Forgive me if this post is long in exuberance and short on details. My original thread is linked below where I describe the basics of the cradle. The original had no charging capabilities though. I made three basic prototypes all using a right angled micro usb to usb three foot cable. Nothing fancy. It does require you have it plugged in to something with a normal USB plug. But this will always be near my computer or laptop so good to go. One cradle was basically the same as my original only there is a micro usb jack for charging in landscape mode. The second type was a micro usb jack to charge in normal (portrait) mode and the cradle having a molded piece to raise the optical mouse above the front lip. The third was the same as the second only no molded piece. The phone sits flat against the bottom of the cradle and therefore the micro usb jack sits lower. Lessons learned: I molded the landscape jack to be at the proper angle and placed it so it docks like a hot knife through butter. But HOLY CRAP!!! Portrait mode is really a pain in the arse. No wonder there are no chargers like it on the market. When you are holding the phone in your hand and holding a micro usb cable in the other and guiding the two together like the space shuttle docking to the ISS using hand eye coordination it seems REALLY easy. However, when your cable is fixed, except a little wiggle in it to plug it in, the process becomes a bit of a hassle. I've noticed the port on the phone seems to accept plugs the best when they are slightly tilted to the back of the device. That coupled with the first few times I kept thinking the phone was symmeterical in my mind and the port was in the middle. It isn't. It is on the back half of the phone. I guess it is force of habit from every other device I have owned to try to plug it in expecting the jack in the middle. Also, the fact that it is a micro usb really makes plugging it in unforgiving in portrait mode. So for me... feeling my way to plug it in took a few tries. Once you train yourself on how to do it there isn't a problem. But I didn't anticipate the annoyance factor of it. I've also included a picture of the phone plugged in and resting on the dock. You can see the amber light and sort of make out the battery with the bolt through it. Sorry my man cave is kind of dark and that's the best I could do right now for pics. I thought about doing a dual mode charger. But the placement of where the jack needs to be in portrait kind of makes that difficult. Also the size of the micro usb jack adds to the problem. I haven't figured out a convenient way to keep it out of the way to let it rest in landscape. Too much slack will make it hard to plug in and creates an eyesore of extra cable jutting out like a tumor. Original Thread: http://androidforums.com/htc-incredible/76099-my-homemade-desktop-cradle.html
That's a good idea! I wonder if it might be possible to drill a hole in the bottom right corner of the holder a secure the charging cable in the hole. It might look a little cleaner that way but regardless, I really like that idea. It's very simple and looks great.
A hole could easily be put in there. The cardholder is like a metal mesh. Hole could be easily drilled in it.
It is from DecalGirl.com. I can't even remember how I found that site. I like mine to go as naked as possible when I am using it. However I ripped the sides taking it off to replace my Verizon screen protector with my crystal clear that just arrived today. I'll probably have to order another one It is the matte finish by the way. It does have holes for all the sensors at the top in case you were wondering. HTC Incredible Skin - Radiosity @ DecalGirl
Both of these cradles look amazing!!! But the card holder stand seem like something everyone can construct fairly easy
That one was easy. From the time I got home and got out the 8x10 sheet of felt stickum and cut it to size and then rounded the corners and stuck it on took all of about 15 minutes. Great. I didn't even know they made something like that. I'll get it and post updated pics soon as I find one.
Which one of these would be the most unobtrusive? They'll all have mounting "fixes" I'll have to work out. usb right angle adapter, Computers Networking, Cell Phones PDAs. Great deals on eBay! Then again, if I built in the USB port, how would it move if you wanted to put the phone in vertically (which I do most of the time now) vs. horizontally? The only way you could do that was with a cord that moved with the phone and that would kind of defeat the purpose of the whole deal?
Be careful, those look like mini not micro USB connections. You want something like this (I bought mine through this company and can vouche for them): StarTech.com Micro USB Cable (UUSBHAUB3RA) - System & Power Cables Damn.. they are on sale. I paid around $4 per. Since you'll only want a single cable, unless you engineer some sort of sliding L mechanism that will allow you to put the jack in more than one place you'll either need two cables or to decide on which mode you like best. I've made a dozen or so and use both. Landscape at home and portrait at the office. Either way is fine.
I'm working on a cradle to, this is a site I found for some odd shaped USB. USB Micro-B Cables - Right Angle, short cables - 877-522-3779
An Up-angled cable costs 10 bucks! Damn! I may need some extra monoprice cables to hack up. And since the cradle I'm envisioning will have the plugs internal, i don't have to worry much about looks. I've got an amorphous idea of how to do a two-way charger...but It'll have to wait until after my vacation. Two notions if anyone wants to try. 1. Backplate with a lip on the left side, and bottom. This supports the phone, and provides an anchor point for the USB plug. The backplate will pivot, somewhere around the charging port, and lock in either the horizontal or vertical positions. This way, no matter which oritentation you're in, you have a lip that will guide the phone to dock correctly with the USB plug. 2. Like the OP's Vertical dock...hmmm...off to mspaint...brb.
