Motorola Droid car mount mod

Soultics · Nov 22, 2009

Maybe something like this would work for you

Motorola OEM Micro-USB Right Angle Charger Adapter Cable For Blackberry - BlackBerry Curve 8900 - Fommy.com

Roroco · Nov 23, 2009

Soultics said:
Maybe something like this would work for you

Motorola OEM Micro-USB Right Angle Charger Adapter Cable For Blackberry - BlackBerry Curve 8900 - Fommy.com

I'll give that a shot... Thanks!

jasg · Dec 2, 2009

meekrab said:
Do you know where the magnet sits in the case/where it interacts with the phone? I was messing around with a magnet yesterday, and I can get the multimedia dock screen consistently, but I couldn't pinpoint the site on the phone for the car mode. I plan on making my own car dock.

The magnet location is 1 inch from the bottom and 1.75 inches from the left edge (when positioned for dock use).

I confirmed this by locating the magnet on a real dock - which seems to have a quarter inch magnet in the upper left corner of the 'tab' in the middle of the dock.

I made a custom dock using these half-inch neodymium magnets (Promag #60001), which are strong enough to work with the Droid snap on gel cover. (The quarter inch Progmag magnets did not seem to be strong enough to use with a case.)

Simply flip the magnet over to switch dock mode.

HardCache · Dec 2, 2009

so basically one magnet will do, and changing the polarity will change which application launches.

... BRILLIANT!

xavious85 · Dec 2, 2009

Very nice! I'd like to make a hole for the camera on mine as well so I can hook it onto my motorcycle and take some video of riding in the mountains. Care to tell us how you went about doing this?

FrayAdjacent · Dec 3, 2009

The magnets would likely be tripping a Hall Effect Sensor. I wasn't really aware that you could get one to do different things depending on the polarity of the magnet... maybe it's an actual switch in the phone?

Redflea · Dec 3, 2009

Fadelight said:
VERY nice. How does it work? Did you give any thought to also notching out the side so you can still get to the sleep button, since you can't any other way?

You can access the Power button when the Droid is in the car doc, I do it all the time...no mod required.

Wakey · Dec 3, 2009

xavious85 said:
Very nice! I'd like to make a hole for the camera on mine as well so I can hook it onto my motorcycle and take some video of riding in the mountains. Care to tell us how you went about doing this?

Do you have a drill or a dremel tool?

http://imgur.com/bEmKQ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ROeeA.jpg

jerry62 · Dec 3, 2009

Does anyone know if this car mount will still work if your Droid already has a shell on it (as sold for the Droid)? I'm thinking I would have to remove my shell.

Shell/Holster Combo

neumannator · Dec 3, 2009

nice thread im gonna do it

Yerfdog · Dec 3, 2009

jerry62 said:
Does anyone know if this car mount will still work if your Droid already has a shell on it (as sold for the Droid)? I'm thinking I would have to remove my shell.

Shell/Holster Combo

I have the same shell/holster combo. I tried the car mount in the VZ store - it fits fine. It will not fit in the multimedia docking station with the shell on, though.

kmfdmk · Dec 3, 2009

Badass mod. I should have thought of this, and I had already thought of the mod of the hole for the camera just hadn't gotten around to it. Anyone have any in car video to tell us how bad vibration is transmitted from car-> windshield -> mount -> phone? I have a Supra with ridiculously stiff race suspension on it... wondering if the vibrations will ruin the video.

Something else I've noticed is that the phone actually sounds best when the screen is facing you, but there's a baffle/reflector to bounce the sound back @ you that's about 1" or so away from the back of the phone. I listen to podcasts on speakerphone and have tried screen down, screen up and propped up against something (which sounded best).

FrayAdjacent said:
The magnets would likely be tripping a Hall Effect Sensor. I wasn't really aware that you could get one to do different things depending on the polarity of the magnet... maybe it's an actual switch in the phone?

Think Single Pole Double Throw...(switch) Makes sense.

jerry62 said:
Does anyone know if this car mount will still work if your Droid already has a shell on it (as sold for the Droid)? I'm thinking I would have to remove my shell.

Shell/Holster Combo

I had a clear Verizon hard case for my Droid for about a week, that was only till I had a chance to return it seeing as it won't fit in the car nav mount with the protective case on. So that was a no go. I installed a ZAGG Invisible Shield on it... which is doing so so at protecting it.

dman2275 · Dec 3, 2009

I know this thread is about the car mount but I am curious, how is the Zagg on the phone? Does it really protect the phone? How hard was it to install on the phone?

kmfdmk · Dec 3, 2009

Yeah it seems to do well. I mean it won't protect ALL of the phone there are portions that it doesn't cover, tips/edges etc. However as far as scratching/scuffs, things like that it's great. Not that much of a hassle to install. Just make sure to get the phone damp from the included sponge (I just wiped my finger on the sponge, then the phone) AND make sure to get the InvisiShield wet prior to application as well, and slide it around to get it into place.

For the first few days the vinyl was REALLY tacky. Just from being fresh vinyl, meaning it would want to grab onto my pocket lining when putting in my coat pocket, it'd attract lint, etc. However that's worn off. BUT you can still place it on a hard surface (like a windshield) and it will stay (well my supra has a really flat/super sloped windshield but you get the idea).

It did make the touchschreen not as smooth as without. I've heard there are other protective covers that will still give you a super slick screen feel.

jerry62 · Dec 4, 2009

Here's a nice generic kit for $7 and free shipping?
Except I want a vent holder with a ball for extra adjustments, not just 360 degrees. But this would seem to be a nice generic window mount.

Universal GPS Car Mount Holder

veviac · Dec 8, 2009

@Jerry62,
No. It doesn't. You can keep the front faceplate but the back cover has to come off

Wilda · Dec 8, 2009

bwsmith said:
Is there any way to mod it to work on a dash friction mount like the one I use for Garmin?

I'm using my Droid car mount with my old Garmin Nuvi 360 friction mount. Just take both the Garmin and Droid mounts apart at the joint and swap halves. The balls and cups of the joints are the same size. Works perfectly.

drumtrucker · Dec 8, 2009

the block said:
I'm still waiting for there to be a proclip solution for the mount.. everytime I go in the verizon store to see the mount up close to see if I could mod it myself, there are never any in stock.

proclip has one now:
ProClip Mounting System

drumtrucker · Dec 8, 2009

Roroco said:
All,

Thanks for this thread.. I cut three smaller holes fo rmy speaker and I cut away a hole for the camera. Works great. One question though... I have found the Droid works much better in portrait mode vs landscape mode in cars because some features (like phone) don't rotate, you can see further down the road in the nav, and the camera has a clearer view away from the bracket. My only issue is I need to find a right angle USB charger... The strait plug is an eye sore.

Are you guys liking it in landscape?

NO
Running mine in 18 wheeler, mostly in portrait mode and mainly for the phone. Landscape phone is a joke. They at least need to make the numbers display in LARGE font as you try to dial.

neumannator · Dec 10, 2009

did it to mine works great

Digitalfix · Jan 29, 2010

I think I might try thee same...but I'll have to test it out on someplace inconspicuous as its a leather dash on a 911.

&roid · Jan 29, 2010

I just trimmed that whole corner off to reveal the camera lens and flash too, that corner is totally useless and does absolutely nothing to hold the phone in the mount, and now it's easier to press the power button when needed.
I'll post a picture when I get home.

&roid · Jan 29, 2010

I just trimmed that whole corner off to reveal the camera lens and flash too, that corner is totally useless and does absolutely nothing to hold the phone in the mount, and now it's easier to press the power button when needed.
I'll post a picture when I get home.

skunkpbguy · Mar 20, 2010

Bought a Dremel.. after some careful measuring, I'm off to trim my mount for this mod. Thanks to the OP and others that added to this thread.

mixpix · May 22, 2010

I'm planning to drill out a camera hole as well with my Dremel. Great to see someone take the time and make it look nice, unlike some people. haha

Motorola Droid car mount mod

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