Crafty iPhone dock mod supports iPhone 3G, saves $29

If you're an owner of the first generation iPhone then one of the (many) annoyances you've discovered with your new curvy and slightly chubbier 3G sib is the fact that it won't fit your existing dock -- be it the dock bundled with the iPhone or with the Bluetooth headset. To make matters worse, Apple chose not to bundle a compatible dock with the iPhone 3G -- you have to purchase that separately for $29... you know, assuming you can find it. Fortunately, that old dock can be made into a suitable charging base for your iPhone 3G with just a bit of simple Dremel action and elbow grease. Sounds like a bargain to us.

[pinchies @ Jul 21st 2008 8:13AM]

Diy WORKS. More people should try it! A bit of sandpaper could also make this fellow's handiwork a bit neater too.

[Kinger @ Jul 21st 2008 2:12PM]

Actually, I'm quite impressed with his handiwork. Sanding plastic is no easy task.

[High Ranks make you sterile @ Jul 21st 2008 8:46AM]

Are there really that many iPhone first-gen people who got 3Gs? That's like someone going out and trading in their 20GB 360 for one with 120GB and HDMI.... you wouldn't figure there'd be many... oh well, maybe it's just me

[Khris @ Jul 21st 2008 8:49AM]

I think it's just you.

[pinchies @ Jul 21st 2008 8:55AM]

@Kinger
No, you're right, and he has done a great job with that dremel. I meant a fine sandpaper just to smooth it out.

[mymaclife @ Jul 21st 2008 9:34AM]

My new dock cost me £19, but my chargeable time costs even more, so buying the dock made more sense to me... but a good idea for those with time on their hands, who already own a dremmel tool and the skill.

If you've got the time and the equipment you could even knock up a 3G Iphone and save all your money!

[Goulwen @ Jul 21st 2008 2:28PM]

thanks for the comments guys! i posted a few more pics here showing
the tools and how i did the work:

http://web.mac.com/goulwen.pele/Handcrafted/Bidouille_de_Dock_pour_iphone.html

[rocky @ Jul 21st 2008 3:29PM]

Can i use my old iphone's silicon case on a 3g iphone?

[Goulwen @ Jul 21st 2008 3:55PM]

i think it might be fine if it's silicone but it wont work with hard shell. the new 3G is a bit bigger than the last one..

[pinchies @ Jul 21st 2008 8:13AM]

Diy works - More people should try it! A bit of sandpaper could also make this fellow's handiwork a bit neater too.

[pinchies @ Jul 21st 2008 8:56AM]

Sorry.

[Samuel Carrier @ Jul 21st 2008 8:19AM]

Seriously, Apple could've make the 3G compatible... But they knew they were passing by a big source of money by making it uncompatible with all the previous existing docks.

I feel that Apple has become much, much more greedy than Microsoft.

[Pochi @ Jul 21st 2008 8:49AM]

A look at the prices of the Zune 2.0 software VS the Touch 2.0 software will tell you that.

[Jim @ Jul 21st 2008 9:52AM]

I wouldn't be basing, and possibly compromising the design of my most valuable new products based on whether it could fit in an accessory for an old, first-gen model. It may suck for early adopters (me included), but unfortunately it's part of the price you pay.

Although I do agree that removing the dock from the new package is a bit annoying - the price drop of the new unit far outweighs this!

[Abuzar Baloach @ Jul 21st 2008 1:21PM]

Except there is no price drop... The 8GB version ends up costing you 560 dollars in the end.

[Flashpoint @ Jul 21st 2008 1:31PM]

I write online reviews.

Over 2000 people read my review the day of the iPhone's 3g launch where I gave it 3/5 stars due to the poor battery life and the incompatibility with previous iphone docks.

I am glad to report that I convinced over 600 people to wait for the Blackberry Bold and the HTC touch Diamond.

[jayjay @ Jul 21st 2008 2:30PM]

"I am glad to report that I convinced over 600 people to wait for the Blackberry Bold and the HTC touch Diamond."

Sure you did.

[Pochi @ Jul 22nd 2008 1:39AM]

@Flashpoint

LOLZ

[Kurian @ Jul 21st 2008 8:26AM]

Apple is the most #*$&%*( money mongering company in existance. FUCK the customer. Rake in the cash. I mean, everyone wants to make cash, but you don't have to make customers bend over and take it up the ass.

[Anonymouse @ Jul 21st 2008 8:34AM]

Completely agree! Everyone seems so pro apple and anti microsoft but honestly they rape you for eeeeeeverything, I definitely understand turning a profit but apple is worse then most companies out there in squeezing every last dime out of you. Someday the mindless zombies that adore stevie so well will come to their senses, you know when they begin to start thinking for themselves.

[ThePengwin @ Jul 21st 2008 8:46AM]

its a real shame but thats how many companies are going these days. you barely get a cradle with most phones nowadays and they are all pretty prone to scratches.

When it comes to apple products, if you even just remove the crazy packaging off the products you could save 10 bucks right there. Its nice and all but i don't really need a nice box if all i want is the nice product.

[Distortedloop @ Jul 21st 2008 8:52AM]

Yes, but at least when Apple "rapes" you, you tend to enjoy it...

The failure to include a dock, and not even have them available for those willing to shell over the $29 is just lame, Apple.

[OneLove @ Jul 21st 2008 9:45AM]

Apple customers like it up the ass. They whine, and then come back for more...ooooooh...iphone 3G!!

[manny @ Jul 21st 2008 2:37PM]

you know god forbid a company actually tries to turn a profit!

[Aaronage @ Jul 21st 2008 8:27AM]

All he did was sand down the bloody dock lol

[ThePengwin @ Jul 21st 2008 8:53AM]

But its apple! and apple is hip and cool and totally in style!

I make docks for my phones out of lego..... would i get a mention? Probably not because they are windows mobile devices :D

[Distortedloop @ Jul 21st 2008 9:28AM]

@ThePengwin - I'll bet that other tech site with a lego fetish would post your lego phone docks, windows mobile or not. ;-)

[ZombieLeftovers @ Jul 21st 2008 4:31PM]

Windows you said? Bah, I don't wanna see them..

[neofolklore @ Jul 22nd 2008 8:37AM]

he thought of it, did it and you didn't, the end

[Fred @ Jul 21st 2008 8:28AM]

Sounds like the only way to avoid Cupertino's nickeling and diming, to us.

[Fernando @ Jul 21st 2008 8:33AM]

Yeah I am sure that they purposely designed the new iPhone fatter just for that reason.

[Fred @ Jul 21st 2008 8:49AM]

@Fernando:

Yes. You don't honestly think that a company like Apple couldn't think ahead and design the dock in such a way that it'd fit future iterations of the product, right?

[Fernando @ Jul 21st 2008 8:32AM]

I did the exact same thing on Friday but with a file and a wire cutter. The File did a great job with the rough side and finish up with the fine side. Came out pretty good.

[John @ Jul 21st 2008 8:33AM]

Ironic that Al Gore sits on the board of a company which consistently forces consumers to re-purchase accessories that can and should be re-used.

Note to you tree-hugging, latte slinging MacHeads, that factory in China stamping "new" iPhone docks is adding more to global warming than all of the Hummers on the planet.

[Justin @ Jul 21st 2008 10:53AM]

I don't think 100 iPhone Dock stamping factories could be close worse than all of the Hummers on the planet...

[Chris @ Jul 21st 2008 8:38AM]

I have a universal dock, and the iPhone 3G fits fine in dock adapter for the original iphone. No sanding needed.

[Nomi @ Jul 21st 2008 9:03AM]

What ever happened to those dock connectors?

[redbellyman @ Jul 21st 2008 9:08AM]

Sounds like yet another stupid detail that apple uses to take advantage of their dumb dumb customers! People wake up and smell the cupertino valley bs! Their computers are now nothing but a crappy intel and a low end nvidia vid card with insanely to much ram for an average of 300% more than the parts cost! They hate their customers, but for some reason, like religion, people believe in this company. They support and defend this company as if apple has paid them to buy their products! They all suck, sure they may have design appeal, but if you look you will find everything they make cheaper and better if you open your eyes.. Apple sux....

[Canadian Bacon @ Jul 21st 2008 9:20AM]

What is everybody's hard-on for a dock anyways? Is it really that important? I've got a first-gen iPhone and I think I've used the dock less than five times in the 8 months since I bought it. Is it really that big of a deal to pick up the cord and slide it into the phone?

[Distortedloop @ Jul 21st 2008 9:26AM]

One-handed connection of the iPhone to the computer?

A more organized desk than a bunch of loose USB cables laying around?

Not a big deal, and I don't use the dock on all my devices, but I can think of reasons why people would prefer them over a loose cable.

Different strokes for different folks, as they used to say...

[Canadian Bacon @ Jul 21st 2008 9:22AM]

What is everybody's hard-on for a dock anyways? Is it really that important? I've got a first-gen iPhone and I think I've used the dock less than five times in the 8 months since I bought it. Is it really that big of a deal to pick up the cord and slide it into the phone?

[DistortedIoop @ Jul 21st 2008 11:28AM]

I just told you!

[Distortedloop @ Jul 21st 2008 12:46PM]

Just told me what?

I imagine if you're one-handed, it would be a big deal. Same if you're OCD about neatness on your real desktop.

You must be young; young people have a tendency to believe that just because they don't see value or need in a particular product or feature that anyone else who does is a whiner or something. If you don't use a case

Enough people are complaining about the lack of the dock to suggest that your point of view is not the only valid one. ;-)

[chris @ Jul 21st 2008 9:36AM]

They have these over at the ATT store here in maryland. (the modded ones)

[neofolklore @ Jul 22nd 2008 8:25AM]

PG!

[kuhndog @ Jul 21st 2008 10:06AM]

I'd gladly buy another manufactures products if it had the same elegance.. style & reliability as an apple... seriously who is a contender.. i have my choice of windows (computing and mobile) or blackberry OS.. do they even compare?

[Brad @ Jul 21st 2008 11:11AM]

any ideas on when there will be a solution for all the bricked (as far as Iphone 3g is concerned) old chargers that are based on firewire charging pin arrangement?

[(01) @ Jul 21st 2008 1:01PM]

@ Brad

I'm not sure what kind of "solution" you're looking for...I mean, buying an adapter will be the same as buying a new cable.

[Goulwen @ Jul 21st 2008 2:26PM]

thanks for the comments guys! i posted a few more pics here showing the tools and how i did the work:

http://web.mac.com/goulwen.pele/Handcrafted/Bidouille_de_Dock_pour_iphone.html

[Brad Perez @ Jul 21st 2008 1:13PM]

It's more than just a new cable because the system that I have setup for my car to charge and play music through the car speakers via a single dock connector is a firewire based charger. Basically I'll have to break open my car radio and purchase a new ipod system unless a "solution" is found. Either that, or I'll just have to lose the option to charge in the car.