USB OTG?

**Magnetic_dud** · 01-31-2013, 09:07 AM

Does the Z10 have USB OTG?

I remember if you put the dev alpha fw on a playbook via an hack, usb otg was working, but not on the dev alpha because of missing hardware

**mr_zed10** · 01-31-2013, 09:19 AM

I too would like to know this if anyone can confirm please

**Denise in Los Angeles** · 01-31-2013, 09:22 AM

What is USB OTG needed for?

**Magnetic_dud** · 01-31-2013, 09:52 AM

Example 1:
Shot photos with a camera, then plug the memory card using an usb reader plugged to the usb otg adaptor, browse it and share pics.

Example 2:
connect monitor via hdmi, connect keyboard and mouse via usb hub - portable computer

Example 3:
someone wants to give you a file but only has an usb drive

Example 4:
in a trip you carry an hdd with 500gb of movies so you can easily copy them on the go

Example 5:
you want to print something, connect a printer and print (this is tricky without drivers)

And so on, the possibilities are endless

**slparry** · 01-31-2013, 10:05 AM

My Nokia N8 has USB OTG and it's a fantastically useful feature, as you say connect a mouse & keyboard and the hdmi makes a very useful portable device when in hotel rooms etc. as well as memory sticks and card readers for the camera. It really is a useful feature. I hope the z10 has it and I also hope that when the playbooks get BB10 they'll have the feature enabled as it's sooooooo useful!

**Icarus3000** · 01-31-2013, 04:34 PM

Would like to know this as well. USB otg on the Z10 would be awesome!

**rottonj** · 01-31-2013, 05:52 PM

Well enough people already have them as well as the people from Crackberry so an answer should be able to be found quickly My guess is no it doesnt.,

**dd3** · 01-31-2013, 05:57 PM

no just tried a usb memory stick and nothing. hopefully will be an update on this one.

**Icarus3000** · 01-31-2013, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by dd3

no just tried a usb memory stick and nothing. hopefully will be an update on this one.

That is extremely disappointing

**Saiga** · 01-31-2013, 06:59 PM

Evidently, BlackBerry's vision of mobile computing doesn't acknowledge the existence of USB devices. Kinda odd considering other, normal, boring old mobile operating systems allow users to plug a USB hub and a keyboard, mouse, card readers, external hard drives, DSLRs and even desktop missile launchers to their phone. Mobile computing folks. The days of dragging around a laptop are almost at an end.

**Rickroller** · 01-31-2013, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by Icarus3000

That is extremely disappointing

Agreed.. So much for "mobile computing"..

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

**rottonj** · 02-01-2013, 08:57 PM

Must be unimportant for now. Stick it in the Skype/Netflix pile.

**wxmancanada** · 02-01-2013, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by rottonj

[...] Stick it in the Skype/Netflix pile.

I would, but it's on a flash drive... *wait for laughter*

USB OTG is huge for me - I use it for most the reasons above, external HDD access, uploading photos from DSLR on the road, USB keyboard/mice. Really sad this feature isn't implemented.

I've heard the hardware is capable, as we've seen with the Dev Alpha and PlayBook hack; they've just chosen to not use it. Sad.

**rottonj** · 02-01-2013, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by wxmancanada

I would, but it's on a flash drive... *wait for laughter*

USB OTG is huge for me - I use it for most the reasons above, external HDD access, uploading photos from DSLR on the road, USB keyboard/mice. Really sad this feature isn't implemented.

I've heard the hardware is capable, as we've seen with the Dev Alpha and PlayBook hack; they've just chosen to not use it. Sad.

I agree, its a good feature. Never know when your gonna be stuck somewhere and be glad you had that extra 32gb of hd porn lol.

**just_luc** · 02-01-2013, 09:34 PM

I agree that USB OTG would be great to have... but im MUCH more concerned about having it on the playbook then on my phone.. we already know the playbook hardware can do it, hopefully it is enabled when BB10 hits the playbook.. if it comes to the phone great.. if it does't.. wont bother me.

**jeffreytoronto** · 02-01-2013, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by just_luc

I agree that USB OTG would be great to have... but im MUCH more concerned about having it on the playbook then on my phone.. we already know the playbook hardware can do it, hopefully it is enabled when BB10 hits the playbook.. if it comes to the phone great.. if it does't.. wont bother me.

agree. also...why not use bluetooth keyboard/mouse...that's mobile... not dragging wired keyboard/mouse around.

Sent from my BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps using Tapatalk 2

**mr_zed10** · 02-07-2013, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by Rickroller

So much for "mobile computing"..

Agreed, keep hearing about this "mobile computing" phrase being kicked around, but OS10 really can't do all that much. The highlights are:

1) a Hub, which is cool but each OS has its own version of a hub so not neccessaily unique
2) Time shift camera (owned by Nokia)
3) Keyboard (by a company who also develops for Android)
4) The unique things in a Blackberry have been lost in BB10, but are expected (but not confirmed) to come in 10.1

So basically, we'll have majority of BBOS in the next update, so when does "mobile computing" actually arrive, the Z10 does not even expand with the Playbook as much as BBOS.

C'mon Blackberry, your telling me you took an extra year and delays to refine the Time Shift camera & keyboard that a different company created? And spent majority of the time on ONE super app which is "the Hub"?

**WhiteSpir1t** · 04-06-2013, 02:03 AM

Example 4:
in a trip you carry an hdd with 500gb of movies so you can easily copy them on the go

I could definitely use example 4

**WhiteSpir1t** · 04-06-2013, 02:09 AM

Originally Posted by Magnetic_dud

Does the Z10 have USB OTG?

I remember if you put the dev alpha fw on a playbook via an hack, usb otg was working, but not on the dev alpha because of missing hardware

Assuming that BB10 is still the same, for the most part, extraction of the dev alpha's OTG driver/extension can be copied in and loaded.

Of course, in iOS speak, this would call for a jailbreak.

**homl** · 04-06-2013, 02:33 AM

The Z10 is a USB OTG-A device.
Why would you want it to be a USB OTG-B device, when it already uses microSD, plus cloud storage, WiFi & Bluetooth links.
I doubt that the Z10 battery will last long if it needs to power a mouse and keyboard. There are better Bluetooth options. As for external hard drives, you are going to need to drag along a power brick. Definitely not very elegant 'keep moving' solutions. There are Wireless hard drives and WiFi SD cards for digital cameras.

**slparry** · 04-06-2013, 04:02 AM

I have an enclosed old laptop hdd that has worked previously with my Nokia N8 and was a nice mobile feature

Posted via CB10

**rottonj** · 04-06-2013, 08:19 AM

Originally Posted by homl

The Z10 is a USB OTG-A device.
Why would you want it to be a USB OTG-B device, when it already uses microSD, plus cloud storage, WiFi & Bluetooth links.
I doubt that the Z10 battery will last long if it needs to power a mouse and keyboard. There are better Bluetooth options. As for external hard drives, you are going to need to drag along a power brick. Definitely not very elegant 'keep moving' solutions. There are Wireless hard drives and WiFi SD cards for digital cameras.

It really shouldn't matter what is elegant, it should just be able to work. Having that option is a plus. How people will use it will be up to them. Cloud is not for everyone.

**homl** · 04-06-2013, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by rottonj

It really shouldn't matter what is elegant, it should just be able to work. Having that option is a plus. How people will use it will be up to them. Cloud is not for everyone.

Sure it would be nice and could be done; but what if they do provide it. You are going to get threads like, "USB Device Fried My Z10", "My Z10 Battery Die in 1hr", "Broke My USB Connector when Dropped with Thumb Drive Attached", "My Z10 is not comparable with X Device", on and on. It is going to cause more headaches. You just can't win.

Who knows, they might be working on a more elegant solutions with a proper powered media dock.

**WhiteSpir1t** · 04-06-2013, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by homl

Sure it would be nice and could be done; but what if they do provide it. You are going to get threads like, "USB Device Fried My Z10", "My Z10 Battery Die in 1hr", "Broke My USB Connector when Dropped with Thumb Drive Attached", "My Z10 is not comparable with X Device", on and on. It is going to cause more headaches. You just can't win.

Who knows, they might be working on a more elegant solutions with a proper powered media dock.

Speak for yourself. You can't expect the way how you use your device would be the same for everyone.

What if the next guy over has had a hard disk that he's been using for quite some time and all of a sudden you come along telling him the "Right Way" how to do things?

Thus, your Z10 would be a walled garden while everyone else's are more personalized. I own the device so I should be able to use it any way I want it. If I want a vacuum cleaner for drying my hair, then it's my prerogative.