Lapdock 100 + new phones? IMPORTANT: Total non-techie!

[1st n last]

My Droid Razr Maxx is getting so hot and so slow and so little battery life that I’d like to switch phones. But I love my Lapdock 100 which is designed to use with this phone (and pretty much only this phone), and I’d like to find a way to use the Lapdock with a newer phone rather than having to by some type of laptop.

I saw an article about using the newer Droid Maxx phone with an Atrix lapdock using a Miracast dongle. Unfortunately, it didn’t have any of the details I as a non-techie need, like what plugs in where, and did they ever figure out how to get the Lapdock keyboard and touchpad to work.

A comment to another article said that when using Miracast it is better to use a wired direct HDMI connection to prevent data lag and audio/video sync issues, plus battery drain. But how would you do that, since most phones don't have HDMI out.


Here is what I know about the Lapdock 100 from researching online:

The Lapdock 100 has 2 full-size USB (USB-A?) ports.

It has a cable with Micro USB male and Micro HDMI-D male for connecting to the Razr Maxx. The Micro HDMI D carries video and sound, and the Micro USB feeds power back to charge the phone and connect to the Lapdock's internal USB hub which operates the its keyboard, trackpad, and full-size USB ports.

Most HDMI and USB cables are designed to plug into jacks, whereas the Lapdock has plugs so the cables/adapters must have Micro HDMI and Micro USB female connections.

If HDMI cable is not connected, Lapdock does not supply any power to USB ports.
If HDMI cable is connected and the Lapdock lid is closed, Lapdock supplies power to the Micro USB port (to charge a phone) but not to the USB A ports.
If HDMI cable is connected and the Lapdock lid is open, Lapdock supplies power both to the Micro USB port and to the USB A ports.

I hardly even know the right thing to ask, but … bottom line, is there a way I can use a newer phone that has Miracast with my Lapdock 100? If so, what connections, adapters and dongles do I need so that I can view the phone screen on the Lapdock screen AND use the Lapdock’s keyboard and touchpad? (PLEASE don't propose anything that involves cutting or splicing; just "plug this into that" is the best I can manage.)

Thank you!

 

[wizzrah]

Can you mention a specific phone you're interested in?

 

[1st n last]

Well, Droid Turbo is one, just because my current phone is a Droid.

Small form factor is a plus because I have small hands. Ideal phone would have great battery life, have a replaceable battery, and take SD cards (which means pretty much only Samsung?)

But first, last and only, MUST be able to connect so I can use the screen and keyboard of the Lapdock. Anything else is ultimately negotiable.

 

[wizzrah]

Well, Droid Turbo is one, just because my current phone is a Droid.

Small form factor is a plus because I have small hands. Ideal phone would have great battery life, have a replaceable battery, and take SD cards (which means pretty much only Samsung?)

But first, last and only, MUST be able to connect so I can use the screen and keyboard of the Lapdock. Anything else is ultimately negotiable.

There's plenty of other phones that can take an SD Card. See the HTC One M8 for example. To be honest, your request is a bit difficult to accomplish since Motorola says it only supports a few devices. It's going to take me some more research to see if your request is possible. I feel like it would be a fun side project to see if it's still usable with newer phones :') . If I may ask, if there a specific reason why you must use the lapdock? Just curious.

 

[1st n last]

1. Because I HAVE the Lapdock (don't have the $$ to lay out for a laptop).
2. Because I LOVE the lapdock! It's just the right size, and does just what I need it to--be a portable screen and keyboard.
3. Because as long as the Lapdock keeps working, (and presuming somone can help me figure out how to use newer phones with it), it can be "upgraded" at any time by buying a new phone (with better "brains")

Thanks for your consideration! My Razr Maxx is impossibly slow, and constantly overheats. I just don't understand enough about the connectors in the Lapdock 100 and the capabilities of newer phones, to know what can work with the right cables or wireless technologies so both the screen and keyboard of the Lapdock will work.

 

[wizzrah]

1. Because I HAVE the Lapdock (don't have the $$ to lay out for a laptop).
2. Because I LOVE the lapdock! It's just the right size, and does just what I need it to--be a portable screen and keyboard.
3. Because as long as the Lapdock keeps working, (and presuming somone can help me figure out how to use newer phones with it), it can be "upgraded" at any time by buying a new phone (with better "brains")

Thanks for your consideration! My Razr Maxx is impossibly slow, and constantly overheats. I just don't understand enough about the connectors in the Lapdock 100 and the capabilities of newer phones, to know what can work with the right cables or wireless technologies so both the screen and keyboard of the Lapdock will work.

Alright, sorry for another question, but what do you use the Lapdock for? Have you looked at Chromebooks? They're really good for email, Web Browsing, and more. I'm also looking online for more information about newer phones supporting the lapdock. Most Motorola phones have dropped support for it.
I haven't found anything yet, but I will certainly get back to you if I find something.

 

[1st n last]

My bottom line is, I'm out of work and need to use what I have. I clearly need a new phone, so that's what I'm going to be buying. Since I have the lapdock, the question becomes whether/how I can make a phone work with it. No current phones will natively support the lapdock; there's not enough lapdocks out there to make it worthwhile for a manufacturer to design a phone to work for it.

So, what I'm hoping for is someone who can understand how the lapdock connections work from my initial description, and then who knows how the newer phones work, and whether there's some way to connect the two in a way that neither manufacturer ever anticipated.

Thanks again for your continued assistance!

 

[dpham00]

You should be able to use an allshare cast hub with most modern Galaxy devices like the note 4 and s5 to get video and use a usb otg cable to get the keyboard working. You would need to convert the full hdmi male to micro hdmi female and a microusb extension cord.

Hdmi
http://www.amazon.com/HDMI-Micro-Fe...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU4091350

Microusb
http://www.amazon.com/Micro-B-Femal...ag=hawk-future-20&ascsubtag=UUacUvbUpU4091350

Allshare cast hub

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...s-accessories%2FEAD-T10JDEGSTA&token=ZA8QPz72



Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 4

 

[1st n last]

Would I be able to use phones other than Samsung that use Miracast, with similar connections/adaptors?