[Merge] iPhone 3G and Prev. Gen. Accessories (chargers, car adapters, etc.)

[mkrishnan]

The whole "sue" thing aside, I'd be curious of any independent confirmation that it has 12V charging capabilities but is designed by software to block them (i.e. that it's definitely this and not some other change in the design that would allow it to charge with new 12V devices but not the existing ones...)

If it's really designed to refuse to charge via 12V, it will be very interesting to see if that gets out. I guess maybe it's declined, but in the past, here in North America, being able to get a car charger is a fairly important consideration to buyers, especially business buyers (whom Apple is clearly courting with the 2.0 firmware).

I honestly haven't had a car charger in quite some time (well, I keep an inverter and an iPod charging brick in my car, primarily for listening to an iPod on long drives, so I technically have one now, but I never really use it with the iPhone, and I don't think I ever really charged my BB or Razr before it in the car). But for a lot of people I know who use their phone for business, it's pretty vital....

Yeah, you can use DC stepdown in a car charger, but it's going to be much bigger, heavier, more brutal....

On the other hand, a limited number of people claimed that their EDGE iPhones malfunctioned when charged at 12V (mine charges at 12V just fine), and I wonder if that might have anything to do with it...?

 

[speedbumpnv]

newer aftermarket car interfaces will support the traditional iPod interface as well as a USB interface. if your car stereo is not charging the phone, try checking to see if it also provides a USB interface. if it does then you are safe and can go that route. if not then its kinda crappy.

 

[xerenthar]

Lets Sue Omg

 

[akindy]

Well the 'sue' thing was a joke, that I thought I clarified by saying RIGHT AFTER that I wouldn't care too... but my point was they say it's a 30-pin dock connector then they block some of the functionality of those pins... just seems like they should mention that... or not do it.

 

[Oofie]

lol, cmon, lets sue apple!

 

[akindy]

lol... I would if it would just replace my car deck for me, which is mostly what I'm pissed about... having to spend another 300 bucks plus all the installation time on a decent deck that will work with the new iPhone... I did this last year!!!
Anyone know one for sure that would charge and playback, I'm thinking the Alpine iDA-X200 might be a good bet, but then I lose CDs.
Damn you apple!!!

 

[akindy]

Anyone know of something like the Griffin Tuneflex that will power the iPhone 3G?
That would be a cheapish solution to my problem, so if anyone's got one and it works PLEASE let me know!

 

[w4rmk]

Yup I found that my previous car charger which worked fine on my old iPhone will not charge the new 3G, I get a message on the screen that it is incompatible. Also my AC USB charger doesn't work, it puts out 400ma and another one that I have puts out 500ma and works fine. So apparently the new 3G phones have a higher charging current requirement than the older iPhones.

 

[mkrishnan]

If you keep your car charger in just one car, I'd recommend doing what I did -- spend $20-30 on an inverter that provides 120VAC wall plugs. It's not the most electrically efficient system, but that way you can plug in a wide variety of things to it -- an iPhone charger, a notebook computer, etc.

 

[speedbumpnv]

lol... I would if it would just replace my car deck for me, which is mostly what I'm pissed about... having to spend another 300 bucks plus all the installation time on a decent deck that will work with the new iPhone... I did this last year!!!
Anyone know one for sure that would charge and playback, I'm thinking the Alpine iDA-X200 might be a good bet, but then I lose CDs.
Damn you apple!!!

what do you need CD's for, you have an iPod/iPhone

the Alpine iDA series will support the 3G because they have the option for USB. i have the X001 and it works great.

 

[enjoeneer]

Iphone 3g charging solution?

as you all probably already know, not many 3rd party (or even apple) devices for that matter charge the iphone 3g.

i usually hook my iphone to my alpine radio when i get into my car to charge it and to listen to music from it.
Well now that dosent work obviously.

So i am wondering that if i get the new iphone 3g dock and plug that into my radio if that will convert the 12v "firewire" signal to a 5v "usb signal ?

that way i can just graft the dock into my car and all will be well.

anyone have the iphone 3g dock that can try this out and report back?

 

[scaredpoet]

So i am wondering that if i get the new iphone 3g dock and plug that into my radio if that will convert the 12v "firewire" signal to a 5v "usb signal ?

Nope, the dock is for the most part, just a passthrough. It doesn't do anything special to convert the power to anything different.

 

[enjoeneer]

Are we absolutely certain about this?

 

[aross99]

Someone should release an adapter for this. There are already ones that handle the power conversion, but they don't pass the audio.

 

[adwhite]

If u have a deck with a USB on it will that charge and play audio? I think most newer alpines have USB.

 

[DiamondMac]

I am curious how many times I have seen people say they will sue Apple since I signed on here almost two years ago

 

[akindy]

Yeah, hence the joke about it.
It is rather annoying that they would just drop that, and from the sound of it it's more of a soft/firmware thing and not a physical hardware issue.
Silly

 

[steveapp]

Thanks

Thats good news for me I think I will pick one up today

Thankfully, the cable that came with my iPod nano last November works with the 3g too, so I have a spare cable - might see if i can pick another up today too.

Thanks for the feedback

Stephen

Just as an update, I spent an hour or two on Sunday pm wandering round Currys Commet and Halfords. The only thing I could find that would charge my iPhone 3G was the expensive Bose Speaker system, but at twice the cost of the phone I wasnt buying!. The Belkin with Cleartune for car would also charge, but it still warned that it wasnt compatible and I should turn on Airplane Mode to continue - and no I wasnt doing that either - kind of defeats the point of having an iPhone!

Most shops were not aware of this problem and were not amused with apple, they all have lots of speaker systems lined up hoping to make a killing.

On the plus side, all recent Apple chargers work, the one for my Nano is fine and i bought a spare charger and cable for work (just in case) from tescos for £18.99 - its identical to the one supplied with the phone in the uk

I tried a cheaper belkin car charger - without the radio tuner part - that wouldnt work either :-( interestingly I found one of the adaptors that gives a usb socket for your car - and that didnt work even with a genuine apple usb cable that I know charges the device with a real charger - though interestingly the phone didnt complain, it just never saw it.

Stephen

 

[mattpreston11]

so anyone know of the cheapest place the get a 3g charger with a decent cord length that works?

UK

 

[omegaphil6]

My older universal dock (with round IR on the front) throws up the airplane mode notice but syncs and charges both iphone and iphone 3g but no audio can get though the phones speakers

Newer Universal dock (with pill shaped IR on front) charges and syncs with no error message, audio works fine when connected.

iHome iH9 throws up the airplane mode notice but is fully functional with both iphone and iphone 3g for alarms, playback, charging. side note, no more interference with iphone 3g YAY.

My car charger (Griffin Power Jolt) charges both iphone and iphone 3g no problem.

Old iPhone Dock does not physically fit the new iphone 3g.

Hope this helps some.

 

[steveapp]

so anyone know of the cheapest place the get a 3g charger with a decent cord length that works?

UK

£18.99 will get you a standard apple charger (usb wall adaptor and standard sync / charge cable)

If you need a longer cable you can always get a cheap usb extender cable, I have one I bought for about 99p from a computer fair, its about 2 mtrs long and works fine. I have a stupidly long 5mtr one from somewhere that works too but is pointless for most things.

Im trying to resist plugging in to charge all the time right now, i want the phone to go through a few one day cycles so I can gauge how well the battery is going to last in normal use. Problem is normal isnt happening, people want to play with my phone all the time ;-)

 

[sassenach74]

When I plug my original iPod FireWire charger into my iPhone 3G, I get a message saying that the accessory isn't supported, and charging is not supported!

Also, when I plug my iPhone into the FM transmitter I was using with my iPod touch, I get the same message.

What is the reason for this, other than wanton greed on Apple's part? I guess they need their finger in the pie of everything that can be used to enhance the user's experience of iPhone.

Apple is turning into something ugly.

I'm in the same boat as you, I have been using this for my ipod touch:

And now get the same message as the pic you posted.
I'm yet to try my Fatman iTube ValveDock with speakers:

I'm praying this will work as it is really quite expensive (around £500/$1000), I think I'll check this out now, wasn't worried until I got that message with the car charger thing....I'll let you people know (if you care to know).


Update: Fatman iTube ValveDock doesn't work, neither charging nor playing music, now I don't know what to do, it cost me too much money to justify getting another dock, Urgh.

 

[trisnadi]

I got my Universal Dock to work with iPhone 3G !

The fix is pretty simple:

1. swap the original Universal Dock power cord with the one that comes with your iPhone 3G. I believe Apple some time ago modified how the device is charging but still maintaining the physical aspect of the connector.

2. quoting from mcdj:
"check for dust/debris in your dock port, or if it's docked, on the dock connector. I get this from time to time and a blast of air fixes it every time."

I'm using 1st generation universal dock with iPhone 3G.

 

[BackFocus]

$5 at walmart, works brilliantly.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5691047

 

[yegon]

Old 3rd gen iPod wall charger okay to use with iPhone?

I'm 99% certain I'm fine using my old iPod wall charger with my new iPhone, but I'd just like to check - can I use it? It's the old firewire type you see, wanted to be absolutely certain as I do NOT want to smoke out my 3G!

As the battery takes a real hammering using 3G, I'd like to keep a charger at work.