Well, they finally did it. They killed my ****ing car (Droid).

January 12, 2011 8:18 AM

Help! My beloved Droid's screen is blank after a fall, and I need last-ditch repair / replacement ideas.

My poor original Droid has suffered more than its share of falls. This time, it fell from about waist height onto a hard tile floor, landed flat on its screen, and the battery popped out. I can't see any new physical damage (there's a crack that has been there for months and hasn't caused problems). When I power on my phone now, the backlight comes on dimly and the lighted icons (back, menu, hone, search) at the bottom of the screen light up, but the screen itself is completely blank. When I get an email the phone makes the usual sound and its indicator light flashes. So:

1) I realize it sounds like my phone is bricked. But I always try to fix these things first. What are my last-ditch options for attempting a fix? Can Verizon help me? I have tried removing the battery for a long period of time and then booting, and I've tried booting without the SD card installed.

2) Unfortunately, Verizon's 4G phones aren't out yet, so I'd really rather not buy an expensive phone now - I live and work in an area that should get some 4G coverage so if I'm going to upgrade, I'm going to wait for 4G. What are your thoughts on a temporary solution that either a) allows me to do maps, web browsing, and apps better than a Blackberry or b) saves me money? I have a work phone that I can forward my calls to, but it's a Blackberry and really doesn't do any of the smarphone-y things that I want. Can I get a beater used smartphone for $100? Everything on eBay seems to be going for $250+. Or are there other, more creative options that I'm missing?

posted by Tehhund to Technology (2 answers total)

Best answer: Your phone might not be bricked. The fall may have just caused the cable that connects the screen to the circuitboard to pop off/out. When I replaced the screen on my iPhone, the cable that connected the backlight was just a press-fit type connection. I have never seen the inside of a Droid, but it may be the same. See if there are any youtube videos about replacing the screen on a Droid. They should at least let you know what kind of connector there is inside. If it looks like that might be the case, it sounds like you don't have much to lose by opening it up and checking. You may be able to reconnect it and go on your merry way.

If you are shy about opening it up then those repair kiosk odinsdream mentioned are not a bad option.

Or you can mail it to me. :)
posted by keeo at 9:04 AM on January 12, 2011

Response by poster: I found a repair shop - I didn't even know they existed. I walked in and pressed the power button to demonstrate the issue, and it powered up properly, screen and all. No repairs needed, and it's been working fine ever since.

Thanks for the tips about the repair shops - apparently they magically fix your phone as soon as you arrive.
posted by Tehhund at 5:55 AM on May 12, 2011