Repair -- Engadget

repair posts

Microsoft ends Xbox 360 RROD "coffin" program, still paying for shipping

by Nilay Patel posted Jun 9th 2009 at 2:32PM

Getting an Xbox 360 RROD was never any fun, but at least getting it fixed was easy, since a quick phone call would get you a pre-paid "coffin" in which to send the broken console back for repairs. Not anymore -- although Redmond will still pay for return shipping, the company's beancounters have decided to axe the expense of sending custom packaging out to people who need repairs, meaning anyone who gets an RROD will need to pack things themselves. Not the end of the world, but we share Joystiq's take: just send it however you can, since MS is fixing it anyway, and then save the return carton in case something else goes wrong -- knowing the 360, it very well might.

Canon confirms line defect on G10, denies existence of fourth-dimensional UFOs

by Tim Stevens posted Apr 27th 2009 at 9:12AM

Streaky lines on your G10 photos? Don't call MUFON, hit up your local Canon repair center. The company is acknowledging an issue that results in small, horizontal defects like that pictured above. Apparently such aberrations seem to appear at random, regardless of camera settings, but the affected units' serial numbers are at least easy to pick out at the read link. Not exactly good news for Canon, hot on the heels of the 50D vertical banding fix, but at least it isn't attempting some sort of cover-up.

Update: LimeyHoya commented to let us know Canon USA has posted up the same notice, meaning you can now figure out if you're affected without having to ponder any abstract Google Translate koans.

[Via Impress]

A bit of surgery gives the HP Mini 1000 new sight

by Paul Miller posted Feb 26th 2009 at 1:19PM

HP's Mini 1000 might get all the ladies, but the netbook is not without its flaws. Apparently in the manufacturing process somebody forgot to remove the protective film from the webcam lens, giving thousands of netbooks incredibly impaired vision of their handsome owners. HP hasn't fessed up to the problem in any grand manner, but an HP employee was kind enough to do some on-the-spot surgery of Gear Diary's Vivienne Tam-edition Mini 1000. It's not super-involved, so check out the video after the break and then go scare the life out of your girlfriend when you suddenly attack her flowery netbook with a pair of knives. Tell her Engadget sent you.

Update: At the time this post is going live, the video has been pulled from YouTube. We're not sure what's up with that, but the procedure is pretty simple: wedge open the top of the screen, push down the two connecting tabs to separate it more, pull off the film with tweezers. This might void your warrant (in fact, probably does) so proceed at your own risk!

[Via GottaBeMobile]

Continue reading A bit of surgery gives the HP Mini 1000 new sight

Titan's air jack lifts your car with hot air, can't be used for a game of volleyball

by Tim Stevens posted Sep 3rd 2008 at 10:11AM

The only thing worse than getting a punctured tire is trying to use a flimsy scissor jack to change it. Break down on a dirt or snow-covered road and you probably have as good a shot at losing your hand as you do fixing a flat. Not so with the Titan, which may look like an exhaust-powered whoopee cushion, but can actually haul cars (even lifted rigs) up into the air on nearly any surface. Just run a hose to the exhaust of a running car, and the $120 (and up) balloon will gently raise the vehicle aloft -- and by "gently" we mean "really, really slowly." It's probably a little faster than calling AAA, but not as easy as Superjack's remote-controlled kit for lazies. If you have the patience, check out the vid after the break for six minutes of tire-changing action.

[Via Autoblog]

Continue reading Titan's air jack lifts your car with hot air, can't be used for a game of volleyball

Trek Stop: a vending machine for skinny people

by Darren Murph posted Jul 11th 2008 at 12:59PM

Fat kids want cake, skinny kids abstain, right? Whatever philosophy you subscribe to, chances are you'll only see the world's fittest stopping by a Trek Stop. This curious vending machine is currently parked in Madison, Wisconsin and enables cyclists to nab spare parts (an extra tube, patch kit, water bottle, etc.) or healthy snacks while rolling by. As for installation? Prepare to get greasy.

[Via AutoblogGreen]

Gamer's erased Xbox 360 story comes to a happy close

by Joshua Topolsky posted Mar 7th 2008 at 11:31PM

Like they say, all's well that ends well -- and that's certainly true in the case of a gamer named Nathaniel. If you'll recall, the Xbox 360 owner had sent his very personalized console into Microsoft for repairs, making very clear that the signed and drawn-on system had great sentimental value to him... which the technicians in Redmond promptly ignored. After the console returned to him wiped clean of the aforementioned "value," it seemed like all hope was lost. Luckily, the kind souls at Bungie have taken it upon themselves to try and right the wrongs perpetrated in this case, and have mailed Nathaniel a super-ultra-mega awesome package, featuring a Legendary Edition helmet signed by most of the Bungie studio staff, the soundtrack disc signed by Martin O'Donnel, a jacket, t-shirt, limited edition wireless controllers, and much, much, much more. Hit the read link to get the full story, and check out Nathaniel's thanks to the gaming community and Bungie.

[Thanks, Saad]

5-year-olds repair OLPC laptops at Nigerian "hospital"

by Joshua Topolsky posted Feb 3rd 2008 at 11:52AM

During the recent Greener Gadgets Conference in New York, former OLPC CTO (and XO challenger) Mary Lou Jepsen discussed the real-world difficulties with using the kid-friendly laptops, including the creation of an XO "hospital" used to repair broken computers. Apparently, in the crowded conditions of schools in places like Nigeria, the little green laptops have a tendency to be jostled around and even knocked on the floor from time to time. As there's typically no repair shops nearby, the kids have learned to fix the systems themselves, setting up a "laptop hospital" where they can repair what's broken using simple tools and cheap replacement parts. Mary Lou says the company designed the systems to be easily fixable, including extra screws embedded in the computers themselves, and allowing for quick changes of the LCD backlight and other components. The in-house repairs cut down on shipping, promote reuse, and increase kids' understanding of ownership and responsibility, thus furthering the OLPC mission, and making everyone generally want to hug.

[Image courtesy NotebookReview / Kevin O'Brien]

EA acknowledges Rock Band guitar defect, promises replacements

by Darren Murph posted Nov 30th 2007 at 8:10AM

Although it was but a week ago that we first caught wind of potential Rock Band hardware issues, it seems the problems are more than just a figment of our imagination. We know, living that rock 'n roll lifestyle can certainly cloud your judgment, but if you're certain your axe is experiencing some issues -- particularly with the strum bar -- EA's here to help. The company has affirmed that certain guitars in initial shipments may have left the warehouse with "an imperfection [in] the strum bar," and if you're one of the afflicted, EA is offering a brand new replacement gratis. So go on, hit the link below to get the process started, and while you're waiting to get a shiny new Strat, why not brush up on those drum rolls?

[Via Joystiq]
Read - EA confirms guitar issues
Read - Replacement website

Astronauts repair torn solar panel in seven hour spacewalk

by Conrad Quilty-Harper posted Nov 4th 2007 at 12:15PM

Astronaut Scott Parazynski pulled the short straw (probably on purpose: you know what these astronaut types are like) and had the task of repairing the ripped solar array on the International Space Station. Mission complete, as Parazynski managed to move the guide wires that caused the damage out of the way and "stitched" together the two and half feet rip, the whole time managing to avoid touching the panels and their 100 volt charge. It's the furthest any astronaut on the ISS had been outside the cabin, and as such it took an hour to get there on a 90 foot robot arm. What would we do without duct tape?

[Via Crave]

Microsoft offers retrofit for Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel

by Joshua Topolsky posted Aug 23rd 2007 at 9:51AM

Microsoft has announced plans to provide a free retrofit for its Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel which fixes a malfunction in the chassis that may cause the device to "smoke" when the AC/DC power supply is being used. According to Redmond, there haven't been any reports of fire, personal injury, or property damage -- though clearly the game-maker wants to address this problem before it's got a pile of lawsuits on its hands. Apparently, the wheel works just fine with battery power (which Microsoft suggests you use until the repair is made), though plugging it in could be a little dangerous. Unfortunate owners of the faulty product should get themselves over to the company's Xbox support page to get the ball rolling on their wheel surgery.

[Thanks, Arneh]

Microsoft launches US Xbox 360 service website

by Darren Murph posted Aug 6th 2007 at 1:17AM

Amidst all of this not-exactly-forthright price cutting going on with the Xbox 360, it looks like Microsoft has finally launched a more organized method of detailing and tracking the process of sending your faulty US-based Xbox 360 back in for repair. Reportedly, the new web portal allows American console owners to register their machine, attach a Windows Live ID, schedule a repair, and track the status of said mending. Additionally, users who register will supposedly receive a five dollar credit towards out-of-warranty repair service should they need it, but considering that the warranty was just extended to three full years, you should be covered for a good while yet.

[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]

Sony offers repair on 416,000 Cyber-shot cameras

by Joshua Topolsky posted Aug 2nd 2007 at 9:50AM

Sony announced plans today to offer repairs on the casings of 416,000 Cyber-shot DSC-T5 digital cameras the company has sold, as the bottom plating can warp and create a sharp edge which can cut or scratch user's hands. The repairs will affect 66,000 of the cameras sold in Japan, and another 350,000 which have been sold in the US, Europe, and China. A Sony spokesperson says about 30 customers in Japan and several others overseas reported "finding" the defect, which probably means a trip to the ER after trying to take a family photo. The company suggests checking model and serial numbers to see if your camera is affected -- we suggest leather gloves.

Apple launches battery replacement program for iPhone

by Ryan Block posted Jul 4th 2007 at 3:56PM

Well, it seems Apple has reacted -- at least partially -- to the gripe that the iPhone battery isn't user replaceable with the iPhone Out-of-Warranty Battery Replacement Program. If your battery goes flat Apple will replace it for $79.95 plus $6.95 for shipping, with turnaround time expected to be about three business days. As a bonus, if you just can't live without Cupertino's newest, Apple will rent you an iPhone for the duration of the battery replacement -- or if it needs any other type of repair -- for just $29. In total, the whole experience will set you back well over that magical $100 mark, and after having shelled out a pretty big load of cash to begin with, we're sure this won't sit well with many. Of course, ~~exploding~~ after-market batteries will be all over in the coming weeks and months, so if you just can't get yourself to spend all that official-Apple-repair cake, eBay should have you covered for home replacement.

[Via Mac Rumors]

17-inch PowerBooks starting to see new vertical-line screen defects?

by Ryan Block posted Jun 2nd 2007 at 6:03PM

We have no idea how widespread the problem is, but there is certainly a group of people trying to raise some hell in their own corner of the internets over some supposed vertical-line issues that later-gen PowerBooks are claimed to experience between 12-24 months into their lives. We understand that not everyone buys a laptop a year like your average (broke-ass) Engadget editor, so if these issues are in fact that common, we hope Apple does see it fit to extend that Display Repair Extension Program to users experiencing this new kind of screen issue.

P.S. -You having the issue yourself? Shout it out in comments.

Danes claim to have "proven" iBook G4 logic board defect

by Nilay Patel posted May 4th 2007 at 5:01AM

Looks like Steve needs to spend a little less time working on his blog and a little more time hammering out the kinks in his portables. You may recall the endless logic board problems with the original G3 iBook, which was eventually the subject of an official Apple "repair extension program." Apple claimed to have worked all those problems out in the G4 rev, but there were still reports around the 'net that many of the machines tended to fail in the same way as the G3s after a year or so: sporadically powering off and then rebooting to black screens and whirring fans. For its part, Apple generally insisted that there were no defects in the G4 design and didn't implement a similar repair program. That might have been the wrong course of action, however, as the Consumer Complaints Board in Denmark just released the results of a study they say shows certain components on the iBook G4 logic board loosen slightly with each power cycle, leading to overall system failure. The Board also concluded that Apple is liable to Danish G4 owners for repairs, and indeed, El Reg reports that Apple International is now settling a number of outstanding cases. No word yet on how this will play out outside of Denmark, but we'd think the opinion of the world's most most technologically-advanced nation might hold some sway at 1 Infinite Loop.