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March 6th Release - Feb 13th pre-sale.

I'm pretty sure webtop can be used without any dock. So if every dock comes with the tethering requirement then I'll politely tell AT&T to shove those docks up their ass and I'll connect the phone to my TV without a dock.

Correct me if I'm interpreting this incorrectly but from this video showing it directly connected through HDMI only at ~30 seconds you see: Music, Pictures, Video and Settings.

Now looking at this video showing it connected through the HD dock at 2:44 in you have the options Music, Pictures, Video, Start Webtop and Settings.

So the HD Dock gives you the Webtop option and the Firefox full browser, so the dock does seem to provide more than just a connection convenience.
 
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Correct me if I'm interpreting this incorrectly but from this video showing it directly connected through HDMI only at ~30 seconds you see: Music, Pictures, Video and Settings.

Now looking at this video showing it connected through the HD dock at 2:44 in you have the options Music, Pictures, Video, Start Webtop and Settings.

So the HD Dock gives you the Webtop option and the Firefox full browser, so the dock does seem to provide more than just a connection convenience.

Oh snap! Good eye jreedar! That sucks, looks like you CAN'T use webtop without a dock! (probaby has the little magnet like the OD had in its docks)
 
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i cant speak for other stores, my store has a good team with an open mind. I was never an iphone fan, and once i showed my team what other phones can do, we started showing customers all the options they have.

I have had customers who have been to COR stores, asked for a blackberry, and had a sales rep tell them to get an iphone because blackberry sucks.

I wish the corporate reps would push android/windows/bb sales more but its more up to the store manager and associates

Gotcha. That makes me glad to hear. Personally, I left AT&T for Sprint and the Pre because webOS is a product I wholly believe in (and still do. It was the Sprint-exclusivity and lack of traction in the dev community that kept it from succeeding) amongst a completely iPhone family. I also own a Zune, so I am hoping for the success of WP7 as well.

But I was wondering more about when you actually receive the Atrix, how is corporate going to "suggest" you pushing the accessories? What market/user/stereotype are you catering it too? If it's everyone, what are the different angles you're going to be taking with differing customers?

Again, I realize you can't answer this now. Just something to keep in mind for when you can answer it in the future. Thanks for all your awesome reporting! :)
 
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Correct me if I'm interpreting this incorrectly but from this video showing it directly connected through HDMI only at ~30 seconds you see: Music, Pictures, Video and Settings.

Now looking at this video showing it connected through the HD dock at 2:44 in you have the options Music, Pictures, Video, Start Webtop and Settings.

So the HD Dock gives you the Webtop option and the Firefox full browser, so the dock does seem to provide more than just a connection convenience.

Don't remember WHICH video it was, but there's one somewhere that shows the lapdock being used, with browser and all, being disconnected and moved to the media dock and showing the exact same screen as from the lapdock (web browser and all), then switching to 'media dock' mode with just the file viewers, etc. As far as everything I've read or seen, EVERYTHING it can do in any dock, is done on the phone itself, and can be used on any dock. The only difference being the lapdock includes a portable screen, keyboard and battery.
 
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Don't remember WHICH video it was, but there's one somewhere that shows the lapdock being used, with browser and all, being disconnected and moved to the media dock and showing the exact same screen as from the lapdock (web browser and all), then switching to 'media dock' mode with just the file viewers, etc. As far as everything I've read or seen, EVERYTHING it can do in any dock, is done on the phone itself, and can be used on any dock. The only difference being the lapdock includes a portable screen, keyboard and battery.

It's true that you CAN use everything WITH a dock, but it looks like webtop mode is not available if you DON'T use a dock, like if you tried to just connect a mini HDMI cable by itself. You're also right that everything is done with the phone, the docks are "dumb" devices.
 
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It's true that you CAN use everything WITH a dock, but it looks like webtop mode is not available if you DON'T use a dock, like if you tried to just connect a mini HDMI cable by itself. You're also right that everything is done with the phone, the docks are "dumb" devices.

Yeah, just re-read the quoted post. I thought he was asking about difference between lapdock and HD dock. Now see it was between hdmi cable and dock. :/
 
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Oh snap! Good eye jreedar! That sucks, looks like you CAN'T use webtop without a dock! (probaby has the little magnet like the OD had in its docks)

Yeah this information makes the $189 prices for the HD package with the bluetooth keyboard, mouse, and ir remote a little more worth the price, especially if this package is considered an AT&T accessory that discounts can be used on.

Also I really hope you are correct about being able to use the webtop features wirelessly and not have to pay for a tethering package. If that's true everything I care about is covered!
 
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Yeah this information makes the $189 prices for the HD package with the bluetooth keyboard, mouse, and ir remote a little more worth the price, especially if this package is considered an AT&T accessory that discounts can be used on.

Also I really hope you are correct about being able to use the webtop features wirelessly and not have to pay for a tethering package. If that's true everything I care about is covered!

I'm pretty sure I'm right about not having to pay for tethering to use the webtop mode over WiFi.

Here's a quote from the "fine print" in the press release yesterday:

3. Laptop Dock - Firefox browser use with AT&T Mobile Broadband requires Tethering Plan.

Hope that helps! :)
 
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Does it make sense that with laptop doc in webtop mode you have to tether but with HD doc in webtop mode you don't???
I am sure some will say the business traveler.... But the business traveler in his room would rather have this to a 32" plus tv rather than an 11 in screen.

1 more question if you buy the HD doc combo all you need is a screen? And does it have to ben only hdmi in?
 
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Does it make sense that with laptop doc in webtop mode you have to tether but with HD doc in webtop mode you don't???
I am sure some will say the business traveler.... But the business traveler in his room would rather have this to a 32" plus tv rather than an 11 in screen.

1 more question if you buy the HD doc combo all you need is a screen? And does it have to ben only hdmi in?

tats weird i know...

and about the HD dock... yes all u need is a screen.. u can use the phone's screen for keyboard and mouse.. not sure if that will be very user friendly thou... the monitor/tv must have hdmi in
 
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so how do you think that AT&T will know whether you are consuming data through the webtop vs normal phone use? becasue if they aren't going to charge for the docks other than the lapdock, then I bet it is a purchase and force the plan, not anything more. I bet they wouldn't know one way or the other if you were using an HD dock or LapDock. what do you guiys think?

I would bet if you got the lapdock on ebay, you could use it without a tethering plan.
 
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so how do you think that AT&T will know whether you are consuming data through the webtop vs normal phone use? becasue if they aren't going to charge for the docks other than the lapdock, then I bet it is a purchase and force the plan, not anything more. I bet they wouldn't know one way or the other if you were using an HD dock or LapDock. what do you guiys think?

I would bet if you got the lapdock on ebay, you could use it without a tethering plan.

I was thinking the same thing! The teathering may be what gets you the bundled price of 499.
 
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so how do you think that AT&T will know whether you are consuming data through the webtop vs normal phone use? becasue if they aren't going to charge for the docks other than the lapdock, then I bet it is a purchase and force the plan, not anything more. I bet they wouldn't know one way or the other if you were using an HD dock or LapDock. what do you guiys think?

I would bet if you got the lapdock on ebay, you could use it without a tethering plan.

AT&T specifically said firefox via laptop dock on their network (not wifi) requires a tethering plan. They should be able to detect what browser you use. However, I have no clue if they will require the plan for using the native browser, gmail, sling box, etc while in the laptop dock on their network.
 
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AT&T specifically said firefox via laptop dock on their network (not wifi) requires a tethering plan. They should be able to detect what browser you use. However, I have no clue if they will require the plan for using the native browser, gmail, sling box, etc while in the laptop dock on their network.
In regards to the above, do you think they can really tell what browser people use, and bill off of that? Several customer have non-smartphone unlimited plans, yet use that with an N8, N1, whatever smartphone. If AT&T had the ability to bill as you suggest, this would not be the case. They'd simply look at the browser, look at the data package, and make them match by adjusting the package.

I really think this whole tethering fee is simply to get more money, and the only "benefit" to customers is a discount on the bundled pricing. This is also supported (in addition to the above) with AT&T claiming that the tethering is not required for the MM dock that also launches webtop and the full FireFox browser.
 
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In regards to the above, do you think they can really tell what browser people use, and bill off of that? Several customer have non-smartphone unlimited plans, yet use that with an N8, N1, whatever smartphone. If AT&T had the ability to bill as you suggest, this would not be the case. They'd simply look at the browser, look at the data package, and make them match by adjusting the package.

I really think this whole tethering fee is simply to get more money, and the only "benefit" to customers is a discount on the bundled pricing. This is also supported (in addition to the above) with AT&T claiming that the tethering is not required for the MM dock that also launches webtop and the full FireFox browser.

well first let me say that I don't know crap :) i'm speculating. what i said about the firefox and 3/4g requirement is straight out of ATT press release and what the moto reps on their getsatisfaction page said. as for how they can detect... who says they have to detect anything? it might be baked right into the phone software

/detect firefox
/detect 3/4g connection

/check for tethering plan

if no

redirect to att website to purchase said plan

isn't this how the hotspot tether works on an unrooted/nonstock android phone? you click the box to enable it and it checks to see if you have the plan to support it.
 
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well first let me say that I don't know crap :) i'm speculating. what i said about the firefox and 3/4g requirement is straight out of ATT press release and what the moto reps on their getsatisfaction page said. as for how they can detect... who says they have to detect anything? it might be baked right into the phone software

/detect firefox
/detect 3/4g connection

/check for tethering plan

if no

redirect to att website to purchase said plan

isn't this how the hotspot tether works on an unrooted/nonstock android phone? you click the box to enable it and it checks to see if you have the plan to support it.

If this is the case I could see some dev coming up with a way to redirect where he phone checks. For example Apple now signs all iOS firmwares. If iTunes doesn't get that signature from Apple it won't restore the firmware. Hackers have made a way to redirect where iTunes looks for the signature. So now you can restore any firmware if you have the shsh blobs. If a check like this is done for the Atrix it could be exploited.
 
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That's my point exactly. There is no check.

the check is the webtop application.

meaning even if you use the hdmi dock you will need to pay for tethering.

now while i dont like as much as the next guy...i kind of understand why they are doing that. If i had unlimited data on the atrix and AT&T didnt charge tethering, Id use the webtop mode quite often, pulling in a ton of data...and i wouldnt that to bring the new 4g network down. I can see an iphone situation all over again
 
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