Will the Multimedia Dock require tethering?

[sw33ndawg]

While using the web browser? Anyone find any info on this?

 

[Ryan Roland]

Here's what I understand, you can use the MM dock and webtop dock without the tethering portion but to access webtop mode in either dock then you will have to be connected to wifi. IMO that is just fine with me for now, if i get either accessory I would primarily just use it at home on wifi anyway just to have a second laptop/tablet solution.

This is what I learned from Motorola at the ATRIX 4G training last week

I am NOT the final word though, AT&T may change any of this before the supposed launch of Mar 6th

 

[textiaac]

Here's what I understand, you can use the MM dock and webtop dock without the tethering portion but to access webtop mode in either dock then you will have to be connected to wifi. IMO that is just fine with me for now, if i get either accessory I would primarily just use it at home on wifi anyway just to have a second laptop/tablet solution.

That would suck:-!

 

[myriad46]

Based on the fine print of the press release, it appears that it's linked to the use of the FireFox browser in the linux shell, not the use of the lapdock or multimedia dock themselves. So, does that mean, if we get the lapdock and then full screen android browser or Dolphin browser, that's OK and doesn't require a tethering plan? That seems dumb. Something's missing from this puzzle.

 

[sw33ndawg]

Based on the fine print of the press release, it appears that it's linked to the use of the FireFox browser in the linux shell, not the use of the lapdock or multimedia dock themselves. So, does that mean, if we get the lapdock and then full screen android browser or Dolphin browser, that's OK and doesn't require a tethering plan? That seems dumb. Something's missing from this puzzle.

I don't think they'll sell you the laptop dock without a tethering plan

 

[myriad46]

That would make much more sense, but that's not really what they've said so far. We also STILL don't know their hspa+ coverage.

 

[Ryan Roland]

to get the laptop dock at a discounted price it does require the tethering, but if you plan to use webtop mode and firefox only on wifi you can keep your current plan even 30 dollar unl but no $200 discount on the webtop dock. Im sure someone will either crack the system or give us a rooting option to where we can create wifi hotspot without tethering and use our unl plan with the webtop which is what im crossing my fingers for. but at 500 Im not sure if a tablet wouldn't be a better solution. they will probably see the lack of sales with the policy and price and eventually drop it to 300 without strings attached. Motorola is very happy with at&t right now and will probably work out a better price so att can drop it too.

 

[Effington]

OK, so hear me out on this.... we know the laptop thing will cost $499, but only if you get it at launch with a tethering plan. Ouch... $45/month is steep. That price will have to go down at some point, but my question is, do you even need it?

Because the multimedia dock seems to do the same thing, you just supply your own monitor, mouse and keyboard. Assuming you can use any bluetooth mouth/keyboard (which I'm sure I can find cheaper) and monitor (which I already have several), why even bother with the $189 bundle? I'll just buy the multimedia dock separately online, hook it up to my own keyboard, mouse and monitor and boom - I have the same thing for a fraction of the price and without tethering.

Does this seem like a valid plan, or am I missing something?

 

[jess.hickey]

You kinda miss out on the whole portability part of it going that route.

 

[Effington]

You kinda miss out on the whole portability part of it going that route.

The phone is portable... If I want a portable "netbook" why wouldn't I just buy an actual one.... for less than $500?

I guess that's the point a lot of reviews are trying to make - the laptop shell for this phone is not a good value at the current price.

 

[MajesticJG]

The laptop dock does have a few advantages over a netbook: I get all my Android-based apps and multimedia accessible to me in the netbook, without extra syncing. It's REALLY thin and light, and you get 4G connectivity without buying a separate data plan. It's exactly what I need for my business use, though I can totally see why most personal/home users would find it useless.

Sadly, they DO require you to have tethering to use Webtop on 3G/4G. There's a hack to get around it, but it requires rooting, then modifying the access point info with SQLite. That's not impossible, I'm just too afraid to do it myself, being that I'm very new to Android and this phone. I'm hoping someone comes up with a simpler workaround.

There's a video online of a guy who got tethering to work by adding another WAP to the phone without rooting it. Awesome idea, but it doesn't make WebTop work. I tried it.