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

[ellesshoo]

I added 4 more magnets to the back. Works really well and the pull is very, very, very strong. The only problem I can see is it might pull the battery cover off when you pick up the phone!

Ohio, looks good. I must say the profile cross section of the magnets in the touchstone is somewhat smaller than those magnets. If you have other magnets I'd recommend replacing one in each corner with a smaller diameter magnet or possibly even replace both magnets with smaller ones (should still have more hold than a single 0.25" diameter magnet). If you really want to be efficient you could change to rectangular magnets.

I have a bricked touchstone I will tare down and photograph so you can get a good idea of how it's configured without risking one of your own. I feel my description isn't very good compared to a photo.

 

[ohiomoto]

Re: [GUIDE] Galaxy Nexus MOD for Palm Touchstone without solderin

Yes, a picture of the Touchstone would be cool and 8 smaller magnets might be just what the doctor ordered. Cut down on size and still get plenty of hold. We'll have to look into smaller ones. If you find any please post them here.

I'm really glad you brought all of this up. The extra magnets make the mod much nicer IMO. Not only because of the extra holding power, but as you mentioned, it also does a better job of aligning the phone on the Touchstone.

So you are saying that IF you were to add the yoke, the magnets shouldn't touch as mine are in the are in the picture?

I'm not planning on adding the yoke because the 8 magnet set up works great and as you mentioned, we need to keep things as thin as possible, but I am still curious.

 

[eventnick]

Re: [GUIDE] Galaxy Nexus MOD for Palm Touchstone without solderin

Yes, a picture of the Touchstone would be cool and 8 smaller magnets might be just what the doctor ordered. Cut down on size and still get plenty of hold. We'll have to look into smaller ones. If you find any please post them here.

I'm really glad you brought all of this up. The extra magnets make the mod much nicer IMO. Not only because of the extra holding power, but as you mentioned, it also does a better job of aligning the phone on the Touchstone.

So you are saying that IF you were to add the yoke, the magnets shouldn't touch as mine are in the are in the picture?

I'm not planning on adding the yoke because the 8 magnet set up works great and as you mentioned, we need to keep things as thin as possible, but I am still curious.

The magnets touching are fine. It should not influence it.

 

[ellesshoo]

The magnets touching are fine. It should not influence it.

Well most of the time magnets are yoked they are in an orientation such that the poles are facing each other forming a C shape. Obviously they should not be touching in that configuration as it would end up being a circle and defeat the purpose. I don't know of many applications where they are yoked with poles parallel to each other but it is clear inside the touchstone that the magnets are yoked specifically not to touch each other as there is a foam rubber bumper glued between them to keep them apart and ensure it behaves as a U shaped magnet.

While I don't believe in this application (magnets for the mod of the phone) there is any problem with them touching, a visualization of the magnetic fields looking down on the pole of a single bar magnet is absolutely different than that of two magnets right next to each other, in parallel, with attracting poles. The attractive or repulsive force drops off fast with distance so some separation is ideal if one wants to yoke two magnets into a U config.

 

[ellesshoo]

OK here are pictures from inside the touchstone.


View attachment 22375
Bottom removed.



View attachment 22376
Other side of the PCB.


View attachment 22377
Notice there is a thicker, braided coil around the metal part but there is also a thin solid core coil glued down in the plastic... its purpose?


View attachment 22378
Here is a side view of the yoked magnets.


View attachment 22379
This is the "business end" that the magnets in the phone see. The black thing glued in the middle is a bumper to keep the two magnets connected through the yoke only.


View attachment 22380
Notice it is not attracted to the screwdriver head on the "back" side because the two magnets are yoked and there is no pole facing the screwdriver. If there were no yoke, and the magnets were side by side, touching or not, they would snap to the screwdriver from both sides.


View attachment 22381
And of course the other side is quite attracted to the screwdriver.

 

[ellesshoo]

Oh, and quick measurements...

View attachment 22382

View attachment 22383

 

[ellesshoo]

Deleted, accident dupe

 

[comprocket]

Re: [GUIDE] Galaxy Nexus MOD/Palm Touchstone-No soldering on phon

So...lets talk car mount options? Has anyone found a slick way to mount it on the dash, but still be able to use the camera as a dash-cam? I have a plastic plate stuck to my dash already, so something that is adjustable with a section cup would be good!

 

[anon(5101585)]

Re: [GUIDE] Galaxy Nexus MOD for Palm Touchstone without solderin

Can anyone who did this with the GSM OEM cover post what theirs looks like? I've been struggling at finding a balance between getting it to work and being able to still close the battery door.

This please! I just can't get mine to close and I really don't want to spend money on the extended battery door when I don't even want it.

 

[petezahut]

Re: [GUIDE] Galaxy Nexus MOD/Palm Touchstone-No soldering on phon

I just finished the mod on the GSM version but ended up using the extended door. The normal door works just fine, I tried it on that first. Just remember to place the coil as close to the camera as possible. The black sticker from the coil should touch the edge of the camera.

The door will still close if you position the coil as mentioned above. However, there will be a slight buldge.

The copper tape will be approximately where the red lines are drawn in the picture.

To close the cover, lay the phone down (screen down) on a flat surface. Insert the bottom first. Then hold the phone by the base with left hand and slide the index finger and thumb on your right hand along the sides of the cover to (bottom to top) until all the hooks snap into place.

 

[anon(5101585)]

Re: [GUIDE] Galaxy Nexus MOD/Palm Touchstone-No soldering on phon

I just finished the mod on the GSM version but ended up using the extended door. The normal door works just fine, I tried it on that first. Just remember to place the coil as close to the camera as possible. The black sticker from the coil should touch the edge of the camera.

The door will still close if you position the coil as mentioned above. However, there will be a slight buldge.

The copper tape will be approximately where the red lines are drawn in the picture.

To close the cover, lay the phone down (screen down) on a flat surface. Insert the bottom first. Then hold the phone by the base with left hand and slide the index finger and thumb on your right hand along the sides of the cover to (bottom to top) until all the hooks snap into place.

Ugh, this just doesn't work for me. And the tallest part of the whole coil is the little ciruity boardy thing so it's not like it's even the magnets or something. But if you (and I think a couple others) managed to get it to close, it has to be possible...

Did anyone sand the cover a little or something to make room? Maybe that could work...

Are GSMers placing the magnets toward the outside or inside?

 

[petezahut]

Re: [GUIDE] Galaxy Nexus MOD/Palm Touchstone-No soldering on phon

Can anyone suggest some way to get the following information while the phone is on the touchstone?

Time/date
Weather
Battery Status
Charging status

I'd like to have all that displayed, and have the screen stay on while it is on touchstone.

Any suggestions?

 

[eventnick]

Re: [GUIDE] Galaxy Nexus MOD/Palm Touchstone-No soldering on phon

Well most of the time magnets are yoked they are in an orientation such that the poles are facing each other forming a C shape. Obviously they should not be touching in that configuration as it would end up being a circle and defeat the purpose. I don't know of many applications where they are yoked with poles parallel to each other but it is clear inside the touchstone that the magnets are yoked specifically not to touch each other as there is a foam rubber bumper glued between them to keep them apart and ensure it behaves as a U shaped magnet.

While I don't believe in this application (magnets for the mod of the phone) there is any problem with them touching, a visualization of the magnetic fields looking down on the pole of a single bar magnet is absolutely different than that of two magnets right next to each other, in parallel, with attracting poles. The attractive or repulsive force drops off fast with distance so some separation is ideal if one wants to yoke two magnets into a U config.

I am not following. If the magnets are not yoked, it does not seem to matter if they are touching when we are talking about just the two magnets in one corner of the case side. In which case the magnetic fields are parallel to each other. The magnets are also nickel plated providing some separation between them which still does not seem necessary. Can you elaborate?

 

[eventnick]

Re: [GUIDE] Galaxy Nexus MOD/Palm Touchstone-No soldering on phon

OK here are pictures from inside the touchstone.


View attachment 22377
Notice there is a thicker, braided coil around the metal part but there is also a thin solid core coil glued down in the plastic... its purpose?


View attachment 22379
This is the "business end" that the magnets in the phone see. The black thing glued in the middle is a bumper to keep the two magnets connected through the yoke only.

Is the thin coil connected to anything?

I do not believe the bumper is for any purpose except proper spacing for the geometry of the phone mating spot on the case. Whether the magnets are touching are not is not important if they are yoked ... unless I am way off here magnets touching each other doesn't do anything... bringing magnets closer together will form a more concentrated magnetic field which is the sum of the two individual fields.

 

[eventnick]

Re: [GUIDE] Galaxy Nexus MOD/Palm Touchstone-No soldering on phon

Can anyone suggest some way to get the following information while the phone is on the touchstone?

Time/date
Weather
Battery Status
Charging status

I'd like to have all that displayed, and have the screen stay on while it is on touchstone.

Any suggestions?

Widget Locker in conjunction with the Tasker App triggered by an NFC tag on the Touchstone.

 

[freeskier44]

Widget Locker in conjunction with the Tasker App triggered by an NFC tag on the Touchstone.

Will the tag work on the touchstone?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[imomperousse]

Re: [GUIDE] Galaxy Nexus MOD/Palm Touchstone-No soldering on phon

I just upgraded to 4.04, but now my phone takes like 10-13 seconds before it starts charging....I remember seeing this issue in the thread but can't find it....anyone know what the fix is?

 

[eventnick]

Re: [GUIDE] Galaxy Nexus MOD/Palm Touchstone-No soldering on phon

Will the tag work on the touchstone?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

If you get a SHIELDED tag. Make sure it is, usually it will be indicated as being appropriate to put on metal if it is shielded.

 

[darkphoenix2x5]

Re: [GUIDE] Galaxy Nexus MOD/Palm Touchstone-No soldering on phon

I'm having an issue getting it to charge. It's weird though because I'm pretty sure it charges when the phone is off. Also, when I test the pogo pins they are getting juice, so I don't know what's going on.

 

[darkphoenix2x5]

Re: [GUIDE] Galaxy Nexus MOD/Palm Touchstone-No soldering on phon

OK, I figured it out and this might be helpful to other people. Turns out, I installed the franco kernel before doing to mod. I had also enable the fast usb charging from the kernel. So, when I went back and removed fast charging, the touchstone began to charge. Also, I re enabled the fast charging and it works now. So all is good. Thanks a lot for this mod. It's really cool and makes charging a lot more convenient for me.