Talbottics LLC

05/31/2023

If you need repairs to a phone that runs the Android OS and it has a glass back, the back must be intact in order to remove it in one piece, complete the repair, and re-install the back. If the back is cracked or broken at all it will not come off in one piece (well, it might come off in one piece, but it will definitely suffer further, often extensive, damage). The repair would have to include a back glass replacement ($12 and up depending on make/model/color) for the part. Almost all repairs require the back be removed.

For iPhones, the back does not need to be removed to perform most repairs. If the back glass on your iPhone is broken, I won’t be able to replace it. Larger repair shops completely dismantle the phone, then use an expensive laser machine to pulverize the adhesive in just a few seconds. I’d have to pulverize the glass with a punch and scrape the adhesive and broken glass with a scalpel-like device. The process is labor intensive, time consuming, cost-prohibitive, and can cause unintended damage. I recommend iPhone back glass repairs be done by Apple.

02/16/2023

I don’t stock very many parts. When you consider how many phone/tablet brands there are, multiplied by the number of models that exist, multiplied by the number of problems each model could have, I’d need an enormous amount of parts on hand and it would cost a fortune. And I’d never sell the vast majority of those parts. So you might say I could stock parts for the most common problem on the most common device. There is no such thing. There are only three phone models that I’ve repaired more than once, and each had a different problem.

So, I diagnose a device and order only the needed parts. Quite often I receive the parts in 48-72 hours (not accounting for weather-related shipping delays), unless it’s a battery. Lithium-ion batteries ship via ground only. This week my supplier in Virginia combined three of my parts orders. I did not ask them to do this and I haven’t seen them do it before. Only one of the orders contained a lithium-ion battery, but that meant all three orders were shipped via ground, which of course is the slowest service out there - typically seven days. So, while I do my best to get devices repaired ASAP, some things are beyond my control. I appreciate your patience and understanding. And, yes, I am calling my supplier to see if I can prevent this from happening again.

01/22/2023

Cell phone manufacturers make it hard to get original replacement parts. If they do provide them, they are often more expensive than what they charge for the part if you paid the manufacturer to repair the device, which is often quite expensive as well.

Third party repair facilities can repair your device much cheaper, but only if we can get quality parts at a reasonable wholesale price. There are a couple of wholesale suppliers out there who can get quality parts from China and sell them to repair facilities at a reasonable price. I typically use Mobilesentrix and Injured Gadgets but they are both being sued by Samsung. Samsung doesn’t think you should be able to buy replacement parts from anyone but them.

Apple is of the same mindset. And both charge exorbitant prices for their parts. Apple even goes so far as to place an integrated circuit on some of their parts so that it can tell if the original part is missing and then display a persistent and annoying message about the phone not containing original parts. And, in some cases, it will limit the part’s functionality.

Yes, repairs can be expensive. Things will get even more expensive if Samsung and Apple can monopolize the replacement parts market.

Several companies have tried for years to kill independent repair businesses.

09/25/2022

On many of the newer iPhone models Apple has installed a small circuit board on the battery that tells the phone it has an Apple battery installed, and contains data the iOS uses to display battery health information. This board only comes on original and replacement batteries purchased from Apple, and not on aftermarket batteries installed by typical repair shops. Apple replacement batteries can only be purchased from or installed by Apple or Apple authorized repair shops (becoming an Apple authorized repair shop is virtually impossible for small repair businesses because of Apple’s business sales and stock requirements).

So, if we replace your battery we (typically) use Ampsentrix batteries which have great performance and reliability but cause your iPhone to display an annoying message about not having an original Apple battery installed. It also won’t provide any information about the battery’s health other than the charge percentage.

The fix is to remove the board from your original Apple battery and install it on the replacement battery. The problem is that it’s easier said than done. It requires special tools and computer software to recalibrate the battery. The data on the iPhone 11 and 12 is encrypted and cannot be accessed, so it’s not even possible on those models.

It’s a shame Apple continues to resort to such measures in an attempt to thwart third-party repairs. They’ve resorted to similar measures on their displays (glass/screens).

I can easily change your battery with a quality replacement but I can’t get rid of the annoying message at this time.

11/04/2021

*Update: Apple appears to be reversing this decision based on negative responses. They said they will fix it in an upcoming software release.

The new iPhone 13 has a microchip on the screen that matches it to the phone. If you break the screen, it is easily replaced, but if you had the repair performed by anyone but Apple or one of their authorized repair techs, you will lose Face ID. Why? This article explains it well, and also gives you an idea why we don’t do microsoldering in-house:

The newest iPhone disables Face ID after a screen swap, unless you take it to Apple—or learn to microsolder. It’s an inflection point for fixers everywhere.

06/22/2021

When you purchase a replacement charging cord and/or wall plug, make sure you buy a quality part. For iPhones, make sure the part is MFI rated (Made For IOS). The cheap parts sold in convenience stores are fire hazards.

06/14/2021

My son, Tristan, and I are certified repair technicians. Tristan just graduated from Cascade High School. - Matt

06/10/2021

Most cell phone and tablet repairs involve diagnosing the issue and replacing the problem part(s). If a component on a printed circuit board is damaged, it must be repaired by a skilled micro-solderer. While we have the equipment to do some micro-soldering in-house, we don't have a whole lot of experience with it. If your device needs repairs to a printed circuit board we will send it out to a trusted associate so you can know it was done professionally.

06/07/2021

Some repairs may cost more than a device is worth, and sometimes a repair is just not possible. This is why you need to back up your data regularly. You don’t want to be paying for expensive repairs on an obsolete device just to recover the photos and contacts. If you bring us such a device, begging for us to recover your priceless data, we will see if we can get it working again. However, if the device cannot be repaired, consider your data gone. There is no excuse for not backing up your data.

05/06/2021

Using a passcode on your cell phone or tablet is the single best thing you can do to protect your privacy and prevent theft.

03/27/2021

Did you know?

An an iPhone battery is good for about 500 cycles. A cycle is when you use all of the battery’s power. The effect is cumulative, so partial discharges over several days will result in one cycle. Most phones reach 500 cycles in 2-3 years. When you check the battery health, your battery is good if the maximum capacity shown is over 80%. Once it drops below 80%, you will begin to experience power-related issues.

The screenshot below is from a 15 month-old iPhone 11, and it is showing a maximum capacity of 91%. The battery will likely last nearly three years.

Most batteries can be replaced for $30-$60, but sometimes even less if we’re already repairing another phone component. Opening the phone is typically the most time consuming part of phone repair, so if we’re already in there, there’s usually no additional labor charge to change the battery.

03/24/2021

Did you know?

On most smartphones the front glass is attached to the LCD or OLED screen and is installed as an assembly. If you break the glass, the assembly must be replaced. Assemblies come in various grades, from OEM quality to cheap Chinese junk. Some assemblies are bare bones, while others include the front camera, ear speaker, microphone, and/or proximity sensor.

Some companies are selling refurbished assemblies. The process involves removing the broken glass from a good display screen and affixing new glass using specialized tools.

So, if you’ve broken the front glass on your phone, the cost of replacement depends on whether you want to replace it with new OEM quality parts, refurbished parts, or the cheapest parts we can find. In most cases, the difference is only $20-$30, which is why we always recommend using the best parts.

We can replace the screen assembly on an iPhone 8 Plus for $55-$70 plus tax depending on the part quality you choose.