Palm Pre using a Touchstone mounted in your car? Post your pictures here!

TopTongueBarry · 06/23/2009, 06:17 PM

The Pre looks so cool hanging on the Touchstone charging base, The folks at Palm must have known this was going to happen.....

If you've mounted your Pre in the car and are using the Touchstone adapter, this thread is for you. Show the world how cool the Pre looks mounted in your car. We don't care how dumpy the car might be, as long as you've got a Touchstone adapter with a Palm Pre attached in your car, we want to see it!

tripsbacks · 06/23/2009, 06:34 PM

My only concern for how you mounted your touchstone is that if you hit a big pot hole on the road the phone will fall off. The magnet does not seem that powerful to me. It does look good though.

TopTongueBarry · 06/23/2009, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tripsbacks

My only concern for how you mounted your touchstone is that if you hit a big pot hole on the road the phone will fall off. The magnet does not seem that powerful to me. It does look good though.

It IS strong enough for potholes and everything. I've tested it using speed bumps and potholes. The only thing I think that would have a sharp enough impact on the vehicle to jar the Pre loose would be the impact from having an accident while driving and watching the game! My point though is yes, hitting something hard enough to cause a "sharp" jolt would knock the Pre loose, but I have not encountered anything yet. Think about this, if you hit your brakes to slow down quickly all the pressure inside the car is going forward so the Pre just sits there a little more force it has on the Touchstone .....

rocknrollbandit · 06/23/2009, 06:42 PM

i like the custom screen protector you made lol very ghetto

tripsbacks · 06/23/2009, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopTongueBarry

It IS strong enough for potholes and everything. I've tested it using speed bumps and potholes. The only thing I think that would have a sharp enough impact on the vehicle to jar the Pre loose would be the impact from having an accident while driving and watching the game! My point though is yes, hitting something hard enough to cause a "sharp" jolt would knock the Pre loose, but I have not encountered anything yet. Think about this, if you hit your brakes to slow down quickly all the pressure inside the car is going forward so the Pre just sits there a little more force it has on the Touchstone .....

I have heard some stories of the touchstone not working inside an auto. Is yours fully wired and functional?

sveilien · 06/23/2009, 06:46 PM

. . . and I'm sure how "jolting" the jolts would be depend on your car. In a Toyota Avalon, not so much. In a Mini Cooper S with 18" Runflats, the Pre might have more trouble staying attached in bumpy situations.

Andromeda · 06/23/2009, 06:51 PM

Looks cool!

Ideal location, but is that location a safe spot for the device? I would think the heat and cold climate settings could possibly affect the Pre's componets. Eh?

Sky Nazi · 06/23/2009, 07:01 PM

So how exactly are you wiring this into the car?

Stake · 06/23/2009, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tripsbacks

I have heard some stories of the touchstone not working inside an auto. Is yours fully wired and functional?

The Sprint car charger for Palm devices work fine. You'll need to shave off the top of the MicroUSB connector to make it fit inside the Touchstone. Apparently, nothing else works as far as I'm aware.

Stake · 06/23/2009, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tripsbacks

My only concern for how you mounted your touchstone is that if you hit a big pot hole on the road the phone will fall off. The magnet does not seem that powerful to me. It does look good though.

FWIW, I mounted the Touchstone on the windshield upside down and found out that the Touchstone will come off before the Pre does. It's also crazy how well the Touchstone sticks to glass vertically.

TopTongueBarry · 06/23/2009, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tripsbacks

I have heard some stories of the touchstone not working inside an auto. Is yours fully wired and functional?

The Touchstone uses the latest USB standard for USB power. If an adapter or charger does not comply, ie does not offer D+ and D- shorted or resistive, then the Touchstone will not work. If you use a supported charger, it will work fine. Supported chargers and adapters need to be able to deliver at least 1.0 AMPS of current and the adapter/charger need to be capable of signaling the Touchstone that it has the ability to deliver that much current. If it's manufactured to the latest USB Power standards, it can do that. If not, there is a cable hack located in another thread (Dont use the cable hack if your adapter cannot supply 1.0 amps of current!).

There is a list of chargers and adapters that do work in another thread - BTW 1.0 amps = 1000 milliamps - same amount of current

dunamis7 · 06/23/2009, 07:08 PM

I have two things that is happening...

1) the adhesive has come off totally. due to the heat here in California...

2) it's goes crazy sometimes. It gives off the notification that it is charging but goes off like every handful of seconds over and over. So I take out of the charger and put it back on or even reset the phone....then it does it again.

TopTongueBarry · 06/23/2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stake

FWIW, I mounted the Touchstone on the windshield upside down and found out that the Touchstone will come off before the Pre does. It's also crazy how well the Touchstone sticks to glass vertically.

Stake,

Pictures please. i want to see that!

TopTongueBarry · 06/23/2009, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andromeda

Looks cool!

Ideal location, but is that location a safe spot for the device? I would think the heat and cold climate settings could possibly affect the Pre's componets. Eh?

Hmmm, well my Pre is only in the car when I am in it, and in that case the CTS climate control system keeps things just right.

I think the Touchstone is tough enough to handle most everything. I chose to void the warranty on my Touchstone by routing the cable through it's bottom. The Touchstone is built so tough that was a horrendous task to complete.

As for safety,
1). don't watch Sprint TV while driving, it's illegal in most states, however using the GPS is allowed while the device is mounted there.
2). On the CTS shown, I did remove the emergency flasher button to be remounted somewhere else at a later date.

TopTongueBarry · 06/23/2009, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunamis7

I have two things that is happening...

1) the adhesive has come off totally. due to the heat here in California...

2) it's goes crazy sometimes. It gives off the notification that it is charging but goes off like every handful of seconds over and over. So I take out of the charger and put it back on or even reset the phone....then it does it again.

Re #1 Use exterior mounting tape (the brown stuff) and you might want to supplement with a drop or two of super glue.

#2. Your adapter is not supplying at least 1.0 amps . Either its the adapter or the cabling

jack87 · 06/23/2009, 07:25 PM

so how well will the sticky stuff work with the extremes; heat and cold the dashboard experienced due to weather conditions.

twizardt · 06/23/2009, 07:25 PM

Here's mine from my Avalanche (upside down)

TopTongueBarry · 06/23/2009, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stake

The Sprint car charger for Palm devices work fine. You'll need to shave off the top of the MicroUSB connector to make it fit inside the Touchstone. Apparently, nothing else works as far as I'm aware.

The Sprint charger for the Palm may be functional now, but you are puitting your Pre and your Touchstone (and your car) at risk using it with a Touchstone charging a Pre. The Sprint dc car adapter can deliver 850 milliamps of current, and that is precisely the amount of current needed by the Pre and the Touchstone. No padding. You adapter could eventually fail, and when it does fail, it could take your Touchstone and your Pre with it, or what's even worse, it could catch fire from working it's **** off . Get a charger or adapter capable of delivering "at least" 1.0 amps of current, (1000 milliamps) to be safe.

Andromeda · 06/23/2009, 08:14 PM

You guys have really nice cars.

Can I get a loan to buy my new Pre when it arrives?

realistdreamer · 06/23/2009, 08:31 PM

I posted elsewhere, but hopefully this is the definitive thread. Everything is working with Palm-branded charger.

I've changed the mounting a bit to make it sturdier yet easier to remove. Essentially, there is a black metal right angle bracket that slides between the dash and the faux paneling. Touchstone is double-sided-taped to the bracket. Store the whole thing in center console when I want to hide it.

Also adding thin right angle 3.5mm plug when it arrives.

It's way cool and functional. Won't dislodge absent and full accident with frontal or side impact. Not worried about projectiles due to inertia. Palm charger is charging through Pandora, but haven't tested against Nav.