Is the Laptop Dock the Culprit Behind the New Droid Bionic Form Factor?

[Castor Troy]

Where are you getting the idea that it runs all the time? It runs when you want it. When you don't want it, it doesn't harm the performance of the device.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

CES.....

Whether docked or not it runs.

Great explanation from XDA

It actually is a lite version of Ubuntu (I think 8.04) running as a guest OS simultaneously with Android. The apks that exist for webtop exist solely to provide an 'android experience' to the guest OS. There is a monitor app that watches the ports to detect when it is plugged into a webtop-enabled dock. There is a content provider app that provides an interface to various data on the Android OS (like contacts, emails, calendar, etc). And there is a portal app that (I think) projects the webtop OS display to HDMI.

edit: some other good reading if you are interested in EXACTLY how it works. http://developer.motorola.com/docstools/library/webtop-application-overview/

Like I said...resource hog

 

[pc747]

I must admit I was one who wanted the webtop dock but then I saw id did nothing special. If it allowed you to integrate docs, presentations, excel programs with windows upon connect then it would make since for a business person. But the way it is now, its not worth the money. And the atrix for me is a disappointment, To see a dual core lag the way it does just takes away from the appeal. I think if motorola cleans it up and tweak it so you can buy a setup to dock it to your laptop then maybe, but really why pay for that when you can just use a usb cord to move files from phone to computer.

 

[Oxn]

I must admit I was one who wanted the webtop dock but then I saw id did nothing special. If it allowed you to integrate docs, presentations, excel programs with windows upon connect then it would make since for a business person. But the way it is now, its not worth the money. And the atrix for me is a disappointment, To see a dual core lag the way it does just takes away from the appeal. I think if motorola cleans it up and tweak it so you can buy a setup to dock it to your laptop then maybe, but really why pay for that when you can just use a usb cord to move files from phone to computer.

Tablet dock, thats what i want.

 

[huskerkate]

CES.....

Whether docked or not it runs.

Great explanation from XDA

It actually is a lite version of Ubuntu (I think 8.04) running as a guest OS simultaneously with Android. The apks that exist for webtop exist solely to provide an 'android experience' to the guest OS. There is a monitor app that watches the ports to detect when it is plugged into a webtop-enabled dock. There is a content provider app that provides an interface to various data on the Android OS (like contacts, emails, calendar, etc). And there is a portal app that (I think) projects the webtop OS display to HDMI.

edit: some other good reading if you are interested in EXACTLY how it works. MOTODEV > Documentation & Tools > Android Technical Library > Webtop Application Overview

Like I said...resource hog

that's my understanding, as well. plus, even if the webtop os isn't "active" at a particular time, it's still my understanding that half the ram is still devoted to the webtop os and that webtop ram can't be utilized or allocated for the phone's os. so even if you aren't using the webtop, half the ram is still being "utilized" unnecessarily which, imo, would impact the performance of the device (i.e., it won't run as well as a phone with 1 gig of ram).

ok, so another query for CK: latest rumors indicate that the GS2 won't be 4g/LTE. assuming this to be true (and that it comes to VZW), your choices may be:

1. GS2 w/o 4g/LTE

2. Targa/Bionic, locked bootloader and webtop os

3. Atrix in Q4

4. wait until 2012

what say you now??

 

[Oxn]

that's my understanding, as well. plus, even if the webtop os isn't "active" at a particular time, it's still my understanding that half the ram is still devoted to the webtop os and that webtop ram can't be utilized or allocated for the phone's os. so even if you aren't using the webtop, half the ram is still being "utilized" unnecessarily which, imo, would impact the performance of the device (i.e., it won't run as well as a phone with 1 gig of ram).

ok, so another query for CK: latest rumors indicate that the GS2 won't be 4g/LTE. assuming this to be true (and that it comes to VZW), your choices may be:

1. GS2 w/o 4g/LTE

2. Targa/Bionic, locked bootloader and webtop os

3. Atrix in Q4

4. wait until 2012

what say you now??

Atrix in Q4 what?

 

[huskerkate]

the Atrix is supposedly coming to VZW in Q4 2011...

 

[Jasper]

the Atrix is supposedly coming to VZW in Q4 2011...

What??? where is this information coming from? Very interesting... Doesn't make sense with a Moto Bionic and a Moto Atrix???

 

[huskerkate]

What??? where is this information coming from? Very interesting... Doesn't make sense with a Moto Bionic and a Moto Atrix???

i know, it doesn't make sense to me either. but, an admin over at DF has been claiming this to be the case (citing insider info) ever since the Atrix was released on at&t. of course, it hasn't been confirmed yet - but then, all 4 of my options are purely hypothetical at this point... EDIT: partly/largely hypothetical, i guess i should say.

 

[Castor Troy]

that's my understanding, as well. plus, even if the webtop os isn't "active" at a particular time, it's still my understanding that half the ram is still devoted to the webtop os and that webtop ram can't be utilized or allocated for the phone's os. so even if you aren't using the webtop, half the ram is still being "utilized" unnecessarily which, imo, would impact the performance of the device (i.e., it won't run as well as a phone with 1 gig of ram).

ok, so another query for CK: latest rumors indicate that the GS2 won't be 4g/LTE. assuming this to be true (and that it comes to VZW), your choices may be:

1. GS2 w/o 4g/LTE

2. Targa/Bionic, locked bootloader and webtop os

3. Atrix in Q4

4. wait until 2012

what say you now??

Husker I'm going with the Galaxy SII. I prefer it to be a 3G device at this point. I'm not up for beta testing Verizon's LTE network for them. I did enough beta testing for RIM to last me a lifetime

What good is LTE of you can't even hold a signal half the time. Ill wait until next year when the phones are up to par.

Galaxy it will be.



Sent from my Droid

 

[Castor Troy]

Bottom line.....Verizon's Android line-up sucks. My last hope is that they don't neuter the GS2.

Sent from my Droid

 

[SnydersWeb]

Bottom line.....Verizon's Android line-up sucks. My last hope is that they don't neuter the GS2.

Don't hold your breath there. Asking VZW not to neuter a phone is like asking Bob Barker not to put the snip to a neighborhood stray dog.

 

[Oxn]

i know, it doesn't make sense to me either. but, an admin over at DF has been claiming this to be the case (citing insider info) ever since the Atrix was released on at&t. of course, it hasn't been confirmed yet - but then, all 4 of my options are purely hypothetical at this point... EDIT: partly/largely hypothetical, i guess i should say.

That brings up the question. Why??????

Bionic will be out, and better in every single way than Atrix, and even probably have webtop on bionic. Atrix is a now top tiered phone.... why release it later, it really makes no sense.

 

[huskerkate]

Husker I'm going with the Galaxy SII. I prefer it to be a 3G device at this point. I'm not up for beta testing Verizon's LTE network for them. I did enough beta testing for RIM to last me a lifetime

What good is LTE of you can't even hold a signal half the time. Ill wait until next year when the phones are up to par.

Galaxy it will be.



Sent from my Droid

given all the issues with the LTE phones thus far, i'm starting to sway more toward sticking with 3g, too. with this in mind, tho, i'm keeping the DX2 and D3 on my radar, along with the GS2. but, at the same time, i don't relish the thought of having a 3g phone for 2 years, when i'm pretty certain the LTE issues will be solved - if not by the end of '11, then certainly in '12...

and i also agree with you on VZW's lineup - sucks donkey! my in-laws wanted to go out today and get new Andy phones, and asked me to help. i frankly told them that there's no VZW phone out right now that i think is worth getting, and being stuck with for 2 yrs...

 

[huskerkate]

That brings up the question. Why??????

Bionic will be out, and better in every single way than Atrix, and even probably have webtop on bionic. Atrix is a now top tiered phone.... why release it later, it really makes no sense.

you're preaching to the choir. i've been saying for a while now that it'll take someone a whole lot smarter than me (or a whole lot dumber - i'm not sure which) to explain Moto and VZW's 2011 market strategy...

 

[Castor Troy]

given all the issues with the LTE phones thus far, i'm starting to sway more toward sticking with 3g, too. with this in mind, tho, i'm keeping the DX2 and D3 on my radar, along with the GS2. but, at the same time, i don't relish the thought of having a 3g phone for 2 years, when i'm pretty certain the LTE issues will be solved - if not by the end of '11, then certainly in '12...

and i also agree with you on VZW's lineup - sucks donkey! my in-laws wanted to go out today and get new Andy phones, and asked me to help. i frankly told them that there's no VZW phone out right now that i think is worth getting, and being stuck with for 2 yrs...

This is precisely why the phone I choose MUST have specs worthy of a 2 year contract. Worst case scenario I use my other upgrade if something comes along in 2012 that knocks my socks off.

Sent from my Droid

 

[huskerkate]

i guess i never thought of that... i do have my wife's upgrade coming up in later in the year. only problem is that i think she wants an iP5 - argh...

 

[Castor Troy]

That brings up the question. Why??????

Bionic will be out, and better in every single way than Atrix, and even probably have webtop on bionic. Atrix is a now top tiered phone.... why release it later, it really makes no sense.

How will the Bionic be better in everyway? If anything they will be identical. Assuming they keep the 4.3" screen that will be the only major difference. Ruling out LTE and without any current specs I don't see how you came to that conclusion.

I personally do not see the Atrix being released on Verizon now that the Bionic is being redone. I could see it before but it does not make a bit of sense anymore.

Sent from my Droid

 

[Oxn]

How will the Bionic be better in everyway? If anything they will be identical. Assuming they keep the 4.3" screen that will be the only major difference. Ruling out LTE and without any current specs I don't see how you came to that conclusion.

I personally do not see the Atrix being released on Verizon now that the Bionic is being redone. I could see it before but it does not make a bit of sense anymore.

Sent from my Droid

What are yu talking about? you said how can bionic be better in everyway, then you go on to say that with the bionic being redone you dont see atrix being released. Did not make any sense.

If bionic is being redone, then itll have better specs. If we are going on rumors, then those specs are better than atrix's.

Itll have better Camera, better ram, better proccesor (if OMAP is true). How is it not better in every way?

 

[Castor Troy]

What are yu talking about? you said how can bionic be better in everyway, then you go on to say that with the bionic being redone you dont see atrix being released. Did not make any sense.

If bionic is being redone, then itll have better specs. If we are going on rumors, then those specs are better than atrix's.

Itll have better Camera, better ram, better proccesor (if OMAP is true). How is it not better in every way?

Yes Atrix and Bionic being launched on VZW's network does not make any sense. With previous iteration of the Bionic an Atrix release would have made sense.

Only thing that is known about the Bionic is that it's being redone so to claim, without even knowing anything about it, that it will be better in every single way is a ludicrous statement.

You are assuming that it will have DDR2, 13MP camera and sporting the TI OMAP 4. You can't make statements like that based on nothing but rumor. Wait till you get the facts before making comments like "Bionic will be out, and better in every single way than Atrix."

We don't go on rumors...........

 

[Castor Troy]

Don't hold your breath there. Asking VZW not to neuter a phone is like asking Bob Barker not to put the snip to a neighborhood stray dog.

ain't that the truth! lol