(DirectFix.com was formerly known as PDAparts.com and GetHighTech.com)
How To Fix Your Broken Smartphone
2015-1-20Tony Bradley
If you’ve ever dropped your smartphone you know that time almost seems to come to a halt as you helplessly watch it crash to the ground, seemingly in slow motion. Then you close your eyes, take a deep breath, and inspect it—hoping and praying that the display isn’t cracked or shattered. Thankfully, if it is damaged and you need to repair your smartphone, you have some options available.
I had a few damaged iPhones lying around. I wasn’t sure whether or not there were cost-effective solutions available to repair them, or if it would be better to just write them off and get something new. I decided to explore the options available for fixing a smartphone—both do-it-yourself kits and professional services. The good news is that it’s possible to repair a smartphone for a reasonable cost.
(Original Article Here)
The End of Academic Elites
2015-11-28Mike Konrad
The internet has changed everything, so much so that even I, a man who has been online for 19 years, am constantly amazed at the pace of accelerated change. The printing press changed the world in a few decades in the 16th century. The internet is even more revolutionary.
Even more so than the press, the internet has evaporated prior means of didactic instruction. The printing press created change, but only the rich could afford to buy one. For less than $100 today, one can get a domain and start a media empire on the web.
(Original Article Here)
How I replaced my iPhone 4S battery for $8
2013-1-25Rick Broida
Talk about an inconvenient truth: right around the 12-month mark, your iPhone battery will start to wear out. You'll notice that it doesn't last quite so long between charges, a problem that just gets worse as more time passes. By 18 months or two years, you'll be lucky to get half a day of run time.
Apple famously (make that infamously) engineers iPhones without a battery door, so you can't just swap in a new power pack. However, you can indeed replace your iPhone's battery, and it's cheaper and easier than you might think.
(Original Article Here)
DirectFix Wins "The Blades Ecommerce Awards" for Unique Marketing
2013-3-1Miva Merchant
AX Micro Solutions, Inc., a.k.a. DirectFix, began in 1998 as PowerToThePalm.com, with a focus on showing ordinary people what the inside of the latest model Palm unit looked like, how to dis- and re-assemble it, and selling the parts to fix it. Today, DirectFix sells quality repair parts and accessories for iPhone, iPad, iPod and Android phones, as well as repair services for many units. In 2002, DirectFix became the first company to offer free how-to videos, with no purchase necessary. Offering their free, branded videos on YouTube put the DirectFix name in front of millions of people, and provided a gateway to other sites and blogs that have since embedded links to DirectFix’s quality videos. In addition to the traffic and sales that are driven to DirectFix.com, as a YouTube partner the company also earns profits on the revenue generated by its videos.
Winners of the Blades Ecommerce Awards
HTC One S teardown leaves little to the imagination (video)
2012-5-21Zachary Lutz
Whether you're looking to replace a damaged screen, swap a battery, or just make damn sure that the warranty of your HTC One S is void, DirectFix can help with its latest teardown video. This is the first time that we've seen a detailed inner peek at the smartphone itself, and those who appreciate fine craftsmanship are sure to dig this one. To get deep within the phone, you'll need a nylon spudger, a Torx T5 and precision Phillips screwdriver, along with steady hands and -- if the display's adhesive isn't cooperating -- a hairdryer. Once the handset's back cover is removed, it becomes quite easy to see how the battery pack dominates the inner space, which is complemented up top by a blue plastic shield that includes the lens cover and protects the main board. From there, many fragile connectors must be removed before the display can be separated from the handset, which is attached with adhesive. Naturally, putting the phone back together can be a bit tricky in its own right, which makes it quite a shame that YouTube videos can't play in reverse.
(Original Article Here)
BlackBerry PlayBook disassembled on video
2011-5-24George Wong
While we know that the BlackBerry PlayBook was taken apart only hours after it went on sale, iFixit’s guide only had text instructions and photographs to guide users through the process – not a very intuitive guide for folks who would rather have videos of someone guiding them through the process. Well, those people are in luck.
DirectFix.com, a site aimed at teaching people how to fix their own mobile devices recently released a video that demonstrates how to take apart the BlackBerry PlayBook. They even teach you how to replace the LCD and touchscreen panel on the PlayBook in case the need ever arises for you to perform such things.
(Original Article Here)
Online Video Offers Low-Cost Marketing For Your Company
2011-3-20KERMIT PATTISON
Directfix.com sells replacement parts and accessories for smartphones and other electronics. The business faces a constant customer service challenge: showing lay people how to take apart electronic gadgets and install fragile components.
In the early days, the company used pictures and text, said Robert Stanley, founder and chief executive. Inevitably, those instructions left customers with questions that placed a burden on the company’s customer service department. In 2007, the company began posting how-to videos on YouTube. That summer, it released one of the first videos showing how to take apart an iPhone, a video that has been viewed more than two million times.
The company has compiled a library of instructional videos that have reduced customer questions by half, allowed the company to eliminate phone support and cut its customer service budget about 40 percent. Without video, Mr. Stanley said, he would have to hire four or five additional employees.
"You can tell somebody over the phone to turn the screw in the top right corner,” he said, “and they might understand what you mean and they might not. If you show them on a video, they get the point."
Best iPhone and iPod Repair Services
2010-8-13Best Covery
When it comes to those helpful iPhone and iPod devices we carry around, we love them until something goes wrong and often times things just do. From dropping your phone in the driveway and getting those great cracked screens to mistakenly soaking your iPhone or iPod in water – your device will most likely need some kind of tender loving care in it's lifetime, especially if you are mistake-prone (like me) or keep your devices for a long time. So I've compiled a list of the best iPhone and iPod repair services around to get your iPhone or iPod back into shape after a tragic mishap.
DirectFix.com is my favorite repair service because they give you the opportunity to manage your iPhone and iPod repairs yourself and that usually translates into big savings! DirectFix.com is an online retailer selling do-it-yourself iPhone repair and what makes them one of the best is that they also have free video directions that helps users repair their own broken screens on their iPhone and iPod units. The video repair directions, tutorials, and videos are available free online and do not require any purchase – which saves you money. This money savings is perfect to go toward your next iPhone or iPod upgrade later down the line.
Shatter your iPhone 4 screen? Here's how to fix it
2010-6-25Rick Broida
I think we can all agree at this point that the iPhone 4 launch is not going well for Apple or its customers. In just two days since its release, iPhone 4 owners have found a plethora of potential and real-world problems, from a faulty antennas and Bluetooth headset connectivity issues to screen discolorations and scratches.
Then there's the phone's glass. Why oh why did Apple decide to use glass for the back of the iPhone 4? As Ryan Salerno, a Gizmodo writer, discovered this morning, glass is breakable.
(More Info Here)
How to Replace Your Broken iPhone 4 Screen
2010-6-25Kat Hannaford
In this iPhone 4 teardown video, DirectFix.com explains how to repair a broken screen—very handy if you didn't spring for the insurance, and like our very own Ryan, have suffered breakage already.
Along with the usual caveats and warnings about doing this yourself, DirectFix's video is a clear and comprehensive tutorial on screen replacement, but also shows off the iPhone 4's innards in HD.
(More Info Here)
Not All iPhone Repair Directions Are Created Equal
2010-5-6Computer User
Taking a metal spudger to a phone and ripping it apart is not the same as instructing someone how to properly fix a phone.
Morgan Hill, Calif. (PRWEB) May 6, 2010 -- DirectFix.com, the leader in \"You Fix It\" replacement parts, accessories and videos for iPhones, Blackberrys, iPods, PDAs and handheld games, today announced an article on educating people on the difference between ripping an iPhone or other electronic gadget apart with a metal spudger and teaching someone how to properly take apart / repair an item.
DirectFix Featured on TechNow Tv Show
2010-1-13Tech Now
DirectFix.com was featured on the TechNow TV program on Jan 16, 2010. Host Scott McGrew talked about the Free YouTube Repair Videos and also the discount parts for people to fix their iPhone Screen. (Click here to watch the video)
iPhone Fix? There's a YouTube for That
2010-1-26Scott McGrew
Think the only solution when your iPhone screen is broken or your iPod quits playing is to spend hundreds of dollars on professional repairs? Guess again. (Click here to watch the video)
Repairing Your Palm TX PDA Digitizer
2009-9-3Scientific Computing
If you are like me, you find it difficult to live without your trusty PDA. I rely on it for so many things, such as writing this column, that I'd be lost without it. Unfortunately, by their very nature, they tend to be rather fragile devices. This is particularly true for those who might have a tendency to drop or sit on them...
DirectFix.com Has sold over 10,000 iPhone and iPhone 3G screens
2009-5-17Wirelessweek
DirectFix.com says it sold over 10,000 iPhone and iPhone 3G screens and touch panels, generating more than 3 million unique visitors to its replacement screen video tutorials on YouTube.com. The company says that instead of replacing broken iPhones at full retail price or shipping a broken phone for repairs, over 1,000 customers a month now elect to purchase and replace iPhone touch screens and LCDs themselves by following the online repair videos at DirectFix.com.
Oops! iDropped It…. iPhone “Butterfingers” Get New Life for Broken iPhone Screens
2009-5-28marketwire
Morgan Hill, Calif. May 28, 2009 DirectFix.com, the leader in You Fix It replacement parts, accessories and videos for iPhones, Blackberrys, iPods, PDAs and handheld games, today announced it sold over 10,000 iPhone and iPhone 3G screens & touch panels, generating over 3 million unique visitors to its replacement screen video tutorials on YouTube.com.
Instead of replacing broken iPhones at full retail price or shipping your broken phone for costly and lengthy repairs, over 1000 customers a month now elect to purchase and replace iPhone touch screens and LCDs themselves by following the online repair videos at DirectFix.com.
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Broken iPhone LCD and/or touch screen? Fix it yourself
2009-5-20pencomputing
With over 20 million iPhones sold, there will be broken screens and digitizers, and maybe yours is one of them. Apple can fix it, of course, but that can take a while. An alternate is getting replacement parts from DirectFix.com. They also have instructional videos and everything else you need to get your iPhone back into working condition. The warranty goes bye-bye if you do that, so keep that in mind. -- Posted Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Don’t Throw Out Your Broken iPod; Fix It via the Web
2007-11-20PETER WAYNER
...Knowledge is only half of the battle. A number of sites specialize in providing spare parts but also provide the information on how to install them as the incentive to use the site. PDAparts.com, for instance, sells replacement screens, batteries, cases and other parts for Palm Treos, iPaqs and other P.D.A.’s. Videos describing the process of opening the cases — probably the trickiest part of repairing today’s electronics — can be downloaded from the site.
Dealing with a cracked iPhone screen: Repair, other options
2007-8-16Ben Wilson
...Do-it-yourself: $150-$200 tools and loss of your warranty Several third-party companies sell replacement iPhone screens, which include the LCD and associated components. PDAParts sells the complete replacement screen for $150 and has a how-to video for self-installation.....
Fix a PDA Yourself
2006-11-22Mae Kowalke
Well, at least if you’re talking about smartphones and PDAs, there is a company out there with an alternate solution to waiting several weeks for the manufacturer of a Treo, for example, to replace a broken screen...
A Cracking Good Repair Guide
2005-6-2Matt Lake
Fix a busted PDA screen? Not as hard as you might think.
Make Magazine (Technology On Your Time)
2005-5-23Matt Lake
Crack Open an iPAQ
I found instructions for replacing the battery at PDAparts.com. Which also sold the battery. The replacement battery arrived in the mail within several days. I then set out to remove the back cover with their instructions...
ONLINE GUY: Broken PDA? Site helps you fix it
2005-4-14Las Vegas Review Journal
Next time your PDA needs to be repaired or your iPod needs a new battery, try doing it yourself, with the help of PDAParts.com. Even technophobes should be able to order the correct replacement parts and tools, and follow the simple instructions to get your device working and looking like new...
GetHighTech, Inc. is an online source for a variety of spare parts
2003-9-3pocket pc magazine
"newsBYTES" Page 12
GetHighTech, Inc. is an online source for a variety of spare parts for iPAQ and Jornada Pocket PCs, including screens, batteries..
BEST PDA REPAIR SITE ON THE NET
2003-8-18about.com
GetHighTech.com - Best of the Net
This is the a great stop for PDA repairs and parts. They also have a great selection of refurbished PDAs and accessories. Be sure to check them out.
PDA emergency!
2003-1-20about.com
"PDA emergency!"
Personal digital assistants such as the Palm and Sony Clie entered our pockets only a few short years ago, but the litany of problems reported by users has already spawned a mini-industry...
Ultimate Troubleshooting Guide
2002-9-27handheld computing
Page 25 "Ultimate Troubleshooting Guide"
Nice article in the Sept. 2002 issue of HandHeld Computing Magazine. They also show a picture of our webpage with the free how-to videos.
The Hard Edge - Mondo PDA Cool
2002-9-21computer shopper 100
Mondo PDA Cool
Suppose you own a PDA. (Unless you're Bill, who doesn't. - Alice) Then it breaks. Either you throw it away and buy a new one ($ouch$), or your send it back to the company and see what, if anything, it can do to fix it. How anout a third choice: GetHighTech. More than a pretty face. GetHighTech is a cornucopia of spare parts for PDAs...
GetHighTech WebPage Shown on TechLive
2002-7-31techtv
GetHighTech WebPage was featured on TechTV show called TechLive
To Replace or Repair? Read the article from the show.
Guaranteed to Last A Whole 90 Days
2002-7-16wallstreet journal
Guaranteed to Last A Whole 90 Days - Companies Slash Warranties, Making Gadgets Disposable; `We Design Landfills'
By Jane Spencer
...Another way tech companies encourage upgrades is by setting repair costs prohibitively high. At Palm, getting a replacement for a cracked screen costs $125 - even though Web-based repair companies like GetHighTech.com manage to fix them for closer to $50. The site also offers videos and guides to help users make basic repairs on their units...
Learning Series - Your PC Troubleshooting Help Desk
2002-7-10smartcomputing magazine
This Old PDA
Rescue Your Palm OS Device From The Scrap Heap
July 2002? Vol.8 Issue 7
Page(s) 66-69 in print issue
You rush through yet another unfamiliar airport terminal, trying to catch a flight. As you pull out your trusty PDA (personal digital assistant) to check flight information, some other harried traveler racing down the terminal bumps into you. The collision catches you unaware, and before you can react, the PDA is flying out of your hand and crashing to the floor. The once pristine glass screen now sports multiple cracks...
Company Specialized in PDA Parts and Repair
2002-6-1Jende Huang
It started out as a hobby, as well as a desire to help inform people about the inner workings of PDAs. Now, Mr. Stanley is founder and president of a successful online business dedicated to assisting PDA users....
- By: Jende Huang
Do-It-Yourself Handheld Repairs
2002-4-3Steve Niles
In my opinion, though, the next best thing to knowing how to do a thing is knowing where to find out how to do it. From now on, whenever someone writes in to ask me how to replace a cracked screen or how to resuscitate a Palm handheld that has apparently suffered the equivalent of a major coronary, I'll refer him to the extremely knowledgeable and friendly folks at Gethightech.com"...
Target last year's customers with creative marketing opportunities
2001-10-25businessweek
Target last year's customers with creative marketing opportunities that encourage repeat business.
Mr. Stanley, whose company, GetHighTech, repairs and resells personal digital assistants, plans to send a special edition of his e-mail newsletter to the 3,500 customers on his mailing list. He'll be pushing holiday specials and also offering tips and new-product reviews. By including the how-to information, he makes the newsletter more than just an ad and ensures that it will be well read, forwarded to online PDA-users groups, and printed out and passed around by techies.
New Uses For Old Handheld Devices
2000-8-22Matthew G. Nelson
Has your old handheld device outlived its usefulness? It might not be as worthless as you think. Several companies have found a way to make money with these old devices. They're purchasing discontinued Palm and Hewlett-Packard PDAs, which can then be cannibalized for parts and resold for use in repairing broken machines. Robby Stanley, president and founder of Gethightech Inc. in Morgan Hill, Calif., has been buying and selling used Palm and Handspring devices for two years. Two months ago, he quit his IT job with headhunter firm Hall-Kinion to focus on his online business, which now has five employees.