[GUIDE] Galaxy Nexus MOD/Palm Touchstone-No soldering on phone!!

**Fenris_Ulf** · 01-09-2012, 11:32 PM

The phone will charge at USB rate, approximately 500ma, rather than the AC rate of 1+ amps. The coil and batteries shouldn't interfere with the NFC, but that hasn't been tested. They don't interfere with any other function of the phone. Stronger magnets are recommended, but the ones from the original Palm device will work as long as you don't knock the phone around too much. I recommend cutting up an old USB cable, the wires are about 26 gauge and just the right size. Foil is good if you want to play it safe; me, I like voiding the warantee.

**ohiomoto** · 01-09-2012, 11:43 PM

Your way is faster too. I was tempted, but I had it in my head that I was going to do it with the tape, so I did it that way. And THANK YOU for sorting out the pins!

As for voiding your warranty, I have a feeling you know how to clean that solder up so no one would ever know it was there.

**ohiomoto** · 01-09-2012, 11:57 PM

Hey everyone. Thinking about it, I may change this guide a little. Not sure when I'll have time, but here are my ideas.

1) I mentioned that you could solder the tape to the pin contacts because the adhesive side is less conductive than the shiny side. You could simply fold the tape under itself so that the shiny side touches both contacts. I might make a difference if you plan on using an after-market dock that uses the pins.

2) When you get done with the back cover, don't assemble the phone just yet. Instead, finish tape on the battery door. You will be able to line the tape up easier from the "inside" of the back cover. Once everything is done, then put it back together. I think that might be easier. Hindsight is 20/20!

**freeskier44** · 01-10-2012, 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by Fenris_Ulf

The phone will charge at USB rate, approximately 500ma, rather than the AC rate of 1+ amps. The coil and batteries shouldn't interfere with the NFC, but that hasn't been tested. They don't interfere with any other function of the phone. Stronger magnets are recommended, but the ones from the original Palm device will work as long as you don't knock the phone around too much. I recommend cutting up an old USB cable, the wires are about 26 gauge and just the right size. Foil is good if you want to play it safe; me, I like voiding the warantee.

Damn really? I wish it would AC charge.... how the hell was the USB charge keeping up with navigation in the car?!?!

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**dano272** · 01-10-2012, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by Fenris_Ulf

The phone will charge at USB rate, approximately 500ma, rather than the AC rate of 1+ amps. The coil and batteries shouldn't interfere with the NFC, but that hasn't been tested. They don't interfere with any other function of the phone. Stronger magnets are recommended, but the ones from the original Palm device will work as long as you don't knock the phone around too much. I recommend cutting up an old USB cable, the wires are about 26 gauge and just the right size. Foil is good if you want to play it safe; me, I like voiding the warantee.

Are you saying it doesn't matter which car charger you use - this touchstone method will only give you a usb charge? The car charger Im using now registers as an AC charge. I was planning on using that to power the touchstone dock.

**ohiomoto** · 01-10-2012, 09:00 AM

I'm pretty sure that the Touchstone charges faster than a USB port. No sure the best way to test other than try both over a specific time period. I'll see if I can do that today while I'm at work. I'll poke around for some battery meter apps as well.

**NNate** · 01-10-2012, 10:22 AM

If anyone has a chance, please let us know about the NFC/compass impacts.

Thanks OP for the excellent guide!

**freeskier44** · 01-10-2012, 10:37 AM

So it shows up at USB but charges a lot faster? Also what tape on eBay will work?

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**ohiomoto** · 01-10-2012, 10:41 AM

You need copper tape with adhesive on the back. I didn't buy mine on eBay so you will have to do a search and read the descriptions.

**ScooberJake** · 01-10-2012, 11:58 AM

Brilliant! Strongly considering this. Way cheaper than the Galaxy Nexus docks, which aren't even available yet!

Interested to know about charging rates before deciding. If it can charge in the car while running Pandora (even without nav and only on 3G) I will probably do it.

When doing the phone teardown, I'm sure this would technically void the warranty, but is there any adhesive (or tabs?) broken that would alert Verizon that the phone was tampered with? If not I don't think they would know as long as you don't break anything. Also, what would you say is the risk of breaking something when doing that? Low? Medium?

**nsurg** · 01-10-2012, 12:05 PM

Here is an ebay search for copper tape from US vendors... I think it is not helpful to list a given sale as it will expire.

In hindsight, I may not have ordered tape with adhesive on the back? It may also be wise to look for the word "conductive." Look in the descriptions to clarify this before buying, but it's pretty cheap stuff, and some of it for sure has adhesive on the back. I guess I'll just reorder if I bought the wrong tape.

EDIT: tried to make the link only search for adhesive, conductive tape

**ohiomoto** · 01-10-2012, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by ScooberJake

Brilliant! Strongly considering this. Way cheaper than the Galaxy Nexus docks, which aren't even available yet!

Interested to know about charging rates before deciding. If it can charge in the car while running Pandora (even without nav and only on 3G) I will probably do it.

When doing the phone teardown, I'm sure this would technically void the warranty, but is there any adhesive (or tabs?) broken that would alert Verizon that the phone was tampered with? If not I don't think they would know as long as you don't break anything. Also, what would you say is the risk of breaking something when doing that? Low? Medium?

It will definitely gain charge while Playing Pandora through Bluetooth with 4G in the car if you are using the correct adapter. Should get around 15-20% gain per hour. No one would be able to tell you took the phone apart if you don;t break anything. The real worry for me would be the screen. The only thing you are removing is the back bezel, everything else stays with the screen.

**freeskier44** · 01-10-2012, 12:53 PM

I found a couple but one said silver back and black back. Is there any difference? It says it was like solder art.

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**ohiomoto** · 01-10-2012, 12:59 PM

No you don't want that. Get this one:

**freeskier44** · 01-10-2012, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by ohiomoto

No you don't want that. Get this one:

Cool thanks! Can't wait to do this when the parts come in!

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**freeskier44** · 01-10-2012, 09:32 PM

And tips for getting the back off? I feel like I'm going to break it.

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**ohiomoto** · 01-10-2012, 09:51 PM

Did you look at the ifixit guide? Make sure you get all 6 screws out. Just work the picks around the sides. Once the sides come loose it will pop out. Just take your time.

**freeskier44** · 01-11-2012, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by ohiomoto

Did you look at the ifixit guide? Make sure you get all 6 screws out. Just work the picks around the sides. Once the sides come loose it will pop out. Just take your time.

Yup I was reading over that...only got 3 picks so I gotta pick more up today hahahaha

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**ScooberJake** · 01-11-2012, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by freeskier44

Yup I was reading over that...only got 3 picks so I gotta pick more up today hahahaha

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Let me know how it goes, this is the one thing that scares me about this mod.

Also, can anyone test out NFC with this mod? I wasn't planning to use NFC much, but now I've got some ideas. Would love to do both if it works, I don't know much about NFC, but I wouldn't be surprised if a big coil right over the chip would screw things up.

**freeskier44** · 01-11-2012, 04:39 PM

Yeah hopefully all goes well. Haha getting the back off hopefully goes well...

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**meissama** · 01-15-2012, 03:10 AM

Nfc is blocked by the coil if it sits directly over the battery. If you move the coil up though and uncover the bottom half of the battery it works just fine.

**henryhu6** · 01-15-2012, 02:34 PM

Anyone tried the external three pins inside of opening the phone? I am planning to use a case and afraid it is too thick if I put the coil on the battery cover. It would be nice to put the coil on the case and wire to the external pins.

**nsurg** · 01-15-2012, 03:16 PM

I finished doing this modification this weekend and thought I'd throw in some things I learned...

--Ohiomoto did a very nice job doing things "right." It seems at every step if I tried to do something a bit simpler it failed! So follow the instructions closely.
--While the guide mentions that the back cover snaps on easily after putting these coils and magnets and strips inside, I did not have that experience... at least with the extended battery and cover, it was very difficult to put the cover back on. For this reason, I recommend shaving off the plastic flanges/buttresses on the battery cover (those thin black plastic lines that keep the battery cover touching the battery). I used an x-acto knife for shaving this off. Things fit much better after that, but it was still very tight. Also, make sure that the coil and batteries don't overlie these plastic flanges. Finally, consider no re-applying the "palm" branded black sticky cover over everything, it just adds more space.
--getting the copper tape to touch the contacts of the copper coil was a bit tricky unless soldering was used. I have a low quality blunt tip solder gun, so this wasn't easy in a tight location. Consider applying the copper tape to these contacts under the black "palm" branded sticker if you use that black sticker-cover at all.
--My copper tape was silver on the sticky side (didn't conduct at all) and copper (conductive) on the non-sticky side. They sell double-sided copper tape with the adhesive allegedly being conductive... life would have been easier to buy this tape.
--Buy a cheap voltometer if you don't have one... it helps check your contacts at each step.

Other than that worked well. I finished late last night and recharged the phone overnight using this. It does say charging usb during the process, but I guess that's what we expect.

I have no way to check the NFC at this time. I made no effort to avoid putting the copper coil away from the battery, but there's not a lot of choice for where to put it.

Thanks!

**bignaz** · 01-15-2012, 03:22 PM

Pretty sweet but im just waiting for powermat to release the batterys with the built in induction charger.

**ohiomoto** · 01-15-2012, 10:20 PM

nsurg,

your are right, I trimmed down one of the plastic ridges. I did the one right below the camera cutout on the door. I also trimmed up the edges of the Palm sticker so that it didn't interfere with the cover. After that the cover snapped on with just slightly more effort than before. I forgot to mention it because I did that part several days before I taped the magnets down and finished the mod.

I was going to tweak the guide when I have time. I'll add this information.

@meissama, Did you actually test NFC with the mod? If so, how far up did you put the coil? Any pictures?