Nexus S Inductive Charging How-To

[rwhitby]

How to modify a Nexus S for inductive charging on a touchstone:

Nexus S Inductive Charging How-To - a set on Flickr

-- Rod

[johncc]

Now you've got me worried. Not straying are we?

[rwhitby]

Originally Posted by johncc

Now you've got me worried. Not straying are we?

A viable porting target for webOS has to have inductive charging..

-- Rod

[Mikey47]

Originally Posted by rwhitby

A viable porting target for webOS has to have inductive charging..

-- Rod

Why? Just because you've gotten used to it?

[eblade]

Originally Posted by Mikey47

Why? Just because you've gotten used to it?

that and it is a pretty cool hack. Question is, how feasible would it be to undertake doing this without destroying any existing hardware? Or does all the donation stuff just come from the touchstone-back, of which there might be millions out there? In which case, I'm going to modify EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE.

[Rockbeast]

Originally Posted by eblade

that and it is a pretty cool hack. Question is, how feasible would it be to undertake doing this without destroying any existing hardware? Or does all the donation stuff just come from the touchstone-back, of which there might be millions out there? In which case, I'm going to modify EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE.

I think I'll try to set up my toaster for the touchstone...not sure about my fridge though.

[Mikey47]

Originally Posted by eblade

that and it is a pretty cool hack. Question is, how feasible would it be to undertake doing this without destroying any existing hardware? Or does all the donation stuff just come from the touchstone-back, of which there might be millions out there? In which case, I'm going to modify EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE.

This is nothing new -- it has been done to several phones. Here's the EVO from back in June of 2010: HTC EVO 4G Touchstone hack adds wireless charging [Video] - SlashGear

It is done like Rod did it, there is no way it can be done without destroying existing hardware, and potentially destroying the hardware to which you are trying to apply it. Anytime you start taking phones apart and start soldering connections you run the risk of not just bricking, but frying your phone. But, having said that, this appears to be less tricky than FrankenPre.

[Mikey47]

Originally Posted by Rockbeast

I think I'll try to set up my toaster for the touchstone...not sure about my fridge though.

What exactly does the toaster do with Exhibition mode enabled?

[Rockbeast]

Originally Posted by Mikey47

What exactly does the toaster do with Exhibition mode enabled?

It will burn an image of the current time and your daily calendar appointments into your bagel...but you will still have to butter it yourself...that feature isn't available in webOS 2.x.x...

[ToniCipriani]

Originally Posted by rwhitby

A viable porting target for webOS has to have inductive charging..

-- Rod

How would that work with Exhibition, theoretically speaking? Because if we just supply the voltage it'll think we plugged in the AC adapter or USB cable and that won't trigger Exhibition.

[eblade]

So, we don't have any way of obtaining those coils other than taking apart phones? Or was the donor hardware all from the covers?

[rwhitby]

Originally Posted by eblade

So, we don't have any way of obtaining those coils other than taking apart phones? Or was the donor hardware all from the covers?

Donor hardware is all from covers. Specifically a Pre/Pre+ touchstone back in this case.

-- Rod

[rwhitby]

Originally Posted by Mikey47

Why? Just because you've gotten used to it?

Yes. Inductive (or pogo-pin style as an alternative) charging is one of the major criteria that I personally have for a phone. I simply don't see how anyone can go back to plugging in a USB cable every single day to charge their phone.

-- Rod

[rwhitby]

Originally Posted by Mikey47

This is nothing new -- it has been done to several phones. Here's the EVO from back in June of 2010: HTC EVO 4G Touchstone hack adds wireless charging [Video] - SlashGear

It is done like Rod did it, there is no way it can be done without destroying existing hardware, and potentially destroying the hardware to which you are trying to apply it. Anytime you start taking phones apart and start soldering connections you run the risk of not just bricking, but frying your phone. But, having said that, this appears to be less tricky than FrankenPre.

FrankenPre does not involve soldering risk. The risk of soldering on a Nexus S is quite high. You will note that some of the pictures are from 2011 and some are from 2012 - that is because I stuffed up the soldering and had to get someone else to fix it for me.

-- Rod

[johncc]

Originally Posted by rwhitby

A viable porting target for webOS has to have inductive charging..

-- Rod

Makes sense. Our phones won't last forever.

[rwhitby]

Originally Posted by ToniCipriani

How would that work with Exhibition, theoretically speaking? Because if we just supply the voltage it'll think we plugged in the AC adapter or USB cable and that won't trigger Exhibition.

That is correct. I'm thinking a combination of the charging signal, and a particular accelerometer range of values, will be able to distinguish touchstone from regular USB charging.

-- Rod

[Sanjay]

Originally Posted by Mikey47

Why? Just because you've gotten used to it?

Why not? The Touchstone is one of the best innovations that came with webOS and personally I cannot imagine having to do without it now.

[Stevesrjr86]

Rod, would you say then that this is the best phone for me to get on sprint?

[Mikey47]

Originally Posted by rwhitby

A viable porting target for webOS has to have inductive charging..

-- Rod

Originally Posted by Sanjay

Why not? The Touchstone is one of the best innovations that came with webOS and personally I cannot imagine having to do without it now.

Right, my question was targeted specifically at what seemed to be saying was a requirement for a webOS phone was that it had to have inductive charging.

He's since clarified that it is a personal requirement (that obviously a lot of people share).

I was just wondering if there was some strange technical reason...

[eblade]

Originally Posted by rwhitby

Donor hardware is all from covers. Specifically a Pre/Pre+ touchstone back in this case.

-- Rod

... so for $4 and some time spent soldering (yeah i'll need to spend a few hours practicing that trick, i'm years out of touch), we can make just about anything that is 3.6v touchstone compatible?