So, you just cracked the front panel on your tablet. Should you try to replace it yourself or just buy a new one? We hope these tips help you decide whether you want to repair your broken smartphone or tablet and that they point you in the right direction.
1. Repair at your own risk. Before making any repair, you must understand that you do so at your own risk and, you can damage the device beyond repair. Damage will not be covered under a warranty as their will be evidence that the device has been taken out of its packaging. You should only attempt a repair if you can’t afford to buy a new device or it is not covered under warranty.
2. Getting replacement parts can be tough, even impossible. Once you’ve decided to fix your device yourself, the next step is getting replacement parts. Unfortunately, this can be a real pain. It’s not like there’s a smartphone/tablet parts store on every street corner and manufacturers don’t make it easy for the average person to buy replacement parts. Luckily, the Internet is your friend. There are several sites that sell aftermarket and OEM replacement parts for smartphones and tablets. If one of them doesn’t have the part you need, try eBay. Even if you can’t find the individual component, you might find a broken unit that you can scrounge the part from. Do this at your own risk and don’t buy parts from water damaged phones or tablets.
3. Get the right tools. With your spare part in hand or at least in transit, you’ll need to make sure you have the tools you need to make the fix. Some devices, such as the newer iPhones and the MacBook Air require special screwdrivers to open. Many devices use standard Torx and Phillips screws, but they are just really small. We recommend getting a screwdriver set with a variety of small hex, Torx, Phillips, tri-wing, and nut driver bits. Because sometimes you don’t know what you’ll find inside that phone. You’ll also want to pick up a few tools to help you pry and pop loose your device’s outer case. We use these thin metal and plastic case opening tools, but tweezers, spudgers, and even a hair dryer or heat gun are good to have on hand.
4. Properly prepare the work space. Take a few minutes and prepare your work area. Remove any liquids that might spill or objects that might fall onto the device. Make sure you have a large enough area to work in and space to lay all the parts out neatly and create a safe spot to put all the tiny screws and small components you remove. Few things are more frustrating than crawling around the floor looking for a lost screw or spilling. Lastly, consider electrostatic discharge or ESD safety by wearing a grounding wrist strap or using an antistatic mat. This is essential as the body’s static electricity can damage your device (a little known fact for you).
5. Our final piece of advice is to take your time, don’t force anything, and document the process. If you’re having trouble removing your phone’s cover, perhaps you haven’t removed a hidden screw. If you can’t separate your tablet’s front panel, you may need to heat the adhesive that holds it in place. Try not to force anything, because that’s when you’re likely to break your device even more than it already is. And because you want to make sure you can put your gadget back together again, document the process with a few photos and notes as you go along.
Overheating your device can cause damage. Please understand that this is a fine art and should only be attempted if you are completely comfortable.
For more information visit: http://duotechelectronics.co.uk/
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