Tablets with robust power connector

[DaveInDenver]

Looking for tablets that have robust power connectors, either improved USB or ideally something dedicated. I know about the Toughpads but $1500 isn't anywhere in the budget. So any recommendations or tablets that have proved not to develop power connector issues? I'm not super pleased with the Thunderbolt connector on my iPhone, which has failed long before the device itself reached it's useful EOL. So I'm very unlikely to use an iPad in the truck because of it.

 

[Airmapper]

I looked into this some but didn't go with it. Looks interesting, a bit expensive, but I think it's a lot better than $1500:

https://www.rammount.com/products/intelliskin

 

[DaveInDenver]

Now that's cool. I'm so out of the loop on stuff.

 

[Shawn686]

I use these:

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Real-Micro-...hash=item3adeefe52d:m:mH3wG9oZlyywiIhP6TF4N0g

Been using them for 2 years they are great

Shawn

 

[snare]

I use these:

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Real-Micro-...hash=item3adeefe52d:m:mH3wG9oZlyywiIhP6TF4N0g

Been using them for 2 years they are great

Shawn

interesting. never seen those before. any issues with them?

In particular does the cord stay attached when driving on rough terrain?

 

[DaveInDenver]

interesting. never seen those before. any issues with them?

In particular does the cord stay attached when driving on rough terrain?

I think that's a scenario where I would want the connector to yield rather than induce shock and vibration on an interface not really suited to it. It's not a problem to me if it did pop off and it runs on battery for a while.

 

[Shawn686]

interesting. never seen those before. any issues with them?

In particular does the cord stay attached when driving on rough terrain?

I don't know, but I can make and educated guess that if the road you are driving on makes one fall off you are already in the tens of thousands of dollars of damage to your truck lol. They are super strong magnets the ones I have you can pick the phone up by the cord and it remains attached.

The only thing I would call an issue is that for data transfer the connector has to be oriented the right way but to charge it does not matter how it is connected.

Shawn

 

[snare]

I don't know, but I can make and educated guess that if the road you are driving on makes one fall off you are already in the tens of thousands of dollars of damage to your truck lol. They are super strong magnets the ones I have you can pick the phone up by the cord and it remains attached.

The only thing I would call an issue is that for data transfer the connector has to be oriented the right way but to charge it does not matter how it is connected.

Shawn

thanks. it was good hearing an answer to my actual question from someone who has used them.

 

[zimou13]

Although its three-year warranty unfortunately doesn't include accidental damage, Panasonic Toughpad is a good choice for those who want a tablet that is as close to indestructible as is possible.

 

[theksmith]

i used to have a Motorola XOOM with a separate barrel connector for power, but that was years ago. most anything Android has been Micro-USB forever, and now it would seem everyone is going to type-C connectors. the type-C ones are at least reversible, and seem a little less delicate than Micro-USB. not to mention being able to charge and do USB-Host at the same time.

but, depending on why you're asking - you might check out some of the tablet mounts with integrated chargers from proclipusa.com. having a consistent fixed way of sliding a tablet into the power cord could solve problems you were having with the socket and/or cord breaking. this is of course assuming you want your tablet mounted somewhere, not just laying on the dash or shoved between the e-brake and seat, etc.

otherwise maybe hack something together using one a universal inductive charging adapter. i.e. put something like this on the tablet, then glue something like this onto a vehicle tablet mount. just some ideas!

 

[DaveInDenver]

The Proclip and Intelliskin options seem the most promising in light of the way tablets are made now.

The reason I'm asking is the Lightning connector on my iPhone, which is a little like a reversed type-C USB connector, has failed rendering an otherwise perfectly useful phone basically a paperweight for mobile uses. I can still get it to charge at home by hanging the phone from the cord just so, but it's a matter of do not touch until it's recharged so it's a stop gap. It's only a 3 year old phone and it's never been abused and just got used to administer the phone as intended. I have used it mobile maybe half a dozen times so my thinking is just preemptive as I anticipate it being an issue with a tablet (which admittedly is my first of any kind, so I have zero experience to draw from).

I think the theory of using a connection that mates once on the tablet and moves the issue to another that can be easily replaced will be fine. I mean, a tablet should handle a few dozen mates with zero issue and I'm sure there's plenty of other ways a mobile installation will hasten it's demise anyway.

 

[DaveInDenver]

It's the phone, does it with all the cords I have (which are just what Apple includes save for one Amazon) and a brand new Apple cord I bought to check. It's possible the Amazon cord is malformed, I haven't done any measurements. But I used it for some time before the phone started getting flaky, so if it was oversized it took probably at least a year for the contacts to fatigue.

And I realized I misspoke, it's probably older than that. I've had it 2 years and 2 months but I got it refurbished. It's an iPhone 5s, so probably more like 4 or 5? I got it when the battery on my iPhone 5 swelled. It was cheaper than having that one fixed.

Our laptop is a mid 2012 MacBook Pro.

There is a pattern here...