Screwdriver

Two 'Screwdriver' stories November 2012 - July 2013

iFixit walks through the iPhone 5 battery replacement process [video]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ-SGr9cqTo

As part of its Liberation Week and the big savings its currently offering on its iPhone Liberation Kits, iFixit has put together the video above walking us step-by-step through the iPhone 5 battery replacement process. It’s also got a few more below taking us through replacing the home button and the device’s display assembly.

You’ll of course need a pentalobe screwdriver (included in the Liberation Kit) for Apple’s proprietary tamper-proof screws, as well as a phillips #01 screwdriver, a suction cup, and small tool to pry off the display. iFixit reminds us that its pro toolkit contains everything necessary to get the job done.

iFixit’s iPhone 5 and iPhone 4/4S Liberation Kits, which include a pentalobe screwdriver and replacement screws, are available for $0 + shipping while supplies last. The deal will continue until the end of its Liberation Week celebrations ending on July 5.

Hide your kids, here’s the Swiss Army knife of iPhone cases

Going up for sale as a Kickstarter campaign later this week, ex-Apple engineer Addison Shelton is launching the Swiss Army knife of iPhone cases with a new product called “TaskOne.” Made of sturdy aircraft aluminum and polycarbonate, the TaskOne’s enclosure houses 16 tools including a 2.5″ knife, saw, screwdrivers, and 11 other tools such as a bottle opener, kickstand, pliers, wire cutters, wire strippers, 6 allen wrenches, and a ruler.

By diligently sticking to his design goals of combining the best features of a multi-tool with the protection and slim fit of a well-designed case, Task One bridges the gap between an iPhone case and a multi-tool. “I utilized advanced materials and manufacturing to create a slim multi-tool case that can stand up to heavy use, keep your phone safe and be so slim it adds little more bulk than other common cases,” says Shelton. It can be used in any situation requiring a multi-tool, from a camping trip to a home repair – the tools are robust and always stored in the phone case for near instant access. Sliders on the back of the phone make for easy access to the tools, and integrated spring and detents assemblies lock the tools in place both when in use and during storage.

There are a few products for iPhone that build in some of these tools, but by all accounts this looks to be the ultimate multi-tool actually made and tested for real world use. Shelton explained the product in a video posted to the company’s Facebook page.

The ~~Kickstarter project for TaskOne will officially go live at noon on Wednesda~~y and we’ll update this post with links when it does.

Update: It’s live on Indiegogo and close to meeting its funding goal.