Webtop without accessories?

[jacobrv]

I doubt that would be of much use. That is just going to be where the mini-ubuntu, or whatever this really is, is kept. The key is going to be in editing the APKs to 1) show the proper menu option all the time, and 2) remove the dock check. This is what they did for the Atrix, but the problem is that every version of the phone has had different files for this. On three different carriers the Atrix required 3 different (though similar) hacks to get it to work. After doing some digging around it looks like the Atrix people were probably actually de-compiling the APKs, editing the dalvik byte-code, and recompiling. I was poking around in the byte-code but I couldn't find anything that stood out to me. Though I've never done this kind of work before. I'm mostly a Java/AS3 coder. One thing about it is that I ran diffs on the files from the bionic and the edited Atrix ones and some of them where totally different, not just little changes. And they didn't even have all the same files. So it could be a fair amount of work to get this up and going. I think the best bet really would be to have the guy(s) who did the Atrix take a look at it, since they already know what they are looking for. But I don't know if they have any interest. Or if they could at least give us an idea of what we are looking for. I would ask him/them myself but the dalvik byte-code is totally foreign to me so even if they gave me some starting points I probably wouldn't be able to finish. My closest experience is MIPS assembly, and even that is nothing alike.

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that somebody figures this out soon. I'm probably going to just spend the $30 and pick up the little adapter here soon, but I would really like to keep 1 less thing in my backpack.

EDIT: Here is the thread on the Atrix one btw. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=980193&page=1

 

[cbalde04]

I doubt that would be of much use. That is just going to be where the mini-ubuntu, or whatever this really is, is kept. The key is going to be in editing the APKs to 1) show the proper menu option all the time, and 2) remove the dock check. This is what they did for the Atrix, but the problem is that every version of the phone has had different files for this. On three different carriers the Atrix required 3 different (though similar) hacks to get it to work. After doing some digging around it looks like the Atrix people were probably actually de-compiling the APKs, editing the dalvik byte-code, and recompiling. I was poking around in the byte-code but I couldn't find anything that stood out to me. Though I've never done this kind of work before. I'm mostly a Java/AS3 coder. One thing about it is that I ran diffs on the files from the bionic and the edited Atrix ones and some of them where totally different, not just little changes. And they didn't even have all the same files. So it could be a fair amount of work to get this up and going. I think the best bet really would be to have the guy(s) who did the Atrix take a look at it, since they already know what they are looking for. But I don't know if they have any interest. Or if they could at least give us an idea of what we are looking for. I would ask him/them myself but the dalvik byte-code is totally foreign to me so even if they gave me some starting points I probably wouldn't be able to finish. My closest experience is MIPS assembly, and even that is nothing alike.

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that somebody figures this out soon. I'm probably going to just spend the $30 and pick up the little adapter here soon, but I would really like to keep 1 less thing in my backpack.

EDIT: Here is the thread on the Atrix one btw. [MOD] Webtop Via HDMI Without a Dock *NEW* Added support for 4.5.91 (Untested) *NEW* - xda-developers

I really think it can be simpler than that. As you see from the guy who installed it in his car, he used a standard HDMI cord and the motorola docks. This tells me that the micro usb cord just needs modified to supply the correct voltage to the correct pin to tell the device that it is "docked" instead of just "charging". Now there is a small circuit board in the docking accessories, but I think thats just to regulate voltage to each pin. It doesnt seem large or sophisticated enough to contain "data" to tell the device to activate webtop.
Unfortunately I do not own the dock to be able to investigate. They also offer an HD dock with 3 usb inputs and an hdmi output. Does this HD Station offer webtop access?
Bottom line, the people at Motorola Mobility are @Holes for going out of their way to block access without owning additional accessories.
Ideas/Comments anyone? I really don't want to give them the satisfaction of purchasing these unnecessary peripherals. First they promised Bionic in the spring, then they wait until september to release and charge extra for access to whats already installed on the phone?

 

[jacobrv]

Well, hardware mods may be simpler, but I would prefer to have both hardware and software solutions. Unless maybe we could build a hardware solution into the phone instead of the dock or cable. And yes, the dock with the usb ports gives webtop by default, no mods. That, the $30 crap one, and the laptop dock all do. Then the car and standard home ones can be modified to do it.

Yeah, i agree it was a dick move locking webtop to their hardware, but at the same time, this is their own feature thats not (currently) a part of the android platform so its not like they are taking something away. At least they gave us a $30 option. The atrix didnt get that. Im glad to see that moto is trying to inovate, and im willing to support that, i just wish they weren't as greedy.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using DroidForums

 

[Kingdombuilder]

I really think it can be simpler than that. As you see from the guy who installed it in his car, he used a standard HDMI cord and the motorola docks. This tells me that the micro usb cord just needs modified to supply the correct voltage to the correct pin to tell the device that it is "docked" instead of just "charging". Now there is a small circuit board in the docking accessories, but I think thats just to regulate voltage to each pin. It doesnt seem large or sophisticated enough to contain "data" to tell the device to activate webtop.
Unfortunately I do not own the dock to be able to investigate. They also offer an HD dock with 3 usb inputs and an hdmi output. Does this HD Station offer webtop access?
Bottom line, the people at Motorola Mobility are @Holes for going out of their way to block access without owning additional accessories.
Ideas/Comments anyone? I really don't want to give them the satisfaction of purchasing these unnecessary peripherals. First they promised Bionic in the spring, then they wait until september to release and charge extra for access to whats already installed on the phone?

I'm pretty sure that you are right on this note. I'm sure it is just a matter of supplying voltage to right pin. That is how the car dock works as well. It knows that it is in a car dock by voltage supplied to the right pin. I made a car dock for a windows base phone before and that is all there was to it. As i messed around with the Droid X I found the same thing. I see that there is a little portable device that can be used in place of the HD Station to get the webtop app working. I'm willing to bet the ranch all it does is supply voltage to a combination of pins at the same time or just a single one to make the App option appear. To be very honest I had my Bionic sinse the first day it released and i just found out about the Webtop App today...LOL! Now I'm on a mission cause this will compete with my tablet by only having one device to play with.

Keep in mind I'm not saying software mods won't work, but I like to be able to trigger the app as designed to prevent any unnecessary problems.

Looking on youtube I found this video:

[video=youtube;28lfbhU-f9c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28lfbhU-f9c[/video]