[sf49ers]

blackberryczech got some nice details on the new docking station for playbook and some titbits on the Playbook 10" model.




BlackBerryCzech � Deseti-palcov� PlayBook, dokovac� stanice se s�

The absolute novelty is a new docking station for BlackBerry playbook. One of the first opportunity we had this great piece of equipment to try. This stand is unique in several respects - the Tablet connects via HDMI and wearing a Micro also offers other connectors. We can find charging connector, HDMI connector, but also, for example port for standard network cable with RJ-45 and a trio of classic USB ports!

The playbook so you can connect many peripherals at one time and even to connect to the network using a network cable! The icing on the cake is a wireless receiver connected to a docking station that lets you make calls through the playbook as well (of course via the Internet)! The potential of the BlackBerry OS playbook, or if you want your BlackBerry 10, is slowly coming to life and it seems that we really look forward to.

And finally a surprise. We have also seen a new BlackBerry Playbook tablet with a screen diagonal 10 inches! Unfortunately, we were not able to take a picture of him / shoot, got no right to us. We saw him at a distance of about 2 meters. Certainly, however, that the ten-inch playbook is not fiction, it is a functional prototype, and when God gives, so you should see a performance at the MWC in Barcelona or more on the BlackBerry World Congress in May.

[peterallcdn]

Saw this on N4BB.com sometime earlier today, well yesterday I should say. Surprised CB hasn't noticed and made a post about it. Thanks for doing the translation, N4BB didn't mention the 10" PlayBook part. Hopefully they make a dock like this for the 10", I'll gladly buy both the tab and dock when they come out.

[Bluemoonjules]

looks like a prototype to me....

10inch tablets....can't see the point, would rather have a netbook!

[peterallcdn]

I'm hoping it's a prototype as well... the styling looks a little bland otherwise.

I can understand some people preferring a netbook over a 10" tablet, but for me, I'd rather have the 10" tablet due to less than stellar vision... For readability, I like to hold my PlayBook up near stomach height rather than on my lap. I really think though that convertibles like the Transformer Prime where you can separate the tablet from the keyboard and have the best of both worlds is ideal. RIM keeps saying now that BlackBerry 10 is a "mobile computing" platform with all sorts of vertical product paths, I keep hoping that one of those products will be full blown laptops/netbooks... But then again I keep hoping they produce lots of new products... I really think they need to diversify and not be just a mobile phone and tablet company.

[Bluemoonjules]

Ah yes, personal choice always a good thing! I def need bifocals/varifocals....perils of age in my case....

[swyost]

I am not usually big on cutting and pasting my own post on a subject but in this case, it will save time:

So let's see: Blackberry Czech manages to acquire a docking station aparently from RIM's secret R&D facility and they decide the logical thing to do is take it to a bar and shoot a couple of photos that would make the person who took the video of the "siberian mammoth" crossing a stream proud. They then decide to place their logo over the device in the images and don't manage to show details of any of the features they say it includes. Presumably they did not have time because the secret police from the RIM facility were hot on their trail. Oh, RIM is also planning on releasing a docking station that has a retro 1970s modular sofa look and is bolted to a steel hardware store bracket. The siberian mammoth probably has a better shot of being true....

I could also add that the first image has a decided, we don't want you to see it too closely/photoshop is a cool tool look about it. As it stands though, with all due respect, my point is that this is the sort of thing websites fabricate to get a higher hit rate. I would take this with a large grain (or rock) of salt. BTW, if people have not seen the siberian mammoth video, here is a link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46329601...cid=ansmsnbc11

[BitPusher2600]

I would buy one in a second if it could somehow make it possible to use a USB thumb drive to move data on and off, because that's the one and only feature I don't have that I could really use.

I read somewhere that somebody got this to work via rooting, but I'm not into screwin' with my firmware, but who knows what surprises we may find in 2.0 or 2.1

[peterallcdn]

Hey swyost,

I hope you're wrong, in that I think this type of product would be a good one. It'd be great to be able to drop a PlayBook into a dock and view it on your TV or computer monitor while using an actual keyboard and mouse to work on it. It would make a great commercial, someone using a playbook all day on-the-go and then coming home, dropping it into their dock, and then either using to watch a movie on their TV or send email and use facebook on their computer.

I hope you're right however, in that the design is not very appealing. And if this product were to become real, it would hopefully have a much sleeker and more modern design.

I'm not sure where/if they stated the picture was taken, but I was just kinda thinkin' maybe somewhere at Devcon Europe?

[Superfly_FR]

Despite I like the supposed functionalities, I sincerely hope this is no way OEM ... even as a prototype. As said before, looks like an old ebonite 70's phone and is far too big to be laying on my desk or near my couch ...

But, earing of USB host is the best news in that thread, so thanks for sharing !

[JeffyPooh]

The PB has USB, HDMI, and Power ports along the bottom. Not Ethernet. So the most likely explanation is that this homebrew gadget has a little wifi router built in. Otherwise we have to assume that RIM is enabling some significant new capabilities (networking) via the USB port. Place your bets...

I wonder how long the USB and HDMI ports would last (ab)used in this manner (jamming the PB onto a multiple connector dock, as compared to carefully inserting the cables one at a time)? One friend has already run into USB port problems, being mechanically a bit fragile. Mini-USB and Micro-HDMI are not really intended to be docking connectors, especially trying to mate both at once.

[mikeplus1]

While I would like such a dock, I would not buy the one in that photo, too big, bulky and fugly.

[FF22]

The PB has USB, HDMI, and Power ports along the bottom. Not Ethernet. So the most likely explanation is that this homebrew gadget has a little wifi router built in. Otherwise we have to assume that RIM is enabling some significant new capabilities (networking) via the USB port. Place your bets...

I wonder how long the USB and HDMI ports would last (ab)used in this manner (jamming the PB onto a multiple connector dock, as compared to carefully inserting the cables one at a time)? One friend has already run into USB port problems, being mechanically a bit fragile. Mini-USB and Micro-HDMI are not really intended to be docking connectors, especially trying to mate both at once.

That's been an issue I've also raised each time someone mentions a docking station. There is not sufficient give or play in the connectors on the pb. Trying to match/mate them all at one and blindly, at that, does seem a lesson in port failure eventually.

Someone did mention a 10inch device - maybe they plan a different grouping down below.

[offthahorseceo]

guys, when i saw ethernet port being mentioned, i immediately thought knock-off.

then i saw the pictures and the logo on the back and all doubts were confirmed.

look up sub-$100 tablets. all of them come with ethernet connectors...

when have you seen any other high end trusted brand tablet come with ethernet capabilities?

[narci]

The PB has USB, HDMI, and Power ports along the bottom. Not Ethernet. So the most likely explanation is that this homebrew gadget has a little wifi router built in. Otherwise we have to assume that RIM is enabling some significant new capabilities (networking) via the USB port. Place your bets...

I wonder how long the USB and HDMI ports would last (ab)used in this manner (jamming the PB onto a multiple connector dock, as compared to carefully inserting the cables one at a time)? One friend has already run into USB port problems, being mechanically a bit fragile. Mini-USB and Micro-HDMI are not really intended to be docking connectors, especially trying to mate both at once.

There's a video of Mike Laz stating the USB port can do ethernet.

Check the other docking station post..3 minute mark of the video.

[Superfly_FR]

The PB has USB, HDMI, and Power ports along the bottom. Not Ethernet. [...]

Well, this is why HDMI is ... fabulous !
Actual 1.4 version gots an HDMI Ethernet Channel (HEC), which allows for a 100 Mbit/s Ethernet connection between two HDMI connected devices.

H�h� ... I bet many didn't noticed that ... ... and sincerely hope RIM had the idea too.

[swyost]

Hey swyost,

I hope you're wrong, in that I think this type of product would be a good one. It'd be great to be able to drop a PlayBook into a dock and view it on your TV or computer monitor while using an actual keyboard and mouse to work on it. It would make a great commercial, someone using a playbook all day on-the-go and then coming home, dropping it into their dock, and then either using to watch a movie on their TV or send email and use facebook on their computer.

I hope you're right however, in that the design is not very appealing. And if this product were to become real, it would hopefully have a much sleeker and more modern design.

I'm not sure where/if they stated the picture was taken, but I was just kinda thinkin' maybe somewhere at Devcon Europe?

It doesn't say where the photos were taken, but it is clearly a bar complete with tall glass and a Coke Zero bottle. Notably, you can pick out the details of everything else on the table but not the device they are supposedly photographing. The whole bar thing is also so Apple cloke and dagger, stolen iPhone. I'm sorry but this is just some silly little knock off thing someone tossed together, and they are concealing the fact with photos that look like something from a 10 year old camera phone.

[rc.simpsons]

the functions it offers is impressive, but not the look. sorry blackberryczech.

[CairnsRock]

Obvious scam. An ugly "aluminum base" which was made in someones basement.