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Best tools for upgrading PCs and laptops in 2024
Need to make some repairs or upgrades? Be sure you have the right tools for your PC.
There are still plenty of great laptops on the market that offer some degree of upgradeability, and on the desktop side, DIY tinkering is a main selling feature. You might want to add some RAM or extra solid-state drive (SSD) capacity to your laptop, or you might want to perform a full rebuild of your beloved gaming PC.
Apple making diagnostic tools available to everyone is a big win for right-to-repair
Apple has made strides for right-to-repair, and its latest program might actually be the most useful one to date for average users.
It's up for debate whether Apple's efforts to expand self-service repair have been of its own volition or are the result of increasing pressure from right-to-repair advocates and regulators. Regardless, one thing is clear: Apple's recent repair offerings are big wins for consumers. Earlier this month, Apple announced that it would expand its Self-Service Repair Program to give end users access to its internal diagnostic tools. This move can potentially be the most impactful right-to-repair feature Apple has shipped to date, but is it as good as it sounds? To find out, we tested it on a 15-inch MacBook Air.
Google Pixel repairs could soon be offered at select Best Buy locations
A new program could be underway, with in-store Pixel repairs set to arrive at Best Buy locations.
It used to be a pain to get your smartphone repaired, having to wait weeks at a time for it to be sent out to a repair center. But over the past few years, things have dramatically improved, with repair partnerships with giant retailers like Best Buy, third-party repair services like uBreakiFix, and manufacturers even making self-service an option with parts availability through vendors like iFixit. Apparently, Samsung isn't the only one pushing its repair efforts further, with a new report sharing that Best Buy could soon offer Pixel repairs in-store at select locations.
Samsung set to strengthen and expand repair network with new flagship locations
Samsung invests more in its repair network, providing more tools and resources.
If you're in the United States, Samsung has one of the best repair networks, offering a variety of different services in all 50 states. With that said, the company is investing more resources into its repair network, appointing 50 existing uBreakiFix repair locations as flagship Samsung repair locations by the end of the year. These designated locations will gain access to specialized repair equipment and new parts inventory. Furthermore, staff at these locations will also receive specialized training focused on Samsung devices.
These 5 Prime Day deals on tech repair tools will save you money now and later
The best way to save money in tech is to repair your own devices, and you can now do just that thanks to some Prime Day deals.
We've been covering Amazon Prime Day deals that can save you hundreds — maybe thousands — of dollars over the past two days, but these savings will only help you out at the time of purchase. But if you take advantage of some deals on tech repair tools, you can save money today and for years down the road.
You'll soon be able to repair your Google Pixel Fold with parts from iFixit
Good news for those that want to repair their Pixel Fold at home.
Over the past few years, smartphone companies have made big strides and formed good partnerships in order to make self-repairs easier by partnering with companies like iFixit to supply official manuals, parts, and more. Currently, iFixit is working with a number of big companies, one of those being Google, a partnership that started last year, allowing the company to offer parts for the Pixel 2 and up. Now, iFixit will also offer parts for the recently released Pixel Fold, making it the first foldable that can be repaired from the comfort of your home.
With so much of our day-to-day lives tied to our phones, it can be downright terrifying when your iPhone won’t turn on or charge. The common IT solution, turning it off and back on again, certainly won't work if your iPhone doesn't turn on in the first place. Thankfully, there are products like Tenorshare ReiBoot that are designed to recover and repair iOS systems safely at home.
Google releases Pixel 7 series repair manuals, but there's a catch
The official Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro repair manuals are here, but it's not currently available for download in most parts of the world.
The right-to-repair movement has been going strong in the US and other parts of the world, nudging companies to do the right thing by giving DIYers and hobbyists access to official parts and self-repair options. Now, Google has released its official repair manuals for the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, but if you want access to them, there's just a small catch.
Apple's Self Service Repair Program now lets you fix M1 Mac desktops in the U.S.
Apple's do-it-yourself repair program has expanded to include support for M1 Mac desktops and the Apple Studio Display, but only in the U.S.
Apple's Self Service Repair Program is seeing a bit of expansion. Do-it-yourself repairs on many of Apple's desktop products are now possible through the program, with the new products including the M1-powered iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Studio, and even the Apple Studio Display, but only in the United States
Apple's Self Service Repair program makes its way to the U.K. and Europe
Users in eight more countries can now repair their iPhones and Apple silicon Macs at home.
After announcing plans to give customers the option to repair some of their devices at home last year, Apple launched its Self Service Repair program in the U.S. this April. The program initially covered a few iPhone models, but the company added support for Apple Silicon MacBook models a few months down the line. Apple has now expanded the program to Europe, allowing more users to repair their iPhones and Macs at home.
A new Samsung trademark reveals a self-service repair app that could streamline future repairs
A new Samsung trademark has been uncovered, revealing a potential future where the company takes more control of its self-service repairs service.
The difference is night and day if you compare the right-to-repair movement now and maybe five years ago. It has become stronger over the past couple of years, and companies have even stepped in, providing tools, manuals, and parts so that customers can repair their own devices if they choose to. While Samsung wasn't early in support of the movement, it did partner with iFixit over the summer, providing parts for some of its most popular products like the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S20, and Galaxy S7 Plus tablet.
EU proposes regulation to improve software update and spare part availability for smartphones and tablets
The EU has proposed a new regulation to improve software update and spare part availability for smartphones and tablets. Read on to learn more.
As part of its efforts to make consumer electronics more sustainable, the EU has proposed new regulations that will require OEMs to offer at least five years of security updates and three years of OS updates to their devices. In addition, EU regulators have also suggested minimum spare part requirements for smartphones and tablets sold in the region for a minimum of five years.
How a version of Doom running on a John Deere tractor champions the right-to-repair movement
A researcher showed off a version of Doom running on a John Deere Universal Display while also championing the right-to-repair movement.
Right to repair has been a hot topic over the past several years. As products have become more complicated, so has the process of repairing them. Thankfully, some companies, Samsung, Google, and Apple, just to name a few, are leaning into the movement, offerings parts and repair manuals for some of their products. But there are still so many other brands unwilling to participate, making it as difficult as possible to repair their products. John Deere, the tractor company, falls in the latter category. Now it looks like things might be changing, as a security researcher has recently shared his efforts to crack open John Deere's tractor software, giving operators new hope.
New York's Right to Repair bill is a great start, but it doesn't cover all electronic devices
New York has become the first state to pass a bill for a Right to Repair law. However, it doesn't cover all electronic devices.
Having the power to repair your own electronic devices has been a hot topic for debate over the past couple of years. Now, the city of New York has passed legislature on an electronics Right to Repair bill. If the governor signs the bill, it will require manufacturers that sell electronic products in the city of New York to offer parts, tools, repair manuals, and necessary software directly to consumers and independent repair shops.
Face ID stops working on iPhone 13 after any third-party screen replacements
A new video points out that Face ID stops working after non-authorized repairs, but it's not clear if it's a bug or intended functionality.
Apple just released the iPhone 13 series earlier this month, with four models to choose from: the iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max. The phones are a step up from previous models, with smoother displays and enhanced cameras, but the iPhone 13 series appears to be a downgrade from earlier iPhones in at least one regard — Face ID will stop working after anyone except Apple (or an Apple-authorized repair center) replaces your screen.
T-Mobile is upgrading 500 stores to offer same-day device repair
T-Mobile will now offer in-store same-day device repair services in 500 retail locations across the U.S. in partnership with Assurant.
T-Mobile customers will soon be able to take advantage of same-day device repair services in 500 stores across the U.S. That means if you pick up a new iPhone 13 or another phone through the carrier, you may not have to wait very long to get it fixed.
Biden signs executive order promoting the need for right-to-repair laws
Biden has signed an executive order promoting the need for right-to-repair laws, This comes after other countries and the EU introduced them.
An executive order signed by U.S. President Joe Biden has called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to institute rules to facilitate customers repairing their own technology, in what appears to be a major win for the right-to-repair movement. It was reported several days ago that the Biden was gearing up to sign the executive order, following after both the EU and the UK introduced their own right-to-repair laws.
Samsung India now shows you the price of spare parts to quickly get repair estimates
Samsung India is now listing replacement costs for key parts of its smartphones on its website. This includes everything from the Galaxy S10 to the On7.
For a modern flagship smartphone to be competitive in today's market, it needs to have all the latest features. Be it dual-frequency GNSS or every feature added in Bluetooth 5, there's a lot for manufacturers to consider. This abundance of features can make smartphones difficult to repair as the number of parts increases. More parts mean more potential for breakage. In a move to possibly counter this, Samsung has listed replacement costs for key parts of its smartphones on its website.