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

**Mynticelx** · 01-22-2012, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by nsurg

My biggest frustration is that I have had trouble squeezing it all into the extended battery cover and still fitting the cover over the extended battery... I'm going to try again.

I had some frustrations with this as well. Finally I ended up taking the Palm plastic completely off and just covering it with 3 strips of electrical tape. Once positioned correctly, I've got it completely closed and snug. Only noticeable bulge is right under the camera.. it presses out a slight bit.

**ScooberJake** · 01-22-2012, 02:40 PM

Tried this mod last night. I'm also having trouble getting the extended battery cover to snap closed. But my problem may be slightly different. When I ordered the parts I accidentally ordered the back cover for the Palm Pixie rather than the Palm Pre. It is slightly different that the parts shown in the OP. I may keep trying, or I may just order the Pre.

**ohiomoto** · 01-22-2012, 09:02 PM

Are you guys timing down the plastic ridge below the camera cutout and trimming the sides of the Palm sticker as described in the guide?

Also, be sure to engage the bottom tabs of the back first and then work your way up the sides.

**hhairplane** · 01-22-2012, 10:23 PM

Amazon link for copper tape now saying: unavailable. Any alternatives, besides Ebay? Thanks

**xkingofgodzx** · 01-22-2012, 10:56 PM

You sir are a genius. Congrats on this mod. Im not brave enough but bravo.

**imomperousse** · 01-23-2012, 12:35 AM

Can anyone give a description of how fast it charges, like how many percentage unit will it charge in 10 minutes. Fore example I have recorded that the samsung charger that came with the phone will roughly do 1% a minute. While usb charging does 1% every 4.8 minutes.

Very interested in doing this but with my battery life so short I need to maintain a fast charge.

**ohiomoto** · 01-23-2012, 06:34 AM

On my drive in from work this morning I gained 10% in 30 minutes while steaming Pandora through Bluetooth with a 4G signal. It's USB charging while on the Touchstone. If I need a faster charge, I simply unplug the USB cord from the Touchstone and plug it into the phone. This mode leaves the USB port open so you have that option.

You may also want to look at your battery usage. My first phone started burning through the battery and I notice that Android OS was consuming as much as the screen (roughly 45%). I flashed a 4.0.3 ROM and I now get 20-30hrs per charge on the extended battery. Android OS uses approximately 15% now. The only real battery killer on this phone, if it's working properly is the screen. I think a lot of units have a buggy 4.0.2 ICS install. It seems like 4.0.3 will help a lot.

**ohiomoto** · 01-23-2012, 06:43 AM

Originally Posted by xkingofgodzx

You sir are a genius. Congrats on this mod. Im not brave enough but bravo.

Thank you but if you look at my references, you will see that I got most of my ideas and inspiration from others. The key here is we have those pins to work with. As soon as I saw the teardown, I knew this mod would be easy.

The mod itself is not to difficult. Remove 6 screws, pop the back off and tape everything in place, solder the tape to the coil and put it back together.

**Terrigno** · 01-23-2012, 07:22 AM

Originally Posted by xkingofgodzx

You sir are a genius. Congrats on this mod. Im not brave enough but bravo.

X2. This isnt something for just anyone to do. That takes serious dedication. I like when I see things like this done. It shows the addiction that people have for these gadgets just like myself. Bravo on this one sir.

**kpoverdorf** · 01-23-2012, 07:44 AM

I have 4 touchstones just sitting in my bin of wires.... I want to do this so bad but voiding the warranty is a deal breaker for me. This phone is way to expensive and I love it too much to risk it.

This is an excellent mod and walk-through though. Very doable.

**mjhubbard** · 01-23-2012, 09:41 AM

NFC did not work for me after doing this. I am going to do some more testing to see if it was that payment pad or my placement of the coil. Ill get back to you on that.

I did not have a problem with the compas while driving but I dont know if that is because it uses the GPS while moveing (direction of movement to get which way you are facing) instead of a compas.

**freeskier44** · 01-24-2012, 12:36 AM

QUICK QUESTION!!
Does anyone know how I could hardwire the car charger for the touchstone in my car?

**CBMC** · 01-24-2012, 02:59 AM

Originally Posted by freeskier44

QUICK QUESTION!!
Does anyone know how I could hardwire the car charger for the touchstone in my car?

Depends on what charger you are using. Are using the palm desktop adaptor or a car charger. If you are using the desktop one, then you would need some sort of inverter to go from 12v to 110v. You could put an inverter behind your dash, then run the wires straight to the battery (get an inverter that has terminals to connect directly to the battery),through the firewall. Then just run your home charger from the inverter to the touchstone.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

**braymeck** · 01-24-2012, 10:05 AM

It would be easiest to "hardwire" something like this by buying a cheap extra cigarette lighter socket and find a place to hide it underneath the dash somewhere. And then just buy the car charger and plug it in.

Ive done this with all my GPS units, same effect as hardwiring it.

**freeskier44** · 01-24-2012, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by CBMC

Depends on what charger you are using. Are using the palm desktop adaptor or a car charger. If you are using the desktop one, then you would need some sort of inverter to go from 12v to 110v. You could put an inverter behind your dash, then run the wires straight to the battery (get an inverter that has terminals to connect directly to the battery),through the firewall. Then just run your home charger from the inverter to the touchstone.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

i would be using the car charger not the AC charger.

Originally Posted by braymeck

It would be easiest to "hardwire" something like this by buying a cheap extra cigarette lighter socket and find a place to hide it underneath the dash somewhere. And then just buy the car charger and plug it in.

Ive done this with all my GPS units, same effect as hardwiring it.

Ahhh cool. Yeah that's what I was thinking too.
To the OP, what did you use to fasten the touchstone to the car dash?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

**ohiomoto** · 01-24-2012, 11:23 AM

The thick double sided tape in the picture . Just cut a square that just fits inside of the Palm sticky/suction mounting material and stick it down. The hardest part is making sure the GN doesn't hit anywhere because it's so big. I like the "Palm" logo upside down as shown because it points the phone in towards me without being completely vertical, and it make it easy to move the USB cord to the phone if I need a faster charge.w

**ironerd** · 01-24-2012, 12:31 PM

I just finished doing this mod to my phone. Works Great! Excellent instructions. The hardest part by far was just getting the phone apart, everything else is easy.
The magnets still seem a little too weak for the car when you hold it totally vertical, i'm thinking of getting some super this rubber to increase the friction between the phone and the base.

**freeskier44** · 01-24-2012, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by ohiomoto

The thick double sided tape in the picture . Just cut a square that just fits inside of the Palm sticky/suction mounting material and stick it down. The hardest part is making sure the GN doesn't hit anywhere because it's so big. I like the "Palm" logo upside down as shown because it points the phone in towards me without being completely vertical, and it make it easy to move the USB cord to the phone if I need a faster charge.w

Yeah the bottom of my nexus almost touches the surface the touchstone is placed on haha

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

**kichard** · 01-25-2012, 09:33 AM

Does this work just as well with the stock battery/cover? Just ordered all my supplies but I'm still looking for the copper tape. If anyone wants to point me in a good direction for tape around 5 bucks i'd appreciate it.

**mjhubbard** · 01-25-2012, 09:35 AM

You can get it at hobby loby for 15 but unfortunatly it is not sold in ammounts small enough for 5 bucks

**ohiomoto** · 01-25-2012, 09:38 AM

The mod will work with the stock cover. I did it with both covers.

**kichard** · 01-25-2012, 09:45 AM

Thanks

and thanks OP for getting this MOD out there in a simple fashion that we can replicate. Amazing the cost of doing this will be lesser than buying a charger.