iPhone / iPod repairs

[zourtney]

I hijacked Brad's old "hey I got an iPod" thread a while ago and started talking about my cracked iPhone glass. I figured I should make a new place to talk about this stuff.

So, post up your Apple device woes here!

[zourtney]

I'll start it off. As I mentioned above, Eve's old iPhone took a face plant on our kitchen floor and ended up with a cracked screen. It is still fully functional, but it is dizzying to try and read the screen with all those cracks. She's not using it anymore, but it'd still be nice to fix, even if just to use as an oversized iPod.

Official Apple repair is out the window; they quoted us $199 to repair (which is strangely synonymous with "replace" in the Apple store). It cost that much new (under contract).

This place seem reputable. While they're not the cheapest, it might be a good way to go. I think all I need is the glass and digitizer. However, this kit includes a few more parts and sounds easier to do at home. Listen to the last few minutes of the video -- I know, it's marketing, but I'm not very confident in my hardware repair skills at the moment.

But, at the cost of that, plus the cost of tools I'll need, I might as well just have them do it for me. It'd sure be nice to have the feeling of accomplishment of fixing it myself, but when I repair electronics, it never comes out quite right 

Edit: here's a good video of how to do it with the cheap kit (just glass and digitizer). It looks like a pain.

[Nick]

Where is a video?

[zourtney]

sorry, here it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mboB8p-sdw&sns=em

[Nick]

Looks intensive. But mostly doable and kinda fun to try. Well, fun if it weren't for the cost.  

I need to take mine apart and fix the headphone jack (again.)

[zourtney]

I find it amusing how easily the glass pulls away from the body. That site sells headphone Jack replacements (and I'm sure lots of other places must as well).

[Nick]

I bought a new headphone jack. And with the help of a little pocket multitool opened the case, desoldered the old jack and put in the new one. It was easier then I was expecting. After getting the jack loose I was able to maneuver it around the pcb board and pull it out. Installation is obviously the reverse of removal Now I can hopefully use all my headphones without suffering from a bad right channel.

[zourtney]

Cool, cool. That makes you Randomland's resident i-whatever expert. I still ought to fix Eve's old phone. Though I don't what I'd do with it. Know anyone with a heat gun? It's needed for ungluing some bracket...video here (or about 1000 other places).

[Nick]

Brad had one for a while. I think he was borrowing it though. But I think my grandma owns one she would like lend out. And there is always harbor freight.

Let us know how the phony repairs go. And take pictures

[zourtney]

If I do it, I might need some moral support!

[Nick]

Any time. I'll even operate a camera while you do it!

[zourtney]

Where did you get your iPod headphone jack? I need to order that glass and fix that thing soon, or else I'll forget about it forever. And I want to try silly things on it. Like jailbreaking and Andriod

[Nick]

Haha, that will be cool. I got it off the eaby from some company in California. They shipped it fast enough, but only placed it in a envelop. Not that it was a fragile part or anything that needed special packing. I think it cost me around five dollars all told. I could have gotten it cheaper.... but I still might be waiting on the shipping. (Dang those slow Hong Kong customs.) 

[zourtney]

Hmm ok. I've seen the part (glass+digitizer) range from about $15 to $50. Apparently some kits don't give you the adhesive which holds the glass to its frame...which is a problem. I'll just have to take a gamble and order from somewhere.

Do you have face sucking tools and itty bitty screw drivers? Or should I pick up a set of my own? (the screw drivers might be a nice thing to have around)

[Nick]

I have an itty-bitty screw driver... but its half broken. I don't have the face sucker as all the work on mine was on stuff on the back of it. So all I have needed to do is take the rear cover off. I also don't have the tools for opening the case. I have used various multi-tools to get it open. But mine had a crushed corner and a blanket of scratches on it when I got it. So I haven't worried about the metal tools making more scratches. Most of the kits online come with the tools to open it though. Just check and make sure whatever one your looking at does as well. It will make it all easier.