In addition to the constant influx of iPods and iPhones friends, family, and coworkers bring me to fix, I've taken apart a few different Xperia PLAY phones more times than I can count, so I thought I'd give a few "pro tips" to people who need to know the ins and outs of it. This isn't a disassembly, assembly, or even a repair guide, it's just the stuff I think those guys missed.
First, don't use a heat gun to loosen the adhesive on the front glass + digitizer. The plastic frame wrinkles and melts readily, particularly right under the face buttons.
Second, make sure you transfer as much as possible when you replace the frame. Replacement frames usually do not include the rubber shroud for the proximity sensor and it will not work right without it. I had one phone that seemingly worked fine until the screen protector peeled off while inserting in a pocket and then no amount of clear tape, screen protectors, or Sharpie-marking would fix it. A salvaged rubber shroud fixed it right up. Some replacement frames have a film-backed adhesive for holding it there and some don't. It probably depends on when they were yanked from the manufacturing line, assuming that they are original parts and not replica parts. You also want to make sure you transfer are the inner dust gasket that goes underneath the frame/glass or else things will be filling up with dust quickly. There is no speaker grill and the foam around it does not stop intrusion. A salvaged frame/glass adhesive is likely to allow dust in unless you didn't have to pick much out of it when swapping (usually glass shards). There are also little metallic grounding foam rectangles crammed in the corners that only one replacement frame I've seen has ever included (was probably salvage though listed as "new"). They probably aren't necessary and I've gone long periods without them, but why wonder if a static charge build up is responsible for your erratic touch screen?
Next, be extremely careful separating the glass from the frame. I've managed to crack good ones even going slowly and leaving gaps filled with picks and pry tools. Heat didn't seem to help much and, as mentioned earlier, is discouraged. Cleaning the screen after man-handling it isn't always easy, but don't avoid touching the back side because you will probably need the area to spread the pressure and avoid a crack. I use a levered "mini suction cup" from Harbor Freight on the top side and as many fingers as spread out as I can on the bottom, but the suction cup is near useless on a cracked screen (even tape-coated). I do suggest covering a shattered screen with tape to hold all the bits together but you are still going to have a hard time cleaning the adhesive up. You can always buy a frame with digitizer pre-installed but I know a lot of you want to buy complete replacement housings instead and it's kind of a waste, but at least you don't need to worry about that adhesive (still: don't forget to transfer the other bits!).
The digitizer parts I've salvaged from phones had higher version numbers than the ones I've seen sold as replacement parts and seemed to be more erratic so I prefer salvaged ones. There can be other problems as well. The flat flex cable from the digitizer is supposed to have an adhesive backing that holds it still where it connects to the tiny cable from the earpiece. Replacements often do not have it, which is yet ANOTHER reason to prefer salvage parts. It may not seem like such a big deal considering that there is a black plastic piece screwed down over it to protect it from getting caught in the mechanism, but the connector does not hold on very well and the phone will not boot if it is slightly out of alignment. If you reassemble it and just get a buzz from the vibration motor with no display and no other sign of booting, check this connection (same thing if the digitizer suddenly stops registering touch). Even a small drop/impact will cause it to happen again, so I recommend securing it with precisely cut tape or hot glue (stay clear of the sliding rails).
Now, keep it clean while you work or you will be staring at that contaminate or thumbprint for a long time. I usually wear fresh latex gloves when working on the glass but it doesn't do much good if you keep transferring oils from the rest of the phone. Wash your hands right before you start and clean the outside of the phone. Before you begin, try just touch a used dish soap dispenser with a damp thumb and run all along to screen except the buttons and earpiece. Do it again with just the damp thumb (dilutes the soap that remained from the first pass) and wipe it with a clean lint-free cloth. Your own clean and dry fingertips/palm should readily absorb any remaining streaks/oils. Be sure to wipe down the rest of the phone too and don't transfer it back to the glass. Once inside I use layer after layer of clear tape to lift gunk from the earpiece (no mesh, remember?). Put on new gloves before you start handling the glass after disassembly, even if you were wearing some for disassembly. To clean the back of the glass I put the adhesive between wax paper while I clean using lint-free cloths, 90+% alcohol, and acetone. For the LCD, use tape to lift most contaminates and resort to alcohol + lint-free cloth if that doesn't work. It doesn't need to be too perfect, especially if scratched from cracked glass. Most imperfections only show when it's off.
Hot glue is great for removing adhesive screw covers without showing pick marks or other signs of tampering but you have to make sure to leave an edge exposed so that you aren't just picking it out of the glue instead. I've been getting mine off cleanly without any tricks like this but it came in handy when I was first disassembling one and there weren't any guides to tell me that there weren't screws under the large silver strip (just covers rivets or injections mold points, IIRC). It's also good for sealing off water sensors, like the one you see through a hole under the battery door. There's another one by the contacts on the battery itself, one by the microphone under the gamepad, and one in the opposite corner under the PS Certified logo. I had an AT&T rep tell me that a brand new phone had a tripped water sensor (LIES!) so I would look for ways to do this with most any new phone.
I can't count how many times I've left the power button out while reassembling. It's not usually that I forgot: It's that it falls out while snapping the back on. I've left the face buttons out a few times too.
My first one had the cable folded wrong after reassembly. It still worked fine for a couple years but did eventually require replacement. Once it folds wrong it'll probably stay that way even after correct reassembly (like mine did). Do not try to attach it to the main PCB using a spudger, butterknife, or whatever to awkwardly push the connector down with everything pulled apart. The only thing you need to do is to slide the cable into the phone's closed position, align the plastic posts on the connector with the corresponding holes on the PCB, and then push down on the PCB until it snaps. I'm sure I tried this first back then but chickened out because the connector didn't snap very easily but that is how you are supposed to do it.
Before I talk about the replacing the slide cable, I want to express my annoyance at all the eBay/YouTube/iFixIt.com people who call it a "flex cable." I don't like the term flex cable because generally ALL cables should be flexible and that doesn't distinguish what it is well enough for people looking for the part. Technically, it's a flat cable or a slide cable, though I wouldn't object to it being called a flex PCB (flex PCBs usually have components other than just connectors like a rigid printed circuit board would). "Flex cable" is silly, redundant, and does not describe anything more specific than just "cable." To complicate matters, there are several actual flex PCBs in this phone to distinguish from when ordering the part. Why did so many people start calling flex PCBs "flex cables" in the first place?! In our case the sliding portion is a *flat* cable, so I can see where "cable" was introduced from, but people say "flex cable" for any flat cable made like a flex PCB these days whether fixed or sliding. At least you know now that you are probably going to have to use the incorrect terminology to find what you want online and sift through many useless results.
*whew*
Now, slide cable replacement is easier than it would seem but intact removal isn't and brand new replacements can be defective. It was a troubleshooting nightmare when I encountered a defective one because I replaced the LCD and glass + digitizer at the same time and suspected/checked everything else first, even taking apart my personal phone multiple times to test parts. The plastic part of the connector on the PCB end must be transferred to the new cable and the old one will not reliably stick back down to it even if you did not contaminate the adhesive. I successfully transferred a cable from a water-damaged phone to my personal phone before fixing up the water-damaged donor phone with a new one, so the adhesive on the salvaged part was weak and I didn't realize how hard it was to remove intact until later. When separating the defective new one there was seemingly no place to pry on one end other than underneath the part where the earpiece/camera connector was located. This broke the side of the connector that holds the locking flap though I was still able to use/lock it. I claimed warranty on the defective part anyway because the connector was not needed for proving the cable was defective (a functional cable works with that connector populated or not). This new part was slightly different from those found originally installed in the phone (different colored plastic connectors and such). The second new one I ordered from elsewhere had double-sided adhesive down the middle, a foil quality control sticker, and the same odd connector colors. I didn't think there was a market for replica parts on this phone but it does seem like more than simple factory revisions. Anyway, removing it involves removing metallic tape then lifting a plate that is still adhered underneath with amber-colored Kapton tape. You can see it from the slide mechanism below. I pinch the plate from above and below with two fingers and lift, gradually peeling the tape which I then fold inside and secure to avoid contaminating the adhesive. The cable has a plastic band across it that fits between fingers on this plate. When secured, this isolates the end with multiple connectors from the movement of the sliding portion, so make sure this is in place when reinstalling. It may be best to avoid removing the adhesive backing paper until after the plate and cable are securely taped back down with both the Kapton and metallic tape while the fingers are holding it in position. If you stick it down first and then secure the plate you may find it slightly too long or short to position inside the plate when securing it all back down. To thread the main connector through the slide board opening it may seem that it will only fit by folding the cable but DON'T! Coil it. Without flattening it, bend the connector 90-degrees over from the cable path and then adjust the angle until you have a coil-shape that you can work through with the connector sideways.
I ordered a "no useable parts" dummy phone just for the heck of it and, other than the Sony Ericsson logo on the fake battery door and maybe the stickers that cover the screws, they really don't have any salvageable parts. You can't swap any buttons, keys, springs, covers, etc into a real phone. The closest would be the face buttons. They will fit in a real phone, but they are too tall and put constant pressure on the PCB switches causing unintended key-presses (especially back and search buttons). The extra height easily protrudes out the top and is not the issue so filing them down vertically won't fix anything. I snipped some excess rubber to more closely match the design of the original buttons but it didn't help. I unscrewed the screw in the corner under the search key and unsnapped the bottom edge of the frame from the back/slide board and they work great until the phone inevitably snaps back together. I'd say they felt better then the original with the extra height (I can't stand how close they are to the screen). It's tolerable with ICS/JB's Navigation Bar (on-screen key functions), but I would rather salvage real buttons or pay too much for the eBay ones ($10-$20; very uncommon part; always sold with crap you probably don't need).
I have yet to find a replacement battery door that includes the rubber trim around the speakers and the foam piece surrounding the rear/noise-canceling microphone. I've ordered a few auctions that show them in the pictures but they always arrive bare. You can transfer them with a razor but it likely won't be perfect. Without them the speaker audio will probably echo around inside the battery compartment and make its way into the mic, though people usually don't notice it. Painting on some Plasti-Dip might do the trick, so try that if it bothers you.
Unlike an iPhone with a million different screws, you don't have to keep track of what goes where and everything is easily accessible. Bare minimum to take it all apart: Some fingernails, a T5 or T6 (pick one) and a PH0, 00, or 000 Phillips (pick one). There don't seem to be any tamper/warranty seals and the only concealed screws are the two obvious ones underneath metallic cover stickers on the display/slide board. There are no screws under tape or labels and no water sensors covering them either. All 6 Phillips screws are the same size but you'll likely want to keep the two with adhesive in their original holes to re-use the covers (adhesive usually remains on the screw instead of the cover). There are only two different Torx screw types but it's obvious what goes where (6 stubby flat ones on the top and bottom, 7 long thin ones around the battery area).
There are bits and bobs taped to and embedded in the rear housing including antenna/RF stuff, some more obvious that others. I've compared and the R800x is very different from the R800at even though the plastic frame looks really similar (R800x has a blocked SIM slot, of course). IMO, any housing swap should be limited to the front frame, the gamepad, and the battery door (only colored parts anyway). If you nicked your chrome, hopefully it was on a button or something that can be swapped (springs are a pain). It may be possible to transfer everything but I wouldn't trust it after all the peeling and picking. The one report I've seen of someone transferring between a GSM/CDMA models seems blissfully unaware of the metal wire behind the volume keys on the CDMA model that isn't there on GSM (at least it's not there on my R800at GSM).
That's all my advice for now. If you are having any trouble, let me know.
Excellent guide, thank you for taking the time to type this up. I think a mod should sticky this.....
Awesome guide! Thanks much for it!
@ozzmanj1 Agree, so more people will notice it.
Thanks for help buddy!!!
As for the case of the digitizer, mine has some parts (lower left) that are not recognizing touch inputs. Will realigning the digitizer cable help? I' d really not want to buy a new one right now as I am quite on a tight budget. Please help. Totally in distress here with my very sickly Play.
So, first I want to say thanks for this post as it's been invaluable in my working on my own XP.
I'm in the process of changing out the LCD and slide cable and am wondering about versions of the phone and compatibility. On Ebay I'm finding lots of parts listed as being for R800i\R800x\R800a. Very few parts are listed for R800at (which is what I have)
In changing out parts (anything hardware related) what parts are interchangeable and what parts are not? Anyone able to help?
Right now I'm looking at LCD screen and slide cable, but in the future I would like to change out the digitizer (I read the other page about having to possibly roll back to a different kernel) and perhaps other inner workings of the phone as well. I would just like to know what I can use from other models of the XP and what are model specific.
Thanks!
Arevyn said:
So, first I want to say thanks for this post as it's been invaluable in my working on my own XP.
I'm in the process of changing out the LCD and slide cable and am wondering about versions of the phone and compatibility. On Ebay I'm finding lots of parts listed as being for R800i\R800x\R800a. Very few parts are listed for R800at (which is what I have)
In changing out parts (anything hardware related) what parts are interchangeable and what parts are not? Anyone able to help?
Right now I'm looking at LCD screen and slide cable, but in the future I would like to change out the digitizer (I read the other page about having to possibly roll back to a different kernel) and perhaps other inner workings of the phone as well. I would just like to know what I can use from other models of the XP and what are model specific.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just about everything but the chrome back housing is a simple swap. LCD, slide cable, digitizer, camera/earpiece, face buttons, game pad, slide board, front frame, camera, headphone jack, etc. The only parts tied together for compatability are the motherboard and the chrome back housing and that is because it has all the antennas installed in it. It's probably possible to move all the components but I've never even had to take the speakers out and can't speak to the difficulty or possibility for certain. I'm worried that lifting the adhesive films would damiage the antennas inside. As I mentioned in the OP, there are other little parts to move when you compare the two and note the differences. Good luck!
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
CZroe said:
Just about everything but the chrome back housing is a simple swap. LCD, slide cable, digitizer, camera/earpiece, face buttons, game pad, slide board, front frame, camera, headphone jack, etc. The only parts tied together for compatability are the motherboard and the chrome back housing and that is because it has all the antennas installed in it. It's probably possible to move all the components but I've never even had to take the speakers out and can't speak to the difficulty or possibility for certain. I'm worried that lifting the adhesive films would damiage the antennas inside. As I mentioned in the OP, there are other little parts to move when you compare the two and note the differences. Good luck!
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome! Thanks so much.
---------- Post added at 06:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:11 PM ----------
CZroe said:
Just about everything but the chrome back housing is a simple swap. LCD, slide cable, digitizer, camera/earpiece, face buttons, game pad, slide board, front frame, camera, headphone jack, etc. The only parts tied together for compatability are the motherboard and the chrome back housing and that is because it has all the antennas installed in it. It's probably possible to move all the components but I've never even had to take the speakers out and can't speak to the difficulty or possibility for certain. I'm worried that lifting the adhesive films would damiage the antennas inside. As I mentioned in the OP, there are other little parts to move when you compare the two and note the differences. Good luck!
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you noticed a difference in an LCD screen with a green cable vs one with an orange cable? I have an orange one in mine, and wasnt sure if its a different part, or just a different batch of screens
Arevyn said:
Awesome! Thanks so much.
---------- Post added at 06:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:11 PM ----------
Have you noticed a difference in an LCD screen with a green cable vs one with an orange cable? I have an orange one in mine, and wasnt sure if its a different part, or just a different batch of screens
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am color blind and never took notice but I switched LCD between R800i, R800x, and R800at and they were all compatible. They have no reason to make anything in that half of the phone different, so they don't.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
narflynn619 said:
As for the case of the digitizer, mine has some parts (lower left) that are not recognizing touch inputs. Will realigning the digitizer cable help? I' d really not want to buy a new one right now as I am quite on a tight budget. Please help. Totally in distress here with my very sickly Play.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey, I've also experience same problems as yours... I just wonder is it the flex cable or digitizer....
matfai said:
Hey, I've also experience same problems as yours... I just wonder is it the flex cable or digitizer....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If only some areas are responsive then I'm pretty sure it's the digitizer. The IC likely encodes the output so that all the raw connections don't need to be extended over the slide cable. IOW, the pins that carry digitizer data probably carry encoded data so that it's fewer pins. This means it would work either all or not at all if the slide cable had anything to do with it.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
CZroe said:
If only some areas are responsive then I'm pretty sure it's the digitizer. The IC likely encodes the output so that all the raw connections don't need to be extended over the slide cable. IOW, the pins that carry digitizer data probably carry encoded data so that it's fewer pins. This means it would work either all or not at all if the slide cable had anything to do with it.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for reply... So, do I have to replace the digitizer or just realigning the cable will help?
matfai said:
Thanks for reply... So, do I have to replace the digitizer or just realigning the cable will help?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my experience, cable alignment has also been an all or nothing issue so you probably need to replace the digitizer. It couldn't hurt to realign the digitizer cable first just in case it can avoid an unnecessary expense. That fixed a Cubot C9+ I worked on Saturday (digitizer not working at all) but not the iPhone 4S I worked on yesterday (bottom row of digitizer not responding).
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
stuck in safe mode after replace slider cable(flex)
Hi i'm writing here in hopes you can help me, i bought and replaced the "flex cable" and it kinda worked, somehow it can only boot in safe mode and back, home and menu buttons on the front is unresponsive (i can use joypad though) i've tried opening it up again to check for loose connectors and i even tried disconnect the cable to the front buttons but safe mode persists, i tried to flash several official ftf images and a custom rom to see if it helped, but also without any luck.
I hope that you can help me.
Thx for a nice indepth post
docsmiley said:
Hi i'm writing here in hopes you can help me, i bought and replaced the "flex cable" and it kinda worked, somehow it can only boot in safe mode and back, home and menu buttons on the front is unresponsive (i can use joypad though) i've tried opening it up again to check for loose connectors and i even tried disconnect the cable to the front buttons but safe mode persists, i tried to flash several official ftf images and a custom rom to see if it helped, but also without any luck.
I hope that you can help me.
Thx for a nice indepth post
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are booting in safe mode, that "menu" button is always pressed. My guess is faulty/damaged flex cable. You can try your old flex cable and see can you enter flash/fastboot mode (test to see is back and search button is working)
Bakisha said:
If you are booting in safe mode, that "menu" button is always pressed. My guess is faulty/damaged flex cable. You can try your old flex cable and see can you enter flash/fastboot mode (test to see is back and search button is working)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Search button is working as intended (also when booted into safe mode) and i can enter flash mode with back button and flash ftf files, back button is just not functional when booted (only on joypad).
I also figured it had to be the flex cable but i thought i was so carefull when mounting it so i didn't thought i damaged it.
The old flex cable didn't give any picture at all, so can't see if it boots into safe mode with that.
docsmiley said:
Search button is working as intended (also when booted into safe mode) and i can enter flash mode with back button and flash ftf files, back button is just not functional when booted (only on joypad).
I also figured it had to be the flex cable but i thought i was so carefull when mounting it so i didn't thought i damaged it.
The old flex cable didn't give any picture at all, so can't see if it boots into safe mode with that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have received a defective flex cable before so it's possible you have also. In my case it didn't work at all (no picture).
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Thanks for your replies I'll see if I can get it replaced
Sendt fra min Galaxy S4 med Tapatalk
slide flex replacement
hi, its my second time replacing the slide flex cable of my r800i, however this time, my digitizer is unresponsive to the flex i bought, i bought it in the same store where i bought the first one which was perfectly fine before,
my question is does the slide flex cable of xperia play 4G differs to the slide flex cable of the old one xperia play r800i,
dashu31 said:
hi, its my second time replacing the slide flex cable of my r800i, however this time, my digitizer is unresponsive to the flex i bought, i bought it in the same store where i bought the first one which was perfectly fine before,
my question is does the slide flex cable of xperia play 4G differs to the slide flex cable of the old one xperia play r800i,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are the same. I have also switched then between a "4G" R800at and a R800x. I have also received bad digitizer flex cables that were new. It really is luck of the draw. A lot of replacement parts on eBay are factory seconds, which may have been removed from the production line for good reason. That's why I always order parts in sets of two for anything I know I will need in the future and I always test both. For example, recently I got two iPhone 4S screens and one had the frame installed upside down. Before that I ordered two replacement iPhone 4 30-pin dock replacements and one had a defective microphone. Before that I ordered two iPod touch 2G digitizer/frame assemblies and one didn't work along the left side.
Here I am identifying a couple bad iPhone displays from a lot:
http://youtu.be/TbxzCiGhwPM
I didn't own an iPhone so I had to test them all with the phone the first customer provided.
Edit: Oh! And make sure the problem is not with the digitizer connection under the black plastic cover. Mine works it's way loose all the time and needs to be secured with tape. Even when inserted fully straight and locked, I put it together and find it not working or the display black until I take it back apart and reseat it. It will twist slightly and even the slightest angle affects the connection.
Hello there!
I bought my xperia m 10 days ago, and i am pleased so far, except for one thing..
I noticed yesterday that the removable cover has started creaking, especially on the side with no buttons where the usb port is.
Has anyone else noticed that with their device? Is this something that inevitably happens after a while, or should i try to get it replaced because of a defect?
Yes, it started happening a few days after I bought or... If it happens to others too, I'll assume it's inevitable
This message was brought to you from my Sony Xperia M C1905 using Tapatalk.
Hmm I see..
Well I thought I'd ask because if it is something that is going to happen anyway, i will not bother taking it to the store.
They will have to send the phone to the service center and all that fuss just to replace the back cover, so it is not worth it.
If someone else can also confirm that this is the case with their phone I will be assured.
My phone also makes noises when pushed, most at top right and bottom left corners.
Well I take it there is nothing I can do about it then, so no point in returning it, I will have to live with it...
It is a shame though, because other than that the phone is outstanding in terms of value, I see no reason to spend any more that what I spent on this. It hits the sweet spot for me in the price/performance scale.
Has anyone found any solution to this problem?
I have tried putting little pieces of paper at the hotspots (bottom left and below the usb port in my case) but I had little success...
I am also curious to hear reports from others, maybe a silicon case can lessen the issue...
Cassius Away said:
Has anyone found any solution to this problem?
I have tried putting little pieces of paper at the hotspots (bottom left and below the usb port in my case) but I had little success...
I am also curious to hear reports from others, maybe a silicon case can lessen the issue...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have silicone case, it is the same. I am thinking about using thin layer of hotglue. It can be peeled of easily.
After some experimenting I found that putting a small piece of paper (3mm tall and about 3cm long) between the phone and the cover eliminated the major creaks that where in the lower-middle left side of my phone. I just folded a piece of printer paper in two and cut it to the above dimensions. If you try it make sure to put it in a way that does not block the small plastic clips that clip on the phone.
Recently i received my Xperia Z1C White. After some careful checking (that happens when you are a techy) i noticed that the frame bends slightly inwards at the back side. I made a small example of what i mean on a photo. The problem is. If you can press those parts of the frame inwards, what happens with the waterproof seal between that part of the frame and the plastic bezel on top of this? Is this the case with every Xperia Z1C or is this a rare problem?
I suspect this also is the reason why you can hear a sound while pressing the screen slightly.
Rinneh said:
Recently i received my Xperia Z1C White. After some careful checking (that happens when you are a techy) i noticed that the frame bends slightly inwards at the back side. I made a small example of what i mean on a photo. The problem is. If you can press those parts of the frame inwards, what happens with the waterproof seal between that part of the frame and the plastic bezel on top of this? Is this the case with every Xperia Z1C or is this a rare problem?
I suspect this also is the reason why you can hear a sound while pressing the screen slightly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same on my phone, but only the charging port side, and my phone squeaks too.
Me too - i can also press the frame inward. Oh my god, i´m a bit confused now...lets hope everything is ok and water is no problem for that...
*EDIT* But i have to say that this also is an issue to find on my Z1 !
Had a bit of convex shape on the back, barely noticeable. Hairdryer and pressing did the trick.
And no, don't be too harsh to the phone.
Glue seems to be unequally applicated.
Made in China after all.
I don't know why, but it doesn't seems any problem with my white phone.
I wonder hwo wide spread or problematic this is. On a normal phone this wouldnt be a problem at all. But on a waterproof phone every error can be a problem.
Mine seems to have the same microscopic gap on the back around the docking port.
I dunked it in a bowl of water and let it sit for 5 minutes. Took it out, dried it off - no problems.
The back of mine flexes when pressed hard in the center, but there are no gaps at the edges (even when pressed)
Is this something they'd accept a warranty replacement for? Where do you go about requesting such?
slvrarrow said:
Is this something they'd accept a warranty replacement for? Where do you go about requesting such?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think no warranty on this, they will probably consider it normal.
The problem with high precision designed devices like this and iphones is, that if something is a bit off you notice it easier.
I do regret it a bit that i didnt exchange it within the 7 days that it is possible to exchange a product after buying it in holland. But if it is widespread, then the case of a phone without the flexing frame/misaligned frame would be very small.
For anyone worried about the waterproof nature of their device, the only thing I can say is - test it. If the product works as intended you're golden. If not, you're covered by warranty.
I'm avid photographer and diver and with all new waterproof equipment, the first thing I do is test their waterproofing by either dunking them in the tub or the sink full of water.
You've bought a device with a capability which you should be able to trust. No need to find out 1 year later when you drop it in the toilet that your device is faulty.
Hejnfelt said:
Mine seems to have the same microscopic gap on the back around the docking port.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, only a small gap around docking port that can be ever so slightly pressed in under higher-than-normal pressure, never noticed it in every day handling.
Mine keeps pulling hairs out of my beard!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
I believe there's a sensor-like surface when you open up one of the flaps (the micro-USB one I think). It's a small white square and it turns red when in contact with water.
This is how the service centres know that you are complying to proper usage. So do be careful not to get the internals wet
That would make sense
Sent from my D5503 using Tapatalk
I have exchanged mine, still a little flex around the charging port but the back is definitely more flush. No small gap and less cracking noise when pressing the back as well. Very content with the built quality of this phone now.
after the first charge my rubber cover for the battery looks bent. i guess i pried it out and to the left instead of backwards towards the strap and that's how this happened. i have big fingers and it wasn't easy for me to pry it open at all. i tried to bend it back the other direction and it almost sits flush now. it doesn't appear the seal around the actual micro-usb port is damaged, just the outer rim standing up you see. wondering if this is normal, and if it will have any negative effects when it comes to waterproofing.
Yes...exactly the same.
Doesn't look right
tuffluck said:
after the first charge my rubber cover for the battery looks bent. i guess i pried it out and to the left instead of backwards towards the strap and that's how this happened. i have big fingers and it wasn't easy for me to pry it open at all. i tried to bend it back the other direction and it almost sits flush now. it doesn't appear the seal around the actual micro-usb port is damaged, just the outer rim standing up you see. wondering if this is normal, and if it will have any negative effects when it comes to waterproofing.
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It looks to me like your usb port cover is damaged. I can't believe that pulling it out on the left side instead of the back would bend it permanently like that. I would guess it's defective. If the watch is new and still under warranty, I would probably try to exchange it for another.
I've had my SW3 for about 7 months and have taken the usb rubber cover off many times to charge the watch. So far, it has held up well and still looks new. Click on the below imgur link to see a couple of pics of my SW3 compared to yours.
http://imgur.com/a/Es97z
anyone else? i googled pics of this and all the pictures showed it to be bent the same as mine and onatepp
maybe even helpful if onatepp or others have tried this in the water with no damage...
No need to worry in my opinion. Mine looks the same and I bought mine 7 months ago and several times per week I am taking a shower with it after workout.... I do not think you need a perfect seal to have a waterproof watch, the usb port would not let the moisture into the main body. The rubber cover mainly serves to prevent electrical issues when charging, and maybe corrosion.
You can try with yours
Ok, getting serious, I do not think there is an issue with water. The USB port is sealed.
Will not leak water on the inside. The rubber is meant not to let dust/rubbish inside.
tuffluck said:
anyone else? i googled pics of this and all the pictures showed it to be bent the same as mine and onatepp
maybe even helpful if onatepp or others have tried this in the water with no damage...
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Anybody tried something like this? I have a feeling that pad that you put behind the case is going to screw up wireless charging and possibly nfc.
If the magnet was a bit bigger it would probably work with the 4 internal magnets, but this one seems kinda small.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Car-Magneti...783596?hash=item35f4c479ac:g:pogAAOSwT5tWN1dh
haven't tried it, the ones locally are sold without the magnet pads and the pad are for iphones, some are display with the phone in a case because of it.
i opened a old hard drive to get the magnet and stuck that to my dashboard,
if the magnet is on the top the phone thinks its a case and will turn display on or off, so you would want the magnet not to interfere with the top, it didnt effect its compass
some users report that the metal pad can get hot with nfc charging and stop it.
been thinking of making one that will charge too
I think the smaller round magnet could be stuck at the bottom of the phone, the charging coil is in the middle so it might just miss it.
peachpuff said:
I think the smaller round magnet could be stuck at the bottom of the phone, the charging coil is in the middle so it might just miss it.
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I bought a magnetic mount a while ago and it works perfectly. It doesn't mess with NFC or anything. I actually started a thread about it a while ago too. And with our phone, it doesn't need that metal pad that comes with it.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/google-nexus-5/accessories/magnetic-car-mount-t3069038
EDIT: Just realized you are talking about using it with a case. I don't use a case so I wouldn't know anything about that. It works good without one though
I have four small magnets between case and phone. They align themselves to metal pads in phone and keep the phone tightly next to my magnetic holder consisting four more magnets. Wireless charging works too