Microsoft and gadget repair website iFixit have announced the launch of a new service designed to try and help more people learn how to fix gadgets such as smartphones, tablets and laptops.
The Pro Tech Network partnership is designed to give more people the skills they need to fix devices, to both help them set up businesses and save more of the precious materials used within many of the gadgets people own.
The network offers a raft of services, ranging from in-depth repair manuals, a community where individuals can ask questions and share advice, small business accounting, cash-flow worksheets and marketing tips.
Microsoft’s group manager for Environmental Sustainability Josh Henretig said in a blog post that the company wants to ensure that as many devices as possible are used for as long as possible to cut down on electric waste.
“By providing free online training for people to set up a phone, tablet or PC repair business, we hope to increase the reuse of these devices,” he said.
“Some studies have suggested that you would need to use a tablet or phone for tens of years before the usage footprint was larger than the manufacturing footprint. With this in mind, anything that can be done to extend the life of these smaller, low-power devices can have a positive environmental benefit.”
Henretig also noted that many devices contain important materials that can be reused if they are extracted from device. “With mobile electronics containing valuable and often scarce resources, including copper, gold, lead, zinc, beryllium, tantalum and coltan, they represent a large materials resource that can be 'mined' by recycling them to help build the next generation of devices. “
By partnering with iFixit, which regularly scores major devices on their ‘repairability’, Microsoft has chosen a company that knows first-hand how hard many devices are to repair.
Jeff Snyder, director of marketing at iFixit, said the firm was pleased to work with Microsoft to launch the Pro Tech Network, though, as part of its efforts to give people the skills to fix and repair people’s gadgets.
“The explosion of mobile devices means the refurbishment industry will need new knowledge, tools and techniques to meet new challenges. The Pro Tech Network helps people learn to repair PCs, smartphones and tablets – and create businesses with these skills,” he wrote.
“Written by iFixit and sponsored by Microsoft, the Pro Tech Network collaboration ensures up-to-date business methods and repair documentation will be free and accessible, even as technology continues to change.”
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