I wrote some time ago my positive experience buying a PDA from from eBay.

After I bought it, I realised that it might have been an idea to investigate upgrade opportunities before jumping to the conclusion that the same model again was the correct choice.

Yesterday I discovered an unexpected advantage to having two identical units. When the motherboard on Unit 2 died unexpectedly, I did a little surgery and grafted the working screen from Unit 2 onto the working motherboard of Unit 1. So I had one with a smashed LCD and toasted innards, and one that worked great.

Then I realised that the button pad on Unit 1 was acting a little iffy, so I switched those components as well.

The one final thing I’d like to try if possible is to get the digitizer (the part that picks up the stylus pokes) from the smashed LCD and move it to the new unit. As far as I can tell, the screen is two thin slices of glass, which should be somehow separable, and it sure looks like it’s only the one beneath that’s cracked. Anyhow, even if the stylus doesn’t work quite perfectly, I’m still thrilled to get a little more life out of the unit.

There’s a sort of Frankenstein-ian thrill to be had when you manage to get something working that you don’t really understand fully, if at all. I guess that’s why I’m in Engineering — I love the challenge.

Mike

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