|
|
These are a few my recent iPod repair experiences.
«Previous Page 230 |
Next Page» 232
Page 600 |
Page 550 |
Page 500 |
Page 450 |
Page 400 |
Page 350 |
Page 300
Page 250 |
Page 200 |
Page 150 |
Page 100 |
Page 50
|
On December 18th 2008, Laura Richards sent me an email from Nashville, Tennessee
(where my best friend, the musician Paul Taylor lives). Her message read,
"Dear Mr. Walburg,
It is way too late in the day (or maybe it's early) to call you, so I'm sending an e-mail inquiry.
I take my iPod (30GB, 4th Gen Photo) to the gym everyday. The other day I dropped it on the track, but it worked just fine for the rest of my workout. And I left in in my bag the other day when I used the pool, but I figured that it would be OK in the bag as long as my swimming suit was in a plastic bag.
Apparently, I was wrong. I went to charge up my ipod so I could take it to the gym tonight, and it's dead. When I first hooked it up, the apple came on the screen, and now nothing will work. I've tried to reset it, but I can't get it to work. The buttons on the click pad seem a little stiff too. I'm not sure what is wrong here, but I need help. This is my second ipod, and I'm beginning to think I'm cursed. If all my music weren't in iTunes, I'd probably give up. (In the essence of fairness, I can't find the synch cable to see if I could hook it to my computer and get it to work. I'm sure it's here somewhere, but I've given up for today. But it wouldn't work in the dock or with the usual charger.)
I was just going to buy a new Pod, but I saw your Web site and thought you might be able to help. If I'm understanding correctly, it's 40 bucks if you can fix it and 20 if you can't, plus shipping?
Please tell me if you think there's any hope and what I need to do if you think you can fix it. You can give me a call on my cell phone at 248-252-5661.
Thanks for your time. I hope you can help."
I replied to her with information on how to send it in and got back this message,
"Frank,
After reading your customer comments, I know if anyone can fix this, it will be you. I just wish I'd known about you when my last ipod got the frowny face of death last year. I also went to the Mac Authority here in Nashville, and they said it was hopeless and tried to sell me a new one. I'm pretty sure you could've fixed it, but it's in Mac Heaven now.
I am not giving up on this little guy quite yet. I can't believe that he'd be dead. I'm going to go ahead and send you a check for $40 and the ipod in tomorrow's mail. If you get it open and see that it's going to cost more, just let me know and I will pay pal you. If it can't be fixed, then I will take my $20 and put it toward a new 120GB classic. I don't really think I want the Touch, especially not for the added price. I am intrigued by the 16GB Nano, but I am not sure I can go from a Classic to a Nano. But let's not worry about that yet, because I have faith in you.
It never really got immersed, but based on the fact that it won't work, I'm guessing that it drew some moisture being in the bag with my wet swimsuit, even though the swimsuit was in a plastic bag. I took my ipod all around the humid Caribbean and kept in in a bag with a wet towel for a week last month with no problem, so part of me wonders if it's something else. Anyhow, the exposure to water happened on Wednesday afternoon, so it hasn't been too long. I can send it priority mail if you think that would help."
It arrived two or three days later. I was able to get it to work again with no additional parts.
Fixed - Total cost $40.
|
Wayne Gaul is a previous customer who lived in San Diego, California
until recently. He moved to Isabella Missouri to find work. He works as a carpenter and uses his iPod to hold his head together while at work. Until a few months ago he relied on a Nano 1st Gen, but too many things became wrong with it so he began to look for another. I always counsel people not to buy an iPod on eBay. The sellers there never reveal the truth about why they are selling it and claim the iPod worked prior to shipment then blame the POst Office when arrives not working. They hope the buyer is among the 50% of people that will not bother to ever get around to returning the iPod after it arrives broken or seek resolution from PayPal.
Wayne... I spent time with on the phone instructing him how to find a good used iPod.. read here. He decided not to follow my advice and bought one on eBay that was a "refurbished" 4th Gen 20GB model which I had already been warning people about. He called to discuss the device once it arrived and the problems he was having. I was lead to believe that it was an Apple refurbished model which was somehow OLD STOCK some internet business had.
He had a "starry eyed sad face" when he sent it to me. All iPods of this vintage are really candidates for replacement and I am strong proponent of replacing them with a 5th Gen video iPod which has features that Apple removed in the 6th Gen model. If Wayne's iPod had a failed drive it would be junk.
I moved the drive to another system and it worked. Rather than fool around with it all and risk something I sent it back to him working with all the parts replaced except the drive. Again, he is a long standing client and I wanted to help him affordably.
Total cost for Wayne was $40
Fixed - Total cost $40.
|
Leif Erkilla lives here in Santa Rosa
and called me because he found my number in the local phone book in the business directory pages. His wife's iPhone 3G went through the washer the night before and he wanted it repaired. It was kind of a strange phone call because he just assumed all iPhones were repairable no matter what had occurred to them and somehow merely felt water immersion was just one more thing to manage this way.
At no point did he realize on the planet I am the guy people send their devices to for repair after they have been dropped in water, soup, hot tub or put through the washer.
Notice these interior shots where you can still see the water in the phone.
He brought it by an hour later and left it off with the $60 fee I charge to fix phones. Later that afternoon I had it working again. Ii had water trapped in the layers of the LCD but that really wasn't problem enough to worry about *plus* I have experienced instances where the water effuses from the LCD and it all clears up.
This is a shot of the screen.
He came by moments after I called to say it was ready. She (his wife) apparently was thrilled which makes his life easier ;)
Notice we 3 bars and a 3G connection.
Fixed - Total cost $60.
|
«Previous Page 230 |
Next Page» 232
Page 600 |
Page 550 |
Page 500 |
Page 450 |
Page 400 |
Page 350 |
Page 300
Page 250 |
Page 200 |
Page 150 |
Page 100 |
Page 50
I'm in Sonoma County... Northern California wine country.
If you live nearby, are traveling through or live in the San Francisco Bay Area bring your iPod to me and I can do the work while you wait or go wine tasting for a while. Send me an
email just to make sure I have on hand whatever parts your repair will require.
Call or email me
with questions or to set up a repair. You can also call, I am here most days from 8am to 8pm
Toll Free 1-877-IPOD-PRO (1 - 877 - 476-3776)
Send the device to:
Frank Walburg
2145 Service Court
Santa Rosa, Ca 95403-3139
Methods of payment
Back to Top
|
|
|
