Hello everybody. I'm a long time lurker but thought I'd post a few notes on a recent successful project that I'm very pleased with. I'll share more if there is interest in the thread.
Problem: There are no docks (desktop or car) that will charge the Incredible without a separate cable. I didn't want to plug/unplug my phone constantly (once or twice a day) anymore.
Solution: Palm makes a very good looking magnetic dock for their 'Pre' models called Touchstone. Verizon sells the Touchstone for $5, the micro usb cable that goes with it (tho you can probably hack most any to work) for $5 and the phone kit runs about $10.. This guy gave me the inspiration to solder it in to my Incredible: Borntechie : One stop shop for tips, tricks and hacks galoret/
For about two weeks, I prototyped this solution the same way he did in his videos, using a micro usb head, which I covered in shrink tube. Once satisfied that I wasn't going to ruin my battery and phone, I found the appropriate solder points on the Incredible's motherboard and its all internal now. The coil from the Palm phone lays between the factory shell and my battery, barely adds any thickness to the phone and my case still fits perfectly.
Now I have wireless desk charging. It's beautiful and works well. I haven't compared the time required to charge to using just a cable, but since it is now more convenient to charge, I don't really mind if there are inefficiencies (tho the voltage and amps are the same as on the wire). I can of course still use cables for charging/data transfer.
The phone and dock both look completely stock. If anybody is interested, I'm sure I could be convinced to post some pictures and where exactly to solder, but its really easy so if you're reasonably confident just pony up.
My next project is to install the second dock piece I bought in my car. I don't trust the magnets to hold the Incredible in a moving car, as its heavier than a Palm Pre, so I'm going to attempt the build in an Archon universal mount on my vent (the induction charger does produce some extra heat).
Thoughts? Comments? Ideas for a v2?
Parts list, cheapest through Verizon but also available elsewhere:
$5 Palm Touchstone
$3 Palm Touchstone phone kit (get your exacto blade ready, this is not identical to the one I bought but I assume the electronics inside are the same)
$5 Palm micro usb (has a specifically shaped micro usb head that fits the touchstone, a standard cable could be made to work tho)
Takes about 30 mins + a soldering iron + web access if you want to look up dis assembly instructions.
Once in my car, the bluetooth starts up the 'car mode' launcher application which is acceptable but not great. Anybody have an alternative to that crap?
Thanks for reading.
Problem: There are no docks (desktop or car) that will charge the Incredible without a separate cable. I didn't want to plug/unplug my phone constantly (once or twice a day) anymore.
Solution: Palm makes a very good looking magnetic dock for their 'Pre' models called Touchstone. Verizon sells the Touchstone for $5, the micro usb cable that goes with it (tho you can probably hack most any to work) for $5 and the phone kit runs about $10.. This guy gave me the inspiration to solder it in to my Incredible: Borntechie : One stop shop for tips, tricks and hacks galoret/
For about two weeks, I prototyped this solution the same way he did in his videos, using a micro usb head, which I covered in shrink tube. Once satisfied that I wasn't going to ruin my battery and phone, I found the appropriate solder points on the Incredible's motherboard and its all internal now. The coil from the Palm phone lays between the factory shell and my battery, barely adds any thickness to the phone and my case still fits perfectly.
Now I have wireless desk charging. It's beautiful and works well. I haven't compared the time required to charge to using just a cable, but since it is now more convenient to charge, I don't really mind if there are inefficiencies (tho the voltage and amps are the same as on the wire). I can of course still use cables for charging/data transfer.
The phone and dock both look completely stock. If anybody is interested, I'm sure I could be convinced to post some pictures and where exactly to solder, but its really easy so if you're reasonably confident just pony up.
My next project is to install the second dock piece I bought in my car. I don't trust the magnets to hold the Incredible in a moving car, as its heavier than a Palm Pre, so I'm going to attempt the build in an Archon universal mount on my vent (the induction charger does produce some extra heat).
Thoughts? Comments? Ideas for a v2?
Parts list, cheapest through Verizon but also available elsewhere:
$5 Palm Touchstone
$3 Palm Touchstone phone kit (get your exacto blade ready, this is not identical to the one I bought but I assume the electronics inside are the same)
$5 Palm micro usb (has a specifically shaped micro usb head that fits the touchstone, a standard cable could be made to work tho)
Takes about 30 mins + a soldering iron + web access if you want to look up dis assembly instructions.
Once in my car, the bluetooth starts up the 'car mode' launcher application which is acceptable but not great. Anybody have an alternative to that crap?
Thanks for reading.
