]

One problem I currently see with the dock is that it only has 3 usb-ports (at least the one that was shown at CES). If you are talking about using it at a desktop, you will need one port for the phone, one for the keyboard and one for the mouse (because windows mobile can't deal with keyboard and mouse on one usb). That leaves you with no free usb-port for anything else (you'd always need to disconnect the keyboard to copy a file from a usb drive).

I believe the dock absolutely needs at least four or maybe five usb ports to make sure you have at least one or two free for other uses like drives. One of them could possibly be a media port (if it doesn't make the thing too expensive).

 

[cplush#WP]

do bear in mind it will also have bluetooth, but yes if u want to charge and work on a USB thumb drive you are in a pickle. I wonder if there is a way to enable one usb port to acccept dual input and have the phone recognize it as 2 usb ports...

 

[starky]

maybe bluetooth to dock

 

[cplush#WP]

yeah thats what i meant to say, you dock via bluetooth and then have 2 usbs for mice/keyboard and 1 open usb is the concept i believe.

 

[starky]

i meant it should be made so bluetooth can dock connect rather than usb

 

[cplush#WP]

it can already.

 

[starky]

we meant an external keyboard to future dock

 

[cplush#WP]

yeah.....i got confused...yeah that would be nice.

 

[BengtBeier]

I have to admit I can't follow you starky.

Though, cplush is right. If the dock supported bluetooth that would somewhat alleviate the problem - though I still believe 3 usb ports is a bit tight anyway. I mean the whole idea about using bluetooth to connect the redfly was that you could use it on the fly and leave your phone in your pocket. When sitting down at a desktop you'd possibly rather want to use the usb connection simply because that's a bit more stable and will also charge your phone.
So... I believe at least a fourth usb is an absolute must.