Related
never being happy with what is already made..i decided to modify my accesories so they fit my needs.
keyboard: took a chance on this one..wasn't sure if it worked with hd2 bluetooth stack but it worked right out of the box (press a button and connect it to the phone..that easy). and it's actually great..the keys are very clicky with good depth despite the really tiny size (as big as the hd2). it comes with an optional stand and a case. and btw..it's cheaper than other keyboards...around 50$ and it's designed in canada..actually made in china..but still..
the headphones..this project has already been done before..but i used the great headphones from my old omnia phone..really good fit..deep base..buttons and mic still work after i soldered the wires inside it
and for the case ..this was the biggest pain in the a..; this case made by melko protects really well the hd2 by covering all the edges without covering any part of the screen. however it has design flaw..i had to chop of the top of the back part..(see photos) so the "hook" that grips over the phone (there is no magnet etc) can go all the way back. if not..the front part of the case would stay a bit open..dumb.
the second modification is that i "transplanted" the the clip from an old cellet case to the back of the case (glued it under the leather and sewed it through the plastic of the case with a nylon double wire..extra safety..you know. and ofcourse i had to buy the new metal clip that works with any cellet case. only downside is that i removed the zagg shield from the back and side. total cost for the case and new clip..about 30$..plus a few good hours of work.
oh..and the case doubles as a reasonably solid stand
so what do you guys think?
one last pic
mikgangal said:
one last pic
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is still big keyboard have a look here ..
http://www.chinavasion.com/product_info.php/pName/mini-bluetooth-keyboard-for-smartphones/
yup..u're right..it's smaller..but i don't see myself actually typing a text on that.
on the one i got..i can type with full speed
Wow. That keyboard is huge. I think I'd rather pull out my netbook...
wow all looks good to me!
how did u solder the headphones? i would like to try it too!
wow all looks good to me!
how did u solder the headphones? i would like to try it too!
actually this project has been done b4
in short..you pop open the buttons (with your nail). gently you pull out the circuit board from the case and you give yourself some loose. you clean up the white stuff around the connections..unsolder the old headphones and then clean up the extra solder so that you can see the holes.
IMPORTANT the wires of the headphones you wanna add have to be cleaned either with heat from the soldering iron or with aspirin works best i believe (put the wire over the aspirin..heat it up..and as it melts you 'wash' the wires in the aspirin really well..carefull not to inhale !)
this will help uncoat the wire from the protective plastic film. then just solder them to the circuit board...use some epoxy over the connections for extra strength..put everything back togather...and voila
Modify Leo HTC Headset to In-Ear Headphones
Hi all,
I have a desktop cradle which i use in the office and the otterbox commuter case which i use daily.
i have gotten my desktop dock from here.
http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380267286428&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
i am satisfied with the dock but i am finding it annoying to have to remove my otterbox case everytime i want to charge/sync.
is there a dock/cradle out there which can do the same without the need to remove the case?
I am aware of Desk Genie non slip charging desk stand but i read somewhere that it does not sync. (can anyone confirm this?)
any other recommendations are greatly welcomed.
has any one tried this
http://www.netimes.com/shop/angne-d...tc-hd2-t8585-htc-leo-p-2533.html?cPath=80_731
or this
http://www.netimes.com/shop/non-sli...p-2384.html?cPath=445_720&number_of_uploads=0
any feedback or help would be appreciated
The desk genie for me was a bit of wasted purchase:
The phone just slips off it. I think the reason is that the shiny battery-cover just won't grip, as heavier items, such as a digital camera/old WM phone stick to it like a charm. I put sticky brown tape all over the back of my phnoe and it was slightly better, but on the whole I'd say it's a don't-buy.
re: Syncing, it's a bit stupid. You plug a mini-usb into the back of the unit, and then a small power-lead with a micro attachment also comes out of the back as a charge = no syncing. As the device does have a USB hub, you can run another cable from a USB port to the phone, but overall it's a bit messy. One of those tiny mini-USB cables would do it (the 6cm long ones), but overall you still end up with a cable sticking out the side.
Thanks for replying...
i was almost gonna one of these...
which is a cheaper alternative to the desk genie...
have you tried it with case on??
as that is my concern as i do not wanna remove my cases all the time i wanna use a dock
smeddy said:
The desk genie for me was a bit of wasted purchase:
The phone just slips off it. I think the reason is that the shiny battery-cover just won't grip, as heavier items, such as a digital camera/old WM phone stick to it like a charm. I put sticky brown tape all over the back of my phnoe and it was slightly better, but on the whole I'd say it's a don't-buy.
re: Syncing, it's a bit stupid. You plug a mini-usb into the back of the unit, and then a small power-lead with a micro attachment also comes out of the back as a charge = no syncing. As the device does have a USB hub, you can run another cable from a USB port to the phone, but overall it's a bit messy. One of those tiny mini-USB cables would do it (the 6cm long ones), but overall you still end up with a cable sticking out the side.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't blame the Genie, I blame it on the HD2's too-friction-less back. Heavier, bulkier items (such as your typical Panasonic digicam) stuck to it like a charm (I note I already said that, but hey, worth repeating). I do not have other covers to hand to test it, but I do keep my phone in a fake-leather walleet (off eBay, love it), and the phone - despite being a lot heaver due to the wallet - does stick to the Genie, so I do reckon other covers will stick quite well.
If I can test others i will report back.
smeddy said:
The desk genie for me was a bit of wasted purchase:
The phone just slips off it. I think the reason is that the shiny battery-cover just won't grip, as heavier items, such as a digital camera/old WM phone stick to it like a charm. I put sticky brown tape all over the back of my phnoe and it was slightly better, but on the whole I'd say it's a don't-buy.
re: Syncing, it's a bit stupid. You plug a mini-usb into the back of the unit, and then a small power-lead with a micro attachment also comes out of the back as a charge = no syncing. As the device does have a USB hub, you can run another cable from a USB port to the phone, but overall it's a bit messy. One of those tiny mini-USB cables would do it (the 6cm long ones), but overall you still end up with a cable sticking out the side.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't agree. Its a fact that it wont grip especially when one uses a silicon case. But I've placed 2 pins just beneath the rubber so it will always hold the phone. I am using it now for some time.
ymtan said:
......
http://www.netimes.com/shop/non-sli...p-2384.html?cPath=445_720&number_of_uploads=0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have it and works nice
- without case
- with leather (flip) case
- with solicon case (soft)
- with hard plastic case
ciubeca said:
I have it and works nice
- without case
- with leather (flip) case
- with solicon case (soft)
- with hard plastic case
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your info.
will probably get this to try seeing it is not as expensive as desk genie
sorry to bump an old thread, does anyone have any suggestions for the original post?
thanks
What is the ideal case for your Nook Color?
Is it one that is available or not?
What are some of the features you would like it to have?
Do you want a fold case that covers the screen?
Is the micro usb port in a convenient location?
Looking for some ideas. Working on a shell now for a mold. Not sure if anything will come of it but want to see what you all are looking for in a case. Feel free to post your thoughts. Thanks.
I would like to see a one sided hard cover that can protect the screen when not in use and snap onto the rear when in use. Probably use the typical four corner frame system you see in many cases so nothing is obstructed.
Also, have a stand "system" so that when it is snapped to the rear you can prop up the NC. Maybe something like what you see on back side of keyboards. And like some keyboards I've seen, have different levels of lift. One lift level that slightly raises the NC off the surface, for typing and such. Another lift level that is like the leg stand you see on the EVO 4G or Archos 70, for video/picture viewing and the like.
Heh. First post around here. Been meaning to chime in on a thread and this is the perfect one to start. Only because I've been looking for something I described but there is nothing out there yet.
I'm looking for an inexpensive silicone gel skin, something I'd keep on pretty much all the time. I'm also keeping my eyes open for sturdy travel case.
There seem to be choices out there for both, I'm just waiting a bit for more of them to hit ebay.
I missed your last question about the micro usb port. IMO its not in a good location because its awkward when trying to read while charging, particularly when reclining or lying down. I'm concerned about putting pressure on the usb cable, especially considering its not just a standard cheap cable. Not sure how a case will help this, though.
drp1 said:
I missed your last question about the micro usb port. IMO its not in a good location because its awkward when trying to read while charging, particularly when reclining or lying down. I'm concerned about putting pressure on the usb cable, especially considering its not just a standard cheap cable. Not sure how a case will help this, though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ill be trying out a few designs once the mold sets. i can add a ribbon cable in the case to move the USB port to the sides which I might try. trying to keep it thin but actually worth putting on.
techboydino said:
ill be trying out a few designs once the mold sets. i can add a ribbon cable in the case to move the USB port to the sides which I might try. trying to keep it thin but actually worth putting on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you designing desktop/multimedia cases as well? I would love additional speakers on the NC and also a magnetic swivel X mount stand for desktop use.
My ideal case is not available yet. It is an envelope-like case that will allow me to pull the Nook out and use it naked. Something in nice black leather.
Something similiar to the covers of the TI calculators, with a little more thought about aesthetics obviously.
A 90deg connector or adapter would be nice. Then run the cable through the corner loop thingie.
Cheers,
kev
bugeyed1 said:
A 90deg connector or adapter would be nice. Then run the cable through the corner loop thingie.
Cheers,
kev
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good Idea, I may try that out.
Im not any sort of professional or anything, but I do have access to some pretty sweet resin's and molding equipment. Carbon fiber is the idea, but the glass mold and how I want to do the front part comes first. Ill keep the thread updated.
ideal nook case
looking for something very close to this case
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040VNRTG/ref=oss_product
just substituting the swivel belt clip for a kickstand
i like the idea of moving the usb jack to another spot but i think that would add alot of cost and effort to the case build
Rube Goldberg lives; or, is this even possible?
You asked for the ideal, here is mine. Not at all sure it is doable....
1. In the interest of keeping the total package as slim as possible, no back, unless it is necessary to support other features.
2. [Front] cover has a slot for a pad of paper and/or corner slots for index cards.
3. [Front] cover is hinged on the right (I'm right handed and I want to be able to write easily).
4. [Front] cover has a foldover flap to keep the paper or cards from contacting the screen when the cover is closed.
5. The cover can fold 180 degrees so that the cover lies flat against the back of the tablet.
6. The cover can support the Nook as an easel in landscape mode.
7. The cover can support the Nook as an easel in portrait mode - this might involve some sort of short extension legs or other support to raise the lower edge of the Nook an inch or so (and this might help with the need to plug in the USB connector at the bottom).
8. Bonus points for the ability to fold out a handle attached at the lower left corner when in portrait mode, sort of like a hand mirror.
9. And of course it should be strong, light, durable, elegant, and less than $40 US.
I'm ready to order as soon as I see the pictures of the finished product.
Thanks for the ideas everyone. Haven't worked on it in a few due to being out at CES. Unfortunately there were NO cases out there. Working with Speck to find something but tried everything else and could not even find a nice slip cover. Otterbox said they are testing designs so no real info there either.
My ideal case is something like
http://shop.brando.com/samsung-galaxy-tab-case-with-bluetooth-keyboard_p05269c0299d057.html
this.
Bluetooth keyboard case, waiting for bluetooth to work for NOOK!! and I could use it as a netbook and a tablet. IDEAL.
This is my cheap (free) case for my nook color. It’s the zippered case for my trucks instruction manual. The patch covers the ford symbol; if I need to hide it in plain sight I can pull the patch off and leave it in the back seat. It fits perfectly and there is a plastic divider on the inside I can put business cards and a small pad of paper (as others have asked). All I keep in it is a set of skullcandy headphones in an microfiber Oakley sunglass bag for cleaning the screen.
michael
-"I learned a very valuable lesson on my travels, Tucker. No matter how bad things might seem..."
-"They could be worse?"
-"Nope, no matter how bad they seem, they can't be any better, and they can't be any worse, because that's the way things fraking are, and you better get used to it Nancy. Quit yer *****ing."
Perfect case for the Nook Color
Before I bought my Nook, I had a Pandigital Novel that I bought on eBay.
In the same eBay search results page the Novel appeared on was a great case called BookArmor. Although it was $35, I bought it. And I haven't regretted it either.
The BookArmor case comes with a set of velcro-like pads that stick on the back of the tablet and allow it to be fixed to the case. The case itself is laminated steel and plastic covered with textured fabric. It zippers shut and the zipper sides are soft and stay out of the way when the case is opened. You have total access to all side buttons and ports. The inside surface that comes in contact with the screen is covered with a soft foam pad.
When I decided to get the Nook, I found out that the case I had for the Novel is the exact same case for the Nook Color. I really like this case and haven't even considered another one.
For more info go to extremeinkjet.com and click on BookArmor cases in the blue left-hand column. Pick any Delta 6 case ... there is a Nook Color one. Checkout their video at the bottom of the page.
It looks like this case is really popular too ... there aren't any left on eBay and the extremeinkjet site shows all out of stock for the Delta 6 case. Amazon shows one Delta 6 left for the Pandigital (same case) but it doesn't even show up for Nook Color.
I don't know if I'd call it perfect. But, I bought the B&N case with the vertical flap and ribbon with magnet on the end to hold it closed/open. It works well for me.
If they were available in store when I bought my nook, I would have also considered the silicone one. Although, if I went that route, I'd probably prefer the otter box version with the hard resin exterior an rubber liner. I would also have considered the black leather pouch one where you completely remove the nook to use it.
Alas, none of these were available to me when I made my purchase so I'm using what I have.
With either the otter box or the silicone I would gain a thinner form factor. But, I would never be able to completely cover the screen. With the pouch one, I would gain the thin form factor when using and would not add much when transporting. But, it's basically just a branded leather sleeve.
In the end, what drew me to the case that I bought was the vertical flap and ribboned magnet. 1 - with the horizontal flapped ones, the magnet does not flip around to hold the flap to the back of the case so it's open like a book with the flap dangling out the right side. 2 - with the vertical one that I got, you flip the cover over the top, move the magnet to the back to hold the cover in place and you have all your nooky goodness to go to town with!
Just my 2 cents.
jlh8733 said:
Something similiar to the covers of the TI calculators, with a little more thought about aesthetics obviously.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow...love love love this idea.
This would be great..a hard protective slide case.
This would definitely be a $$$ maker.
I bought a "Industriell Cover in Storm" cover and it works perfectly, very simple, protects the screen, and it's small.
I'm stealing your "DON'T PANIC" sticker on the back idea. thanks for reminding me.
I picked up this color changing USB hub from Radio Shack for $5 and it has a storage area that fits an HD2 perfectly.
I can't post a link so just google "Radio shack color changing 4 port hub" and you'll find it.
After looking at the nice fit I thought it would be easy to put a usb cable in the bottom of the compartment, so I could use it as a docking/charging station.
It's only held together by one screw in the storage compartment and then a couple pieces of double stick tape, so it was easy to open up. After taking it apart I held the phone next to it and marked where the USB port on the phone was using the dry marker that came with it. It had to be placed in the front corner of the storage compartment because of the circuit board directly underneath that storage compartment.
After marking it out I used a dremel rotary tool to put a hole in it, but I think a drill bit would have worked just as well. Then I put the USB jack in the hole so that it stood about a half inch off the bottom of the storage compartment. I took a sharp knife and trimmed those ring like pieces of plastic on the back of the usb jack off so that it was possible to put a 90 degree bend in the cable to fit it in the hub. Then I also put a small hole in the back edge and ran the cable out and plugged it into the hub.
It fits well with the stock rubber cover on the phone, or no cover on your phone, but I don't think it would fit very well if your case was much bigger than the stock case.
The dry marker that comes with the hub doesn't fit in the hole any longer, and you can't reach the buttons on your phone, but the button problem could be fixed by having the jack stand 1" off the bottom instead of the 1/2" I used.
Great job!!
Cool! Could you please measure the opening dimensions? I'm wondering if my HD2 in Otterbox Defender might fit inside?
Nice, if only we could get them in Australia.
Thx outstanding mod/hack. On my way to rat shack today thanks to your brilliant idea
Sent from tin can with string.
After a bit of searching I made a dock for my Nexus S and thought I'd show the results here.
I found out about polymer clay in this post (the thanks button is disabled for some reason...).
And I used the resistor values listed here, as some other threads showed they also worked with the Nexus S: Fun with resistors (home/car dock mode + more)
I ordered a Sparkfun microUSB breakout board, bought some resistors at a local electronics shop and four blocks of black Fimo clay at a nearby arts shop. I had the other supplies on hand:
-Soldering iron, solder, etc.
-Shrink wrap in various sizes.
-Hot glue.
-Aluminium plate.
-USB cable.
-Narrow and slightly rounded file.
-Box cutter or exacto knife.
I made the cable first (and did not take pictures at that time) and ensured that part worked before tackling the clay portion of the project.
I soldered one end of the resistor on the breakout board and the other directly on a stripped portion of the ground cable. The data wires remain functional as I am using a wall charger that properly shorts the D+ and D- wires to enable AC mode. I secured everything to the board with hot glue and finished off with shrink wrap.
This was my first time working with Fimo and it went well. I wrapped my phone in cellophane for a test fit along with the modified cable. The cable however isn't rated for the baking temperature so this was only temporary.
After baking, it turned out that I had misplaced the portion meant to hold the cable, so I snapped it off and made another with some left-over clay. The cured material can handle rebaking with no issues.
A bit of rework on the attachment point with a knife, test fit again, glue the board and file a notch for the buttons.
The phone slides in and out smoothly. I'm quite satisfied with the results.
Update: dock still works great. I've made one mod though: I took an old mouse pad, tore off the cloth on the top, cut a shape matching the dock's bottom, and hot glued the two together. This anti-skid pad means I can turn off the alarm or answer a call (which the phone answers in speakerphone mode right away) without inadvertently moving my phone on the nightstand.
Goodbye,
Darkshado
Wow really cool, and might have to try it.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G
nice work! I still have mine intact and it suffered some serious banging. Love your design too! Cheers.
a video of the process would be awesome for us noobs
Thanks for the feedback!
daudster: sorry, but its too late for a video. The good news is that there are plenty of good soldering tutorials out there.
This post by Fallon also has nice pictures that are very close to what I've done myself.
I started with the cable.
My "donor" USB cable was a standard compliant color coded affair. (Red Vcc, Black Ground, Green D+, White D-)
Checking with a multimeter to be safe is a very good idea.
Given the gauge of your typical USB cable wires and the breakout board's holes I suggest you presolder your wires.
Holding the stripped end of your wires with a sufficiently massive pair of pliers will make a nice heat sink to prevent melting the insulation when soldering.
Instead of doing like Fallon and placing the resistor above the breakout board, I soldered one pin on the board, the other on a stripped section of the ground cable "downhill" from the board. If you want to do it like this, make sure that you don't short your resistor with the ground cable. Then cover with shrink wrap.
Lousy ASCII art diagram below:
(Breakout board on the left)
ID--------R------\
GND--======---====
Depending on your exact design, this may not be necessary, but I opted to secure the small gauge wires to the board with hot glue, prior to covering with a larger diameter length of shrink wrap. While this cable's solidity might not be commercial grade, tugging on the cable by mistake would not risk as much damage.
Also a departure from Fallon's post is that I am using a Samsung OEM wall charger that shorts the Data wires in the charger itself, enabling AC mode, so no need to do it on the breakout board. My cable is confirmed working on the computer with both ADB and USB Mass Storage file transfer.
Test as you go to make sure none of your solders introduced unwanted short-circuits. (Fail to do this is and you could very well KILL your precious Nexus S or computer.)
Now, the Fimo part.
This was my first time ever working with Fimo and it turned out to be easy. As you work the material you heat it a little (friction) and it becomes a bit tacky to the touch so I worked on a small sheet of aluminium foil, wax paper might be better yet.
The aluminium plate is used for curing, as its much easier to handle with oven mitts and solid enough for this purpose.
Roll three blocks of Fimo in a sheet about 6-8 mm (¼") thick. With a blade, cut the excess on each side to end up with a properly sized rectangle for the back and bottom of the dock. These leftover bits will serve to support the back as well as the breakout board.
I kept my back flat, you may want to have it curved like the Samsung OEM one. Your choice, I chose flat because its easier to make and to simplify reuse with minimal modification when I'll change phones down the road.
The notch in the bottom for the buttons may be done before or after curing. Before, your fingers, a pen, coffee stirrer sticks or popsicle sticks all work. After, a rounded file or sandpaper.
My first breakout board support was misaligned so I had to break it off. For this reason I suggest you consider doing it in a second curing. This way your test fits are going to be much more accurate.
Most cables aren't rated for high enough temperatures to follow the Fimo in the oven for its curing. That's what lead me to making a support with a notch and using hot glue to finish the job. It's also flexible enough in case your alignment isn't perfect.
Goodbye,
Darkshado
Realy nice work
a quick sanding and molding would of gone miles to make it look normal!
i think that i'm going to try this!
thanks:good: