So I’ve been seeing rumors about the Switch 2 needing a better way to prop your phone up while playing companion apps or streaming, right? Figured I’d try tackling this magnetic holder patent idea myself. Real talk? It started kinda janky.
The “Let’s See What I Have” Phase
Scrounged around my workbench, found some old magnetic car mounts collecting dust and a busted Joy-Con case. My bright idea? Rip the magnets out of both things and Frankenstein something usable.
- Step 1: Seriously mangled the car mount. Prying off that sticky base felt like defusing a bomb glued down with pure hate. Ended up using a butter knife and a screwdriver, scratched my table something fierce.
- Step 2: Attaching magnets to the Joy-Con shell? Yeah, didn’t stick. Turns out super glue laughs in the face of smooth plastic. Had to sandpaper the spots rough like cheap sandpaper before the glue even pretended to work. Globby mess.
- Step 3: Magnets go flying. You know how small, strong magnets pop together? Accidentally brought two too close and they launched off the shell, pinged the wall, and disappeared into the void under the fridge. Awesome.
The “Okay, Maybe Use My Brain” Phase
After losing a magnet down the appliance abyss, decided to actually look at those patent drawings floating around. The key bit? Tiny metal plates you stick to the back of your phone, then they snap onto bigger magnets attached to the controller.
- Step 4: Raided my junk drawer. Found those flimsy promotional metal cards banks give you stuck to letters? Perfect metal plates! Cut one into little squares. Looked trashy, but free is free.
- Step 5: Stuck the metal squares to my phone case using that gooey adhesive pad stuff from the car mount scrap. Actually held okay. Slapped my phone onto the magnets I finally glued onto the Joy-Con shell… AND IT STUCK! Felt like magic. Sturdy angle, phone didn’t wiggle.
The “Why This Probably Makes Sense” Part
Forget fancy mounting arms. This patent idea? Super simple. Tiny plates you barely notice on your phone case, strong snap onto the controller. Way faster than clamping it in. Perfect for grabbing your phone quick during a Splatoon match.
The Verdict (and Kitchen Drama)
Worked surprisingly well! My crusty prototype held my phone solid while the controller rested on my desk. Took maybe an hour total with all the messing around and magnet retrieval missions.
BUT. The real test? Cooking while following a recipe on the phone stuck to the controller. Lean over the pot… controller slides right off the counter. Phone clatters. Controller bounces. Cat freaks out. Epic fail. Forgot the patent shows an attached kickstand, which I obviously didn’t have. Still haven’t found that last magnet.