USB charging point problem - a solution?

As already posted, Blackberry will not repair my pb, saying the socket is damaged, and implying it is my fault.

This despite the several posts I have now read on this forum, stating that the USB socket has a design fault in that
the USB charger can be easily inserted upside down - which damages the socket!

I have now had a follow-up call from Blackberry saying that if I purchase a rapid or magnetic charger which uses a different socket the pb will charge and function properly.

I am loathe to throw good money after bad, and hope I can get some views from other contributors to this forum as to whether this is worth trying.

Thanks for your help

colinwillsher

Question: is the socket damaged to the point that you cannot connect to do data transfers either? Just no charging?
Or both, just dead? Sometimes you can use a toothpick to fix the connector body guides.
If that works, then I suggest you put a drop of white paint on the "topside" of the connector as it plugs in. I do this to EVERY charger/cable I have for all my devices. You can even see it in dim light.

That is true. You can use the magnetic charger OR the rapid charger Dock. It will charge the Book.

But you will have to do all of your backups/data trsansfers over wifi if you cannot see the book as a volume on windows.

C

I like the TRAVEL version as it is more versatile and you can fiddle with the plug (magnetic) whereas the dock is more limited and you might have to remove a case and cannot use the dock with hdmi cable. And it also charges faster.

TRUE......

C

@collinswillsher - I also have the USB charging port issue and took my PB to a repair shop, but they could not fix. I did buy the dock that charges thru the hdmi port. It is cheap ($11) and works very well. Now if anyone can filled me in on how to sideload apps without the USB connect I will be happy as a pig in mud.

Originally Posted by ejsmith01

@collinswillsher - I also have the USB charging port issue and took my PB to a repair shop, but they could not fix. I did buy the dock that charges thru the hdmi port. It is cheap ($11) and works very well. Now if anyone can filled me in on how to sideload apps without the USB connect I will be happy as a pig in mud.

It can be done using Wifi. I use the Chrome add-in Playbook Application Manager. There's some tutorials but I can't put my finger on the links right now.

Wi-Fi DDPB SideloadingTutorial.

1. Turn on wi-fi.
2. Go to Settings (gear icon)
3. Under Storage & Sharing , turn on wi-fi sharing and file sharing (you might have to enter a password if you have Password Protect on too)
4. Under Security, turn on Development Mode by sliding Use Development Mode slider to on.
5. Under About, from the dropdown select Network and note the IPv4 address assigned. Mine is 192.168.0.104 at the moment.
6. Start your PC and then start DDPB
7. In DDPB enter the IP address you noted on the PlayBook earlier into the PlayBook IP Address field in DDPB (192.168.0.104)
8. Enter the password for your PlayBook and press CONNECT to connect to it. Wait for a bit, it will show your PIN and OS version in the bottom left corner when connected.
9. Install apps as you usually would...
10. Shut off development mode and all sharing to ensure security again.
11. Enjoy.

Originally Posted by ejsmith01

@collinswillsher - Now if anyone can filled me in on how to sideload apps without the USB connect I will be happy as a pig in mud.

I sideload all of my apps using the localbar proxy on my 9930 and localbar 2 on the PlayBook side. Never use a PC anymore. And when my Bold was out for a while there was an app on Google Play for Android that I used then called Proxoid. Sometimes I still use it when I use my Galaxy Note 10.1 to sideload apps onto the PlayBook.

I recently got my rapid charger from Amazon for under $ 15. It uses the 3 pin magnetic connection.

I will now be able to add new life to a friends playbook with damaged usb.

Originally Posted by colinwillsher

". . . the USB socket has a design fault in that the USB charger can be easily inserted upside down - which damages the socket!
colinwillsher

There's no "design fault" when a person doesn't properly attach the USB charger to the USB port.

The only "design fault" involves users who are careless or are too stupid to figure out how to properly use the USB charger.

On a more positive note, thanks for the posts on Wi-Fi sideloading and non USB charging.

I'm having this same issue on my PB, and as an added bonus, now the hdmi port on my Z10 is not working.

Posted via CB10

...and UBEDA92, unless you're omniscient (which I highly doubt), keep your insults in your head. You make assumptions, and they make you look like a complete dikk.

Posted via CB10

The same type of port (micro usb type ab) has been used on other devices by other makers and the same problems have occurred. BB could have made a bigger effort to prevent consumers from making this mistake by including warnings with the device, more emphasis on the right way to insert the plug and a more obvious marking on the plug such as HP did with a chrome marker which can be felt. The port was not designed by BB but was of course selected sometime in the Playbook design process apparently with the idea that OTG would be enabled so BB does have that design responsibility.

People using third party charging cords assume some of the responsibility for their actions. Some very smart people are not technically or mechanically inclined.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using CB Forums mobile app