Ellen PhillipsQ: I need every penny I can get my hands on to buy Christmas gifts. The last thing I want is to replace older electronics, such as my five-year-old iPad. Any suggestions for DIY?
A: Murphy's Law says anytime we've got money saved, especially for a particular reason, something kicks the bucket and that savings must go toward repair or replacement. If your iPad (or cell phone or laptop) bites the dust, sometimes you can do the necessary salvage yourself and still hang onto your extra cash. Bottom Line Personal suggests some great do-it-yourself solutions.
1. Cracked tablet/smartphone screen: Depending on the device, you may be able to replace the screen. Check online to see how complicated the DIY replacement might be, as well as the cost. Assuming it's only the glass screen that covers the LCD panel, the cost is nominal (less than $20). If the panel itself is broken or the LCD and glass are permanently fused to one another and both parts must be replaced, costs can soar to $100 or more. If you can live with a cracked screen, so much the better, but do buy a case that includes a transparent screen protector.
2. Waterlogged device: The first cell phone I ever owned went swimming in a cup of coffee. At that time, I knew nothing about rice rescuing (or any other kind, for that matter) so I ended up purchasing a new phone - and insurancew. Three more broken times has been the (insurance) charm, as I'm as hard on my phones as I am on my poor husband. By the way, speaking of rice, turn off the phone's power by the quickest method possible. Remove the battery and leave the compartment open to air out. Dry off the outside of the device with a towel and then loosely wrap the former in a paper towel and place it in a plastic bag full of uncooked rice. Seal the bag tightly and keep it like this for one day and preferably two. If this sounds like way more trouble than you'd like, buy a bag targeted to dry out electronics but before they get wet. Electronic stores or websites sell these specialty bags for $10 to $30.
3 Kaput battery: While most laptops or smartphones possess an easily replaceable battery, a few can baffle the brain. Some Apple laptops fall in the latter category, as do some smartphones (iPhone, Motorola Droid Razr and a few Nokia Lumia). Most tablets contain embedded batteries. In order to replace all these batteries, open the case (which might be easier said than done). Not only are some batteries glued into place making the job tedious at best, others are actually soldered or mandate removal of the mother board. When purchasing replacement electronics, Bottom Line advises us to lean toward batteries and battery sellers that have positive feedback from large numbers of reviewers. Carefully research higher-priced items of any kind before purchase.
4. Sticking or missing laptop keyboard keys: Keyboard replacement is usually easy and inexpensive. Take a good look at the plastic that covers the top of the keyboard and the hinge at the screen's base; remove the plastic by gently prizing it up or by removing a few screws located on the laptop's underbelly. Then take out the small screws that hold the keyboard in place and disconnect the cable. Replacement keyboards run about 20 bucks though certain models can cost as much as $80. (Mac laptop keyboards may need the entire upper case replaced, which can be difficult and expensive.
5. Flickering laptop display: Move the screen back and forth a tad to see if the light brightens or improves. If so, turn over the laptop and remove the battery and the screws that hold the outer case together. Once open, locate the LCD "ribbon cable" (a bundle of wires grouped together into a flat, ribbon-like piece of plastic) that runs up through the hinge to the screen. One end of this should connect to the laptop's circuit board; gradually disconnect and then reconnect. While the aforementioned procedure often solves the problem, don't hesitate to call a computer geek if you hit a snag rather than continuing to DIY.
Ellen Phillips is a retired English teacher who has written two consumer-oriented books. Contact her at consumer watch@timesfreepress.com.