Touchstone Mod for the S3

**Rugdr** · 11-26-2012, 05:17 PM

This is great to reuse all my touchstones. I went the easy route and bought one made off ebay for $30. When I got it the pins didn't line up so i had to take it off and move it up a bit. works great now just a slight bulge though.

The thing missing was exhibition mode, I tried the free one mentioned on page 2 but I didn't like it too much. I did find dock clock on the market and its perfect, even lets me dim only at night. I recommend it to everyone that has done the mod.

Is there a way to disable the wireless charging message though?

**monkeydog** · 11-26-2012, 07:16 PM

I haven't found a way to disable the charging notification. I imagine if there is one it would require rooting.

As for exhibition mode, I put NFC tags near my touchstones that adjust the settings and launch the programs I want. It's a two-step process to scan the tag and then put the phone on the charger, but it works for me.

**Judman13** · 11-27-2012, 10:37 AM

Hey guys, coming from a Palm Pre+ and most recently an HP Pre3.

Just wanted to note that the coil does not have to be mounted in any particular orientation. ie the controlling board does not have to be closest to the bottom of the phone.
I tested this with both my Pre+ and my Pre3 and the phones charged no matter what orientation they were on the charger at. Upside down even.

My main reason for posting this is so you can rotate the coil and make the contacts a lot closer to the power pins on the phone body.

**bob2300** · 11-27-2012, 12:16 PM

Couldnt you put the NFC tag on the touchstone? Wondering if it would work.....

**monkeydog** · 11-27-2012, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by bob2300

Couldnt you put the NFC tag on the touchstone? Wondering if it would work.....

That would have been ideal, and was the first thing I tried, but I think the magnets fried the tag. I tested it before I put it on the touchstone, but it didn't work on it or after I removed it.

**Judman13** · 12-04-2012, 04:43 PM

So I did the mod and its working, except for it sucks at actually charging the phone. Seems the phone doesn't accept as much voltage as it should. Maybe it has something to do with the pixi coil?

I know in an earlier tutorial it mentioned making changes to the kernel, but that was to a older nexus device. I'm a super user so I wouldnt know how to do such changes anyways.
But is such a change required to get the full charging potential to the phone?

**monkeydog** · 12-04-2012, 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by Judman13

So I did the mod and its working, except for it sucks at actually charging the phone. Seems the phone doesn't accept as much voltage as it should. Maybe it has something to do with the pixi coil?

I know in an earlier tutorial it mentioned making changes to the kernel, but that was to a older nexus device. I'm a super user so I wouldnt know how to do such changes anyways.
But is such a change required to get the full charging potential to the phone?

I feel like it doesn't charge as fast as a wired connection too, but it might be a watched pot situation. I've never tried to measure it. It's possible it's just not getting quite as solid a connection, but I'm not sure. I use it to trickle charge at my desk and on my bedside table, and it works well for that. If I'm in a hurry and need to get maximum charge in the shortest amount of time, I pull the cable out of the touchstone and plug it into the phone, but in those situations it still seems like it can't charge fast enough so I don't know if it works better or not.

**theBeachB0Y** · 12-04-2012, 06:05 PM

Just a quick question, does the phone charge in both landscape and portrait mode on the dock? i.e. can you rotate the phone at any angle and still get charge or it has to be at a certain angle?
I know they both need to be perfectly aligned, but not sure about the orientation/angle.

Thanks!

**bulls96** · 12-04-2012, 06:28 PM

Yes it does

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

**Judman13** · 12-04-2012, 11:12 PM

I have tried to find a good battery app that can measure usage and show current (ie Dr. Battery or Battery Monitor from WebOS) but have yet to find any that work as well.

I put a voltmeter on the coil and its putting out the 5+ volts that is normal for the charging coil on a pre+. So I'm kinda thinking its something to do in the OS.

**bulls96** · 12-19-2012, 07:39 PM

anyone having prblems with the touchstone charging not working after the latest Jelly Bean updates?
Sent from my Windows 8 device using Board Express

**Uncle Louie** · 12-19-2012, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by 1996bulls

anyone having prblems with the touchstone charging not working after the latest Jelly Bean updates?
Sent from my Windows 8 device using Board Express

Nope... My wife has my S3 now, and it still charges fine. What symptoms are you seeing?

**johnj2803** · 12-20-2012, 12:06 PM

My touchstone mod still works after jellybean update.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3 using tapatalk

**Dramer77** · 12-21-2012, 09:03 AM

why not just do this?

**johnj2803** · 12-21-2012, 10:29 AM

That would be cool!

I think the only difference between the 2 is that the qi does not have magnets while the ones for the palm has. The magnets are important to me personally because I use it inside the car.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

**UnfocusedHTC** · 12-21-2012, 10:39 AM

Been thinking about doing the touchstone mod. Will it work with an otterbox commuter cases on? This may have been answered already.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Android Central Forums

**johnj2803** · 12-21-2012, 11:08 AM

the thing with the touchtone mod is that if you are using the magnets, they are better off with just a bumper case or no case at all. it works with those cases with thin backs but the magnets are not holding as strong.

the Qi charging however might work with more cases based on the video.

**russraff32** · 01-05-2013, 10:46 AM

Hi All

I bought the pre-assembled GS3 cover w/touchstone coil (actually got 2 - one off eBay, and one from Amazon witha Touchstone kit).

THe magnetic attraction was not sufficiently strong for use in the car, so I bought some rare-earth mangents from the link below:

And hey PRESTO! I ended up using 2 magnets at each of the 4 locations, positioning them by simply laying the cover on the touchstone, moving things around (you want the magnets to be next to each other - NOT on top of each other), marking the locations, and then slipping them under the sticker that holds the coil in place.

I am charging FANTASTICALLY, through the Rearth Rinke Slim case. My GS3 now sticks to my carborn touchstone better than my Pre's ever did.

BTW - I'm using the Mugen 2300 mAH battery. I charge on the Touchstone overnight (I have not found a battery widget that shows charging current), and my phone lasts all day (with heavy email & phne utilization, and a fair bit of hot-spotting, too).

Now, for a UI that's a little more WebOS-ish...

russ

**IzelTokatl** · 01-20-2013, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by russraff32

Hi All

I bought the pre-assembled GS3 cover w/touchstone coil (actually got 2 - one off eBay, and one from Amazon witha Touchstone kit).

THe magnetic attraction was not sufficiently strong for use in the car, so I bought some rare-earth mangents from the link below:

And hey PRESTO! I ended up using 2 magnets at each of the 4 locations, positioning them by simply laying the cover on the touchstone, moving things around (you want the magnets to be next to each other - NOT on top of each other), marking the locations, and then slipping them under the sticker that holds the coil in place.

I am charging FANTASTICALLY, through the Rearth Rinke Slim case. My GS3 now sticks to my carborn touchstone better than my Pre's ever did.

BTW - I'm using the Mugen 2300 mAH battery. I charge on the Touchstone overnight (I have not found a battery widget that shows charging current), and my phone lasts all day (with heavy email & phne utilization, and a fair bit of hot-spotting, too).

Now, for a UI that's a little more WebOS-ish...

russ

Do you have a link to the pre assembled parts?

Sent from my S3.

**johnj2803** · 01-22-2013, 09:31 AM

Its good to know that non bumper cases work with the touchstone!

I just noticed you mentioned "carbon touchstone". What exactly is that?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

**russraff32** · 01-22-2013, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by johnj2803

Its good to know that non bumper cases work with the touchstone!

I just noticed you mentioned "carbon touchstone". What exactly is that?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

Sorry - make that "Car-borne"... as in the Touchstone I have in my car!

**johnj2803** · 01-22-2013, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by russraff32

Sorry - make that "Car-borne"... as in the Touchstone I have in my car!

OK. I use it in my car as well.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

**TheIowaKid** · 01-22-2013, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by Dramer77

why not just do this?

Yeah but where can you buy just that piece?

**supadoggie** · 03-15-2013, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by TheIowaKid

Yeah but where can you buy just that piece?

eBay

..but this is Qi standard charging. It will not work with the Palm touchstone. This should work with the Nexus 4 charging orb.

Btw.. it looks like this is only 700mA so charging will be a little slower.