iFixit, the company that pioneered at-home smartphone and tablet repair, used Independence Day as a great reason to give away 15,000 iPhone Liberation Kits. To receive the free iphone liberation kit, customers had to sign up on the company’s website, and doing so added people to iFixit’s self-described infrequent newsletter and online Repair Pledge, according to Network World. And while the free kits were quickly snapped up, iFixit is continuing Liberation Week celebrations with a coupon good for $10 off a $50 purchase through July 4.
iFixit services and products help users open up their electronics (mostly for smartphones and tablets, though computers and game consoles are also featured) using purchasable toolkits and replacement parts, as well as walkthroughs for repairs. They are regularly the first to physically open up new products to see what major companies are actually putting into devices. For example, iFixit was the first to discover that the iPhone 5s was equipped with a 1560mAh battery.
But before you start opening and prodding your iPhone, be warned that Apple warranties do not cover the accidental damage your experimenting could cause and may become void. Proceed with caution.
iFixit Saves the Day
Have you ever dropped your iPhone in water, or had your tablet battery malfunction? Normally you’d be out of luck and unable to tend to your phone’s internal damage, but not with the iPhone Liberation Kit. The kit is equipped with a pentalobe driver to remove the screws in your device and replace them with standard Phillips screws, allowing you to open your phone in the case of an emergency. At only $10, it’s worth the price.
The Liberation Kit also makes a good gift for your iPhone-wielding friends, but just make sure you know what model they have. The iPhone 4 and 4s are identical for toolkits, but the 5, 5c, 5s, and different colors for the 5s all require slightly different kits.
Have you ever opened up your smartphone, tablet, or laptop computer? Was it to fix it or merely out of curiosity? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.
Image courtesy of Flickr
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