I have a Galaxy S4 that ate the onboard chip for battery control. The chips are available in pandaland but it takes a hot air repair station to remove and install the chip.There is a video on youtube that explains the process. But I did not see any application of solder, only what I can assume to be (flux?)I cannot understand speech via cheaper cellphones because of limited hearing and doctors in USA REFUSE to use Whatsapp or text.Is it fairly uncomplicated to master the art of hot air soldering? I assume it's an alternative to wave soldering. But the lack of adding solder has me puzzled. There is enough residual solder to count on it working? What is the gel like substance droppered onto the work area?Nine hundred dollars for a new phone would be like nine thousand dollars to a person with an average income. Used Samsungs are getting trashed review-wise on eBay and Amazon. I do not have income to play a four hundred dollar slot machine.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vopBZ9_1tyg

Hot air rework takes a very special tool with different adapters for different chip shapes. The adapters focus the heat directly where needed. Just blowing heat on the part would be a krap shoot.

Like this?https://www.ebay.com/itm/853D-3in1-SMD-Soldering-Iron-Hot-Air-Gun-Rework-Station-DC-Power-Supply-Digital/382140365789?epid=927803213&hash=item58f9573bdd:rk:5:pf:0

i bought my samsung S5 on Amazon new $149the samsung J7 that friend uses, has really good audio, better than my S5and his phone cost him less than $100i don't buy NEW $900 eitherhttps://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_12?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=samsung+cell+phones&sprefix=samsung+cell%2Caps%2C328&crid=36P6ARQYJMS4J&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Asamsung+cell+phones

I have a hot air station, El cheapo from Jeff's website.It works fine and was easy to learn. On a basic unit there's two knobs, air temperature and air velocity.It's been my experience velocity is more important, too much air and you get collateral damage of parts being blown off pads. Otherwise the solder surface tension will hold neighbors in place while you grab the intended target.As for using special adapters, mine came with a bunch and I've never used them. I guess if you're removing a huge chip with hundreds of pins, the adapters might be needed. Removing a small chip or connector, nothing special.

Never Have Used A Hot Air Repair Station | Good Sam Community

free_radical
Explorer
Nov 21, 2018
Fwiw I bought new unlocked Blackbery 10 on Amazon for 120$ last year..
Great battery life and on speaker louder then heck..

Not as famous as those other phones,but it has its fans
,plus many biz people love its unparaleled security
https://crackberry.com

Probably all cheap ones sold out already,though you never know..
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Nov 21, 2018
I land-lined my cardiologist today. Ever hear a cardiologist roar? Sounds like a gator (with hemorrhoids?).

Getting old ain't no steenking bueno
BobsYourUncle
Nomad
Nov 21, 2018
The crack really isn't very noticeable. If you hold it in the light a certain way it can definitely be seen. But tip the phone a bit the other way and its invisible. I used it for at least a year or more after it cracked with no issues whatsoever. I would be tempted to just use it as is without going to the bother of swapping screens.

I hope this Canadian phone locked to Rogers can work in Mexico. It will have to be unlocked but that's easy to do.
MrWizard
Moderator
Nov 20, 2018
maybe they can use the glass from the old one on this one
the glass contains also the touch screen sensor pad
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Nov 20, 2018
Seems like every block or two I see signs CELULARES DESBLOQUEADOS. on cell phone repair places. Inquiries yielded no one that was willing to fix a blown chip but all claim unblocking was a specialty of the house. I have a pair of replacement batteries for the S4. Less than 5 months old.

I make medical phone calls, use Whatsapp, check traffic and that's about it. The S4 has more features than I use. It's the crystal clear telephone audio that I treasure.

Mexican phone techs are amazing up to the point of replacing chips I guess.
BobsYourUncle
Nomad
Nov 20, 2018
Hah!, I just found where I stashed it. It's been sitting for at least 6 or 8 months, turned off, and the battery was still at 14%.
It's a Canadian phone, locked to Rogers.

Will that work for you in Mexico?
BobsYourUncle
Nomad
Nov 20, 2018
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
The issue with the cracked screen I guess is moisture contamination?

I'll send you my ground address via messaging. My end is a UPS STORE 0250 so the destination is not hit or miss.

No moisture contamination whatsoever. One day I saw the one crack, right across the screen. It worked fine like that, just annoyed the socks off me.
No idea how I cracked it other than perhaps I leaned on it when it was in my pocket. I work construction so anything is possible.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Nov 19, 2018
Just about every cell phone I tried three or four years ago sounded like Donald Duck on helium. But those were throwaways.

The came the S4 as a hand me down gift. When I heard speech for the first time I nearly dropped the Samsung. I could hear with perfect clarity. The online brochures for the S4 claimed the phone had special circuitry to make sound speech with perfect clarity.

Is this hype? I cannot use a standard phone. Amplified phones pump up the volume and the speech is still muddy but it's loud and it hurts my ears.

The only thing I can really trust is someone who declares...
"yes I know several cellphone brands and the S4 is truly superior for speech clarity"

Or not.

I do not want to spend a lot of money on something that cannot aid my weak ears :)
mgirardo
Explorer
Nov 19, 2018
The Galaxy S4 is more than 6 years old. Save your money on the hot air rework station & chip and upgrade the phone.

-Michael
bighatnohorse
Explorer II
Nov 19, 2018
For under $200. you can get a really good phone at Costco.
I strongly urge you to take a look at the Moto G6 unlocked. I have the G4 and DW has the G6 and loves it.
I used the G4 with the TeleCell chip while in MX and some other brand chip in Panama. Works great.
https://www.costco.com/.product.100422868.html

Mostly, we both use the built in hotspot feature (at no additional charge from phone company).

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