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Wireless Charging - Current and future options

So, Phonearena has a few articles on how you can get wireless charging on the S4 now, but they involve a third-party wireless receiver (read: back cover) that looks like it adds a considerable amount of thickness to the phone -- far too much to fit into a case not designed for it. The receiver also won't be shipping for another 3-4 weeks. They've also released a charging pad (which doubles as a dock), but it looks goofy and just uses the Qi standard anyway, so there are plenty of options out there for that portion of the charging.
My question is: Are there other available receivers that actually work? eBay (and the like) displays a list of Galaxy S4 receivers (basically a little flat mat that sits on top of the battery and connects to the Qi hubs inside the back cover), but I'm extremely iffy on ordering any electronics from China unless they're proven...and all of the receivers listed are from mainland China. Has anyone given one of them a shot? And if so, are there any that work efficiently and don't cause problems?
I know, for the future, that Samsung has said they will have a wireless hub (mat) and receiver out sometime soon...but they said the same thing about the Galaxy S3, and it was never released. I trust the word of Samsung about as much as I trust the word of the IRS right now.
Anyone with experiences??

I feel the same way about china electronics, but I do have a Metrans brand one on the way I'm thinking sometime this week, I also go in on the indiegogo Monsterwatts receiver which probably wont show up till June.
so far all the info that I've read up in these forums about the receivers is that with just the Receiver the NFC does not work after installation, one guy used a note 2 NFC antenna to get it working. This sounds like too much fumbling to me and I prefer a sounder solution.
the official receiver covers are starting to show up in both white and black colors (black just recently) they cost 50 bucks and as you mentioned add considerable thickness. the cost doesn't bother me as much as the added thickness, which is what's holding me back from buying it.
The route I'm going to take for the time being is to try the receivers, if it works and does not add any bulge to the rear of the phone while disabling NFC, I could live with that.
maybe if they come out with a decent case for the official receiver cover I might get it.

I don't really use NFC anyway (who does), so that's an acceptable option for me. I have two people at work that I actually *would* use NFC stuff with, and we can just send files to each other without it anyway. Since Verizon has been so gracious as to make sure none of the devices on its network (outside of Nexus devices) can use Google Wallet, I really have no other reason to use NFC.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2296301
Need to read thru his post. Yes, while the receiver is from china, the NFC is functional.
I ordered one from the UK and got it shipped to the US. Am I worried its from china? Not really its 20-30 bucks. It would be the last time I lose that amount.
I will agree that eBay has a lot of knock offs but its the chance you take.
I would like to see a Samsung product out as well, but this will have to do until they put something out.
The main reason Im trying it is because Im tired of looking for a desktop charger that I can use the S4 with while its in a case.
Good luck to ya!

that dude's thread confuses me, he shows some youtube video about a Sview case and how it doesn't close flush with the receiver and says you need to press it hard be careful not to crack your screen... after that he lost me.
I just want a thin receiver that I can slip in the rear without the bulge and closing issues, even if NFC is a NO-GO that's fine with me haha.

I purchased this http://www.ebay.com/itm/121111622748?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
The item does work fine, does NFC work I don't know as I never use it but I will try and find out in the near future.
Item was received quickly and "worked" out of the box but the phone would slide off of the touchstone fairly quick, I had modded multiple phones to work with touchstones including my galaxy nexus so I gad these laying around http://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=D401-N52&cat=168
some N52 magnets, and after checking polarities and moving everything around it now works great and holds the phone very securely.
Charge rate looks to be about 800mA peaking at 615mA incoming charge while the phone is on, Average draw while off the charger is about 200mA with same apps running so about 800mA I do not know what it should be giving out but this is more than enough to charge.
Thought people would like to hear about this and am willing to help if necessary.

nice but I am already invested in QI charging pads.
I think that's the trend anyway, I'm surprised there are still an ample supply of touchstone chargers and palm pre back plates still in the market.

galaxy808 said:
nice but I am already invested in QI charging pads.
I think that's the trend anyway, I'm surprised there are still an ample supply of touchstone chargers and palm pre back plates still in the market.
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They are being supplied by third parties lately. I try and get the originals only though..
I also had a Qi Nexus 4 but I missed the magnetic pull of the pre I had and the galaxy nexus I modded so I did this.
And I can get a proclip for my car and these make amazing car chargers, which is the main reason I purchased the touchstone version.

SoM3_Idi0t said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2296301
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That link + this link
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2256339
= no need to create a new thread asking the same question!

KryptosXLayer2 said:
That link + this link
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2256339
= no need to create a new thread asking the same question!
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I wouldn't have created a thread if either of those had helped :good:
The first thread is fairly useful...but is very hard to understand. Also, that solution is pretty much only available overseas for some time. My thread is about using this functionality in North America...which is a totally different story. It's possible to order his solution, but it would cost in the neighborhood of like $75 for the receiver alone...much more than any other available solution.
This thread about looking at options and figuring out what they are.

hotleadsingerguy said:
I wouldn't have created a thread if either of those had helped :good:
The first thread is fairly useful...but is very hard to understand. Also, that solution is pretty much only available overseas for some time. My thread is about using this functionality in North America...which is a totally different story. It's possible to order his solution, but it would cost in the neighborhood of like $75 for the receiver alone...much more than any other available solution.
This thread about looking at options and figuring out what they are.
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I got the cheapest possible solution I could find on eBay and/or other Chinese sites like AliExpress.
The charger, including a 5V 1.5A wall charger cost me just under $30 ad I got the the Qi receiver for $23. Both prices including S&H from China. It took less than two weeks before I received those items. The reason why I choose this solution was because I wanted to keep the S4 as slim as possible, and also be able to use the flip cover. To get it cheap is also a bonus.
The charge rate is at 640ma, and the bulge the Qi receiver is making is not visible. I removed the thin plastic film from the backside of the receiver and shaved off as much plastic from the inside of the plastic cover as I dared. There was a small visible bulge before those small modification. After the modification one can still "sense" the Qi receiver, but it is not visible or make the phone wobbly when lying on its back.
The only downside beside the rather low charging rate from this kit is the poor quality of the wall charger. It gets very hot and the solution should have been replaced with a micro USB port on the charging pad to make it more versatile when it comes to replacing wall chargers. The pad is also made too glossy and has an annoying sound when the charging initiate and a continuos overly bright status light. I removed the internal speaker and also dimmed the light with some standard paper. The kit can be modified with other housing solutions, and I was thinking of maybe install it inside a small paper-book or something that is a more "standard" item on a nightstand I will just have to check how hot the charging plate and/or the S4 gets before I try out any mods like that.
My recommendation is; Get an iQ charging receiver on eBay. The one I got is OK, but I might have chosen the oddly shaped Qi receiver after the reviews I have read. There is also rumours about a v2 of this slimmest receiver available. Probably wise to sit on the fence a bit longer. I would also advise to stay clear of those cheapest T-100 kind of charging pads that you can find everywhere for $25-$40. I would rather get the Nokia DT-910 or the genuine Samsung charging pad (are there two different kinds of those; one with a micro USB input and another with a standard charging plug?) In Norway both those chargers costs around 40-45 British pounds
Here is a few pics of my kit:

The other threads do not claim that they are UK/EU based.
Lots of usefull information in both. Bubbles post was to verify that the NFC works with the receiver he got.
You should probably do some research on your own.
and BTW, the cost to have just the reciever is £16.99. which is 25$ US.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=£16.99+to+US+Dollar
Your post is a dupe. Sorry. It just is.

Wireless charger from China on Amazon for S4

A couple of days ago I finally received my qi wireless charging receiver from a company in China (purchased through Amazon). I wrote a review about on Amazon, but since I can't post links yet (newbie, thought I've technically been registered on the boards for years -- lurker), so if you want to see that you'd have to go to Amazon and search for the title of the product or at least some of the keywords. The title listed is "Metrans Qi Wireless Charger Wireless Charging Receiver For Samsung Galaxy S4" -- the company name is Metrans.
Seems to work fine so far. The pad says 650mA. The instructions received were in Chinese only. But I just search for "qi wireless installation" and found a video how to do it. Ridiculously simple. It's possible there is a slight bulge to the back cover of the phone, but if so it is very slight and my eyes couldn't really detect one.
When I put the phone on my charging pad (Nokia DT-900 that I got free from AT&T when I bought the Nokia Lumia 920 -- 12V, 750mA), I got a message on the phone:
Wireless charging
You have placed the device within range. Now
charging wirelessly...
Ballpark, it has taken me about five minutes to add 1% to the battery level, that's with all radios on except NFC. So, YMMV. The phone does not get hot (well, no hotter than when plugged into a regular charger).
I do not use a case on my phone, so I don't know if it would work through a case or not.
If you have any questions, let me know and I'll try to answer them.

You must have gotten lucky cause its $18.83 now. Not worth it at almost 20 for just the receiver.

I ordered mine on May 23 and had no idea when the Samsung would be released. Besides, I didn't want a new thicker back cover.
I paid $15.99 plus $4.49 shipping. Shipping was 15 total days.

ordered mine on ebay a few weeks ago. im also getting 650 charge speed. and there IS a buldge

. do you have any solid cases, that you can test if they fit with your wireless pad on..
i have paid enough for some cases and i dont want to throw them away, i still have neo hybrid that i can use but i still want my other plastic cases too..

Any recommendation for an S5 car charger?

I'm in real need of a car charger for my S5. Does anyone know where I should buy one? Or what brand to look for? Thanks!

I almost always check on Amazon first. And boom, solution. Go for the one with the fewest negative reviews. I choose plemo for its reasonable price and so far has no complaints.

sarahragan2014 said:
I'm in real need of a car charger for my S5. Does anyone know where I should buy one? Or what brand to look for? Thanks!
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I am using maxboost car charger which I bought from amazon. This is by far one of the best chargers I ve had. Very compact and powerful.
A handful negative reviews said 2.4A port does not work with S5, but mine seems to be an updated version with so called smart port, both charges S5 fine. Currently, black color is out, and white one still available.
It can be found from here: http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Port-Maxboost-4-4A-Charger/dp/B00ISGCAJM/

I also recommend the brand plemo. I bought it on Amazon and have been using it for about four months now. Really chuffed about it. Charges my S5 really fast (definitely faster than the stock charger). Also charges my other devices including the Canon camera and the GPS.

ive got a belkin usb port and it works fine on uk gs5

[Q] Where to Buy Wireless Charging Cover?

All, I'm taking a gamble here, as this forum seems pretty bare nowadays. My wife and I bought new Windows Phones to replace her Lumia 520 (which replaced her Galaxy Express) and my Galaxy Note i717. She has a 1020 and I have a 1520. Her 520 had wireless charging due to my buying a Qi sticker for it that plugged into the physical USB port. The problem with the sticker is the slowness of charging. I am looking for a Nokia wireless charging cover for her 1020, and can not find them ANYWHERE, except for a few listings on Ebay for $500 USD or so. (Amazon also lists one for $129.99?!) Where can I buy my wife a wireless charging cover? She can obviously use her wireless charging pad, and my old wireless charging pad, as my 1520 uses PMA charging (thanks AT&T... ), so as it stands I have two charging pads that do a good job just lying about the house. Any clues where to look?

I'm in a similar situation. I'm looking to get my brother a wireless charging cover for Christmas as he's having issues with his USB connection. Can't seem to find the damn things anywhere. I did find a listing at "Overseas electronics" (welectronics [dot] com.) via a Google shopping search. They accept Paypal so I tried placing an order but it was refunded with the reason being they are on backorder.
I've considered pulling the coil/connector out of a 925 charging cover but it looks like those have 3 pins vs the 1020 which has 2. I'm assuming I can't just leave one of the pins off. I have no problem tearing the coil out of the case but it's the connector that looks like it's going to be an issue.
Unfortunately, it looks like the only hope is to try and find a used one somewhere...

I have a used wireless cover in black that's gathering dust as i have sold my 1020.
I even got 2 camera grips in black and 1 wireless charging plate spare.
I am in the UK.

U wont be able to buy it any where as nokia stop manufacturing them prices of them become crazy , best bet is to make your own as look here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/lum...ireless-charging-cover-inside-photos-t3044448

Maybe a microsoft sotre site , have a wireless cover .

Looking for a good new battery

Guys, my note 4 is almost 2years now, my battery is getting old, and may be it's time to buy a new one, because i intend to go on with this wonderful Note 4.
So, which new battery should i look for? OEM? Some special brand? My goal is to avoid those fake pseudo Samsung batteries, and pay what it costs for a really good one.
What's your opinion?
Sent from this galaxy
EDIT. What about Anker or Zerolemon? Are these better than Oem?

I recently bought a battery for my note 4 as well. To avoid any issues I went to the samsung service center and ordered it from there. I suggest that you check the official online store of Samsung.

I bought the Anker 2-pack with travel charger from amazon. They're holding up pretty well. I've bought Anker for my other phones as well and have never had any issues with their product.

driguy said:
I bought the Anker 2-pack with travel charger from amazon. They're holding up pretty well. I've bought Anker for my other phones as well and have never had any issues with their product.
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Is this an internal Samsung-size battery or a powerbank? And how many mAh?
Sent from this galaxy

pr1jker said:
Is this an internal Samsung-size battery or a powerbank? And how many mAh?
Sent from this galaxy
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They're talking about a 2-pack of internal after market (non-Samsung) batteries. Anker is a good brand, as far as I've seen.

Here,take those ones.My opinion is that this are the best ones.Not cheap but long live,good for using.https://www.amazon.de/original-JuBaTec-Akku-Samsung-SM-N910F-EBBN910BB/dp/B00UMMHG76

If you don't mind your phone being a brick, try using Zerolemon or Hyperion? If you use Zerolemon you might need a kernel fix though!

manne48 said:
Here,take those ones.My opinion is that this are the best ones.Not cheap but long live,good for using.https://www.amazon.de/original-JuBaTec-Akku-Samsung-SM-N910F-EBBN910BB/dp/B00UMMHG76
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Thanks so much! Just ordered it.
Sent from this galaxy

You have to load the akku at least two or three times,from under5 till 100,%.....i got my yesterday,build in China but it's good and ok!
Gesendet von meinem SM-N910F mit Tapatalk

I killed my Note 4 battery by using a cheap eBay Qi receiver. Charging made it very hot, and the battery swelled and died.
I bought two replacements, both supposedly Samsung OEM batteries. I got one from Sprint, and another from Amazon. They look identical, but the one from Amazon is almost certainly a cheap clone. It doesn't hold a charge as well as the one I got from Sprint, which is probably the true OEM.
By the way, I switched to the Samsung OEM Qi wireless charging cover, and now it charges fine with no heating up. If you want to go wireless charging, I strongly recommend avoiding the cheap crap.

I've been buying Anker batteries for my S3, Note 3 and now Note 4 and I recommend them. Solid and reliable and if you have any issues, Anker are great to deal with.

ANKER for sure. Equal or better than OEM quality, and you really don't want to mess with low quality batteries. Be careful of supposed OEM batteries on ebay or Amazon, many are counterfeit.

This is the first time I've been disappointed by Anker. Bought a 2pk a while ago. They barely fit in the phone and kept popping out of their charger too. They sent me a replacement and they weren't much better. I pulled the bottom plastic piece off, scraped off the black adhesive and glued the bottom piece back on. Fit better. Still kept the old ones too. Rotated them all. Used a rubber band to keep the first two in the charger. Well they all pretty much started to bulge. Some worse than the others. I gave up on them. I have Anker batteries for 3 different phones, and these are clearly inferior in basic build quality to them. So I abandoned them.
Went with the Akku Polarcell. I also have a new OEM battery. After about 3 months of rotating the two, I feel ilke the Akku last a little longer than the OEM. Purely perception. I don't have the time nor inclination to test them properly. But here's someone else's review on here: Polarcell Review

Wireless charging
So using an aftermarket wireless charger is likely to kill the battery quickly?

PhopsonNY said:
So using an aftermarket wireless charger is likely to kill the battery quickly?
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Don't think so. I've been using a Choetech wireless charger for 18 months with no problems. As long as the charger and receiver are Qi compatible there shouldn't be any problems. What will kill your battery is using wired charging with fast charging enabled all the time.