|
|
These are a few my recent iPod repair experiences.
«Previous Page 584 |
Next Page 586»
Page 600 |
Page 550 |
Page 500 |
Page 450 |
Page 400 |
Page 350 |
Page 300
Page 250 |
Page 200 |
Page 150 |
Page 100 |
Page 50
|
This one is one of those moments where people learn their limitations. It's a sad and tragic story about the ruination of a great iPhone. And being able to tell the truth, to yourself and others.
"Mr. X" called me from Fairfax California (94930). As best i can figure out, he does economist/econometric models for the legal community to figure out what a litigated case might be worth at settlement.
He also told me that he successfully replaced the upper glass (screen) on iPhone before getting involved with the iPhone in question.
Here's the story, a woman friend of his has a White 32GB iPhone 3GS (which cost ATT $755 when they bought it from Apple. The subsidized price was $199). Conversation with her lead him to believe the iPhone had a problem with the upper glass. In fact when he saw it he noticed the LCD was cracked and the upper glass seemed fine so he approached it the same way thinking the upper glass/digitizer had a problem.
Apple builds tripwires into almost all of their iPhones. Small things that damaged the device permanently if you do things out of order or carelessly.... so you get to buy a new one. One of the tripwires in the 3GS is the jack for the ribbon connection for the upper glass. If you know how to release it, it's easy. If you don't or get careless you destroy the logic board because the ribbon won't be held down and make the needed contact. "Mr. X", didn't know how to release it. He pulled the connection and it gave. That left him with a problem when he went to reinstall it. When you don't release it correctly, it is pretty much impossible to ever be able to reinstall it. The cinch locking lever compresses the 8 contact wires and won't allow it to slide back in.
While the phone didn't have a problem with the upper glass before "Mr. X" got it, when the time came to re-install it, he didn't know how and destroyed the connecting ribbon for the digitizer. That was obvious. Also he damaged the jack by trying to force the connection back into where it came from.
Notice the water indicators, they have been removed and put back down. Notice the ripple on the radio frequency shielding cap with the pink tag on it. That rippling would only occur if someone had used bad tools to open and pry the RF cover off. In fact there was no reason for anyone to be in the device that way.
"Mr. X" couldn't remember doing this to her phone but he needed it repaired because he wanted to date her. I have a friend that had a modest business with employees that had been assigned iPhones for work and personal use. As the economy started to crater, he let some of the employees go and now had a pristine version of a 32GB 3GS to sell for $315.
I sent "Mr. X" this message,
"The fellow is on the way from LA got back after 12:30 last night but I have an answer on the replacement phone and price.
Let's discuss the scope of the project.
My plan is to re-assemble her phone yet another time and then use it running to make a backup "blob" (binary large object) of the data as it exists on her phone.
Then dis-assemble it and re-build it with the logic board from my friends phone, using the best looking set of parts from both phones. His has a factory new upper glass and LCD... and probably a better battery
and logic board of course.
Then restore the data onto that new pristine White iPhone 32GB 3GS so to her it looks like it has never been monkeyed with.
The one thing her new phone will not have on it is her apps, she will still have to sink the phone to her computer or log into her iTunes store/app account to re-populate the apps on it.
The labor return shipping from my is covered by the $60 you've sent. My friend wants $315 for his phone.
I'll try to have him send a PayPal request to simplify this.
Paypal $315 to him through the PP request he will send.
Once that's paid I'll get to work and finish and send it back today so you get it tomorrow.
Frank"
It actually took a weekend and two more days before I heard back, but he covered the PayPal request and I started back on the project. I rebuilt it back again and then performed the data/extraction/backup. Tore it down again to use her backplate, (This would be the only recognizable part to her and it had to stay the same). Then I migrated the battery, display and logic board over and built it up for the last time. The last step was concluding a restore that would push all of her data over to the device.
The total charge from my side which included return shipping was $60. He did have to pay $315 for the replacement iPhone making this a $375 experiment. And that is typical of how things go when someone starts doing these things from a YouTube video with no real experience.
When asked about what I do, I now say, "I'm involved in making friends and saving lives."
|
«Previous Page 584 |
Next Page 586»
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
|
|
|
