Related
I've got my M2000, and the "ooooooh" factor is starting to wear off - I need toys, dammit!
<grin>
Seriously - I'm looking at a USB charger - anybody got any thoughts as to the best-value one in the UK? Also screen protectors? Any good? Or more hassle than they're worth?
Finally - is there a decent case that will allow me to carry the spare battery? Even just a case *for* the spare battery to stop it shorting out in my laptop bag would be nice - as it is, it's useless, as it's sod all use at home, and I can't really take it with me, short of shoving it into a freezer bag. Classy.
Can't help you much there. I definitely don't have too many extras.
When I got my Qtek 1010 (XDA), I couldn't get a fold-up keyboard fast enough. Unfortunately, the keyboard was more of a disappointment than anything else (some of the buttons, especially the space-bar, have to be pressed _just_ a little harder to be recognised).
Now, with my i-mate (XDA II), the only extras I have indugled in (although I still carry the keyboard with me) is a 512MB SD Card (which is also not so great, cause it's an AGFA, and it's SLOOOOOOW).
How about getting yourself a GPS kit?
For USB Sycn and Charge cables you can beat these :
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=115610&asource=116684
I have had these PPC Techs canples for a numnber of devices and they are very cool.
I can also recoomend this to go with it :
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=EXP_USB-CLA
Its a dongle to go in your car cigarette lighter that has a powered USB port in the top so you can run/charge anyt5hing that can take power via USB.
The two items above are a real go anywhere kit
If you want sometning with real wow factor, how about a laser projected virtual keyboard ?!
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=110909
ozymandias said:
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=115610&asource=116684
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=EXP_USB-CLA
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Click to collapse
Are you looking in my shopping basket? They were the ones I'd added before I asked... I was hoping for somebody with some experiences of the extending charge cable - it could have been a very useful device or uselessly overcomplicated and fragile.
As for that laser keyboard... :shock:
eXpansys rock.
They are so good at this kind of thing.
I recently bought a bluetooth headset from them which turned out not to be very robust. The ease with whcih I was able to send it back and get a full refund (including carriage costs) was excellent.
The most amazing thing about that laser keyboard is that it's £20 cheaper than the foldup one.
And don't forget Satellite Navigation. That is the 'Must Have'!
Install MS Voice Command software, pretty cool you can then control whole device by Voice without any training!
And a 2.5mm to 3.5mm Stereo adaptor from Expansys will let you plug in some "Proper" headphones (I use Sony MDR-EX71SL's) you've then got an IPOD butt kicking MP3/WMA player.
wilesd said:
Install MS Voice Command software, pretty cool you can then control whole device by Voice without any training!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've installed Fonix, and it does indeed seem good. If only I could initiate a call from my bluetooth headset...
And a 2.5mm to 3.5mm Stereo adaptor from Expansys will let you plug in some "Proper" headphones (I use Sony MDR-EX71SL's) you've then got an IPOD butt kicking MP3/WMA player.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Umm, iPod butt-kicking? I've not found any 40Gb SD cards yet, and the battery life is mediocre enough without having it playing MP3s all day every day...
GPS - It's a thought. What's the good SatNav software to go for? TomTom still?
I just bought a Parot CK3300 BT hands free kit with built in GPS receiver.
Should get it on Tuesday.
Was referring to the Audio Quality on IPOD's not storage space.
Bitrate for Bitrate the IPOD media format is not a patch on WMA
TomTom3 Navigator has never got me lost yet?
only downside is the iffy address entry method but this can be rectified with a UK postcode add-on.
Checkpoint "Safety" Camera POI works a treat as well
http://www.blueant.com.au/bthp_i.htm
ozymandias said:
If you want sometning with real wow factor, how about a laser projected virtual keyboard ?!
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=110909
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DAMMIT!!!!!! I thought of that 3 years ago!!!! They stole my idea!! Anyway, What about bluetooth mice or sdio camera. There's also external batteries that charge the pda, check out mobileplanet. Asus put out a wifi laptop hard drive enclosure, add a hard drive, and hook it up to the external battery, and you've got yourself up to 40 gigs of external storage. (I haven't checked to see if it'll work yet or not, but I don't see why not) And of course there's always gps.
And speaking of far fetched accessories, anyone wanna help me write a usb hub driver for the ppc so I can hook up my digital camera and nomad jukebox3, and use the jukebox 3 as storage for my digital pictures.
Once we get the hub working, there's no end to the usb accessories we can get.
BTW I also saw sdio video cards to do powerpoint presentations while on the road, and video capture cards.
Last but not least on my shopping list is the bluetooth cassette adapter. It's a cassette tape looking bluetooth hq audio adapter, for home or vehicle use.
I also remember something about an fm transmitter, I think it's an fm transmitter, so you can listen to your mp3 through your radio. There also has to be someone who makes a tv receiver, and a radio receiver for these things, there just has to be.
wilesd said:
Install MS Voice Command software, pretty cool you can then control whole device by Voice without any training!
And a 2.5mm to 3.5mm Stereo adaptor from Expansys will let you plug in some "Proper" headphones (I use Sony MDR-EX71SL's) you've then got an IPOD butt kicking MP3/WMA player.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I want some proper headphones too, however if it means trying to swap them with the headset when a call comes in... no good. Any suggestions on a better headset/earphone combo?
rollyblu said:
http://www.blueant.com.au/bthp_i.htm
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Click to collapse
Bluetooth stereo.. very sceptical.
- Can I stream audio from a mobile phone or pda using Bluetooth?
The Audio Player can be used to receive streamed audio if the mobile phone supports A2DP (advanced audio distribution profile). Some phone can stream audio to the headphones in mono.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From the website
Has anyone actually tried this with the Blue Angel? Does it work properly, Ie taking calls, playing music.
Seems like the Blueant is a re-labelled Sonorix
http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/product/5177.htm
Guys,
I bought a cradle from ebay (leeonline) because I cannot get a 4 in 1 adaptor from HTC. I tried using the vga-out (17 inch CRT Monitor), rca video out (our Television Set), Brandless USB hub, Generic/standard USB Keyboard and Generic/standard USB Mouse on it all at the same time. Everything works.
Now, I really no longer bring my laptop to work. My athena is all I need for Word Processing, Spreadsheets etc. There are quirks though. Sometimes, the mouse stops working or the athena hangs. (It may be the amount of programs installed.) Then again, It is still faster to boot than my laptop. The other downside is that even with the cradle plugged to the adaptor, It will still consume energy from the battery of the unit.
What I have done to my athena may not be new to most people but I would like to hear from other people what attachments or modifications they have done to make their athena more useful and powerful. In this way, we can all benefit from these ideas. Thanks!
Thanks!
yetdy said:
Guys,
I bought a cradle from ebay (leeonline) because I cannot get a 4 in 1 adaptor from HTC. I tried using the vga-out (17 inch CRT Monitor), rca video out (our Television Set), Brandless USB hub, Generic/standard USB Keyboard and Generic/standard USB Mouse on it all at the same time. Everything works.
Now, I really no longer bring my laptop to work. My athena is all I need for Word Processing, Spreadsheets etc. There are quirks though. Sometimes, the mouse stops working or the athena hangs. (It may be the amount of programs installed.) Then again, It is still faster to boot than my laptop. The other downside is that even with the cradle plugged to the adaptor, It will still consume energy from the battery of the unit.
What I have done to my athena may not be new to most people but I would like to hear from other people what attachments or modifications they have done to make their athena more useful and powerful. In this way, we can all benefit from these ideas. Thanks!
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used to do that, but the novelty wore off eventually. Now i just bring in a mini notebook. It's easier than carrying loads of bits about and connecting things to monitors (though that option is still there if necessary).
Pretty cool though if you like your gadgets.
Leoni is correct, however he can always leave the other stuff connected to the cradle and use it sorta like a docking station, but you would need a second cradle for the home TV. I'm glad this thread started because I myself was considering getting one for my TV. However, what should I do about the audio coming from my device (will I still be able to connect audio to my AV receiver)? As far as the 4 in 1 cable I would be able to get to the audio jack on the Athena however the down side is that not all USB flash drives would be supported with the 4 in 1 cable. Yetdy can you tell me how you work around getting audio streamed?
I think there are a few ways to stream audio.
#1 S-Video if I'm not mistaken is supposed to stream audio to your TV.
#2 Audio Jack to RCA Audio converters connected directly to the TV or amplifier would also help assumming you are using the 4-in 1 adaptor. Cradle cannot help you out with this option.
#3 Of course there is bluetooth connection which is what I am going to use. Got a bluetooth transmitter and receiver from ebay but is currently busted (bad seller). Another is to get a BT that has a changeable earphone/buds. Change the earphone to an audio jack to RCA Audio jack and follow #2.
Hope this helps.
yes and no
yetdy said:
I think there are a few ways to stream audio.
#1 S-Video if I'm not mistaken is supposed to stream audio to your TV.
****You are mistaken, S-video is video only (the pins are luminance, chroma, ground and something else I can't remember off the top of my head) ****
#2 Audio Jack to RCA Audio converters connected directly to the TV or amplifier would also help assumming you are using the 4-in 1 adaptor. Cradle cannot help you out with this option.
****if it is anything like the one I got from ebay then no, as it covers up the headphones out port from the athena but does not replicate it on the back ! the athena also carries audio out from the same USB connector that you charge it from (this is why the socket on the athena is an unusual/different shape compared to your plug on USB charger) if they had replicated this port propely on the dock then you could have got audio out that way, but the dock connector for that is also wrong (standard USB shaped socket, not the odd one from the athena) ****
#3 Of course there is bluetooth connection which is what I am going to use. Got a bluetooth transmitter and receiver from ebay but is currently busted (bad seller). Another is to get a BT that has a changeable earphone/buds. Change the earphone to an audio jack to RCA Audio jack and follow #2.
****it is feasible to have the athena transmit stereo bluetooth to a nearby device !****
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just my 2 pence worth
If you want to play audio on your home theatre speaker, you could also consider the option of plugging an FM transmitterinto the headphone jack, then use your FM receiver to play through your theatre speaker.
That was how I used to play my music in the car, through the car's srereo speakers.
eaglesteve said:
If you want to play audio on your home theatre speaker, you could also consider the option of plugging an FM transmitterinto the headphone jack, then use your FM receiver to play through your theatre speaker.
That was how I used to play my music in the car, through the car's srereo speakers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wont work if the Athena is in the ebay dock/cradle, as it covers up the audio out port, but does not replicate it.
Ice coffee,
Maybe you can share some other options here. You may have other ideas that may be useful to us. I just got my athena last month and cradle last week so I cannot really say with authority what it can and what it cannot do. If you can help us out in maximizing the athena with its cradle, many will appreciate it.
None of the video outputs from the 4-in-1 carry audio, the only options are BT a2dp or the headphones jack. Seems a bit long-winded to me though - I'm sure there are less fiddly mods out there. I just used to use the magnetic keyboard as a stand, slipped a BT keyboard over the top of it and the 4-in-1 for usb hub etc. This left a free audio jack to use as I wished. Seems like the docking station is more of a hindrance than a help.
HTC Advantage
Docking station
Keyboard
Mouse
Hifi Bluetooth A2DP adaptor
USB Hub....
I think my EEE pc is a more convenient device on the whole than the above setup would've been if i'd carried all that with me I wouldn't have had any space to fit my work stuff!
I came accross another docking station for $119.00 USD that has the audio option on the side along with 2 standard USB ports instead of 1. I think it's a bit too pricey, due to the fact that on flebay they do have a2dp stereo bluetooth adapters for like $50 USD. Besides with that and your bluetooth headsets it might still be possible to answer a incoming phone call on your bt headset without having to hear the audio coming from your A/V receiver (considering you left the phone on). Leoni, both options have their own drawback (no powering source with the 4 in 1 cable for all USB storage devices and the inaccessable headphone jack when using the docking station). But anyway I'm going to order the 4 in 1 cable too and see which one works best for me on a day to day use.
as I said the only simple option is to use bluetooth and as tootalk2000 pointed out you can get adaptors on ebay for £25 ish, I suppose the other more complicated option would be to, take your cradle apart and replace the USB connector into the phone with this,
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2in1-Audio-US...oryZ3728QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
and then take the other end of this apart and make it fit in your cradle, it would actually be quite easy to do as there is a lot of space in the cradle.
ice_coffee said:
as I said the only simple option is to use bluetooth and as tootalk2000 pointed out you can get adaptors on ebay for £25 ish, I suppose the other more complicated option would be to, take your cradle apart and replace the USB connector into the phone with this,
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2in1-Audio-US...oryZ3728QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
and then take the other end of this apart and make it fit in your cradle, it would actually be quite easy to do as there is a lot of space in the cradle.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awwwww shux, someone just gave me some experimenting to go do. I'm ordering one of those jacks today, and hopefully it will come around the same time as cradle. I'll just super glue it to the back portion of the cradle and plug it in externally. Due to the fact that the USB port is still on there you would still be able to sync even when the ear phone jack is still in use.
tootallk2000 said:
Awwwww shux, someone just gave me some experimenting to go do. I'm ordering one of those jacks today, and hopefully it will come around the same time as cradle. I'll just super glue it to the back portion of the cradle and plug it in externally. Due to the fact that the USB port is still on there you would still be able to sync even when the ear phone jack is still in use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol my thoughts exactly.
I have searched without any luck for a stereo dock that doesnt use the headphone jack. I have a logitech for my old iphone that u just set the phone in it and use the remote. Has anyone come across one for the galaxy s2 yet?
I believe there's one made by Philips which is available at Best Buy.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Philips...87&skuId=3044077&st=philips android&cp=1&lp=3
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Philips...93&skuId=3021696&st=philips android&cp=1&lp=4
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Philips...28&skuId=3044095&st=philips android&cp=1&lp=5
thanks,
I found this one too AS851 (Cant link yet). Comes with a remote and is 30 watts. They say you cant stream music thru the micro usb, but then how does the unit send audio and video to a HDMI cable, so I would think its possible. shrug
runtohell121 said:
I believe there's one made by Philips which is available at Best Buy.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Philips...87&skuId=3044077&st=philips android&cp=1&lp=3
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Philips...93&skuId=3021696&st=philips android&cp=1&lp=4
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Philips...28&skuId=3044095&st=philips android&cp=1&lp=5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All of those docks use Bluetooth to stream the audio. From what I know the USB port on the bottom doesn't have the ability to natively send audio out of the pins. I would love to have a simple dock too for this phone that would let audio out without having to jack in on the top of the phone, but it's just not designed that way.
I used to have an ATT "Fuze" (touch pro) - used to have to carry a dongle everywhere with me to plug in headphones. I'm much happier that I don't need a dongle, but it does suck to have to plug in 2 things in the car to get audio and charge at the same time.
You might want to take a look at this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1321491
I currently have an IPhone 4s and have a car windshield mount (which the note will fit in), but I have a separate cable (iphone cable) that connects to the head unit which charges and of course allows me to control the ipod from the head unit. (shows song titles and such).
What is the best way to connect to the head unit? Is there a head unit that has android integration?
BTW...my current head unit is a Pioneer AVIC N4.
TIA
Does the head unit have an aux input jack or Bluetooth? If not (and I don't think it does) you'll need to swap head units
Bataga said:
Does the head unit have an aux input jack or Bluetooth? If not (and I don't think it does) you'll need to swap head units
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can get the Bluetooth Module for it but that's only for calls. It does have USB Mass Storage capability though.
I assume that will work (or that's what I need)??
Are there any head units out there that are more Android friendly?
Not really. The USB port may not read the device and only let you use a flash drive. I bought a normal unit with auxiliary front and plug my phone and satellite into that. Gotta get the car dock if you want to charge while driving but I never run low batt and I drive like 5-8 hours a day.
usb mass storage should work with all android phones. it would read it just like the usb flash drives. ive had tried this with an htc inspire on a kenwood stereo. all function controls with file discriptions works.
idanoclo said:
usb mass storage should work with all android phones. it would read it just like the usb flash drives. ive had tried this with an htc inspire on a kenwood stereo. all function controls with file discriptions works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like this might work then.
As a side note...anyone know what the best head unit for android would be?
majority of after market stereos now are intended for the use of ipods but will work for all standard usb drives. if you are unsure, you can always test the demos at your local audio shop.
edit:
for your pioneer avic n4 you need this add-on for usb connection. pioneer cd-ub100
I am looking for a car dock but one that dose not have that stick thing at the end because I need to take it off each day and I don't know if you could do that with the one that's out now
Still looking for a good head unit. I currently have the Pioneer AVIC N4, but to add either bluetooth or USB, it will cost me about a hundred bucks. (Bluetooth is voice only).
I saw the Parrot Asteroid online, but it seems a bit steep (and a bit young...needs some updated firmware I think)
http://www.parrot.com/usa/products/bluetooth-hands-free-car-kits/parrot-asteroid
Any other options out there that you think would be a good fit?? I assume since my Note is nice and big now, that Navigation isn't necessary in the head unit.
I have a pioneer that I use the USB with a 32gb thumb drive just loaded up with music. The phone is also bluetoothed to the head unit for phone calls. I am going to work on using the samsung car dock with a usb host cable and an external hard drive to play media in the car. Only problem I have yet to figure out is how to power it while still using the usb host cable. If I can't find a way I am going to try out a seagate satellite hard drive my buddy has sitting around. Could be a good option, Ive just heard the seagate app kinds sucks
In my bmw, I have a cable that I used to plug my iPhone in and was able to charge/play my music thru the interface. Since I switched over to SGS2 (love it btw), I haven't been able to find a suitable replacement for this cable. Is there anything like this for the SGS2, or am I out of luck?
Thanks
kash1f said:
In my bmw, I have a cable that I used to plug my iPhone in and was able to charge/play my music thru the interface. Since I switched over to SGS2 (love it btw), I haven't been able to find a suitable replacement for this cable. Is there anything like this for the SGS2, or am I out of luck?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use the car dock that is made for the phone by Samsung.
Best Solution:
Get a new car. My 2010 Mazda M3 has Bluetooth in it so all I had to do is buy a new car charger and connected it to Bluetooth. That's for your best experience though.
Less than the best solution:
Buy a Samsung Car dock, hope you have an AUX port or get an FM transmitter! It's a lot of work to have this done right, clean and everything. But it works! You can find most of the parts on amazon for really cheap. But i hope your car stereo has an Aux port or Bluetooth cuz if not you are kinda gonna be screwed into buying a new one. I don't know of any that support connecting through usb on any other phone than the iPhone or a standard flash drive with just MP3s on it.
Yea, my car has an AUX port, so I will just go buy the dock. Thanks for all your help
Hopefully another item like this takes off. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/401662159/pair-with-pear-bluetooth-to-your-speakers-dock Not trying to advertise, but this looks like it's exactly what you need. Unfortunately it doesn't exist yet... Unless another company makes one that I don't know about.
I highly recommend the Bluetooth Gateway by Motorola that turns your aux-in into an A2DP stereo like these fancy new cars.
A brief guide in the beginning of a little review I wrote here.
Takes a little DIY to get it set up out of the way, but once you do, it's a fantastic, under-$50 solution to get A2DP like the new $20k cars
Bt-35 bfhak
Has anyone used either of these devices: BT-35 or BFHAK
They have them for different makes of cars. just wanting to know how well they work.
I have a Jeep with the bluetooth touchscreen. I just play mine through BT, even though the sound quality isnt the greatest.
wrs223 said:
I have a Jeep with the bluetooth touchscreen. I just play mine through BT, even though the sound quality isnt the greatest.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same, wonder why the quality suks
I just use a simple cable from my headphone jack to my aux in jack. I do wish it was able to display stuff like track info and album art, but hey, first world problems I guess. Poweramp does the job.
I think it's because bt audio only streams at 96 kbs.
Sent from my SGH-I777 using xda app-developers app
I don't know why you're having problems, but my bluetooth audio sounds heavenly using the gateway that I referenced in my earlier post.
And by the way, this 2003 spec sheet lists a top bit rate of 345 kb/s on Bluetooth 1.0. I don't know where you got your number.
BT streaming is worse than wired because you've got your phone/player transceiver encoding, and then the external receiver decoding your music. You can have all the bandwidth in the world but you'd still be limited by the quality of your transmitting and receiving hardware's digital audio capabilities.
I have one of these, it works very well. I've used FM tuners before and they all come in static-y. This one comes in perfectly, can charge your phone, has audio IN, and can be used as a hands free phone. Pretty nifty.
GOgroove FlexSMART X2 Wireless
(Can't post external links yet)