Develop Bugs

HTC Evo 4G PowerMat Wireless Charging Receving Door Review And Thoughts

here is a video that i did on the powermaty receiver door for the htc evo 4g.. let me know if you have any questions

I bought this... it works... however... i am not so lazy that I have to pay $60 to not connect my phone.... i ended up returning and buying sprint's extended battery. Having said that, it was really cool. Is it justifiable though? To each his own. Not bashing the product, just not for me.

I have the single mat that came with the door purchase
Is anyone else experiencing troubles or difficulties charging with the powermat?
It seems as if I'll put the phone on the mat sometimes, and if I don't sit and play with it until the position is JUST RIGHT, it will all light up indicating a good charge, then the two white lights will turn off, and the "unplugged" sound will happen, charging light will turn off, but the phone is still on the mat.
Or I'll wake up after its been sitting all night on the charger, no lights indicating its charging, and it will be at/ around 78% and it was placed on the charger correctly.
Is the powermat really this finicky?
Or would getting a multiple mat maybe enhance my experience?

Been using the PowerMat for a week now and have only one complaint. The Little Piece that must be inserted into the USB port has broken off. It is very small and I am sure that it will be lost in a matter of time. I plan on contacting the manufacturer and see if they will provide a replacement since it only lasted a week.

Returned mine... Got sick of how it had to be placed PERFECTLY, and if I got a text message or anything at night it would vibrate and slip from that spot and for some reason discharge rapidly.

i'll just let u guys know.. this thing is terrible. the connector for the case to phone is the worst, cheapest, poorly designed attachment i've ever seen. broke the first day of use. returned it.
garbage.

When we first got them in at Best Buy I put one on my phone and I was like "wow this is stupid, you have to plug it into the micro usb port" I figured it couldn't be that hard to slip something in between the battery and the phone but that's just me.
We sell a lot of Powermats this time of year... than they all get returned after Christmas lol

I plan on doing the touchstone mod, then I don't have to have a crappy plug on the bottom and I won't have to redo my 3m dinoc mod

mrono said:
I plan on doing the touchstone mod, then I don't have to have a crappy plug on the bottom and I won't have to redo my 3m dinoc mod
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, I was holding off doing the touchstone mod to see what this was gonna be like when it came out.
BUT, this little plug makes it an epic FAIL!
When I saw the prototype battery cover with the dongle, I just figured it was for testing only, and they would have that sorted out for production. I can see that if you weren't a hard core user, and just wanted to save a little hassle of plugging in ur charger, okay. But if ur like me, I plug my phone into my PC several times throughout the day for either ADB, music/movie transfer, etc. Having to deal with that little dongle would be extra annoying, thus not saving me any of the hassle that this setup was intended to help with.
What I really want to do with the Palm touchstone setup is to integrate it into my OB Commuter case and my car mount. This is where the wireless charging would have the greatest benefit, I believe. Imagine jumping in ur rig and putting ur Evo on it's mount, bam, it's charging. No clumsy cords strewn about the dash, this would be so much nicer.
At home, I really don't see the need or benefit of this charger. Ur phone has to be set in one place to be charging. So, I pick it up to take a call, and it's not charging any more. Or, I want to play a game on the couch, but my battery is low, and my charging pad isn't on the couch. I would still need a corded charger to plug into while I play with my phone. I do appreciate the progress in wireless charging though, it will be nice when it works over larger distances, like a couple feet. That I will gladly pay for!

JTNiggle;9186404
[B said:
What I really want to do with the Palm touchstone setup is to integrate it into my OB Commuter case and my car mount. This is where the wireless charging would have the greatest benefit, I believe. Imagine jumping in ur rig and putting ur Evo on it's mount, bam, it's charging. No clumsy cords strewn about the dash, this would be so much nicer.
[/B]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats my goal with this. I tried the touchstone mod with my hero and it was a PITA to get it just right to charge. The touchstone also requires a 1000ma charger, and the couple of car-usb adapters I picked up wouldn't charge the phone.
I had some trouble with the little dongle (it is dirt cheap). I had to take a small flat head screw driver to the pins in the new cover and push them in toward the back. Did that and the connection has been great since.

I must be one of the few that actually enjoy this product. I have the Evo case along with the 3X home office mat.
Being that I have many gadgets and HATE wires, I picked this up on Christmas Eve today. After all, I have my Macbook Air with all the Apple wireless accessories, wireless internet, why not go wireless power right?
As with any thing I buy, I researched a good bit on the Powermat and Evo back cover. I did like how it looked pretty close to the stock back cover and the USB connector was understandable as how else could they get it to charge. However, I could see how for those who use USB constantly it might be somewhat a pain, and also probably break compatibility with many cases (including my Seidio slide case). I did like the Powercube that it comes with (which is pretty much just a charging receiver with mini USB + attachments) so that I can charge my DSi/PSP/iPod/etc. A very important observation I've come to notice is that everything charges as it was connected to an AC adapter, NOT USB which means faster charging including the Evo.
However, I've come to use my Evo less and less. It's strictly for calls now that I have a new iPod touch. I run the Evo as a MiFi router in my pocket all day and with Google Voice I can do most things on the iPod. At work, I use the Evo to tether all day for internet access since my office's internet is quite horrid and blocks all kind of legitimate sites. I hate desk clutter, as much as I seem to accumulate it, I try to remove wires from the equation. I absolutely HATE when I move something and hear something else fall or move around because of wires tangled/crossed, drives me nuts. So at home I have my 3X charger and I'll probably get a 1X one for the office so I can just keep my phone charging while I tether and if I need to run downstairs or across the building I can just pick it up and drop it back off when I return. No need to plug things in, I like that.
So I've really come to like the Powermat because it removes a lot of the frustation for me and also lets me charge multiple devices on a single mat. Instead of having to swap AC adapters out and find outlets, I can just use the Powercube attachments or the Powermat receiver for the device. No need to worry about something possibly throwing the device off my desk or just annoying wires. I just find it a lot easier and I admit much cooler when the noise and light come on as I place it on the mat. Some people say it's 'finicky' with charging unless placed just right but the magnets seem to guide it quite well on my mat.
I'm waiting for the new iPod case from Powermat that should fit the 4th gen models but so far I like what they've done. This is the future and the only way this is going to catch on is if it's supported. Once manufacturers see there is a standard out there, they will integrate it into their devices. I'm trying to do my part by supporting a standard that's actually quite tangible right now. There were many companies trying to do this years ago and now and only Powermat has seemed to grab a good market share of this 'wireless charging' tech.
We all would like for this to be just 'built-in' but manufacturers won't until there's a demand. I know with the current restrictions and modifications necessary to get it working with devices may deter some people, but I think it's a good step in the right direction. Glad someone is finally trying to bring it to the mainstream market.

JTNiggle said:
What I really want to do with the Palm touchstone setup is to integrate it into my OB Commuter case and my car mount. This is where the wireless charging would have the greatest benefit, I believe. Imagine jumping in ur rig and putting ur Evo on it's mount, bam, it's charging. No clumsy cords strewn about the dash, this would be so much nicer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Freakin brilliant dude, seriously

I absolutely love my EVO Powermat, but I keep having problems with the back cover losing function. It works fine at the start, but if I take the cover off to pop the battery out, when a reflash/reboot hangs, it stops functioning. Powermat said to take it back to Best Buy, which I did, but now my second new one has stopped working as well. It does the cute "chirp" when it lines up on the mat, but the LED doesn't light. Charging on cable, both USB and AC are still fine. Anybody else heard of this issue?

This isn't any sort of technological progress. It wastes a huge amount of energy, and doesn't charge the phone as quickly as a wall charger. Double negative if you ask me.

I think it's a great idea, but it fails miserably.
I sync with my (very locked down) work pc and after two battery d door failures in 3 weeks I returned it. The only way I can sync is through usb and the usb dongle doesn't hold up.
It has a premium price but in the end my experience wasn't positive.
Swyped on my PC36100 using tapatalk!

Their Customer Service people have been very nice, and apparently it is now well-documented that the little dongle sucks. Powermat is redesigning it and I am holding mine for return until the new piece is available. No sense going back to Best Buy again to get another one from the same lot.They will offer me a no-charge UPS RMA pickup when the time comes. Hey, I like it when it works... what can I say.

Tom:
Theres no way the design as it currently stands should have passed testing.
Swyped on my PC36100 using tapatalk!

@John: True... it's like they were so relieved that the lid fit right and the concept actually worked when you first installed it, that they never tested remove/reinstall cycles. There is a wrong way and a right way to test. When I worked as a project manager at a software company, the programmers used to get pissed when I broke a program. They were so personally invested in the product that they didn't understand that the goal of any good beta tester should be to break the product, not confirm that it works.

The only problem with my powermat is that when it is fully charged it cuts off and when I wake up the battery is at 80% or less. This is very frustrating, has anyone got a fix for this? I believe it is a setting in the phone that is causing this issue. When I first got the powermat it worked correctly and then I updated my phone and now it is not working! Any suggestions?

[Q] Broken micro usb on g2

Wife's phone usb port is broke. It got mangled by a tough cord pull. It can't be straightened out. plastic is broken and contacts are mangled. After I did some research, I can see this issue happens on quite a few phones with micro usb such as the evo, but i have not seen too many people mention it about the g2.
Anyways, no warranty since I got the hardware from craigsist. Even if there was a warranty htc has not been covering this sort of damage on the evo.
From what i can tell there are a couple of possible fixes and a workaound.
fix one - new motherboard. too expensive
fix two - have a new replacement port soldered onto the existing board. i am not sure if this is worth it. i don't have much soldering experience, so i would probably have to send it somewhere. Does anyone have any idea of what that sort of thing would cost? is it pretty risky in terms of further damage to the board?
workaround - Get an external charger and possibly a second battery to reduce downtime while charging. This is probably what we will do for a while. Does anyone have a solid suggestion for an external charger for the g2? Is the battery the same format as other HTC phones such as the evo?
thanks!

Ah that sucks. From what i think if you know how to open the g2 then you wouldnt have a problem with fix 2 only thing i say is dont F..k up the motherboard lol... yoll have a fully broken phone. Dont know about fix 1.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

soreyes said:
Wife's phone usb port is broke. It got mangled by a tough cord pull. It can't be straightened out. plastic is broken and contacts are mangled. After I did some research, I can see this issue happens on quite a few phones with micro usb such as the evo, but i have not seen too many people mention it about the g2.
Anyways, no warranty since I got the hardware from craigsist. Even if there was a warranty htc has not been covering this sort of damage on the evo.
From what i can tell there are a couple of possible fixes and a workaound.
fix one - new motherboard. too expensive
fix two - have a new replacement port soldered onto the existing board. i am not sure if this is worth it. i don't have much soldering experience, so i would probably have to send it somewhere. Does anyone have any idea of what that sort of thing would cost? is it pretty risky in terms of further damage to the board?
workaround - Get an external charger and possibly a second battery to reduce downtime while charging. This is probably what we will do for a while. Does anyone have a solid suggestion for an external charger for the g2? Is the battery the same format as other HTC phones such as the evo?
thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you don't need a working micro USB port for connecting to your computer, just pick up one of those power mats that charge your devices by just placing them on the mat.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

OriginalGabriel said:
If you don't need a working micro USB port for connecting to your computer, just pick up one of those power mats that charge your devices by just placing them on the mat.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I looked into the powermat product last night. As far as I could tell, it seemed like they didn't have one for the G2. In that case, they provide a workaround, but it sounds like it also requites a working port of some sort.
"If your specific device is not listed in Step 1, we currently do not have a receiver for your model. By choosing "other" your solution will include a wireless Powercube universal receiver with 7 tips to allow your device to charge on a Powermat mat."
"The Powercube Universal Receiver Allows you to Charge Hundreds of Devices Wirelessly
The perfect accessory to your mat. Seven Interchangeable tips (micro USB, mini USB, Samsung, LG, Apple, Nintendo DSi, Sony PSP) allow you to wirelessly charge hundreds of mobile devices using just one receiver. Works with all Powermat mats."
After reading that, it stops sounding wireless at all. The universal powercube is wireless to the powermat, but it needs to attach to the handset with a cord. Pretty silly for $100. maybe there are other companies besides powermat?

I found a great thread about sanding chintech batteries. I ordered the two pack plus charger and will peel and sand them. So for now, I will use the external charging workaround.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=945090
In the meantime, if anyone else has a broken usb microport issue, post up your experience here. The issue seems rampant in the evo's, but maybe not so much on the G2. It is a heck of a small plastic tab in there holding the contacts.

Or get one of those 2 batteries + 1 charger deals on ebay and charge one while you're out and when you run out of battery just swap it. That's what I do and I think it's a hell of a lot more convenient.

Just chiming in
I have the same problem, except my micro usb connector still functions very testily. I have to plug and unplug it several times, and the slightest of jostles will disconnect it. Charging is more reliable than tethering, and I definitely use tethering, as I don't have a wired broadband connection at home. I'd love to get this repaired, if it's not too costly or difficult, so I'm going to watch this thread. Thanks for the suggestions on getting an external charger and extra batteries. If my connector continues to deteriorate, it makes me feel very relieved to know I'll have a backup. Thank heavens this phone has an sdcard slot!

Tethering and file transfer can be accomplished over wifi with some apps. Look for wireless tether and the samba or ftp apps

This is planned obsolescence at its worst. The switch from mini-USB to micro-USB doesn't save any space and makes the plug VERY VERY delicate.
Personally, I would take it apart, unsolder the micro-USB socket from the board, solder in a new MINI-USB socket, and reassemble. It is relatively low risk, as long as you are careful while soldering (use proper desoldering wick to disassemble). Be sure that you don't use too strong a soldering iron -- about 15 watt, and be sure to use one that is GROUNDED (three prong plug).

Thats some good advice. I was not aware you could swap out the interface in that way.

It's actually not quite that simple to change interface. You would first need to find a mini-USB connector having the same alignment pegs (to help with strain relief) and pad spacing as the current micro-USB connector. You will also need to hack the chassis of the phone some as well (and even then, a mini-USB connector will still probably stick out slightly).
Despite what was stated earlier, although both mini-USB and micro-USB have about the same width, mini-USB connectors are significantly thicker (or taller) and slightly longer (as far as depth). Micro-USB actually does give a pretty nice space savings for a hardware designer and can be more robust in design depending on the actual connector used.
Probably easier to just try and find the same connector HTC used if you are going to go through the trouble of replacing it.

I like to know all the great advise I was also worried about this when I just had the EVO. But to transfer files you could use a sdcard slot adapter for your pc or one of those usb sdcard readers I had used that when rooting my g1 along time ago LOL. Thanks for the backup ideas
Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

soreyes said:
Tethering and file transfer can be accomplished over wifi with some apps. Look for wireless tether and the samba or ftp apps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, soreyes I already use the wifi tethering now and then, but it really drains the battery and makes the phone very hot. In fact, I accidentally left my wifi tethering on overnight the other night and woke up to a dead battery and a radio that wouldn't work for half the day. I was actually worried I had fried my phone and turned it into an expensive PDA. After turning it off for about 8 hours, it worked fine again, thank goodness.
I definitely hadn't thought of FTP or samba for file transfer, but thanks for the suggestion. I hate taking out the battery to get to the sdcard, just to transfer a file or two.

Having this problem with a G2 as well
I started having charging issues a few months ago, before my warranty ended, but now, I'm screwed and the phone will not charge at all. I know it is not the battery.
I have a G2 from T-Mobile. I took it apart and it looks like the job to get the port off and replace it would not be simple.
Has someone actually completed that task?
Does anyone have the part number on the port? I see several very similar ones on ebay. (search for microUSB and android)
Or, has someone sent theirs off to be fixed out of warranty? I've seen a place called Mission Repair mentioned here and there on the web...
Thanks!
-g

I had always thought (if mine usb port broke) about trying these guys ( www.cellulardr.com ), i mean if your phone is not really working you could check them out to see if the price is right.
I know I sent my itouch off for screen repair and it was worth it.
gelainest said:
I started having charging issues a few months ago, before my warranty ended, but now, I'm screwed and the phone will not charge at all. I know it is not the battery.
I have a G2 from T-Mobile. I took it apart and it looks like the job to get the port off and replace it would not be simple.
Has someone actually completed that task?
Does anyone have the part number on the port? I see several very similar ones on ebay. (search for microUSB and android)
Or, has someone sent theirs off to be fixed out of warranty? I've seen a place called Mission Repair mentioned here and there on the web...
Thanks!
-g
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

You might consider buying one of those G2's on eBay with the broken screen, and swapping out the motherboard, then along with that you'd get all kinds of other spare parts, including battery etc.
I've never taken apart the phone, so can't attest to the difficulty, but I've seen a few guides around.

Update on repair options
So I called a local shop and they said that it was too complex of a procedure for them and referred me to Mission Repair in KS.
Called Mission and they said they get several calls a day from folks with G2's/Evos/and Desires with this exact problem. The guy said that in 80% of the cases it is not fixable without replacing the logic board because the issue is often that the logic board connectors break. This is a known issue with these similar HTC phones.
On the other side of things, I called HTC and it turns out these phones have a warranty from 15 months of manufacture, which T-Mobile did NOT inform us about. They said they will take the phone and fix it for free if i hadn't voided the warranty.
Now if only I hadn't open the phone up after the T-mobile rep told me there was no hope. *arg*

Best portable battery?

Hi all,
I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with portable battery packs. I don't mean extended batteries either. I mean the universal usb charger kind that packs several thousand mAh.
I'm looking to get one for a nine hour flight, and I want to know what is a good brand.

Luuthian said:
Hi all,
I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with portable battery packs. I don't mean extended batteries either. I mean the universal usb charger kind that packs several thousand mAh.
I'm looking to get one for a nine hour flight, and I want to know what is a good brand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't answer your question, but a lot of planes have a USB/charging input now. I know when I fly Air Canada, they have it.

I have had an Energizer XP18000 for about 3 months now and it has surpassed my expectations.
It holds 18000 mAh of power and will charge my Gnex and my Xoom at the same time (need to order a special tip for the Xoom/non standard device). I use it for long train rides to keep my phone topped up.
When watching HD video over 4G my battery level will drop about 1-2% every half hour, so it is not charging as fast as the wall charger, but it is enough to keep you from having a dead battery when you get to your destination. With my usage I can go 3 to 4 days and never need to look at a wall outlet.
The size is about as big as a external hard drive. There is also a wall charger that has a good size power brick in the middle of it. You can remove it when you don't need the wall charger, but I keep everything in one small bag so all I have to do is set it down next to an outlet and top up the external battery, then fold the cord into the bag and pull out what ever cord I need when I am on the move. It works just fine with the original Samsung usb charging cable.
I picked mine up from Amazon but you might be able to find a better deal if you look hard enough. They make a smaller model too that is only 8000 mAh.
I always keep it in my bag and it works so well for me that I don't even need the extended battery and leave 4G on all the time.
http://www.energizerpowerpacks.com/us/products/xp18000/

Beautiful. Thanks Dante. And yeah, I heard some planes have USB chargers now. Unfortunately I'm not flying with them. I live near YVR, but Air Canada is having a bunch of problems with their workers right now. Last thing I need is flight delays or bad service.

I did a ton of research before buying mine. I wanted a pocket sized one, that had large capacity (enough to fully charge the phone twice), and could charge a device at a full 1 amp. After much research, I bought the original version of this one:
http://www.newtrent.com/store/iphone-external-battery/iphone-battery-imp50d.html
Mine has less markings and I believe both ports on mine are 1 amp, where as the new one has one 500mA and one 1A port. Mine was also like $55, this one is on sale for barely over $40, an even better deal.
It is very powerful - 5,000 mAh will charge the phone 3+ times - much bigger than other "pocket batteries", fits in a pocket nicely (I wear cargo pants) because it's skinny, like a deck of cards. Fairly light too. Only complaint is that I bought it before MicroUSB became the new standard, so it charges with miniUSB instead.
I carry a retractable mini-usb cable, and a retractable microUSB cable, in an altoids tin, in in my pocket with it. Works great, can charge my friends phones at the same time as me. Had it for 2 years, still going strong!
There are newer designs they have now too if you look at their website.
It does take a long while to charge - 8 hours to charge fully or so if you charge off a 500mAh USB port, because it's a huge battery! a lot less maybe 4 hours if you charge off a high speed 1A charger.

i was looking at this one http://www.amazon.ca/Anker-8400mAh-...UTF8&coliid=I3IVVC4G6YETK&colid=1ILTNQ88L4FE5
it has a 2amp 5v port, this can charge a transformer prime with the screen off.

I got this one recently:
http://www.amazon.com/Anker-SlimTal..._1_2?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1335035472&sr=1-2
Its (much) smaller than my Nexus, has a built in micro-usb cable, and charges via micro-usb as well. While it doesn't have the capacity of those listed above (only 3200mAh), it was only $20 and the size really does let you take it everywhere.
It can fully charge it the phone from dead about 1.5 times.
I bought mine due mainly to the fact that it includes the micro-usb cable that hides away when not in use. It has a standard USB port as well for charging other items, but the appeal of only having to carry one item and no extra cable sold me.
My only complaint is that the built in cable could be a bit longer.
It has a flashlight too... lol

Been researching this topic lately and found that Anker's 10,000mah external battery is looking the best
Sent from my i9250 (GSM) Galaxy Nexus.
[email protected]

I use the Veho Pebble and it's fine for my needs. I get 2 charges out of it.

after hours of my own research I also bought the Anker Slimtalk. I dont travel enough to need one that is huge and can charge my phone 8 times. This seems small enough to toss in my pocket and not bother me since its so thin and light. For $20 and the convenience of having its built in micro usb cable sounds like a perfect little invention to get me through the day.
If I traveled more I would of probably got the Energizer XP8000. Their tip program is awesome. Free tips for life but really its $2 shipping each. if you want this device to charge a whole bunch of things it can. My Acer netbook, EVO 3D, girlfriends RAZR, 3DS, bluetooth, iPad 2, Nook, and the list goes on. I've been trying to ask New Trent for almost a week if their products would be compatible with the Energizer Tip program but found that contrary to what I've read their customer support is terrible, but their prices are better than energizer. So they loose out on the sale since over the last few times of researching has allowed me to find the Slimtalk which for the price and for my needs is perfect.

Curb71 said:
after hours of my own research I also bought the Anker Slimtalk. I dont travel enough to need one that is huge and can charge my phone 8 times. This seems small enough to toss in my pocket and not bother me since its so thin and light. For $20 and the convenience of having its built in micro usb cable sounds like a perfect little invention to get me through the day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly why I went with it. Even while traveling I'm generally within range of a car or home charger, especially now that pretty much everyone without an iPhone has a micro USB charger somewhere.
I just wish it had a built in AC adapter as well but I'm sure the size would increase by quite a bit. Someone (iGo maybe) makes one like that but it only has about an 1100mah battery if I recall.

I found something here in the Netherlands, and I'm not quite sure if you guys in the US have the same thing..
The thing this has going for it is it's portability. It fits in your pocket, and if you don't mind a big lump in your pockets, it even fits together with your phone.
Click over there <<< to check out the dutch website of duracell. It basically is a battery with a socket plug on it, and 2 USB outlets.
Tech. info:
Output voltage: 5 volts DC
Input voltage: 5 volts DC, max. 1 amp
Capacity: 1800 mAh
Offcourse, this is the dutch version, with the dutch socket plug, but maybe there's an US version as well?

Thanks for all the info here guys. I have that crappy Black and Decker Pocket Power from a few years back, that well, isn't living up to the charge these days, so I need something else.
Still a bit too many options, but I'm sure I'll find one that works the best.

refurbished a100

So my local micro center store have the Acer A100 refurbished for 199.99 I got to score a clearance one for 160$(180$) with taxes. I bought it cuz I want to use it as my music/video player in my car only problem battery doesn't seem to last more than 4 hours :/ and it can't be charge with the USB cable . I'm thinking if I should return it for the galaxy tablet 2 7inch which is 249.99 or get the the A200 which is 279.99$ . Any recommendations guys also does any of you know of a good car stands??I have seen some on eBay for about 60$ seems to be too much for a bracket .

Wow!
I would like to say that I am on a similar path right now with the choice between what to do with me money and tablet. I got one for 199.99 here in Chicago, I was strongly debating which one I wanted to go with. My reasons are similar yo yours aswell and I am also wondering about the Car docks or stands. As far as specs go with one already running ICS which was a big draw for me. The only thing that differs from me and you is I want to use the tab for signing contracts from photography work. I am hoping that the S-pen will work with either of them. Or ill have to bite the bullet and go with a HTC View/Flyer for the pen support. I personally would exchange the unit seeing as how you are getting 4 hours of usage out of it and then wait for the ICS on the 27th and make a decision from there. If you have and suggestions on a tablet under 300 that will allow for signing with a stylus(spen/fujitsu?/N-trig) please throw the name out there

Maybe this will help
I was also unhappy with having only 3-4 hours of battery life but I followed another board's explanation on how to make/use battery power packs. I now get about 12-20 hours of normal usage with my setup which is a 4800 ah 12v Li-on battery + an Acer a100 adapter wire and plug. The whole deal only cost about $28.
Now I love my little tablet!!

opto88 said:
I was also unhappy with having only 3-4 hours of battery life but I followed another board's explanation on how to make/use battery power packs. I now get about 12-20 hours of normal usage with my setup which is a 4800 ah 12v Li-on battery + an Acer a100 adapter wire and plug. The whole deal only cost about $28.
Now I love my little tablet!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you please link to that other board's explanation.

Swyzzlestickz said:
I would like to say that I am on a similar path right now with the choice between what to do with me money and tablet. I got one for 199.99 here in Chicago, I was strongly debating which one I wanted to go with. My reasons are similar yo yours aswell and I am also wondering about the Car docks or stands. As far as specs go with one already running ICS which was a big draw for me. The only thing that differs from me and you is I want to use the tab for signing contracts from photography work. I am hoping that the S-pen will work with either of them. Or ill have to bite the bullet and go with a HTC View/Flyer for the pen support. I personally would exchange the unit seeing as how you are getting 4 hours of usage out of it and then wait for the ICS on the 27th and make a decision from there. If you have and suggestions on a tablet under 300 that will allow for signing with a stylus(spen/fujitsu?/N-trig) please throw the name out there
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In my opinion if you're gonna be using it mostly for signing I hear lots of good stuff about the HTC flyer or View. It's still running HC and will probably will never see ICS but you cant beat the stylus and screen. They work well together. Also that can be charged via micro usb. Longer battery. The single core is powerful enough for what you'll be doing with it.
The sammy is good too but too much proprietary connectors going on with it. But at 249 you get the latest stuff. It's probably a good idea to check out one for yourself. Unless someone can chime in. I've never seen or played with it myself.
As far as Acer goes, it does sometimes suffer from touch screen losing touch with either finger or capacitive stylus if its just sitting on a table. But there is a fix for it in HC but I'm sure youre gonna want to upgrade to ICS eventually when it comes out. For the most part ICS eliminates the issue but I still can see it from time to time. To eliminate the issue completely you have to hold the tablet with 1 hand so its grounded while you touch the screen with your other finger or stylus. Also when its plugged into the charger it doesnt have the issue.

Power Pack
CMeys said:
Can you please link to that other board's explanation.
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Happy to .It is post #22 by st23r on the Forum "External battery for A100".
He cut the cord but it is not necessary if you purchase the following on Ebay under "Car DC Adapter For ACER ICONIA TAB A100 Tablet PC Auto Power Supply Cord PSU P/S"
Make sure you ask for the extension cord ONLY. It will be $4.99
Get a Li-On battery here: Ebay "Power Pack 12V Li-On battery 4800 ah"
It will cost $23.74 delivered (USA). Both parts fit together without adapters or cord cutting.
Hope it works as well for you as me.

opto88 said:
Happy to .It is post #22 by st23r on the Forum "External battery for A100".
He cut the cord but it is not necessary if you purchase the following on Ebay under "Car DC Adapter For ACER ICONIA TAB A100 Tablet PC Auto Power Supply Cord PSU P/S"
Make sure you ask for the extension cord ONLY. It will be $4.99
Get a Li-On battery here: Ebay "Power Pack 12V Li-On battery 4800 ah"
It will cost $23.74 delivered (USA). Both parts fit together without adapters or cord cutting.
Hope it works as well for you as me.
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Thank you. I saw that post but was confused about the cutting cord part.
In the first eBay item, I don't see an option to get just the extension cord -- do you need to specifically ask the seller for it?

A100 extension cord
Yes, you need to contact the seller. The one I used was 'utopiadreamglobal' but I'm pretty sure any of them would do it.

aznmode said:
In my opinion if you're gonna be using it mostly for signing I hear lots of good stuff about the HTC flyer or View. It's still running HC and will probably will never see ICS but you cant beat the stylus and screen. They work well together. Also that can be charged via micro usb. Longer battery. The single core is powerful enough for what you'll be doing with it.
The sammy is good too but too much proprietary connectors going on with it. But at 249 you get the latest stuff. It's probably a good idea to check out one for yourself. Unless someone can chime in. I've never seen or played with it myself.
As far as Acer goes, it does sometimes suffer from touch screen losing touch with either finger or capacitive stylus if its just sitting on a table. But there is a fix for it in HC but I'm sure youre gonna want to upgrade to ICS eventually when it comes out. For the most part ICS eliminates the issue but I still can see it from time to time. To eliminate the issue completely you have to hold the tablet with 1 hand so its grounded while you touch the screen with your other finger or stylus. Also when its plugged into the charger it doesnt have the issue.
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I returned the Acer tab. I shouldn't have to go through the rings to get good tablet life for a refurbished device and that extra 28 dollars almost put me in the same range as the Samsung device. I am somewhat happy with the SGT2 with the exclusion of root and crappy tablet touch wiz like deal going on. I got 16 hours of use the first day with it being out of the box no charge. I love the HTC flyer/view but here in Chicago those things cost the same as a new SGT2. I guess ill hit the CL for other states close by and see what I can find.

Battery life shouldn't matter if you get the car adapter and just use it in the car.
Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

USB jack replacement

The USB Mini-B jack (the USB port) on my LG P930 Nitro HD needs replacement. (This is partly because the battery life on the device is so short I have had to connect the thing constantly, using a variety of cables). The metal guides in the socket first appeared to separate from the male plug and are now a mangled mess, mostly at the back of the connector.
Does anyone have experience with do-it-yourself (DIY) replacement of this port?
The phone is rooted and running a custom ROM, so I can't take it for warranty.
I find many tutorials on screen replacement, but all I can find online are the replacement parts (such as this). Not a word, anywhere it seems, on replacing that port.
It's not easy to tell from either phone teardown video or the part itself, but it appears the socket is soldered to the board. . If that's true, I won't attempt it.
Also, does anyone have experience with the national myPhoneMD franchises regarding hardware repair ?

I can't speak to the level of complexity for doing this replacement, but I can tell you that indeed it requires soldering and not your run-of-the-mill soldering that you can do with any hobby soldering iron either. The 4 posts from that part you linked are just to hold the component in place...(If I'm not mistaken) there's still the actual USB connectors and they're likely surface-mount (magnifying glass and pinpoint soldering skills required here).
You might be better off with buying extra spare batteries and using apps like WiFi Explorer for accessing files on the SD Card remotely.

micro soldering definitely required
Namuna said:
I can't speak to the level of complexity for doing this replacement, but I can tell you that indeed it requires soldering and not your run-of-the-mill soldering that you can do with any hobby soldering iron either. The 4 posts from that part you linked are just to hold the component in place...(If I'm not mistaken) there's still the actual USB connectors and they're likely surface-mount
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Interesting idea using batteries & WiFi ADB, but this device gets heavy field use and serves as my GPS on long trips. Plus, removing and replacing the Ballistic case is time-consuming. It's really too bad because after the better part of a year, I finally found a stable ROM where the battery would not drain in 2 hours or where the phone spent 1/4 of the time rebooting.
I found a close up photo confirming your observation. The signal lead connections are definitely smaller than my hobby-level solder skill can manage. The part is available from multiple suppliers, so someone somewhere has the skill set to replace it. I just hope it's not a three-week ordeal.

I feel your pain. My young son has been playing with my Nitro and he's nowhere near as anal as I am about not straining the USB cable when connected. Lately I've been noticing that I'm not getting good connections with all the USB cables I usually use (won't charge from the car adapter anymore. )
I'm glad you're even able to use the GPS for extended periods. I'm using a Hyperion fatty and CM10.1 ROM and when the car adapter *was* working, it couldn't keep my Nitro charged while using the GPS...If I couldn't get there within a couple/few of hours, I was screwed....And it's a high-capacity car adapter too.
...These guys need to get this magnetic USB connector to market, ASAP!!!
http://outsmartingtechnologies.com/project/magnetic-usb-connection/

Namuna said:
I'm using a Hyperion fatty and CM10.1 ROM and when the car adapter *was* working, it couldn't keep my Nitro charged while using the GPS...If I couldn't get there within a couple/few of hours, I was screwed....And it's a high-capacity car adapter too.
...These guys need to get this magnetic USB connector to market, ASAP!!!
http://outsmartingtechnologies.com/project/magnetic-usb-connection/
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GPS: I have the same problem with battery longevity on trips. I could not run the phone continuously--even with the screen off--without going to 0%. On long trips there has to be a "refractory period" for the phone either off or in minimal consumption mode, if I want some battery left at the end of the journey or when I really need the GPS. I've tried a variety of DC chargers, but even the Stanley PC1A09 inverter powering the stock LG A/C adapter ultimately loses the battery fight. I am guessing that the inverter's output does not provide the A/C waveform as a wall outlet.
That magnetic connector looks great, but there would have to be a micro-format version.
None of the local repair shops in New Orleans, Louisiana will take on solder work at this scale. I ordered the $6 part but probably won't even try to install it, as I might destroy the board. Now I'm deciding between a local used locked phone, or a "new" unlocked phone on eBay. One particular seller with the best price has 99% positive reviews, but nearly all the negatives are from people who got used when they paid for new.

Have you tried bringing it to an actual AT&T store? I think we can give up the hope that they'll fix it under warranty, but at least they should be able to fix it at a cost...And if it ends up being cheaper than buying another Nitro used, then you've got a better deal.

My quit working I can charge it by putting something under the cord u might want give that a try it work for me
Sent from my LG-P930 using xda premium

stickman1981 said:
My quit working I can charge it by putting something under the cord u might want give that a try it work for me
Sent from my LG-P930 using xda premium
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That's been my mode for a couple of months. I had ordered a Monoprice cable that didn't fit tightly, but just on my phone (all the other Androids in the house worked fine with it). In retrospect, that was an early sign of trouble.
I think the housing was stretched or distorted by an accidental cable yank months ago, and the socket just deteriorated from there. The short battery life made for more frequent connect-disconnect cycles on the hardware than I would have liked.
I ended up ordering a new replacement with a warranty that I'll probably trade with my son, and then he'll have a plan-protected phone to take to college. He's going to be in Canada and will need an unlocked phone (or else win the lottery). I'll take his locked AT&T phone for myself.
And I will take the bad-socket phone to the AT&T Device store in my area and see what it will cost to replace that port. If it's under $80-100, I'll probably go for it.