There was definitely some black magic involved when women's purses were invented. They look quite useful from the outside, sure, but on the inside (beneath the lining) is often a deep and dark abyss that makes finding what you need, when you need it damn near impossible.
That's why G&E reader StacyD gave her HTC EVO a backlit speaker port.
With the help of a PCB and simple resistor/LED serial connection, she wrapped the wire around the two outermost battery pins/connections and covered it with tape to diffuse the light. The LED uses almost no battery power—it needs 2.0V for full illumination—and lets StacyD quickly find the phone in the darkened confines of her purse.
Her extended battery's replacement back cover provides enough room to accommodate the height of the LED circuit, but the mod can be done with a standard cover too (though the sound will become muffled).
If you want to brighten up your own EVO's speaker port with an LED in your favorite color, StacyD recommends using 28awg or smaller Teflon-coated wire. As for the PCB?
"Cut up a broken PCB and find a spot where there are two resistors in parallel, one [of] the resistors [should be] between 75-250ohm for optimal brightness. Then, use your sick SMD skills to remove one of the resistors and replace with an LED. Or simply cut up an area already with a resistor/LED combo."
As you can see, she's also done the red trim mod you may remember seeing on G&E last fall.
[Does It Pew?] Thanks, StacyD!
