Filed under: Accessories, Hacks, Mods, iPhone, iPod touch
Build your iPhone a dock from its own box
As the product of frugal New England Yankees, I like items that multi-task. If said item is something that could typically get thrown away, even better. Check out this awesome iPhone 3GS dock made from its retail box. Since the 3GS does not ship with a dock (bummer), enterprising owner Vince Tang used the included USB cable, the docking "plate," which is that tiny piece of plastic meant to seat the phone correctly, and the sturdy box to create a dock. Specifically, he cut a hole in the box's lid, crammed the plate and cable inside and glued the daylights out of it. We think it looks pretty good (from the top at least).
In fact, if I hadn't sent my old iPhone to NextWorth in my 3GS box, I'd be making one of these right now. Well done, Vince!
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Loren said 9:46AM on 8-19-2009
The guy says he used the dock plate that came with his 3GS... uhhh mine didn't come with one, did everyone else get one on their box?
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stray said 2:34AM on 9-19-2009
My 3GS did not come with a dock plate, nor did my 3G or 2G (just the dock). He must have had one laying around.
I think it would be nicer rotated 90° so the phone lines up with the photo on the box. But still a clever use of what would be basically trash.
punkassjim said 1:59PM on 8-19-2009
Funny, I saw this post today and immediately dug my box out of the closet, thinking "I KNEW that box looked like it had a false-bottom!" But, alas, I had already checked it when I got it, and still there was no adapter.
I think Dave knows they don't come with one, and he didn't say they do, but his wording was unclear. No worries.
I bought the 3-pack of adapters, and I'll be using one of them to hack/dremel/modify my old dual-dock from the Apple Bluetooth Headset. Bugs the hell out of me that I can't drop my 3GS into my dual-dock with my headset.
waiownsyou said 9:28AM on 8-19-2009
My friend bought a $4 Chinese imitation from eBay so that he could buy a real one from Wal-mart and switch it out. When he bought it from Wal-mart and carefully opened up the package, he realized someone did the same thing but with the old 2G original dock that came with phone. I lol'd.
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mentalsticks said 9:54AM on 8-19-2009
your friend is an a*hole.
Phoenix said 9:41AM on 8-19-2009
You like items that multitask yet you're an iPhone fan?
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MRCUR said 12:13PM on 8-19-2009
+1 - Completely agree.
Matt said 1:48PM on 8-19-2009
Epic!!
FantomRedux said 7:47PM on 8-19-2009
Everyone know that Apple fans over-ride all their previous instincts to go for an Apple product.
No offence Dave :)
winkyeah said 9:55AM on 8-19-2009
Mine didn't come with a dock plate either. Actually, neither my 3G or my 3GS came with one.
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Justin said 9:56AM on 8-19-2009
I never got a 'real' iPhone box since I bought a 3G refurb from AT&T and they don't send original packaging on those.
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iLikeMyiPhone said 10:03AM on 8-19-2009
It is funny the way you advertise nextworth! They give my atleast $100 less than what eBay or Craigslist give!
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Lumi said 10:34AM on 8-19-2009
Mine didn't come with a dock plate either... Big bummer, cuz I would like a dock, but not fork over the cash.
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Calvin said 11:59AM on 8-19-2009
Only an ipod touch comes with one.
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Darnitol said 12:01PM on 8-19-2009
Or, you could keep the box carefully in storage, and when you go to sell your iPhone on Ebay or Craigslist, watch how including that piece of "trash" improves the resale value of your iPhone by fifty bucks. (I speak from experience.)
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sockatume said 12:04PM on 8-19-2009
Doesn't the dock plug on the USB cable have latches, unlike the dock plug on the actual dock? Does he just yank it out of the latches every time? You could cure that by using wire cutters to snip the latches off, mind you.
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Sam Downey said 12:46PM on 8-19-2009
They don't have latches on them any more and haven't for a long time, since the original iPhone/iPod Touch I think...
sockatume said 12:56PM on 8-19-2009
Wow, I'm staggeringly behind the times.
punkassjim said 2:02PM on 8-19-2009
Even if he used an old cable, he could just cinch a zip-tie around the release buttons and be done with it. Crafty people are crafty.
Mkeita77 said 1:51PM on 8-19-2009
I think apple is watching,next Gen iPhone 3gs(x). You just might have a convertable box
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