Category: Blog

If you are in the market for a cellphone, choosing between a new and refurbished one is not a decision to be taken lightly. If you’re deciding between a new and refurbished model, make sure you take the time to do your research. Still not sure which route to take? We’ve got some tips on when it might make sense to buy a refurbished phone.

THE CASE FOR REFURBISHED PHONES

A refurbished phone is a cost efficient alternative to the expensive new phones that you just might lose or damage anyway. The only big concern when buying a refurbished phone is its lifespan. However, more and more phones are being turned in after only a few years of use. Most of today’s refurbished phones are trustworthy and capable of standing the test of time. Some are even brand new as plenty of new cellphone buyers change their mind after trying out a new model. Since these types of phones can’t be sold again as “new,” they are considered refurbished or “used” even though nothing is wrong with them.

It is worth noting that there is a distinction to be made between refurbished and used phones. Refurbished phones have been used, but the word “used” means something different. Used phones are sold on an “as is” basis. These phones have not been fixed or tested and have no guarantees attached to them. Alternatively, refurbished cellphones are inspected, tested, repaired and cleaned for the next user. These phones are meant to function just like those that come brand new out of the box.

If your cellphone has malfunctioned, you might be tempted to attempt a DIY fix with cheap parts and a handy dandy guide from the Internet. While this seems like a quick and cost efficient fix, it can turn into a nightmare. Relying on cheap parts to replace ones that have malfunctioned is a risk you should never take.

CHEAP PARTS AREN’T WORTH THE RISK

While it is possible to install low-cost parts into your broken cellphone, doing so is not prudent. Those cheap parts rarely stand the test of time. Imagine ordering those parts from the web, finding a DIY repair guide, installing the parts and thinking you are good to go until a month later when the phone once again malfunctions. It’s a never ending cycle that will burn a hole in your pocket, cause plenty of frustration and cut into your free time.

It is also worth noting that plenty of cellphone owners who attempt the DIY repair route with low cost parts often damage the phone even more, creating the need for additional parts. That means more money down the drain and a very unhappy cellphone owner. These customers show up at our shop all the time with half assembled cellphones, bags of parts and frowns on their faces.

Fixing broken cellphones is actually much more difficult than it looks. Even if you are able to get the phone back in one piece after installing those bargain bin parts, the screen might not turn on or something else could easily go wrong. If this happens, you will be in for an extensive and tedious troubleshooting process.

We live in an age of remarkable mobile technology. Our cellphones do just about everything from telling us the weather forecast to helping us find significant others. But these phones are not invincible. Get a little bit of water onto the motherboard and it might not function. If this happens to you, do not despair! Wireless Rx is here to save the day.

WATER DAMAGE REPAIR SERVICE

There is no better place to take your liquid damaged cellphone than Wireless Rx. We have just invested in a Crest CP500D Ultrasonic Cleaner to repair all those compromised cellphone boards. We heat a chemical solution to just the right temperature until it vibrates and creates micro bubbles that knock the corrosion right off of the board. Think of these bubbles as little scrubbers that get into those tiny nooks and crannies along the phone’s board.

This is a stark contrast to most of our competitors who typically use cheap equipment that sometimes runs as low as a couple hundred dollars or less. Some shops even cut corners and use rubbing alcohol along with a toothbrush for the repair attempt. They then sit there with their fingers crossed, hoping that it works! That’s no way to fix a compromised board.

Life happens, and so do accidents. When those accidents happen to your cellphone, it is difficult not to let life come to a total stand still. It takes just a fraction of a second for a dropped phone to shatter and completely separate you from your cyber-world. It’s easy to see if your screen is cracked as the damage will be obvious.

But many customers come to Wireless RX with what they think is only a broken screen, only to find out from the technician that the LCD is also broken.

SCREEN VS. LCD: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

What you see as your phone’s screen is actually made up of layers. You are probably most familiar with the layer of glass serving as the phone’s top-most screen. The glass screen is designed to protect, view and operate your phone. But beneath this layer of glass lies the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen. The LCD screen is what powers your phone’s touch-response and is responsible for the quality of images it displays.

HOW TO TELL IF THE LCD IS BROKEN

When your phone’s screen is damaged, it’s easy to see; it will appear shattered, cracked or scratched. But just because your screen is cracked doesn’t mean the LCD is broken. In fact, it could still be in perfect working order. So how do you know if its damaged, too? Your LCD screen is likely damaged if you see:

• Out-of-place lines, scratches or patterns that appear on the screen
• Black spots or areas that look blurry
• A completely black screen