Category Archives: Software

Orlando By iPhone: The Best iPhone Apps for The Theme Parks

Orlando by iPhone - Best iPhone AppsIt’s become a standard catchphrase: “I’m going to Disney World!” Well, are you? Or Universal, or Sea World, or many of the other peripheral parks in the Orlando metro area? If that’s the case, you may want to load up on some useful iPhone apps for the Orlando theme parks. These apps will do everything from give you wait times, to reserving dinner, to finding nearby parking.

Below we’ve listed our favorite iPhone apps for Orlando. And hey, if you’re in the area, stop by iFixYouri Orlando if anything happens to your phone.

Walt Disney World iPhone Apps

These iPhone apps are exclusively for the Walt Disney World Resort.

My Disney Experience – Free

This is one of the official WDW and free iPhone apps made available by Disney, which allow you to explore the resort. From the app site:

An official App from Disney! Featuring Walt Disney World® maps, official Disney Parks-provided wait times, FASTPASS® return times, and the ability to view menus and book dining reservations, manage and share itineraries with family and friends, find details about nearby Disney Characters, attractions, entertainment, park hours and schedules, and more!

Disney Mobile Magic – Free

This is an official app for visiting the Walt Disney World parks. It uses the GPS in your iPhone to locate character appearances, attractions, restaurants and shows. It also checks wait and FASTPASS return times.

Disney World Wait Times – Free

This gives you information on all the ride wait times for all 4 Disney World parks. The times for each park displayed on the same screen, and you can both see recent times submitted for each ride, or submit them yourself for other users. Photos and descriptions are available.

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort App – Free

Part of the vacation experience at Walt Disney World revolves around the hotels, which are some of the finest you’ll find anywhere, and not just on the Disney grounds. Two of these hotels, the Swan and the Dolphin, are run externally from Disney – however, they have some great iPhone apps you can use to browse the 17 different restaurants, bars, and lounges in the resort. Also available: a separate app solely for the restaurants, which have won Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence, the Four Diamond Award as designated by AAA, the Top 500 Restaurants in Florida by Florida Trend Magazine and Critic’s Choice for Best Restaurant Overall -Orlando Sentinel, as examples. Separate restaurant app also available, for making reservations and reading menus. Look for both iPhone apps if you are staying here.

Disney World Dining – $1.99 (VersaEdge Software LLC)

In order to decide which of the 160 restaurants you’re going to dine at at WDW, download the popular Disney World Dining app includes full menus, and can locate the restaurants closest to your location, in addition to one-touch dialing for the Disney dining reservations number.

Walt Disney World Park Hours $0.99 (Minneware)

Opening times for Disney World can vary from park to park, and based on time of year, or even special events. Thankfully, the Walt Disney World Park Hours app includes frequently updated information on opening and closing times, in addition to daily event schedules for shows and parades. This Disney World app covers the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and the water parks.

Walt Disney World Maps Box Set – $1.99 (UPinPoint LLC)

The bestselling Walt Disney World Maps app contains full-size maps for the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and other Disney theme parks in Orlando, not to mention the resorts and smaller Disney attractions. Each map allows you to search for individual rides or attractions and prioritize your must-visit list. It also has GPS locators, to help you figure out where you are in the maze of a Disney park.

Universal Studios Orlando iPhone Apps

These iPhone apps are exclusively for the Universal Orlando parks.

Universal Guide –  $1.99

This official Universal Studios iPhone app gives you access to in-depth attraction and facilities information for both Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure. It also lets you set up alerts to notify you when a ride’s wait time goes below a specific time making it easier for you to get the most out of your day at the parks.

Universal Orlando Wait Times – Free

Similar in function to the Disney Wait Times app, this gives you the ride wait times for Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. All times for each park displayed on the same screen, and you can also see recent times submitted for each ride. There are photos and descriptions of rides, and you can even submit a ride wait time if you’re in the park, and see rides nearest to your GPS location with compass direction to them

 Theme Park Nerd Guide – Universal Orlando – $1.99

From the site:

• View your location on a map.

• Display rides, attractions and facilities nearby.

• Get intelligent, sat-nav like directions to any ride, attraction or facility.

• Create an itinerary for your day with the inbuilt day planner.

• Sort your itinerary by category.

• Search through items.

• Filter items by category.

• View photos of rides, attractions and facilities.

• View detailed ride descriptions, histories and specifications.

• View the height restrictions for rides.

• See what facilities a ride has, such as on-ride photos or property storage.

• Use the location based features even if you don’t have a GPS capable device with ‘manual locations’ mode.

• Receive automatic wireless updates, bringing you the latest park info seamlessly.

Sea World iPhone Apps

Sea World Mobile App – Free

From the Site:

  • True GPS navigation with highlighted paths to your destination
  • Interactive park map with search. Find nearest restroom, places to eat, ATM, and more
  • Real-time updates on wait times for rides, plus height restrictions
  • Displays next show times for all shows
  • Basic park info, calendar with operating hours, weather, and driving directions
  • In-app camera lets you take photos without leaving the app (iPhone only)
  • Learn more about our animals, conservation status, and locations where you can connect with them
  • Car finder feature lets you find your car when you leave the park (iPhone only)

Miscellaneous Orlando Attractions and Features iPhone Apps

Official Guide to LEGOLAND Florida – Free (Merlin Entertainment)

For those of us who have been to the big parks a hundred times, here’s a cool theme park that may be off your radar. This app gives a general overview of the theme park’s attractions and events, along with a detailed, virtual map, lists of special offers, a car locator, games and in-park activities.

Height Requirements for Orlando Theme Park Rides – $0.99 (OBA Ventures)

Travelling with the little ones? Now you can get height requirements for rides at Orlando theme parks in advance. This app gives you requirements for rides at Disney, SeaWorld and Universal.

parkIN’ – Free

Parking in Orlando can be a nightmare. Fortunately for us, the City of Orlando has created an app that offers detailed information for downtown Orlando parking garages, including hours of operation, price and number of spots available. It also gives real-time traffic views, satellite and map views, and photos of the various garages.

Orlando Essential Guide – $2.99

For visitors who want to see more of Orlando than just the parks, this app delivers 264 detailed entries and shows you not only to the most popular must-see places but also hidden gems most visitors never know about. Complete with images, maps, and events calendar.

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Enjoy these great iPhone apps during your stay, and let us know in the comments what you think of them. And say hi to Mickey for us.

5 Great iPhone Apps for South Florida

5 Great Apps for South Florida

Living in South Florida, as some of us here at iFixYouri.com do, is a pretty easy lifestyle when compared to the rest of the country. The beaches, the great year-round weather, and the convenience of shops and malls makes areas such as Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami international travel destinations. Furthermore, iPhone usage is high in the South Florida area, and it only makes sense for people to use apps that are useful in their daily lives. So, if you live in Florida, or are planning on visiting, here are some of the top iPhone apps for life in the Sunshine State.

New Times (Miami or Broward/Palm Beach) – New Times is a long-running publication that has articles and features on the hot spots and new events in the area.

App features include:

– Broward Palm Beach New Times’ award-winning events and concert calendar, searchable by date, artist, neighborhood, venue or genre.

– Access to Broward Palm Beach New Times’ daily blogs for up-to-the-minute news on Broward politics, music, food and arts.

– Last night’s concert and nightlife reviews. See what you missed–and find out what you don’t want to miss tonight.

– Hundreds of event and concert listings every day, with Editors’ Picks of the best things going on in Broward.

– Broward’ most comprehensive restaurant listings, searchable by cuisine type and neighborhood, with reviews by Broward Palm Beach New Times’ award-winning writers.

– Slideshows of Broward nightlife, concerts and events from Broward’s best party photographers.

– Access to Voice Daily Deals for savings and great deals in Broward.

Duffy's Sports Grill app
Duffy’s MVP Members can login via app.

Duffy’s MVP – Beloved South Florida burger joint and sports bar Duffy’s has a fantastic app for locating your nearest Duffy’s, the menu, and it even has a login for Duffy’s MVP members, which allows you to track your Duffy’s points in order to get free stuff. If you live in the Palm Beach, Broward, or Dade County area and you’re a burger lover, this one is a must-have.

Yachting Weather – Most people in Florida are avid boaters or fishers. This app allows you  to receive precise sea weather predictions in a 3-day rythm – or with an update to “Yachting Weather PRO”- in a 5-day rythm.You receive the seaweather predictions according to your current GEO location which is either found by GPS, a single click on the map tool or by manual input. Whether you are on a sailing boat, a motor yacht or doing other water sport activities, with the numerous options you can configure “Yachting Weather” exactly on your needs. Available free or pro version.

Hurricane TrackerHurricane Tracker –  Complete tracking maps, everything from the NHC, exhaustive invest (Tropical Wave) info, NOAA Weather Radio, forecaster Audio/Video updates, real time feed (as it’s happening) & detailed Push Alerts for: New storms, TS/Hurricane warnings & other changes. Storm history, checklists, over 65 images & animated maps and much more. Essential during hurricane season.

Ultimate College Football – Who in South Florida isn’t college football crazy? Between alumni of the Florida Gators, the Florida State Seminoles, the Miami Hurricanes, and recent upstarts like USF, UCF, and FAU, the conversation of your team during football season is not far off. Know your stats like a pro with this great app for stats, schedules, and much more.

Microsoft Mobile Office Applications for iOS and Android

The much-awaited iOS and Android version of Microsoft Office suite may be around the corner. Online reports speculate that the productivity suite may be available on the iOS and Android mobile platforms in the next year.

There may be some strings attached to this though, since it is generally presumed that the iOS and Android apps of the Office suite may not be fully functional, without having to subscribe to Microsoft’s own Office 365 cloud service.

Microsoft Mobile Office Applications

From a Verge report citing unnamed sources, the yet to be released Office apps may only provide their users with the option to view their Word, PowerPoint and Excel documents. Each user may have to subscribe to the Microsoft Office 365 service, in order to edit his or her documents on the go.

Though the Verge report did not state or include a price for the subscription, a Microsoft Office Home Premium product’s 365 subscription generally costs $99.99 per annum for five user licenses. The mobile version of the subscription may, however, not cost as much as this.

App Release Date

According to the Verge report, the iOS version of Microsoft Office may be released towards the end of February or in early March 2013, while the Android version may be released in the month of May 2013.

The first date correlates with some earlier online reports on the release of the mobile Office apps. This includes a Czech Republic Microsoft product manager revealing a release date of March 2013 for the apps, and a published photo by The Daily, supposedly claiming to be a photograph of the mobile Office application running on an iPad, both of which were refuted and/or denied by Microsoft.

Mobile Office Launch

There were some predictions, too, that Microsoft would launch a mobile Office product at its SharePoint conference in Las Vegas, based on the assumption that Microsoft may want to position its mobile Office app as an enterprise product.

Presently Android and iOS users may use Microsoft OneNote app for note-taking but will have to rely on other third party apps like QuickOffice and Documents To Go, to read and edit their Office documents.

As great as apps are for our day-today operations, having a smartphone or other device that is out of commission due to unforeseen accidents such as a cracked screen or water damage may render such a tool useless. If your device is in need of repair, seeking out a professional such as iFixYouri can be a solid recourse.

LocalScope And Other iOS Apps For Your Local Search

Since the dawn of the smartphone, our world has become smaller and considerably more accessible. Through the aid of local search apps, getting a bearing on one’s location and what of interest may surround them is as easy as a simple click. It almost makes you wonder, how did we survive prior to such a convenience?

While browsing through a list of iOS apps, I came across a local search tool called LocalScope. Though a lot of people already use Google Maps (which is now available for iOS) for their local search, and the Apple Map (powered by Yelp), after reviewing LocalScope (review available below) however, I decided to also search for some other apps that may help you in finding what you want, near your location.

Apps For Your Local Search

Unfortunately, the Android version of these apps is currently unavailable.

AirYell

A free app that provides you with a listing and green car icons you can use to get turn-by-turn directions.

AirYell is like a personal Yellow Pages, where you can add a search term or speak it out, to get a list of results for your area. You may also get some listings too by touching some of the icons at the bottom of the app interface. AirYell provides some information about its listings and maps to view their locations, and it also provides turn-by-turn navigation features with voice.

Where To?

An app with an appealing interface and lots of categories (cost – $2.99).

From the Where To? interface, you may choose a common search item which will then be displayed in a list, on a map or through augmented reality (this will cost you an additional 99 cents). Where To? has a massive list of alphabetized services you can quickly get to. The augmented reality feature in the app allows you to see all the places that are in some specific directions within your area, though the extra you may have to pay to use the feature may be a turn-off.

LocalScope

An app that uses social data from popular social networks, along with GPS, to provide you with some information and details about what is near your location.  You may search through a lot of social networks and other reference sites with it (cost $1.99).

With LocalScope, you will get some listings, photos, tweets, history, and a lot more through the Search or Discover buttons in its app interface. It is a great choice for finding what you want and discovering other new places too.

To enjoy these apps properly, you’ll need a GPS that is working. Unfortunately, it is one of the features that seems to fail for many iPhone users. If you are experiencing this problem or any other technical issue, you can send your phone to professional repair specialists at iFixYouri.

Free iPhone Apps That Will Make Your Life Easier

When it comes to benefiting from all that technology has to offer, you have to know there is more to your iPhone than playing Angry Birds – especially since it’s not a free app. There is nothing wrong with buying apps or playing games while you wait for your ride, your doctor, or while enduring public transportation.

The real beauty of technology and its entire splendor is deep-seated in applications, or apps, that you can download, to help you live an easier, more informed life. Although some cost money, there are tons of no-cost versions you can download to make your life a bit more efficient. If you are an Apple aficionado, the best free iPhone apps are right at your fingertips.

Free iPhone Travel apps

There are several free iPhone apps that will help you travel the globe much more efficiently than you ever thought possible.

1)      Airport Utility

Airport utility app allows you to view and control your Wi-Fi network, Time Capsule, Airport Extreme and Express at the touch of a button. What does that mean, exactly? It means you will be able to see what you are connected to, and how you are connected to it. It will allow you to change your Wi-Fi settings, and access base station, a DNS server, IP address and router address. This will ensure that you are connected at all times, safely and efficiently.

2)      FlightTrack

This app is personally responsible for on-time travel worldwide! Well, sort of. FlightTrack allows you to enter a flight number or simply a destination and airline name, and follow the flights activity from afar. You will know when a flight is delayed, early, on time and even when it touches down! The GPS magic of FlightTrack allows you to view an image of the plane as it traverses its flight plan, so you can see exactly where the traveler (even if it is you) is at all times. This allows you to pick someone up from the airport on time, without having to hang out in the cellphone lot for an hour.

3)      MapQuest 4 Mobile

Should that flight take you to a foreign land or even a city you have not lived in since you were a kid, MapQuest 4 Mobile app will give you step by step, voice guided directions, no more wandering around or appearing as if you really do not belong, thanks to this navigational genius.

Free iPhone Lifestyle Apps

Let’s face it, whether you are traveling across the globe, or sitting on your very own porch, you are going to need something, at some point. That something can be in the form of the closest Chinese restaurant, the answer to a trivia question, or a recipe on the fly — you know, since you are already at the grocery. Whatever your question, do not hesitate to tap one of the following best free iPhone apps to make it happen.

1)      Chrome

In a fistfight, Google chrome app will always win against any other browser, especially where an app is concerned. This monumental beauty is fast, organized, and will have the results you need in no time.

2)      Facebook

You want everyone to know you just landed in Tokyo or that your mom’s famous cookie recipe has just come to life in your very own kitchen, not hers. Go ahead and tap your Facebook app, and update your status before the kitchen timer goes off. In fact, you could do so with the other hand on the cookie sheet, it’s so easy to use!

3)      Sports Tap

Even if you only follow your hometown teams, Sports Tap iPhone app gives you the ability to pick the teams you follow, and to receive updates for each of their games with ease. The results are easy to read, and the navigation is perfect for anyone who is simply trying to impress the sport’s emperor in their life.

4)      IMDb

If you think you could not care less whether the girl in the last episode of “The Wire” was also the girl from a sitcom you watched six years prior, it does not mean you will not look it up. When you do, nothing makes it easier than the IMDb app. You can also check out movie trivia, trailers and even shooting locations, if you’re planning on crashing the set.

5)      Amazon Mobile

The truth is Amazon owns everything these days, which is great news for any online consumer, no matter what their views on Capitalism entail. Download the Amazon Mobile free app, and you will never miss another birthday, holiday, anniversary or book, music or movie release (for yourself, of course) again. The best part is, just like the website, it will ship everything from a new pair of flip-flops to a balance bike for your four year old niece anywhere.

6)      Nook, Kindle or iBook

Listen, we all have our affinity for one or the other. Since you can get any of the three for your iPhone, there is no reason to leave a book lie on another device when any of the three apps can be easily accessed from your phone. Start reading more, and enjoy the convenience of whatever e-reader suits your fancy, from your iPhone. It is the one thing that is always with you.  In addition, they all have magazines, newspapers and periodicals that will allow you to spend more time digesting knowledge.

7)      Shazam

Everyone has had the experience where they hear a song on the radio and they just can’t remember the name of it, or who sings it.  Shazam will give you all the information you need, with the tap of its app icon.  Musical magic.

8)      Epicurious

If you have a fridge that is full of groceries but you do not know how to cook, just type what you have into the Epicurious app and it will search for professionally created and tested recipes. This is the perfect app for staying in your pajamas on a rainy day, instead of eating out.

With over 300,000 free iPhone apps available (and counting), your idea of the best free iPhone app may differ from your friend’s and co-worker’s. The good news is, they are easy to use, and if you find you do not like it, all you have to do is delete it and find a replacement!

The internet is full of hundreds if not thousands of free iPhone apps, but you won’t be able to appreciate any of them if your iPhone is damaged. If your iPhone isn’t working properly due to damage, it would be easier to get it repaired than to buy a new one. iFixYouri specializes in repairing broken and damaged iPhones. If you accidentally broke your iPhone’s screen, or you dropped your phone in the pool, bring it or send it to us and let us repair it for you. Once your precious device is up and running again, you can start enjoying the universe of free iPhone apps.

The Best iPhone 5 Games And Apps

iphone-5-screenThe new iPhone 5 offers great improvements over its predecessors. One of the most noticeable features is the bigger and taller screen. In order to take advantage of the bigger screen, developers had to update their apps and games. In other words, they had to optimize their apps and games in order to fit on the bigger screen.

 

 

Best Games For iPhone 5

The iPhone 5 will definitely be an instant hit for gamers mainly due to the bigger screen. If you have just bought the new iPhone 5, you should try these great new iPhone 5 games.

Asphalt – Asphalt is one of the best racing games and the new iPhone will take the gaming experience to a whole new level. It has a bigger screen and better graphics. The wider screen gives you the opportunity to enjoy the gorgeous landscapes on Asphalt’s courses.

Sky Gamblers: Air Supremacy – Sky Gambler will definitely be the most favorite game among most gamers. The new iPhone with the larger screen means that you can turn it into landscape mode and enjoy the game as you fly over simulated cities.

Best Apps For iPhone 5

CNN- It is one of the first media apps to be optimized for the bigger screen on the new iPhone 5. What that means is that you will get to see an extra story on the screen due to it bigger size. Therefore, if you always want to be a step ahead in terms of current events, this should be the first app for your new iPhone.

Dark Sky – Dark Sky is arguably one of the best weather apps in the market. It is very accurate and the best thing is that it looks great on the bigger screen.

Reeder – It is one of the best RSS reader apps. When you install this app on your new iPhone with a bigger screen, you will definitely be able to see more of the story. In other words, you won’t have to scroll up and down so as to see the whole story.

It goes without saying that you should take good care of your new iPhone. However, there are times when the inevitable happens and you find yourself with a broken iPhone. You need not worry because we can fix it for you. Our specialists have been in the industry for years and have repaired iPhones with all types of problems. For more information, click here.

Google Maps Upgrades for Android

google-maps-android

For those frustrated with the new Maps app included with iOS 6, here’s news about the old Google Maps app you were used to using.  Google has an upcoming upgrade on the horizon for its mapping service for its mobile devices.

Public Transportation

The upgrade includes the listing of options for public transportation in approximately 500 cities across the globe. This takes in departure times and suggested routes for in excess of 1 million international stations, which is roughly a 50 percent increase over a year ago. Google will even supply indoor directions as a means of assisting some riders in navigating the system.

To get a competitive edge, only devices that use Google’s Android operating software will have access to this initial offer. Devices from the following models will be able to access this upgrade:

  • The Motorola Mobility Division of Google
  • Sony Corp.
  • HTC Corp.
  • Samsung Electronics Co.

Apple’s Role in the Changes

iphone-maps-app

These changes surface at the same time as Apple Inc. commits to replacing Google Maps’ position as the foremost navigation service on the iPad and the iPhone. Apple created its very own mapping service for its mobile devices, although it has arrived to a chorus of disappointment due to bugs and a lack of features.

The Effect on Google

This snub from Apple signifies a major blow to Google, which is set to lose revenue from mobile advertising as well as valuable insights about the whereabouts of individuals if iPhone and iPad users embrace this mapping service from Apple.

Response from Google Inc.

Google is of the belief that it can remain one step ahead of Apple as it relates to mobile mapping on Google maps by including features like the expanded directions for public transportation.

This may encourage iPhone users to make the switch to Android devices, or perhaps switch back.  If you have an Android device that is no longer working properly, now might be the time to get it fixed (by the iFixYouri team) to take advantage of Google’s new app features.

The Absolute Best Apps for iPads with a Retina Display

With the advent of the retina display, iPad owners want to download apps that offer the sharpest graphics ever. Playing with brilliant high resolution apps is the only way to truly experience the joys of the retina display. However, with thousands of apps available, the task of choosing the best one is almost impossible. If you have been finding it difficult to choose such an app,  read on for the best retina display apps for iPad, and start enjoying out-of-this-world graphics.

Star Walk for iPad

If you love interactive astronomy, this app should definitely be on your download list. True to its name, it lets users explore the stars in the sky. All one has to do is point his or her iPad device upwards towards the sky. When stargazing becomes a chore rather than a joyous pastime, revert to the planet data and moon phases. The beauty of this app, which makes use of retina display, is the ability to use night mode as well. As such, both day and night modes produce sharp images.

Sky Gamblers: Air Supremacy

For gamers, perhaps nothing gets their competitive juices flowing like good graphics. The Sky Gamblers app offers this and much more. You will not only be able to gawk at the depth of field but also enjoy amazing fluidity. To give you an idea of the graphics depth, the app can display 50 battle planes on screen comfortably.

Evernote

As one of the most popular iPad apps, Evernote does not disappoint when it comes to making full use of retina display graphics. The ultra-high-quality graphics will render your musings perfectly. The slick experience extends across different platforms. This means that you can start scribbling while at the office and continue on your way home.

Infinity Blade II

Game developers know that graphics alone can sink or boost the fortunes of an iPad app. This sequel to the smash-hit Infinity Blade certainly delivers on the graphics front. The resolution renders the stunning landscapes and clouds with such finesse rarely seen in the gaming world. Add to this mix easy game control and you have an app that every iPad owner should have.

Solar Walk

For lovers of 3D models, this solar system iPad app is perhaps the perfect choice. With the help of a set of cyan and red glasses, you will be flying around the universe in no time. Whether you are a novice or an experienced astronomer, Solar Walk provides tons of information using iPad’s retina display.

iPhoto

ipad-retina-iphoto

After taking photographs, you need an iPad app that boasts of retina display qualities for viewing. The iPhoto app from Apple does not disappoint. Everything that you have ever wanted in a photo editing app is available. This includes multi-touch editing, cropping, saturation, as well as exposure. There is no doubt that this app will make both your photo sharing and viewing an enjoyable experience.

StockTouch

When you have to follow stock market movements, you require an app that delivers clear information. The StockTouch app delivers this information using the power of iPad’s retina display. Add intuitive navigation and you have an app for the most demanding trader.

The Early Edition

ipad-retina-the-early-edition

Reading news can be a joy (on a retina display app) or an eye squinting affair (on a news app that does not make good use of this technology). The Early Edition app optimizes the iPad retina display to resolve this problem, and make reading news both easy and enjoyable.

If you have never had the chance to experience iPad’s retina display, the apps discussed above are very likely to totally change your entire iPad experience. Together with iPad’s quad core graphics engine, your daily gaming, note-taking, or browsing will never be the same again. By taking advantage of the iPad’s 2048 by 1536 screen resolution, these apps provide awesome graphics optimization.

Then again, to fully take advantage of the iPad screen, it should be free of scratches and cracks.  If you have these issues, contact iFixYouri for quality iPad screen repair.