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Where to get an Android Phone fixed?

Lord_AsmodeusLord_Asmodeus goeticSobriquet:Here is your magical cryptic riddle-tumour: I AM A TIME MACHINERegistered User regular
in Moe's Stupid Technology Tavern
So I have a Nexus 5X that slid into a sink and the bottom got soaked for a second or two, now the touchscreen is variously unresponsive and sending out ghost signals all the time. The rest of the phone seems to work, but I don't know if it's broken broken or if there's water in there or something else that could be fixed by professional. My question is, since my google-fu in this is weak, is what kind of physical locations would be best to take it into to try and get it fixed before I try to haggle LG or Google Fi about getting a fix/replacement I have to ship out for (since as far as I can tell my Google Fi Device Protection plan only involves sending me a new one and not repairing the current one)

Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if Labor had not first existed. Labor is superior to capital, and deserves much the higher consideration. - Lincoln

Posts

  • a5ehrena5ehren AtlantaRegistered User regular
    edited May 2017
    Google's RMA process is pretty painless (assuming you bought it direct from Fi or the Play Store). They'll send you the new-to-you device first (usually 2-3 days from opening the ticket to your door) and then you use that packaging to mail your busted one back.

    A repair in this case would mean replacing the whole screen assembly, which will cost you $100-$150.

    a5ehren on
  • Lord_AsmodeusLord_Asmodeus goeticSobriquet: Here is your magical cryptic riddle-tumour: I AM A TIME MACHINERegistered User regular
    Well I'd still like to go in and ask, and also I'd like to see about transferring any data I can before sending the phone back, so I'd still need to know what kind of stores would do that kind of thing.

    Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if Labor had not first existed. Labor is superior to capital, and deserves much the higher consideration. - Lincoln
  • a5ehrena5ehren AtlantaRegistered User regular
    I can't blanket recommend anything because most of the phone repair chains are regional (that I know of), but a generic search for "cell phone repair" should turn up some stand-alone stores that only do that. I would generally trust a stand-alone place over something integrated with a Best Buy or a mall kiosk, but YMMV.

    Since you don't have an Apple or Samsung phone they almost certainly won't have parts on-hand, but they'll be able to order parts if needed. Data backup/restore services probably mostly depend on which tech they hand your phone off to.

    The new phone's setup process will offer to transfer data for you, but I have to admit that I generally prefer to treat it as a clean install and just setup my accounts again. The app data cloud backup situation on Android is getting better, but it is still nothing resembling universal.

    Helium Backup is the only non-root solution that I know of (barring ADB shenanigans), but it can be a bit of a pain.

  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    Google search "phone repair" in your area, there should be a brick and mortar store that will be able to fix your phone. And with it being a Nexus, I would be surprised if they don't have at least some parts for it in stock. If I can get an Xperia Z3 fixed in a couple of hours here in Western Australia, you should be able to have work done on your Nexus.

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