Sometimes battery life issues are actually due to settings. Here are a few tips and tricks to dramatically increase the battery life of your iPhone. If you have jailbroken your phone, research an application installed through Cydia called 'SBSETTINGS'. This program will allow you to easily enable/disable any of this settings with a simple swipe across the title bar, no matter what you are doing or using your phone for. Some of these options might require an additional plugin for SBSETTINGS, but they are all extremely useful, especially if you wish to enable/disable these features with tremendous ease!
* Turn Off PUSH Turning off PUSH will dramatically increase the battery life of your phone. While it is a great feature for some, most people don't need the features of PUSH necessarily. If you only use PUSH for email, we recommend that you disable push but enable fetching to checking your email every 15-30-60 minutes. SETTINGS > MAIL, CONTACTS, CALENDAR > FETCH. While 'fetch' uses less power to update, the more times your phone refreshes in a day, the quicker your power can be used up, but it is significantly less than utilizing FETCH.
* Turn Off BlueTooth Turning off BLUETOOTH will also help increase the battery life of your phone. If you don't use bluetooth frequently, turn it off when not in use. If you don't consistently use a bluetooth headset, we recommend that you disable this in your iPhone settings. SETTINGS > GENERAL > BLUETOOTH > OFF.
* Turn Off Wifi Turning off WI-FI will help increase the battery life of your phone because your phone will #1 Stop looking for new WI-FI connections if not connected, and #2 have your phone utilize 3G instead. While it might be slower to use 3G/EDGE, your phone uses less power to use these than wifi.
* Turn Off 3G 3G is a wonderful feature and increases your speed exponentially at times when perusing the internet. However, to utilize this faster network, your phone requires more power usage for such usage. If you disable 3G you can dramatically increase the life of your battery, which is great for times when you battery life is low and you need to preserve as much charge as possible. SETTINGS > GENERAL > NETWORK > ENABLE 3G > OFF. Note: Some T-Mobile users do not have 3G access in your home location. If you do not, you should disable this feature.
* If your battery life still is less than acceptable, we can replace your battery with an original battery. As of yet, there are no 'better' batteries out there than what was designed for the phone, i.e. I can't 'upgrade' your battery until someone designs a better one. If you happen to find one let me know!
Showing posts with label repair. Show all posts
Showing posts with label repair. Show all posts
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
What happens if your iPhone gets wet?
Sure, we fix iPhones, but if your phone gets wet, there is only so much we can do! But all is not lost... I have revived phones that have been completely submerged in water! How?
There are three critical things you need to do to ensure your phone survives a drowning....
#1) TURN IT OFF!!!! Yes, it might actually turn back on, but DO NOT DO IT! The more it is on while there is ANY moisture in the phone, the more damage it will cause!
#2) Get a Bag of Rice. Any bag will do, just a bag of rice. Open it, and place your phone inside. The rice will absorb the majority of the moisture out of the phone while you do step #3
#3) Contact US ASAP through facebook, email, my website, or phone (if you have another phone).
Since Apple doesn't cover water damage, you will loose your warranty anyway, but we will open up your phone and clean the components, extract any residual fluids, and run some tests on the phone before we turn it back on to see if there are indeed shorts in the phone. If your phone recovers, it could take as much as a week to regain consciousness.
So remember, OFF, RICE, and CONTACT US when you get your phone wet.
There are three critical things you need to do to ensure your phone survives a drowning....
#1) TURN IT OFF!!!! Yes, it might actually turn back on, but DO NOT DO IT! The more it is on while there is ANY moisture in the phone, the more damage it will cause!
#2) Get a Bag of Rice. Any bag will do, just a bag of rice. Open it, and place your phone inside. The rice will absorb the majority of the moisture out of the phone while you do step #3
#3) Contact US ASAP through facebook, email, my website, or phone (if you have another phone).
Since Apple doesn't cover water damage, you will loose your warranty anyway, but we will open up your phone and clean the components, extract any residual fluids, and run some tests on the phone before we turn it back on to see if there are indeed shorts in the phone. If your phone recovers, it could take as much as a week to regain consciousness.
So remember, OFF, RICE, and CONTACT US when you get your phone wet.
Friday, January 1, 2010
I dropped my iPhone... what next?
o lets say you dropped your phone... how do you know what all is broken and needs repair?
Most screen damage is limited to the external glass, called the lens. Symptoms include damaged/shattered/cracked glass that does not seem to effect the touchscreen or the screen content (you can see everything on the screen, it's just cracked). This kind of damage would be lens/digitizer repair.
What's a digitizer? That's what reads the touch on your iphone. 85% of the time, it will continue to work after a break. However, functionality will diminish as time goes on. Why? The digitizer is like a waferboard of glass and wires, attached to the bottom of the lens (the front glass that you actually touch). Even when you only crack your lens and not the digitizer, the wiring inside the digitizer can get dislodged, like a light bulb. It will probably work for some time, but eventually the pressures on different parts of the screen will create larger gaps in the wires, make the phone do quirky things, such as make things drag around or not release after tapping them.
What can you do in the meantime? Get some clear packing tape and place it over the glass of the phone. This will prevent the glass edges from tearing into you skin (fingers, ear, etc). Make sure you cut out the hole for the speaker inside the glass otherwise it will be muffled.
How long do repairs take for this kind of repair, and how much does it cost?
10 minutes, and $75 for 3G & 3GS. We do most of the repairs between clients, where we peel all the broken glass off the midframe, replace any damaged sensors/buttons, and apply our super-seal method to a fresh lens/digitizer to the frame. Once the sealant has cured, we can install it in your phone my transferring your LCD to the new frame/lens/digitizer.
What if your external glass (Lens) is fine, but the screen is splotchy or looks like there is cracks internally and ink blots? Well that would be a LCD repair. Those repairs take about 10 minutes to do and also cost anywhere from $75 to $125 depending on the phone.
Most screen damage is limited to the external glass, called the lens. Symptoms include damaged/shattered/cracked glass that does not seem to effect the touchscreen or the screen content (you can see everything on the screen, it's just cracked). This kind of damage would be lens/digitizer repair.
What's a digitizer? That's what reads the touch on your iphone. 85% of the time, it will continue to work after a break. However, functionality will diminish as time goes on. Why? The digitizer is like a waferboard of glass and wires, attached to the bottom of the lens (the front glass that you actually touch). Even when you only crack your lens and not the digitizer, the wiring inside the digitizer can get dislodged, like a light bulb. It will probably work for some time, but eventually the pressures on different parts of the screen will create larger gaps in the wires, make the phone do quirky things, such as make things drag around or not release after tapping them.
What can you do in the meantime? Get some clear packing tape and place it over the glass of the phone. This will prevent the glass edges from tearing into you skin (fingers, ear, etc). Make sure you cut out the hole for the speaker inside the glass otherwise it will be muffled.
How long do repairs take for this kind of repair, and how much does it cost?
10 minutes, and $75 for 3G & 3GS. We do most of the repairs between clients, where we peel all the broken glass off the midframe, replace any damaged sensors/buttons, and apply our super-seal method to a fresh lens/digitizer to the frame. Once the sealant has cured, we can install it in your phone my transferring your LCD to the new frame/lens/digitizer.
What if your external glass (Lens) is fine, but the screen is splotchy or looks like there is cracks internally and ink blots? Well that would be a LCD repair. Those repairs take about 10 minutes to do and also cost anywhere from $75 to $125 depending on the phone.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Jailbreaking... to be or not to be?
Jailbreaking allows your iPhone or iTouch to install and use a wide variety of programs unauthorized by Apple, which would include tools to improve performance on your iPhone. To do so, get 'redsn0w' (with a '0' zero not an 'o'). To install programs on your device, you would use Cydia and connect it to different 'repositories' which each have different sets of programs. There are some paid apps through cydia, but most apps are free and open to the public.
1) Download RedSn0w http://redsn0w.com/(snow spelled with a zero '0' not an 'o')
2) Open Cydia
3) Allow updates to download and install
4) Browse available applications, ring tones, modifications and more...
* NOTE: we will post our opinions of 'good' and 'bad' programs here in future posts, as some apps are 'cool' but either aren't designed well (thus crashing the phone) or other reasons.
Advantages of Jailbreaking:
Download 'hacked' versions of software (free versions of paid software)
Download enhancements for device functionality (such as allowing MMS on 2G iPhones, Tethering, and more)
Disadvantages of Jailbreaking:
Because of the legalistic release from the Apple Decision Makers, you will find some programs won't work correctly, or make your phone run slower
If you want to learn more, keep reading, otherwise the info above should get you started!
Long Version
So we've all heard of unlocking cellphones before, but this is different. 'Unlocking' refers to releasing your phone from the bond of the original cellular contract, i.e. getting an AT&T phone to work on T-Mobile.
Jailbreaking, however, is a process that allows iPhone and iPod Touch users to run any code on their devices, as opposed to only that code authorized by Apple. Once jailbroken, iPhone users are able to download many applications previously unavailable through the App Store via unofficial installers such as Cydia (DO NOT USE ROCK, ICY, or INSTALLER**), as well as illegal pirated apps. A jailbroken iPhone or iPod Touch is still able to use and update apps downloaded and purchased from Apple's official App Store.
Jailbreaking is distinct from SIM unlocking, which, once completed, means that the mobile phone will accept any SIM without restriction on, for example, the country or network operator of origin. Jailbreaking, according to Apple, voids Apple's warranty on the device, although this is quickly remedied by restoring the device in iTunes.
Can all iPhones be Jailbroken? Yes, and no... Some of the later versions of the 3GS iPhones have a newer level of protection that has been jailbroken, but only slightly. If you have any other device, you can jailbreak your phone by using the two programs listed below:
Blackra1n - On October 11, 2009, George Hotz, known under alias geohot, released the tool blackra1n, which allows the jailbreaking of all iPhones and iPod touch devices running iPhone OS 3.1.2 (although the iPod touch 3rd generation is tethered, it must be plugged into a computer every time it boots. Same with the later-model 3GS). While Blackra1n is super easy to use on both Mac & PC, it's jailbreak (and unlock) are not foolproof and come with some inherent problems.
Redsn0w - Made by the Dev Team: The iPhone Dev Team is a group of hackers in the iPhone OS community who have developed many hacking (jailbreaking) and unlocking applications for Apple Inc.'s iPhone and iPod Touch devices. These applications provide owners with the ability to sidestep the limitations placed on devices by the manufacturer, allowing for activities such as deep customization and SIM unlocking. Although they are not always the first to create jailbreak tools for new versions of the iPhone OS and new models of iPhone and iPod, their releases are widely considered to be the most reliable and bug-free - and often also boast the most customization options.
redsn0w is a utility that jailbreaks the 3.0 and 3.0.1 version of the iPhone OS. It does so by downloading the custom firmware from the Internet, and then installing it onto the device. It allows users to install either Cydia or Icy, or both. This allows the user access to tweaks, home-brew applications, and the root directory and file system.
Cydia (pronounced /ˈsɪd.i.ə/) is a software application for the iPhone OS that lets a user browse and download applications for a jailbroken iPhone or iPod Touch. It was developed by Jay Freeman (also known as "saurik").
Cydia provides a more user-friendly graphical user interface for some open-source software-installation tools originally developed for Linux (specifically APT, and the dpkg package management system). Cydia's repositories allow the installation of software packages, most of which are available to download at no cost.Cydia also includes the Cydia Store, which offers a number of applications for sale. Both free and paid software packages are downloaded directly to an iPhone or iPod Touch device, to the same location as Apple's pre-installed applications (the /Applications/ directory).
Cydia however can be frustrating compared to the app store, as it will take longer to view available applications when you enter the program, and sometimes is a little frustrating to get started installing applications. However, it is the best option to getting great customizations, programs, ringtones and more without much (if at all) technical knowledge!
1) Download RedSn0w http://redsn0w.com/(snow spelled with a zero '0' not an 'o')
2) Open Cydia
3) Allow updates to download and install
4) Browse available applications, ring tones, modifications and more...
* NOTE: we will post our opinions of 'good' and 'bad' programs here in future posts, as some apps are 'cool' but either aren't designed well (thus crashing the phone) or other reasons.
Advantages of Jailbreaking:
Download 'hacked' versions of software (free versions of paid software)
Download enhancements for device functionality (such as allowing MMS on 2G iPhones, Tethering, and more)
Disadvantages of Jailbreaking:
Because of the legalistic release from the Apple Decision Makers, you will find some programs won't work correctly, or make your phone run slower
If you want to learn more, keep reading, otherwise the info above should get you started!
Long Version
So we've all heard of unlocking cellphones before, but this is different. 'Unlocking' refers to releasing your phone from the bond of the original cellular contract, i.e. getting an AT&T phone to work on T-Mobile.
Jailbreaking, however, is a process that allows iPhone and iPod Touch users to run any code on their devices, as opposed to only that code authorized by Apple. Once jailbroken, iPhone users are able to download many applications previously unavailable through the App Store via unofficial installers such as Cydia (DO NOT USE ROCK, ICY, or INSTALLER**), as well as illegal pirated apps. A jailbroken iPhone or iPod Touch is still able to use and update apps downloaded and purchased from Apple's official App Store.
Jailbreaking is distinct from SIM unlocking, which, once completed, means that the mobile phone will accept any SIM without restriction on, for example, the country or network operator of origin. Jailbreaking, according to Apple, voids Apple's warranty on the device, although this is quickly remedied by restoring the device in iTunes.
Can all iPhones be Jailbroken? Yes, and no... Some of the later versions of the 3GS iPhones have a newer level of protection that has been jailbroken, but only slightly. If you have any other device, you can jailbreak your phone by using the two programs listed below:
Blackra1n - On October 11, 2009, George Hotz, known under alias geohot, released the tool blackra1n, which allows the jailbreaking of all iPhones and iPod touch devices running iPhone OS 3.1.2 (although the iPod touch 3rd generation is tethered, it must be plugged into a computer every time it boots. Same with the later-model 3GS). While Blackra1n is super easy to use on both Mac & PC, it's jailbreak (and unlock) are not foolproof and come with some inherent problems.
Redsn0w - Made by the Dev Team: The iPhone Dev Team is a group of hackers in the iPhone OS community who have developed many hacking (jailbreaking) and unlocking applications for Apple Inc.'s iPhone and iPod Touch devices. These applications provide owners with the ability to sidestep the limitations placed on devices by the manufacturer, allowing for activities such as deep customization and SIM unlocking. Although they are not always the first to create jailbreak tools for new versions of the iPhone OS and new models of iPhone and iPod, their releases are widely considered to be the most reliable and bug-free - and often also boast the most customization options.
redsn0w is a utility that jailbreaks the 3.0 and 3.0.1 version of the iPhone OS. It does so by downloading the custom firmware from the Internet, and then installing it onto the device. It allows users to install either Cydia or Icy, or both. This allows the user access to tweaks, home-brew applications, and the root directory and file system.
Cydia (pronounced /ˈsɪd.i.ə/) is a software application for the iPhone OS that lets a user browse and download applications for a jailbroken iPhone or iPod Touch. It was developed by Jay Freeman (also known as "saurik").
Cydia provides a more user-friendly graphical user interface for some open-source software-installation tools originally developed for Linux (specifically APT, and the dpkg package management system). Cydia's repositories allow the installation of software packages, most of which are available to download at no cost.Cydia also includes the Cydia Store, which offers a number of applications for sale. Both free and paid software packages are downloaded directly to an iPhone or iPod Touch device, to the same location as Apple's pre-installed applications (the /Applications/ directory).
Cydia however can be frustrating compared to the app store, as it will take longer to view available applications when you enter the program, and sometimes is a little frustrating to get started installing applications. However, it is the best option to getting great customizations, programs, ringtones and more without much (if at all) technical knowledge!
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