Battery Removal

[Tritium]

A week later and my Gemini is still a bit poorly.  I've got about 15% of the keys working now but the rest seem to be unresponsive to any form of persuasion I can muster.  Along the way I was introduced to the idea of conductive rubber by work colleague who knows more about such things than me.  Aside from just being a completely wrong idea and desperately needing to be in a murder mystery involving some custom made wellies and a Van der Graaf generator it explains the mechanics of the Gemini keyboard.  That rubber membrane that gives them their lovely feel also closes the circuit between the rings thus registering the key press.  I've been testing the keyboard using the very technical 'piece of tin foil' method which also closes the circuit and registers a key press.

I also lifted the flexible PCB that holds the contacts.  You've got to be a bit careful if you do this as the LED is attached to it, gently pressing down as you pull the PCB does the trick.  Underneath there doesn't really seem to be any way of releasing the battery.  There are what look like 3 studs running through the plastic tray the PCB rests on but at that point it was beginning to look like battery removal would be a non-reversible process and I gave up.

I can still use the Gemini as a normal touch screen Android complete with the on-screen keyboard that I hate so much so it's still my only phone.  I'll have to be patient until Planet have some spares and get the flexible PCB replaced.

I'm still waiting to hear from Planet about how the battery can be removed in the hope that there's some residual gak where the ribbon connector joins what I presume is another board hidden under the battery.  At the moment it may be a user replaceable battery but I can't for the life of me figure out how.

Rosie

Are the bits you took out completely clean? Maybe rinse the rubber mat with distilled water to remove any dried on cider. Possibly do the same for the flexible pcb if you can unhook it from the power source.

Tritium

[Rosie]

Are the bits you took out completely clean? Maybe rinse the rubber mat with distilled water to remove any dried on cider. Possibly do the same for the flexible pcb if you can unhook it from the power source.

Tritium

Probably.  I used solvent based cleaners rather than water and a check using a conductor other than the rubber mat produced the same results so far as working keys were concerned as the rubber mat.  Both PCB and mat have had a thorough clean (PCB on both sides that are accessible without removing the battery).

Rosie

[Varti]

Planet have been in touch to say that they're currently setting up a repair facility but that it's not yet ready to go.

Interesting news, thanks for sharing it! I wonder if that will include a keyboard mat replacement for first-batch Geminis.

Varti

[Rosie]

On the off-chance that anyone is following/interested in this, an update.  I sent the poorly Gemini back a couple of weeks ago, it was with Planet on the 3rd of April.  Robin got in touch to confirm they'd received it after a couple of chaser emails to say that he was waiting to on of the technical folks to look at it and that should happen this week.

Well, it's Friday afternoon.  I've already sent a couple of chaser emails but haven't heard anything back.  I get that Planet are a tiny company and they're really busy at the moment with delivery of the latest production run but a little more communication (even just 'sorry, it will be next week now') would be appreciated.

Rosie

[Alius]

Best of luck and I hope they are able to rescue it for you soon!

[Rosie]

A conclusion (though not one that'll spread any light on how to replace a battery in a Gemini).  Davide from Planet has been in touch to say a replacement Gemini will be sent out to me and Robin added that he'll be posting it tomorrow.  TBH I think that's mostly completely amazing of them given that there's no way to be certain whether it wasn't cider that did for the poor thing, though I'll be repeating some tests on the RH USB socket to see.  Whilst obviously super happy that Planet have been so great I'm also feeling a tad guilty that it may mean someone else has to wait longer to get theirs.  If that's someone reading this and we ever  chance to meet up I'll owe you a drink.

Though probably not a cider.

Rosie

[andrewl]

A conclusion (though not one that'll spread any light on how to replace a battery in a Gemini).  Davide from Planet has been in touch to say a replacement Gemini will be sent out to me and Robin added that he'll be posting it tomorrow.  TBH I think that's mostly completely amazing of them given that there's no way to be certain whether it wasn't cider that did for the poor thing, though I'll be repeating some tests on the RH USB socket to see.  Whilst obviously super happy that Planet have been so great I'm also feeling a tad guilty that it may mean someone else has to wait longer to get theirs.  If that's someone reading this and we ever  chance to meet up I'll owe you a drink.

Though probably not a cider.

Rosie

Rosie talking about cider has reminded me of reading a Laurie Lee novel in English lessons at school    

I'm really pleased that Planet are standing by their product and being such an honourable organisation. I've seen a couple of other instances where they are responded to help out like this. Gives me a lot of confidence.