I've learned to stop hating on the charger

[Proph]

im under the assumption that the OP who asked expects the xoom to automatically switch into some docked mode, kind of like how the htc evo does when its in the htc official car dock. thats the assumption i made from the question and it does not do this automatically. to be fair i have the HD dock not the standard, although im sure that may not make a difference. i have not immediately seen an option to set this up to a dock mode.. but i will look.. thank you for keeping me honest here...

oh i wasn't trying to keep you honest, i had forgotten about that completely and remembered reading something about it so i went and looked it up. i haven't looked with the standard dock either and truth be known i haven't seen anything to set the mode i didn't even know if it was possible. i googled it and couldn't find any way to do it either,,, maybe an option in the clock app? i am more on the path now of hey, can it do it?

 

[marctronixx]

i just read the descrription again and it seems to suggest that there needs to be some manual assistance from the user. i think its cleaver marketing. i have not found a setting for this. and i would imagine if its on the standard dock it should be a given to make this avail on the HD dock...

nevertheless, if you do find this option, let me know. right now i can set this up to display images from all of my photo albums online thru the app "just pictures".

 

[kencrudup]

The Xoom could not have easily charged via USB, as the battery voltage is > 5V, and adding the required step-up converter would have required a fair amount of board real-estate.

 

[kencrudup]

the insert for the standard and HD dock allows you to dock the xoom whilst its in a case/portfolio. your dock comes with an insert

Sumbitch- so I looked at it again (it's been sitting in my trunk with $200 of other iPad/Xoom accessories I'm taking back after trying out and didn't like) and there's an insert already in the dock. Huh- didn't catch that the first time. Using the insert in the box instead does let it the work with a gel-skinned Xoom after all- but it's gonna have to go back anyway 'cause the viewing angle is all wrong for me (I'm too tall, I guess).

I've actually been using this iPad stand at work instead, and I like it (although it doesn't charge, but with our battery life that hasn't been an issue) as it works with the skin on, and the angle is perfect (and all of the contact points are against the gel-skin, not the Xoom's glass).

Not only that, but the protruding micro-USB connector on the Moto dock just seemed like a recipe for disaster if you ever snag it off-kilter.

 

[dwboston]

Not only that, but the protruding micro-USB connector on the Moto dock just seemed like a recipe for disaster if you ever snag it off-kilter.

I wouldn't be too sure about that. I had a Moto Q9h (most underrated phone ever IMO) with the official Moto dock and felt the same way about the protruding micro-USB connector on the dock at first, but never had any issues with it in the year and a half I had the phone and dock. The Moto dock's are pretty well built, if a bit overpriced.

 

[kencrudup]

Yabbut it's not the $30 dock I'm worried about!

 

[Big Calhoun]

the insert for the standard and HD dock allow you to dock the xoom whilst its in a case/portfolio. your dock comes with an insert... well i thought i read the standard dock comes with an insert.. the HD dock i have does...

LOL! I just slid off the standard insert and put on the other one that came with the dock. Sure enough, the device fits with the silicone cover on it. Maybe I should have RTFM.

 

[michaelk]

Yes plugging it into a PC or USB hub only gives ~500mA, wall plugs that uses the USB interface are fine, I've seen as high as 5.2V 1.2A, I don't see why Motorola didn't do this with the USB interface. To me, I'm not a fan of having a separate wall charger from the USB port these days, it's so last century now- when I travel I take my laptop, USB cable and my phone or PDA (and of course that wallplug module). No more tangled up wires and plugs for everything anymore, I had to deal with that with my Palm Pilot, Cowan A2, older Blackberries and Motorola phones, etc.

the usb charging standards specificy that that a device can query the source usb for how much the host can supply. If I recall on USB 2.0 the default is 100mA and then the device can negotiate either 300 or 500. With USB 3.0 I think it can negotiate all the way up to 900mA. (this is why a modern device wont charge with older wall wart or cigarette lighter usb adapters- or with a cable with just the charging conductors- the newer devices are querying the device for the "OK" and the stupid devices wont "reply" so the device will only draw a 100mA 'trickle' charge)

that's less amps then the charger (I think?) and less volts. So you wind up with bunch less watts (volts*amps) so the charge would take significantly longer. But I would have wished it was at least an option.


Also there's some way that devices "in the know" can short a couple pins and then just suck all the juice the source can supply- that's how you can use a modern usb wall wart, cigarette lighter adapter, or the like. I know that my Droid draws well more than 500 mA through a chargepod. That's why the usb chargers that give out 1.2 or even 1.8 amps exist.

 

[michaelk]

anyone adventurous- take a magnet all along the bottom of the device and see if you can trigger a dock mode. The Droid Pro doesn't officially support car dock mode, but you can place a magnet in the right spot and get it to trigger with the right apk's installed. (hmm but i guess the xoom would need the right apk's....)

 

[kennychaffin]

... cause it is awesome!

While it's non-standard and I thought I'd have to start carrying Yet Another Device along to the office, between the amazing battery life (to me anyway, I have an Evo ) and how fast the Xoom recharges I can leave the charger at home and not have to worry about running out of juice when I'm stuck in a 12+hr day (like now)! I used it this morning and drained it to 90% (took a couple of hours). Plugged it in, took a shower and dressed, and by that time it said "Charged."

Yep! Good Stuff!

 

[Rob]

I used it this morning and drained it to 90% (took a couple of hours).

Really glad to hear this. My XOOM started at 65% (first use) and took about 3.5 or 4 hours to drain. I'm guessing (like many devices) the first quarter of battery life puts up a larger fight.

I've also been pretty amazed at how QUICKLY Android Devices charge in general.

 

[kencrudup]

I'm pretty sure some of those charger adapters don't put out the kind of current our device's charger needs, so I'd have to get one that puts out at least 1.5A .

I'd meant to update this thread; back when they had the one-day sale on the car charger for $15, I'd started looking for decent AC-to-12V-socket adapters, and after trying a few retail ones that didn't work, I found this charger on Amazon that works very well. Now I have a full-service (car/home) 2nd charging setup for traveling.

 

[PetiePal]

At first I was kind of annoying this new device was throwing a "wrench" into my finely laid plans of having USB chargersr accessible everywhere. All phones were MicroUSB now, my car had a few cigarette lighters with USB ports so I could plug in any phone or GPS with a mini/micro.

I found out a few days later the larger voltage of the charger is what didn't let you have a plain old USB. Using it while charging would slowly drain it more than charge so it just wasn't possible. If it WASN'T for the excellent battery life I'd be annoyed but Motorola did something really well with the 6500 mAh battery. I can go 3-4 days of moderate use without charging.

Last weekend we had an emergency at work. I was forced to work late Thursday (11pm), Friday (9pm my birthday too!) and Saturday/Sunday (6am to 10pm) Most of the time was spent waiting for tape backups to run their restores. My XOOM saved the day. Even when it got low 30 minutes in the charger and I was from 20% back up to 100...amazing..wish my phones charged like that!

 

[frenzy757]

yea, I don't mind having one other cord...I do have a USB charger in every travel bag I have so I don't haev to think about it. But when I take a tablet, it usually is on my mind (i have to actually grab it and pack it etc whereas my phone is always in my pocket). So I don't forget that cable (kinda like a laptop cable).

Obviously, it would be great IF we had the OPTION of charging, even if its small, via USB.

My only real complaint is that it does look like it could break. I kind of wish they made some housing kind of like the XboX 360 controller charger, or like the Headset for the Xbox 360 is a sort of 3.5MM headphone jack with a pastic casing around it...so while its plugged in, something hitting it from the side couldn't break it off inside the tablet. Small complaint yes, but it would prove that the charger was better thought out.

 

[PetiePal]

Good point there...the little actual jack IS kind of flimsy looking. I bought a backup charger for home just in case and keep the other at work.