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

[kuchar09]

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

I had the exact same problem and it has nothing to do with you mod or kernal, believe it or not it's your charger. These palms are very finicky and only with with a few chargers, order some cheap palm branded 1a chargers. I've found not all 1a chargers work, for example Motorola chargers and apple chargers haven't worked for me. My Motorola one worked fine without fast charge but would not with fat charge on.

Humm ok thanks, I actually have the palm wall chargers. Maybe it doesn't like the power strip I have it plugged into something... idk just weird. It seems to be working right now ok but doubt fast charge will work with my Ringke slim case, not sure why but it just is very hard to get it to want to fast charge with the case.

 

[xDarKnighTx]

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

does the phone charge if i put the coil under the battery door and also have a case on my phone?

 

[vash1053]

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

I'm using 8 magnets, and I've used a dremel tool to get rid of much of the ridging on the extended battery cover. The back cover now fits as though I hadn't stuffed the coil in there. However, the magnets are so powerful that they will pull the entire back cover off when removing the phone from the Touchstone. I'm not sure if I got a loose fitting back cover or what, because even if I remove the battery to make sure that the cover goes on like normal, the magnets still rip it off. I think I may just get a thin case.

I haven't gotten past that point, however; I just can't get the back off of my phone. I removed all six screws (110% unequivocally, never-been-so-sure-of-anything-else-in-my-life, positive there are no screws left) and used all of my guitar picks around the edge of the glass-- it still won't budge. How are you guys getting the back cover off? D:

 

[ohiomoto]

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

I just used a razor blade shave the ridges off the back cover. I also had problems with the back cover pulling off the with the 8 magnets. I replaced the cover and that solved the problem.

As for removing the glass, you need to work the picks around the edges. Try sliding them around the edges a little. You should feel the back "un-clipping" from the glass as you go. Once you've loosened enough it it, it will just "release" from the glass with very little effort.

And remember, Google is your friend. Look what I found:
Samsung Galaxy Nexus full disassembly tutorial (English version) - YouTube

 

[zedorda]

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

I just used a razor blade shave the ridges off the back cover. I also had problems with the back cover pulling off the with the 8 magnets. I replaced the cover and that solved the problem.

As for removing the glass, you need to work the picks around the edges. Try sliding them around the edges a little. You should feel the back "un-clipping" from the glass as you go. Once you've loosened enough it it, it will just "release" from the glass with very little effort.

And remember, Google is your friend. Look what I found:
Samsung Galaxy Nexus full disassembly tutorial (English version) - YouTube

That is a video of the GSM version. Wonder if the SIM card really is the only hardware difference to be concerned with.

 

[ohiomoto]

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

The iFixit guide is a GMS version too. The basic process is the same on either phone, I just posted it to show how easy it is to remove the screen.

 

[vash1053]

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

I went and bought more guitar picks today. I had to put 14 of them in before it finally popped out.

I was originally just going to go with the wire hard-soldered method and skip the copper tape all together, but I decided to give the tape method a try anyway. I put a couple dabs of solder on the back case connections so I can still use the pogo pins (although I don't know if I ever will). Worked problem-free on my first try.

To solve the battery-cover-getting-pulled-off problem, I got a somewhat slim-fitting case. Normally I don't care for cases, but this one is rather unobtrusive. It has a few properties that I like. First, it prevents my batter cover from getting ripped off. Second, it is slim enough that any reduction in magnet strength is negligible. Third, the case's material provides a bit of extra friction against the Touchstone to further prevent sliding. As a cherry on top, it adds that bit of extra protection for the phone as well.

Thanks for the guide!

 

[ellesshoo]

I just used a razor blade shave the ridges off the back cover. I also had problems with the back cover pulling off the with the 8 magnets. I replaced the cover and that solved the problem.

As for removing the glass, you need to work the picks around the edges. Try sliding them around the edges a little. You should feel the back "un-clipping" from the glass as you go. Once you've loosened enough it it, it will just "release" from the glass with very little effort.

And remember, Google is your friend. Look what I found:
Samsung Galaxy Nexus full disassembly tutorial (English version) - YouTube

Not sure how different the back covers are but on my GSM version with 8 magnets the back cover has never come off and feels very secure.

 

[ohiomoto]

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

Mine had been taken on and off a bunch of times. The new one holds perfect. Love the 8 magnets too. Very happy with the mod right now. Now if I could just get webOS on this phone...LOL.

 

[diggforbeer]

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

Anyone try this with the Sprint Version yet? I am not sure if there is enough room to fit the coil.

 

[vash1053]

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

Anyone try this with the Sprint Version yet? I am not sure if there is enough room to fit the coil.

I believe Sprint GNex is very similar to the Verizon one. I've heard that, with a small modification, a Verizon GNex battery door can be made to fit a Sprint GNex. Ergo, this mod should be entirely possible on a Sprint handset.

 

[xDarKnighTx]

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

I tried this mod today, and after removing the coil from the palm pre back cover and putting it onto my galaxy nexus back cover, I'm hearing this buzzing that goes on and off every second when it is placed on the palm touchstone.

Is this normal? Or did I break the coil when I was prying it out of the palm pre back cover?

EDIT: I'm using the standard Palm charger and cable that came with my hp touchpad

 

[Runningwarrior08]

I tried this mod today, and after removing the coil from the palm pre back cover and putting it onto my galaxy nexus back cover, I'm hearing this buzzing that goes on and off every second when it is placed on the palm touchstone.

Is this normal? Or did I break the coil when I was prying it out of the palm pre back cover?

EDIT: I'm using the standard Palm charger and cable that came with my hp touchpad

The sound is normal of a inductive transformer. It is clicking on and off meaning either the magnets aren't situated correctly and the magnetic field isn't strong enough or the input source isn't strong enough as in non OEM HP charger base

 

[xDarKnighTx]

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

The sound is normal of a inductive transformer. It is clicking on and off meaning either the magnets aren't situated correctly and the magnetic field isn't strong enough or the input source isn't strong enough as in non OEM HP charger base

I'm definitely using an OEM HP charger, and I'm using 8 magnets.

However, I removed the silver T-shaped sticker from the coil. Is this piece needed? I saw the picture in the OP and i didn't see the silver sticker there, so I thought it's safe to remove.

 

[ohiomoto]

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

Silver sticker is there in the OP and I've never noticed the sound you described.

 

[xDarKnighTx]

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

Silver sticker is there in the OP and I've never noticed the sound you described.

This was the picture i'm referring to that didn't seem to have the silver sticker:

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg828/scaled.php?server=828&filename=img0878w.jpg&res=medium

So just to clarify, is the silver sticker needed?

 

[ohiomoto]

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

That's because it was still stuck to the black sticker as shown in the first picture. I don't know for sure if it's needed, but I'm sure Palm put it there for a reason. Why complicate things by not using it? You know what I'm saying?

Either way, the coil should produce 5.6v.

 

[ohiomoto]

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

Is this normal? Or did I break the coil when I was prying it out of the palm pre back cover?

EDIT: I'm using the standard Palm charger and cable that came with my hp touchpad

1) Not sure if it's normal because I never noticed this myself, but it is possible to damage the coil. Did you test it to see if it is producing 5.6 volts?

2) The Touchpad charger is NOT the same as the Palm charger. Produces twice the power. You should be using the Palm charger or the charger that came with the Galaxy Nexus.

 

[xDarKnighTx]

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

I noticed my mistake - so it turns out i needed that silver piece of sticker.

first time I placed the sticker underneath the coil (between the coil and the back cover), and this caused 0 volts to go through to the 2 points.

next, i removed the silver sticker completely, and that's how i got the constant 1-second buzz sound, and i see it jump from 0 to 0.5v every second.

now, i put this silver sticker on top of the coil, and it worked! I'm getting a constant 5.6v!

thanks for the help, hope this info will help others that are trying this mod.

 

[crimsonblake]

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

I went and bought more guitar picks today. I had to put 14 of them in before it finally popped out.

I was originally just going to go with the wire hard-soldered method and skip the copper tape all together, but I decided to give the tape method a try anyway. I put a couple dabs of solder on the back case connections so I can still use the pogo pins (although I don't know if I ever will). Worked problem-free on my first try.

To solve the battery-cover-getting-pulled-off problem, I got a somewhat slim-fitting case. Normally I don't care for cases, but this one is rather unobtrusive. It has a few properties that I like. First, it prevents my batter cover from getting ripped off. Second, it is slim enough that any reduction in magnet strength is negligible. Third, the case's material provides a bit of extra friction against the Touchstone to further prevent sliding. As a cherry on top, it adds that bit of extra protection for the phone as well.

Thanks for the guide!

Thank you so much for this post. I just dropped my Nexus day demoing the phone to a customer (I'm a VZW agent). Samsung is charging me $163 to repair it which is much better than paying $258 for a replacement screen off of ebay.

Anyway my point is after I did this mod I quit using my commuter series otterbox b/c I couldn't find a case that would work well with the inductive coil AND hold on to it at the same time. I'm now ordering the case you recommended. Thanks again.