Finding Someone/somewhere Who Will Repair A Tablet

[Old_Geezer]

I own a Google Pixel C tablet. It has recently gone out of warranty and so this was precisely the time it managed to get a fault.

It has become obvious that the issue is an internal faulty connection for sometimes I can get it to work (get the screen to update) by pressing down on part of the back of the tablet. Unfortunately it is reluctant to temporarily come back that way now.

The manufacturer, Google, doesn't care, it's out of warranty, they simply have a mantra they keep repeating, that one can take it to any local repair shop. But strangely they can not or will not indicate any that will actually look at it.

The retailer, Currys, don't seem to care either. It's out of warranty, they aren't interested in repairing it, and think I will find it hard to find someone who is willing to melt the glue sealing the unit, and pull out the screen, in order to get to the connections inside. And so it seems.

Anyone know where tablets can be repaired ?

TIA.

[EDDIE51]

They are basically one big integrated circuit. Repair is normally impossible. You are expected to throw it away and get a new one. Repair would almost certainly cost more than buying another one even if it is possible. You can not 'melt' the glue , it is thermosetting adhesive ,it sets permanently after application and cannot be 'melted' again.

[sherrardk]

I found the man who repairs all of our tablets and mobiles through FB (an online car boot group).

[dannyk13]

OG, Depends where you live, suggest you look in yellow pages.

[Buenchico]

If I was seeking a firm to repair a tablet I'd ignore PC repair places (who often don't want to have anything to do with anything other than desktops and laptops running Windows) and try mobile phone repair shops instead.

I've found several possibilities in Ipswich simply by googling 'Ipswich tablet repairs', then clicking on the map that comes up, zooming in and checking out the details about possible firms shown on the map (with those details helpfully including review scores). Trying a similar search based upon your nearest large town might help you to find a suitable firm.

[Old_Geezer]

Thanks for all the replies. Have to say i was/am nervous about the small outfits, no idea if you've found some bodger who's just trying their hand; so was expecting a bigger brand name with a reputation to lose would be a better bet. But I'll see if I can find something at yell.com or thomsons local.

[Peter Pedant]

I'm free !
sorry just wanting to quote Inman on are you being werved

There are a few where I live (M40 - as a post code not a motorway) none that I would recommend

[Peter Pedant]

// If I was seeking a firm//

if I were
if I were
o god standards are slipping even on 'putas

[Canary42]

werved? putas? So much for standards.

[Buenchico]

I'd much rather trust a small local firm (especially if someone I trust has recommended them to me or if they've got good reviews on Trust Pilot and/or Google) than the likes of Curry's/PC World. The latter's technicians are notorious for their 'using a sledgehammer to crack a nut' approach. They'll happily completely wipe hard drives and then reinstall windows (thus destroying vital data for a computer's owner) rather than do something simple (such as blitzing adware or resetting the TCP/IP stack). So their customers end up paying sixty quid to get a computer back without any files or documents on it and which will need many, many hours of Windows updates to get it fully running again. (I've known that happen to people when their description of the fault that caused them to take their machine to PC World told me that I could have fixed it for free in under a minute!)

As I've suggested above, use Google to find local traders in your area. Check the reviews on Google, then check Trust Pilot as well.

[Old_Geezer]

Google proved awkward. Had difficulty getting it to understand that "tablet repair" didn't include such unrelated things as central heating engineers nor places like Currys that I already know aren't interested. When I started to achieve something I tried 2 "local areas". One had nothing remotely close, the other seems to have some as far out as London, but claims they come to you. Will look further tomorrow.

[237SJ]

I took my Samsung tablet apart myself and fixed it. There was no ungluing of the screen involved. You could join your local Nextdoor website (used to be Streetlife) and ask for recommendations for a fixer on there.

[Buenchico]

Where (very roughly) do you live, O_G?

[Old_Geezer]

Based in 2 areas. Near to Bristol and near to St. Albans/Welwyn. (I'm rather mobile ;-) )

[Buenchico]

Pickle IT in Knowle might be worth a try. It appears to be a one-man firm, operating from home, but the Google reviews seem positive enough. You could phone him for a quote first and, if you're happy with it, drop your tablet around to his house. He operates a 'no fix, no fee' policy:
https://pickle-it.co.uk/

Bristol Gadgets also has a 'no fix, no fee' policy. They operate from a shop in Fishponds. The majority of their reviews on Yell.com are 5 stars (but with a few dissenting voices):
https://www.bristolgadgets.co.uk/tablet-repairs

[Buenchico]

The Facebook reviews for BrunelTech, in Clifton Village, are generally very good:
http://bruneltech.co.uk/tablet-repairs/

[Old_Geezer]

Cheers. I'll check those out. (Didn't get around to progressing it today.)

[Old_Geezer]

Thought I'd add a small update. Took the tablet to one of those small repair shops that, to me, look so 'dodgy' and I'd prefer to avoid. That was Saturday. Despite the same day service sign I was told the knowledgeable guy was out until Tuesday or Wednesday, so still waiting in hope. (Didn't help confidence to be asked more than once what model it was.) We'll see, I guess.

[Old_Geezer]

Just had a call. Chap says he's run further tests and knows it isn't a connection issue. (I'm unsure how.) Says it's either software corruption (I may be wrong but have my doubts given past symptoms) or a main board issue that would be too expensive to replace. (I think he might not wish to remove the screen, personally.) Given the ok to try a software load. Here's hoping.

[Old_Geezer]

I phoned chasing the job, was told they were having issues getting hold of the software to replace. Apple or Samsung, fine, Google, no chance. Currys/PC World found the same. He's hoping to get software from folk who've extracted it, but it sounds risky to me. What the heck's Google playing at not allowing the software to be available for fixes, when they aren't interested in fixing their stuff themselves ? Good grief.

[woofgang]

what they are playing at is selling you new kit!