FYI: Dummy sidekicks NOT useful for case parts. - T-Mobile Sidekick 4G

I was pondering a source of cheap replacement case bits for our phones, when I thought of those fake demo phones you see at cell phone stores. They have lead weights in place of their circuit boards and a sticker for a screen, but some of them use the exact same case parts as the production models do. So on a hunch I bought one of the dummy Sidekicks off of ebay for $5.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/190589691759#ht_518wt_1398
Turns out that while it bore a striking resemblance to the real Sidekick, every single component of it was made special. Some factory in China had made castings of the Sidekick's parts, then modified them for simplicity and reproduced them using a nasty cheap plastic. They all have enough differences that not a single one of them could be re-used in our phones.
Oh well, was worth a try.

Wow sucks to hear that.. on a side note, dummy phones really costs that much? I didn't even know people even buy dummy phones.
Sent from my SGH-T959V using xda premium

yes mostly all dummy phones past 2007 dont use actual housing parts.
I refurbished a Palm Treo 700wx with a dummy phone and was able to use all outside housing, it did have some different points like some areas where thin or the antenna metal was missing but all fitted.
but i think even if it used real parts they are mostly molded from prototype models

Related

Some Nexus One Parts etc...

http://cnn.cn/shop/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=nexus+one&image.x=0&image.y=0
Ive ordered from here before, and its a great place!
same here. Parts for Cheap!
Is the matte screen protector on there any decent?
I dunno. I've just ordered parts to fix phones, ie screens, keypads, etc and a few battery chargers. Going to love keeping a spare battery on deck again, stupid iPhone.
My Nexus one has a broken LCD but all they have on their site is the digitizer.. Hopefully I can find a replacement LCD soon..
cnn is great, but they ship slooooooow! Keep it in mind if you are on a tight schedule!
Those are not bad prices at that site!
bumpage for the morning folks
Can anyone tell me where to find lcd for nexus?
Nexus one replacement part needed
Does anyone know where I can get a replacement part for the outer shell of the nexus one? The part i need is the aluminum frame that goes around the screen, earpiece, trackball and loops around the lower back... (Picture attached)
I dropped it and the scratches arent bad ont he plastic parts, but the aluminum part near the top (where the earpiece is) is chipped like crazy. Anyone know where I can get this part?
Or if I buy a mock up phone, will it disassemble into the same parts as the external casing for the real thing? Please help! Thanks!
anyone know where i can buy just an external speaker, mine is shot
possible replacement parts source
Searching around for parts for a friends Nexus one myself and found this for the housing.
http://mobile.brando.com/google-nexus-one-replacement-housing_p05399c0670d088.html
Also found this one who supposedly lists parts for the various sub-assemblies http://www.lunacommerce.com/154-nexus-one-spareparts
Have a email sent in to the last one for what they are calling the P/N LNC-GPGNOMB Google Nexus One Mid Chasis. Kind of sucks cause that is really 2 boards and Im only needing the small board that has the sim connector and sd card connector that sits on top of the main motherboard.
Have one broken pin on the sim card that is preventing the phone from being usable at this point and not able to find just the replacement sim connector or the board its on, instead the whole main board would require replacement. doubtful its gonna be cheap either. Anyone have a damaged unit with these cards they want to get rid of?
anyone else having problems using the lunacommerce site? i sent for an enquiry for a part and it said the price was sent to email but is not there?
good to know all these parts are available
Can you fix that SIM connector pin with solder?
Does someone know if the dummy phone have the same material as the real one?
I have also scratches in the aluminium around the phone, wondering if I can take apart the dummy and replace this onto my real one.
http://cnn.cn/shop/google-nexus-dummy-phone-p-8442.html
Ive ordered from CNN as well, parts where nice and fit great... I too am interested in replacement body parts for the N1.
I just looked for some parts around Brando site...
If you enter "Nexus One" as a search string you get all parts they have:
http://mobile.brando.com/search.php?keyword=nexus+one&Submit=Product+Search
as for me, a bit cheaper that "CNN" proposes.
djstoffe said:
Does someone know if the dummy phone have the same material as the real one?
I have also scratches in the aluminium around the phone, wondering if I can take apart the dummy and replace this onto my real one.
http://cnn.cn/shop/google-nexus-dummy-phone-p-8442.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let me know if you have any luck with this I too have a number of scratches on my device.
This place also has the housing:
http://www.globaldirectparts.com/OEM-Google-Nexus-One-Housing-p/htc736560.htm
Wtf? For 80$ I can live with my scratches...

Essentials that you should know before you buy Phones and Parts from eBay Sellers

You might think that phones and parts sold by Chinese eBays Sellers are identical to the real thing. But before you buy anything, please read what I have to say.
Part 1
Section A, Rejected Inferiors or Chinese Reproductions
Sellers pay a cheaper price for inferior, defected, or discarded parts so that they sell it to you at a higher price. This issue is most prominent when you pay for the replacement housings. They might even be custom made replicas.
Defects of inferior or replica parts include:
*Screws don't fit properly
*Clips don't clip in properly
*Housings don't fit perfectly
*Pieces are too big or too small
*Embedded modules are missing
*The paint-job is inferior
Seller Issues Include:
*Seller sent the wrong color housing.
*When you receive the set, the color from part A (keypad-brown) does not match with the color from part B (housing-black).
*Visual representation does not always completely match the actual product.
Section B, Refurbished Parts
Summary
Sometimes sellers even use old parts and repaint them with a new color. You will notice hard-to-find scratches on them or hard-to-find signs of wear. If you pay for these, you paid for refurbished or restored housings and parts.
Defects of Refurbished Parts Include:
*Used parts and housings
*Custom painted when advertised as OEM painted
*Parts are not painted where not noticeable (such as the back of a battery cover)
Seller Issues Include:
They will not admit that the item is used unless you intimidate them
They will not admit that the item was a custom product unless you intimidate them
Please do not buy from these sellers.
*Take note that housings with pre-attached electronic pieces are a pain in the ass. Basically you have are screwed if the module is glued onto the original housing. To remove it, you have to be careful or else you will damage it. In my case, I had to cut off the glue that attached the LED flash module for the camera. Then I had to super glue it back to the new housing.
Then the housing didn't fit properly because the slots for the screws were not deep enough. So my housing wiggled. I had to solve this buy using shorter screws or buy shortening the real screw with a file.
Then a piece of the housing broke its snaps because the damn snaps didn't fit properly.
Then you will learn that only the inferior battery cover will fit with the inferior housing. The original battery cover will not fit in the housing at all because...sigh..the original cover is shorter.
I am telling you, these housings are defects either 1) discarded by OEM or 2) replicated by the Chinese or 3) sold as Refurbished but marketed as Never Used.
More stories about Chinese eBays are too come.
Part 2, I will be writing about buying genuine phones from Chinese sellers

Case-mate Barely There - Being Reworked

Hello everyone - I just wanted to let you guys know that I have been in contact with Case-mate regarding the 'Barely There' for the HTC Sensation. As we all know our Sensations have 5 tiny little holes on the back that are used for all sorts of purposes including noise cancellation (what do they all do by the way?). The current 'Barely There' by Case-mate does not have the necessary openings:
http://imgur.com/otbgC
This is the email I received:
"Thank you for your feedback. I presented your concern to our Product Development Team. We are reviewing the issue at this time and should have an update by end of the month, if, when the re-design will take place."
So I would currently advice against buying the current range of cases from Case-mate as they will likely be redesigning the range.
It's nice that they replied with concerns. I ordered a SGS2 full body protector from Skinomi, which has a defective design for the battery cover. I gave Skinomi a call regarding a fixed design for replacement but they just said they will send me a replacement and never did.
Those holes are NOT for noise cancelling, they are just for for the gold antenna connectors!!!!
There is only 1 mic on the back and it's above the camera
How come all official HTC cases have cutouts for these holes if they weren't important?
well htc did say that those holes should stay uncovered, thats why alot of the case mates are called back..
I don't know how they even released the first lot of casemates without proper testing...
abuserkadayf said:
well htc did say that those holes should stay uncovered, thats why alot of the case mates are called back..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HTC said that? where?
what the hell htc?
wthell is up with all these faulty, wrongly sized or nonexistent cases/accessories for the Sensation? Screen protectors don't account for the curved glass and bubble up and body glove filament scraping off the inside of cases? this is ridiculous. The phone has been out in Europe for amonth and there are still no credible products for us now in the states. [email protected] htc.
steve austin said:
wthell is up with all these faulty, wrongly sized or nonexistent cases/accessories for the Sensation? Screen protectors don't account for the curved glass and bubble up and body glove filament scraping off the inside of cases? this is ridiculous. The phone has been out in Europe for amonth and there are still no credible products for us now in the states. [email protected] htc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how is it HTC's fault? the case isn't even made by HTC. only maybe if HTC sent them a messed up demo unit.
I doubt you will find a screen protector that covers the curved glass. if it does then the protector wont stick to the surface. you might as well go for those wet-applied soft ones.
c19932 said:
how is it HTC's fault? the case isn't even made by HTC. only maybe if HTC sent them a messed up demo unit.
I doubt you will find a screen protector that covers the curved glass. if it does then the protector wont stick to the surface. you might as well go for those wet-applied soft ones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how is it not?
They make the product. They know the production schedule. They know its release date. They know who they "officially" license to create accessories.
If your phone is a multimedia phone and you have no kickstand for the apparent movies/media your buyers are going to purchase the phone for - who is shortsighted one the customers or the manufacturer?
If you have limited to no decent selection of cases - AT THE STORE - where the product is manufactured for, is it the customers fault or the manufacturers?
If your phone, with the same specs and measurements as its European counterpart, is shipped a month earlier overseas and you STILL don't have products available in the states or abroad, who is the culprit?
If I go into best buy and can buy 15 different cases and a host of different accessories for the Evo 3D (besides the selection the have at the Sprint Store) and I have to scour the internet for the same 10 things for the Sensation who is to blame?
If you license a company to make screen protectors that do not stick to the edges of the curved glass screen who is to blame - the customer that blew $15 bucks on a faulty product or the manufacturer?
Hey, if you are happy with what you have found to equip your Sensation more power to you. However, I and a lot of other Sensation owners, are not pleased with the selection and the lengths we have to go through to get decent accessories at the time of purchase. That falls at the manufacturer's feet. No device then no accessories.
Hey, if you found accessories
I emailed HTC and asked about the holes. Here's the not so helpful response:
"You were wondering about any important holes in the back cover for your HTC Sensation 4G. I would be more than happy to assist you with this hardware inquiry. You have a number of holes on the back cover and there are a few that I would suggest you leave open. Up towards the top of the back cover, you should find the camera and the flash to the left of it. If you look towards the right, you will see a speaker (long rectangular box). The rest of the holes are noise cancelling speakers, which you should be able to cover."
steve austin said:
how is it not?
They make the product. They know the production schedule. They know its release date. They know who they "officially" license to create accessories.
If your phone is a multimedia phone and you have no kickstand for the apparent movies/media your buyers are going to purchase the phone for - who is shortsighted one the customers or the manufacturer?
If you have limited to no decent selection of cases - AT THE STORE - where the product is manufactured for, is it the customers fault or the manufacturers?
If your phone, with the same specs and measurements as its European counterpart, is shipped a month earlier overseas and you STILL don't have products available in the states or abroad, who is the culprit?
If I go into best buy and can buy 15 different cases and a host of different accessories for the Evo 3D (besides the selection the have at the Sprint Store) and I have to scour the internet for the same 10 things for the Sensation who is to blame?
If you license a company to make screen protectors that do not stick to the edges of the curved glass screen who is to blame - the customer that blew $15 bucks on a faulty product or the manufacturer?
Hey, if you are happy with what you have found to equip your Sensation more power to you. However, I and a lot of other Sensation owners, are not pleased with the selection and the lengths we have to go through to get decent accessories at the time of purchase. That falls at the manufacturer's feet. No device then no accessories.
Hey, if you found accessories
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless an accessory has HTC's logo on it I would highly doubt that HTC approves, licenses, or ever sees the design of a product. Even if it does have an HTC logo it's no guarantee HTC approved it. Anyone can design and sell any accessory they want. Your ire is misdirected.
samnada said:
I emailed HTC and asked about the holes. Here's the not so helpful response:
"You were wondering about any important holes in the back cover for your HTC Sensation 4G. I would be more than happy to assist you with this hardware inquiry. You have a number of holes on the back cover and there are a few that I would suggest you leave open. Up towards the top of the back cover, you should find the camera and the flash to the left of it. If you look towards the right, you will see a speaker (long rectangular box). The rest of the holes are noise cancelling speakers, which you should be able to cover."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL...I think the person was trying to say the bottom holes can be covered (the two under where it says WITH HTC SENSE) but the rest shouldn't be. Just my guess.
aNYthing24 said:
LOL...I think the person was trying to say the bottom holes can be covered (the two under where it says WITH HTC SENSE) but the rest shouldn't be. Just my guess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's my translation, don't cover the camera, the LED's or the speaker. All the others don't matter.
Hard to figure how noise cancellation, and the second mic for stereo recording don't matter, but she hit the priorities I suppose.
I have a hard time believing HTC went to the trouble of putting those holes there for no good reason. But I could be persuaded by actual facts. Still waiting for them.
samnada said:
Unless an accessory has HTC's logo on it I would highly doubt that HTC approves, licenses, or ever sees the design of a product. Even if it does have an HTC logo it's no guarantee HTC approved it. Anyone can design and sell any accessory they want. Your ire is misdirected.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apple (IPhone) licenses theirs out for sure. You aren't allowed to put iPhone on the packaging without a license. We were looking into making big bang theory iphone skins and learned that we had to pay them a royalty to put "iPhone" on the packaging. I don't think HTC licenses it out at all. Notice none of these sensation cases have "HTC" anywhere on the packaging, but they do have the carrier model name...
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
crisisinthecity said:
Apple (IPhone) licenses theirs out for sure. You aren't allowed to put iPhone on the packaging without a license. We were looking into making big bang theory iphone skins and learned that we had to pay them a royalty to put "iPhone" on the packaging. I don't think HTC licenses it out at all. Notice none of these sensation cases have "HTC" anywhere on the packaging, but they do have the carrier model name...
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Either way, having to flip cases inside out, felt shedding from inside cases, case recalls, death grip enhancing - the works - could be avoided by even HTC providing a case (at the time of launch) so that we could protect the phone. I am still smarting over the fact that I have seen an Evo 3d Kickstand case by htc and none for the sensation that is labeled a multimedia phone with a front facing camera. there is NOTHING out there (besides the body glove one).

Ecell "Genuine" Black Replacement Housing

I've been looking around for a replacement housing for my G2, it's pretty knocked up (bought it 2nd hand), had a look at faulty used phones and official replacement housing, but both are surprisingly expensive (you wouldn't believe how much people pay for an old waterdamaged phone with an unrepairable screen and dents left right and centre.
Anyway, I've seen a full housing (minus screen/ glass) by Ecell which is (quote) "New Genuine ... For HTC Desire Z", previously it was £300ish on eBay, I've now seen it for under a tenner (still direct from Ecell).
Thing is it's black, so the use of the word "genuine" is questionable (do they mean "genuine" Ecell, or "genuine" HTC?), although in the description they say "Official HTC product". Also I've never bought anything Ecell before.
I just wanted to know if any of you guys have bought one of these replacement housings, or anything from Ecell before? Feedback would be greatly appreciated .
Best I have found is about 40$ for a full housing replacement OEM, if considered it the past but haven't been able to justify that just for aesthetics. I recently stopped using my dock and just use one of the original T-Mobile cases I fond for a few bucks (thick rubber, bulky but real nice) since then I gave up on pretty.
Never bought from ecell before so I couldn't attest to their reputation
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
I've seen the E-CELL product on eBay for about 10 pounds and it seems a good price for it.
However, while I'm not sure of its' quality, for that value I'd be willing to take a risk and see what's it about.
@demkantor Thanks, according to Google $40 = £25, and official HTC housing goes for around £30, which is absurd 'cause that's well over half of what I paid for my G2. I don't fancy a case, the Vision is already thick and heavy without one (can you even use the keyboard with a case on? )
@geojoking Yep, that's the one I found, previously £300 (wtf?!). Unless anyone highly cautions against Ecell I might go for it, besides as you say it is less than £10 so probably worth the risk. Anyway, if I do get it I can post a review here !
you can slide it fine, i would prefer not to use one but im running low on spare phones at the moment and i dont mind the bulk, but yes definitely bulkier!
i believe the original leaked photos of the g2/dz were of a black model or at least real dark grey. supposedly there is some mystic black version that is near impossible to get a hold of with a different bootloader then all the others, it had a different name but fell under the vision still i believe... cant remember much about it
so that would mean its possible these are genuine and being they were once 300 that may mean that ecell had them since the very beginning as when phones first come out parts like this tend to cost more than a new phone! they could have gotten the original casting and colors prerelease to the public... just a thought
either way for that price go for it, if it turns out not to fit not a huge loss, if it works great then you have one of the few(if any) black visions!
i would suggest getting some 3m adhesive tape (2mm?) as moving the digitizer will require this as well as holding down the flex. let me know how it turns out! maybe ill try it myself
I saw these a while back, almost bought it but was sceptical of the quality. Really wish I did now..

Why do people complain about build quality if there going to use a case?

Is it just me or does it this annoy you to? when people are comparing phones and lets say for example the galaxy s4 to something like the HTC one. They would say the galaxy s4 is made out of plastic and the HTC one medal. They say the HTC ones build i hands down better. Now why does that matter if 4 out of 5 people with each phone will put a otter box case or something else on it.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
It could potentially impact the durability of the phone I suppose, but I agree, it's largely irrelevant. People will just take any reason they can find to try to prove that their phone of choice is the 'best'.
I got a Lumia 521 for $79 (total cost) which is about the worst in build quality. Got the best case I could find for it and it helped tremendously. So this can work for you also. Hide low build quality with a decent case!
Really, the only concern I have with build quality is how sturdy the phone is. I'm a clumsy guy and I'm prone to drop my phone a bit. I want to know then when I drop the phone, it will stay in one piece. Maybe even be resistant to scratches/dents. The last think I want is for the thing to shatter like brittle glass.
Other than that, a case will hide any shortcomings.
Sewrizer said:
i personally prefer a plastic device with removable barttery and sd card slot than a full metal body with these limitations. it would be best though if samsung replaced the plastic on the next S flagship with aluminum(something like htc sensation). however this would mean to return to square one and redesign everything, therefore making it more expensive. i believe that they don't want to risk their good sales and do something that may leave a scar on their reputation. in addition, i don't know of any samsumng device made of metal, so it would be a huge change for them.
we, as users, would have to take into account some other disadvantages of a metal body. i put an sgs3 in a metal locker and it lost almost all the signal, it even missed a few calls, it caused huge battery drain (when in low signal area devices lose batteruy faster) so the antennas will have to be placed accordingly. plus, scratches and marks are more visible on metal, you can't really put a plastic case on a metal device(in most cases it is really inestethic, imho. but it depends on the case), hard cases can affect connectivity and if dust or sand is caught between the phone and the case it will produce nasty marks on the phone.
so, practically, plastic devices are better. it's just the common opinion that they look and feel cheap. i look forward to reading further replies on this matter.
Sent from Area 51 using my p1000.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The reason I love my s4 is the removable battery. if I know I'm going to need it I use my 7500 mAh battery if not I use my stock battery. I hate when people say its made of plastic. So then I show them my extended battery and then they become amazed LOL
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
yea
bcs the sucks ball n too judgemental mayb haha kidding its just their personal preferences n still some tend to use phones/tabs witht tab n they've enjoyed/used to using/holding devices with premium quality thats y they complain it feels like sth missing
case quality
I'm always amazed at how expensive some cases are - £30 for a case is really unreasonable imo. My I9000 was protected really well in a £3 case I bought off eBay!
I think it does not matter, but my Sony Xperia P is constructed of metal, and in my opinion it feels better than plastic:fingers-crossed:
How is it possible to be so much expensive! I pay only US$20 for mine. I use switcheasy colours. nice to touch, but only last 1 year and then cuts appeared in case. had to get new 1. sorry for any bad english.
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Simply because casing adds bulk to the device. If the build is great, there is no need to use any case at all because we are assured that it is fine with heavy duty usage ang rough environment.
It's usually Apple fans that claim Android phones have poor build quality...and then put their delicate iPhones in a protective case.
Sent from my SGH-I747M using xda app-developers app
Well Iphones are meant to have 'superior build quality' but I think that is debatable
Brand new they look amazing, with a bit of use, not so much. I suppose it all depends on the care taken by the user, but my personal experience with Iphones holding their looks isn't great. My Iphone 4 had numerous scratch marks on the glass. My Iphone 5 was covered with marks on the bezel.
Whilst my samsung phones didn't look as premium, they didn't mark up like the Iphones.
If build quality is based purely on durability, I don't know if a phone being metal makes a difference. If it's based purely on looks, perhaps, but then as I mentioned, the looks of a metal phone don't necessarily hold up.
Also on the subject of 'build quality'. I am definitely in the minority it seems, but I don't like the look of the silver HTC one. Sure it's aluminium, but for whatever reason I just don't think it looks that good? Just thought I would put it out there because everyone goes on and out about how good the HTC one looks
because people in their nature don't like to waste their hard earned $ on something made of chew-able toy plastics, especially far an expensive flagship phones
its like questioning or undermining everything fine in life, why do u pay for that expensive leather or well designed wallet, its just a wallet after all
or why do you pay good money for a good quality car with fancy dashboard, a crash is a crash after all
i am sorry but this makes no sense
justifying lack of taste or quality by the "case" argument is just like hiding your head in the sand
there real question is: Why is the richest Android builder of them all so dead cheap with it's loyal customers?
and the answer is: LEMONS
Alternative answer: it's all wasted on marketing
Stop justifying lemons, currently Samsung is sitting at the rock bottom when it comes to design or quality, you name it, Apple, Sony, HTC, LG, Nokia even Huwai are all building better than your (un)precious Samsung
Personally I couldn't care less what the phone is made of, because at the end of the day the phone is a productivity tool. What matters is what I can *do* with the phone, not what it looks like or feels like. I could understand if metal was more durable than plastic, but that is debatable. My phone is plastic and it's in the same shape as the day I bought it. My iPod touch is metal and has tons of scratches on the back. I've treated them the same.
The problem with phones made of metal is that they typically have a non-removable battery and many of them don't even have a microSD slot! When it comes down to form vs. function, I'm going to choose function every time.
It's about material choice and balance for the money spent.
Plastic is good, like the Nexus 5 but glossy plastic is bad as it is fingerprint magnet and fugly (S4). Aluminium also dents, Check out all the 6 months after of HTC One and iPhone.
Also price matters too, you don't wanna spend a lot of money just to get a cheap looking and feeling plastic.
And most people use cases but it's always good to have a great built quality inside.
A sound phone dwells within a sound built quality, and a sound case.
Sent from my blazing fast Nexus 4
Build quality and using a case are 2 different issues, using a case doesn't mask the build quality....like poor headphone sockets that go wrong, or buttons that get stuck (hard to press).
Personally I always drop my phone - clumsy in nature! So have to have a case. Now i'm looking for one which has a battery built in to double my usage time for the Samsung S4. That chomps up battery like nobody's business. I am a heavy user to be fair. Just my 2 cents

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