By Many were dismayed when they found out that the Dell Streak didn’t use the now-standard mini-USB or micro-USB ports seen on many phones for data synchronization and charging. It was believed that this was a proprietary connection type made by Dell, but it’s actually a PDMI port- not standard but it’s not something you’ll only find on Dell’s products.
Still, one hacker – John from Linux Slate – wasn’t going to be locked into a connector type that he couldn’t easily buy a cable for from third parties. He instead opted to rip the device open and solder a mini-USB socket onto the board within the cable clip. Pretty cool, but I’m not sure it’d be worth the trouble unless you have other reasons for wanting to do this (such as using car chargers). Otherwise, just cough up another $20 to Dell for a replacement cable and call it a day.
[via Engadget]
Didn’t realise it had a prop. connector. As far as I’m aware the EU asked manufacturers to agree on a data transfer and charging standard for mobile devices and everybody agreed on Micro-B. So what’ll happen if it comes to Europe?
@Simon
Nothing. Do any of the iDevices have Micro-B? It’s pretty hard to push HD video out a usb connector. The PDMI connector has been accepted as the standard “dock” connector. Micro-B is for phones, which is what all of the newer android phones and crackberries have.
@simon wrong.
everyone agreed, but nothing was put in place. They were scared enough to agree to comply before the EU made a policy. Dell might get hit by the EU on this bigtime.
@barry99705 – But the iDevices don’t do video out unless you jailbreak them, and now Jobs has a patented way to remotely lock those devices out (along with cateloging random things such as your heartbeat). One thing that I truly hate is proprietary stuff, of which Dell, Sony, and Apple are all guilty. That’s why HDMI or Video-Out Headphone jacks are a better standard, because they are truly standard.
Same as what happens with the iPhone I expect.
@Kevin
Some of them do.
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1454
kevin, what planet have you been living on? all idevices (excepting the shuffle) have done video out for years. and jobs doesnt have a remote brick button. not to mention federal courts in the us upheld the owners right to jailbreak, hack, and otherwise unlock the capability of their phones. lrn2rd
@Kevin – any more info on the iDevice remote lock out? I’ve not heard of this.
PS – Dell sucks. I use a Dell laptop which is nice, but will never buy their Android phones because of crap like this.
@Fred & @mdnghtphnx: I believe Kevin is referring to the following article referring to a duly registered patent application: “Apple eyes kill switch for jailbroken iPhones”
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/08/20/apple_jailbreak_patent/
It’s for your own good, you know. From now on, I’m calling them the iPwnd.
I avoid products with a proprietary connector. On several occasions, a standard connector has saved my butt when I have forgotten a wire at home. This is just dumb and another way for Dell to try to make money.
PDMI is a new standard specifically to allow full HD 1080p60 output and USB 3.0 along with power and audio in a single connector:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDMI