It Exists!

[jjhoneck]

It exists! The charging dock for the Nexus 7, promised by ASUS last August, predicted a dozen times by every Android website, ridiculed by every Android pundit, and ordered by me before it was actually in-country, has finally shipped!

Just got the shipping confirmation email.

This has been the dumbest cluster performed by any manufacturer, ever. They have a product that has sold tens of millions of copies, making a charging dock a GUARANTEED $400 million dollar seller -- and they don't make one until 7 months into the production run? WTF?

A rare example of Asians being incredibly stupid.

 

[henywatty]

I don't think it was just the Asians. I'm sure Google played some role in this strange timing of release.

Sent from my Nexus 7 running Android 4.2.1 using Tapatalk

 

[bigtroutz]

It appears that they probably needed the drivers and interface provided by Android 4.2 to make the dock run and that is why it took so long.

So blame it on Google not Asus. This kind of thing has been pretty common when new OS and Tech is being introduced so one would kind of expect it.

 

[zedorda]

Odd because I didn't need any drivers to make my own DIY charging dock using the pogo port and yes it triggers dock mode just fine.

 

[bigtroutz]

yeh, so some people said at XDA -- but they also said the charging was at USB rate or that the charging icon was unaltered, the battery status had no text indication that charging was underway even tho the % was increasing and so on. In fact, the posts were a bewildering array of contradictory claims. LOL

My conclusion was that there was clearly some issues and the fact that 4.2 seemed to have cleared up most of those issues indicated that the change actually included in 4.2, even if cosmetic, was actually needed. Odd indeed....

 

[zedorda]

The only thing they were missing on XDA was that pin 2 has to be triggered to properly start dock mode.

 

[bigtroutz]

The only thing they were missing on XDA was that pin 2 has to be triggered to properly start dock mode.

well, you certainly could have settled all their hash and thrashing had you spoken up. For that matter you could still help out by clearing it all up on the active threads discussing if 4.2 was needed for proper operation of the dock.

 

[jjhoneck]

Got the dock. It's great. Way past due, but great.

Incredibly, for $40, it does NOT come with a freaking power cord. And, of course, plugging in random USB chargers yields varying results.

With a 500 milliamp Motorola charger powering the dock, the Nexus 7 only charged to 57% capacity overnight. With an 850 milliamp Samsung charger, it reached 100% overnight.

ASUS really sucks for omitting a charge cord, not only because the price is absurdly high and we deserve one, but because of the worldwide confusion and lack of standardization of Android chargers. Many people will plug in any available charge cord, have poor results, and blame the dock.

 

[zedorda]

well, you certainly could have settled all their hash and thrashing had you spoken up. For that matter you could still help out by clearing it all up on the active threads discussing if 4.2 was needed for proper operation of the dock.

I don't particularly like all the people over at XDA even tho I highly respect their work. I enjoy their struggles.

 

[bigtroutz]

certainly it's a worthwhile trip to read about all the pushing of limits in hardware and software there even if it takes so long to get results...

 

[The English Hacker]

For Canadians, Visions has the dock in stock. I'm in Toronto and ordered it last Friday - got it yesterday. I see now though that it's "instore only".

Love it. Finally I can replace my alarm clock.

 

[liljew]

Got the dock. It's great. Way past due, but great.

Incredibly, for $40, it does NOT come with a freaking power cord. And, of course, plugging in random USB chargers yields varying results.

With a 500 milliamp Motorola charger powering the dock, the Nexus 7 only charged to 57% capacity overnight. With an 850 milliamp Samsung charger, it reached 100% overnight.

ASUS really sucks for omitting a charge cord, not only because the price is absurdly high and we deserve one, but because of the worldwide confusion and lack of standardization of Android chargers. Many people will plug in any available charge cord, have poor results, and blame the dock.

Why wouldn't you use the charger that came with the tablet?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[jjhoneck]

Why wouldn't you use the charger that came with the tablet?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

That charger was instantly swallowed up into the maw of Android chargers last July. Prolly got over a dozen of 'em floating between the various cars, house, and business. Some are 500 milliamps, some 850 milliamps, some one 1 watt.