[Thread Closed][Pre-Pre-Pre Announce]Black Aluminium replacement body & backcover for N900 - Page 41 - maemo.org

michaaa62 | # 401 | 2014-06-06, 11:19 | Report

Originally Posted by panjgoori View Post

Whats happening in this community???

Just relax! Just the same people, over and over again, going after another! Ignore them and you will get used to it.

After some time you even might enjoy the entertainment!

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fw190 | # 402 | 2014-06-06, 12:56 | Report

For a short moment I have wanted to invite Dave999 to start the countdown just to spin this into a more friendly/funny thing

As michaaa62 is sugesting - relax and enjoy the entertainment !!!

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backcover_press_service | # 403 | 2014-06-07, 03:18 | Report

Behind-the-scenes sneak-peak (for now, textual only) on what you can expect on next (or the one after next, if we won't manage to get it right before 16.06.2014) progress update:
1. anodizing-helper files on gitorious, aka the various things and procedures one need to apply after milling, before (and during) sending to anodization, tuned for "airplane" alu type. In case someone re-creates backcover on own machine, said person won't need to retract our steps (and waste prototypes) to get things right.

2. Detailed description of real-life signal strength tests (with final revision of backcover) and their results (including tests in remote location, with only one known base station for tested carrier, checking for signal directional capabilities and how they change with backcover attached). This one is initially scheduled for 30.06.2014 update.

Also, Estel will be on well-deserved vacations between 14 and 28 June, so the signal strength test is the only progress update to be expected on 30th.

Personally, I can't wait for the results,
****

Arien Stokowiec

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The Wizard of Huz | # 404 | 2014-06-08, 11:11 | Report

What is the weight of the device with the alu body/ back cover?

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backcover_press_service | # 405 | 2014-06-09, 11:47 | Report

Noted for "questioning". Will bundle the answer into the next scheduled progress update, if you don't mind.

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backcover_press_service | # 406 | 2014-06-17, 20:08 | Report

All right, scheduled update #1:

Originally Posted by The Wizard of Huz View Post

What is the weight of the device with the alu body/ back cover?

Current proto of complete flat backcover weights 40 gram. We estimate, that keeping proper diet

It can get as low as 35 gram at final release, maybe little less. for comparison, regular backcover is 14 gram.

In my personal opinion, difference of 26 gram is negligible in real life usage, due to N900 being a quite heavy device, already. OTOH, there is no problem with identifying which N900 have new cover during blind test using two devices, each in one hand. Hoever, if device was "weighted" in hand one at a time, our small test group had exactly 50% accuracy, aka coin flip.

We think that it will become even less noticeable in "fat" variant, due to increased weight of dual-cell battery.

Originally Posted by Estel

2. Anodizing: rollercaster again. We were happy already, as we found anodizing shop that accepted our requirements without complains, on good price, and promised that all our recent problems are of no importance, as "they will handle it internally", till results are satisfactory. After a week, when Estel was due to pick up anodized prototypes, they returned it back in vanilla state, demanding new holes in unacceptable positions (for placement of thicker wires, than handle current during anodizing).

On a good news side, we got something that seems like awesome suggestion - friendly OpenPandora hardware modder suggested using so-called ceramic lacquer, heat-hardened variant. The thing that is used to paint calipers in high-end (or tuned) automotive mechanics (brake parts). Said lacquer is supposed to have sky-high mechanical (scratch) and heat (up to 480 C degrees) resistance, corrosion protection better than anodizing (including resistance to various acids, salts, etc), and is available in the same array of colors. It require purchasing in larger quantities to be economically feasible, but then, it's no more expensive than anodizing. Another plus side is that we could apply it on our own (including the hardening part, which require heating and cooling object in few cycles, up to few hundreds C), without relying on 3rd parties.

We ordered a small quantity sample (VHT Caliper ceramic lacquer matt black, to be precise) and we will conduct test after receiving it (no sooner than in the two weeks after 28 June, due to mentioned vacations).

****

Arien Stokowiec

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backcover_press_service | # 407 | 2014-07-09, 18:14 | Report

Small teaser before the 14.07.2014 scheduled update:

Ignore the fingerprints etc - those are just two quick photos, showing first results of the ceramic lacquer mentioned in last post, hardened by three passes of heating and cooling. Tests were done on old and defunct pre-prototype, which now will get through endurance tests.

****
Arien Stokowiec

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biketool | # 408 | 2014-07-09, 18:24 | Report

It may be too late but if you scoop a bit out under the battery cover we could possibly stuff a Qi charger, dual sim, or maybe a unpackaged SDR dongle.
Not sure if the inductive charging would be blocked by the Al cover.

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pichlo | # 409 | 2014-07-09, 19:40 | Report

Originally Posted by biketool View Post

Not sure if the inductive charging would be blocked by the Al cover.

Of course it will! It will act as one turn of a receiving coil, short-circuited for your convenience. It is not the same as a magnetic shield and some current will be generated by the real receiving coil, but the efficiency will be severely affected. I would be surprised to get more than 10%. If you had asked when I studied these things at the university, I could have even calculated it for you but that was quarter a century ago and I have forgotten most of it

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Estel | # 410 | 2014-07-09, 20:27 | Report

Originally Posted by biketool View Post

It may be too late but if you scoop a bit out under the battery cover we could possibly stuff a Qi charger, dual sim, or maybe a unpackaged SDR dongle.

No worries, the "fat" version is coming soon after flat one - the former offers plenty of space for people willing to still use single-cell battery, or just "some" space in addition to dual-cell one (to the left of battery, on the opposite side of battery, to the one where camera is).

/Estel

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