My Z3 compact used to be waterproof and I used it several times under water, but it went back for a replacement button a while back and recently I dunked it to take a photo and within hours a dead strip appeared on the touch screen, and when plugging a jack into the headphone port results in the volume control fluctuating and music randomly pausing/starting etc.
There is a tiny, tiny chip on the rear screen which I assumed would mean Sony would reject any warranty claim, but having opened the phone, the chip was so tiny it was still outside/on the adhesive. Inside the phone there is no sign of water ingress, but for good measure its left open and sealed in a bag with large desiccant sachets for 72 hours, no improvement.
So, my dilemma is, if I reclose the phone with the replacement back cover I have from ReplaceBase, will Sony be any the wiser that its been cracked open?
(I could buy the LCD and digitiser for £70 but as the headphone port is a different component, I'm wary that this will not resolve the issues Also looking at 'spares or repair' phones on eBay, it seems plenty of them have replacement screens that have lifted or remain proud of the chassis...perhaps this is just lack of care during the replacement but its put me off...)
Spooky_b329 said:
My Z3 compact used to be waterproof and I used it several times under water, but it went back for a replacement button a while back and recently I dunked it to take a photo and within hours a dead strip appeared on the touch screen, and when plugging a jack into the headphone port results in the volume control fluctuating and music randomly pausing/starting etc.
There is a tiny, tiny chip on the rear screen which I assumed would mean Sony would reject any warranty claim, but having opened the phone, the chip was so tiny it was still outside/on the adhesive. Inside the phone there is no sign of water ingress, but for good measure its left open and sealed in a bag with large desiccant sachets for 72 hours, no improvement.
So, my dilemma is, if I reclose the phone with the replacement back cover I have from ReplaceBase, will Sony be any the wiser that its been cracked open?
(I could buy the LCD and digitiser for £70 but as the headphone port is a different component, I'm wary that this will not resolve the issues Also looking at 'spares or repair' phones on eBay, it seems plenty of them have replacement screens that have lifted or remain proud of the chassis...perhaps this is just lack of care during the replacement but its put me off...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you could probably have got away with sending it back with the screen chipped, it's just wear and tear, the issue was the waterproof feature had failed.
Now you've opened it I think it seems unlikely that you'll get it into a service centre unnoticed, but you won't know until you try. The obvious thing to do would be to put a genuine Sony back cover on the phone rather than a clone. If the service centre spot it then the worst thing that will happen is that they'll ask you for some horrendous amount of money to fix it, to which you'll decline, then they'll send it back.
It will cost you the postage to find out.
Otherwise there's dozens of how to videos on youtube and support from the threads here
Edit: a genuine Sony screen is expensive, but it comes with the double sided gasket that sticks the screen in place. This is the important part of the kit that makes sure it won't lift out. Sometimes it's worth paying the extra for original parts.
Very late update, tried it, it got repaired free and back very quickly, they even refitted the aftermarket rear cover!!
Sony's may be fragile, but my experience for two returns is very positive! Lesson - don't bother trying to fix it yourself until Sony have taken a look!
Spooky_b329 said:
Very late update, tried it, it got repaired free and back very quickly, they even refitted the aftermarket rear cover!!
Sony's may be fragile, but my experience for two returns is very positive! Lesson - don't bother trying to fix it yourself until Sony have taken a look!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What country?
bookworth said:
What country?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, would be helpful to know which country... as I am having a hard time with the UK repair people.
They received my phone on 16th Sept. Week later get notified its delayed due to awaiting part. And yet they keep saying the same story everytime I ask and that it is escalated to know why the delay. 5 days since escalation but their support yet gives the sad response of awaiting part.
It was the UK...in my case the fix was prompt. Got be honest, I'd be getting frustrated at that length of delay...
It went back in June so maybe things have changed
It finally left the repair centre on 10th Oct. Says screen and case replaced. Seems fine. KK or Marshmallow is the decision to make now
Related
This question is directed to those who have taken apart their Kaiser, and specifically screen the screen assembly. I've got water issues and the screen is broke now. Here's the story. I might get some outrageous warranty charges.
I installed the InvisiShield (www.shieldzone.com) on my phone. Essentially it's a screen protector that is indestructible. It practically is, but unfortunately it destroyed my phone. To install it you have to spray this liquid on the back of the 'shield' and apply it to your phone, using a squeegee to get the bubbles out. It went pretty well, and I was happy with the results, but 3 days later my screen stopped working.
Everything is washed out, and it looks like water got inside the LCD somehow. For instance, colors streak across the LCD in fonts, etc.
I called ATT and they are mailing a replacement, and I'll be expected to send this phone back. They said if the return phone has damage that would void warranty (water damage, etc) I'll be prorated $400 on my next bill.
Over the phone the customer representative had me remove the battery and check one of the water damage pads to make sure it was white. It is.
For those who have seen internal phone assembly, is there any of these directly by the screen that will pick up moisture?
As far as ATT knows, the phone LCD suddenly stopped working. I'll get a replacement and /hopefully/ theres not a moisture pad right next to the LCD assembly. Anyone know?
Damn, hate those broken screen story's. Scars the **** out of me.
jon_k said:
This question is directed to those who have taken apart their Kaiser, and specifically screen the screen assembly. I've got water issues and the screen is broke now. Here's the story. I might get some outrageous warranty charges.
I installed the InvisiShield (www.shieldzone.com) on my phone. Essentially it's a screen protector that is indestructible. It practically is, but unfortunately it destroyed my phone. To install it you have to spray this liquid on the back of the 'shield' and apply it to your phone, using a squeegee to get the bubbles out. It went pretty well, and I was happy with the results, but 3 days later my screen stopped working.
Everything is washed out, and it looks like water got inside the LCD somehow. For instance, colors streak across the LCD in fonts, etc.
I called ATT and they are mailing a replacement, and I'll be expected to send this phone back. They said if the return phone has damage that would void warranty (water damage, etc) I'll be prorated $400 on my next bill.
Over the phone the customer representative had me remove the battery and check one of the water damage pads to make sure it was white. It is.
For those who have seen internal phone assembly, is there any of these directly by the screen that will pick up moisture?
As far as ATT knows, the phone LCD suddenly stopped working. I'll get a replacement and /hopefully/ theres not a moisture pad right next to the LCD assembly. Anyone know?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont know but man I hope that there isn't. Have you tried contacting invisishield? Never mind, b/c they'll blame you. Most applicators like that use alcohol to evaporate the remaining moisture that's left. My friend applied it to his, and he used very little liquid(scared), so GOOD LUCK!! I MEAN IT
Tough break, sounds dangerous to pour liquid on the screen though !
On a related matter has anyone seen pics of a Kaiser pulled apart ? Still wondering where the GPS antenna is located !
Yeah, I hope I don't get shafted.
I love the invisibleshield, and I put one on my $1,500 DSLR camera screen, but since the Kaiser screen is recessed a bit, when you squeegee the solution out from under the screen, it cannot be wiped away. It just gets pushed out between the phone's body bezel, and the screen glass -- right in to the phone. With my DSLR camera, the screen is flush with the body, so when squeegee'd I could quickly wipe the water/alcohol away.
Contacting Invisibleshield got me:
Our liability does not extend beyond our product. The lifetime warranty only covers the replacement of the invisibleSHIELD and NOT a warranty for the device the shield is protecting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If ATT charges me the $400 if they find out, I guess I'll pay it. It's my fault, but by extension of invisibleshield. Guess I'll learn not to use that product on anything that has a recessed screen. I was thinking of buying an invisible shield for my laptop as well, but it's screen is slightly recessed like the kaiser, so you can forget me doing that!
xmoo said:
Damn, hate those broken screen story's. Scars the **** out of me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was why I bought the 'best screen shield on the market' for scratches (invisibleshield). Coincidentally that was the demise of my phone. I also purchased a steel case that basically would let me sit on my phone (uncomfortably) if i wanted. The desire to protect my phone, did the opposite in my case.
Wow what a horror story. Thanks for sharing with us - may prevent another phone from dying.
Wondering if you remove the battery and not using for a few days until the water dries out before turning it on?
zcink said:
Wow what a horror story. Thanks for sharing with us - may prevent another phone from dying.
Wondering if you remove the battery and not using for a few days until the water dries out before turning it on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could be, zcink. The replacement phone is on it's way. I can remove the battery during this time it takes for the replacement to come and see what happens. Unfortunately, I think one of the following has happened:
1) Water seeped between the LCD protetcive glass, and the LCD itself, and somehow soaked in to the LCD causing mini shorts -- thus resulting in kludged text.
2) Water seeped to the phone's connecting cable where the screen input is, dried on the wires, thus creating a short -- destroying the signal.
Either way, when the liquid dry's, the mineral deposits causing the short will still exist, still causing a short. For both, repair requires disassembly, voiding my warranty. I could buy a new replacement screen from the China place for about $100, but if ATT /might/ replace it without screwing me, I'll take the chance. Just wanted to know what my chances /were/ them finding out it's got water in it.
I guess the moral is.
Don't buy from InvisibleShield, unless you use a SPARING amount of spray they they include. They include a huge bottle, and I used 2 sprays worth applied to my shield. This created enough excess to be squeegeed right into my phones body. The phone worked great for a few days, until one day at work, while I was using it -- BAM -- the screen was dead.
There isn't the water dectector there, but I'm pretty sure the technicians would notice the damaged screen.
I know those screen protectors, used them for alot of things. Using one right now actully. Its the one you wash with soap and warm water, and just let it dry, it have a static adhesive to the the scree.
I see. yeah hopefully the ATT tech will be lazy and just grant you the warranty without investigating. just play dumb. If they charge you the $400 call them up and threaten to switch to T-Mobile.
My phone died and T-Mobile was going to do nothing until I threatened to switch to ATT, then they replaced it.
I seriously doubt that they will be able to tell unless you really soaked it, next time use a dry screen protector, they work just fine, no bubbles. The only moisture sensor is on the battery, and if it was a tiny amount of moisture, there's likely no signs in the screen assembly. AT&T isn't likely going to dissect the screen to check.
Kaiser disassembly howto
I have found this one somewhere here, can't remember where... Hope this helps.
http://www.mediafire.com/?0ly2msnybhb
Hadn't heard of that screen protector before, guess it would work well on an HTC Touch, not sure how the "full body" version works though!
gabriel31337 said:
I have found this one somewhere here, can't remember where... Hope this helps.
http://www.mediafire.com/?0ly2msnybhb
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Amazing find. Thanks!
It appears to me that the screen itself is it's own modular unit. Meaning, after phone disassembly, you'd have to disassemble the actual screen itself. Further, there is no moisture indicators directly by the assembly it seems.
Knock on wood, but I'd hope a tech wouldn't go that far to determine the fault of the phone. I assume they would if theres telltale signs of water damage to the display (streaking might be a common sign.) But, maybe, just maybe, they won't.
http://www.gpspassion.com/download/HTC_Kaiser_disassembly.pdf
updating link
RemE said:
The only moisture sensor is on the battery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The service manual shows 4 of them, one under the battery that can be seen from the outside, one at the top and one at the bottom of the mainboard's other side, and.. one on the board that holds the bottom front panel switches, so very close to the LCD.
Personally I wouldn't have asked for a replacement phone, I'd have disassembled the phone and tried to clean it if made dirty by the liquid, bought a spare screen off ebay if it was definitely dead, and if ultimately it didn't work bought another phone off ebay for less than $400. But maybe I like risk
Here, Perfect for what you need, used it myself: http://www.mindsofwisemen.com/fileso/other/ReplacingTheLCDonaKaiser.pdf
Best wishes
Mod Edit:
Not sure if the above noted guide is officially and with permission uploaded to that site, but to give credit to members here it is (SKDVR’s Adaption of Tony Chen’s guide)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=2247685&postcount=19
i took mine apart to replace the screen; pics and info on what i did and where i got it. didn't see any water indicators near the screen when i did it, didn't think to look...
Keyboard membrane removal.
So, I've had trouble with my keyboard lately and wanted to just clean off the contacts on the membrane...but I can't seem to get the damned thing out of the plastic keyboard Middle Housing.
I have gotten everything apart so the housing is separated. Verified that I did it the way the service manual says...but i saw NOTHING about how to disassemble the keyboard from the housing.
PLZ! Pictures are good.
Try replacing digitizer screen
found that digitizer screen is above lcd and can be purcased for about $10 on ebay
hello guys,
my tytn II cant detect simcard saying the simcard is missing.
Any idea whats wrong???
So I have had the Z3 Compact since first week of release and from day 1, it had a tiny chip (could call it a nic) on the leading edge of the front bezel just above the magnetic port. I decided to keep it, but the number of these indentations has increased to 12.
One of these nics has flaked further to almost 2mm diameter by the top left corner.
All of the marks are on the front leading long bezel, both sides.
I always put my phone in a pocket without other items
I always lie my phone face up.
I don't use any kind of stands or holders in the car
No other phone (Moto X, Nexus 5, Nexus 4, Razr I) has ever suffered anything like this.
There are no marks on the back or front faces (cheap screen protectors on both, which usually scratch/mark easily)
I suspect its poor adhesion of the top black paint layer on the bezel, but cannot prove it obviously.
I can send it back to Sony, but they may say its not manufacturing fault and thus charge me £25 for sending it back without repairing (I find this disgraceful)
I have little experience with Sony customer service or care so it's a risk I don't really want to take.
Question, has anyone elses phone suffered in a similar way?
Or have positive (or negative) experience with Sony UK?
Thanks in advance.
You can send it back to Sony, most of the times they charge you with shipping costs yup.
Manufacturing error or not, but also try to look from their side, if it were easy to get your device repaired without costs or even replaced, more people would do it, even if it was their mistake.
So in the end they can't just believe everyone.
They will repair it when you send them, but thy might ask for repairing fees.
I'm noticing the same thing. I keep the phone in my pocket as well, but I do keep it with a leather keyholder (pretty soft leather), so I'm surprised that there are any chips/nicks at all. I actually have 3 right now, first one in just about the same place as you (above the magnetic charging port), a smaller one above the power button, and the last one in the bottom right corner of the phone.
I always assumed the metal bezels on these phones was powder-coated aluminum, which is pretty tough. Anyone know what is actually is?
Dsteppa said:
You can send it back to Sony, most of the times they charge you with shipping costs yup.
Manufacturing error or not, but also try to look from their side, if it were easy to get your device repaired without costs or even replaced, more people would do it, even if it was their mistake.
So in the end they can't just believe everyone.
They will repair it when you send them, but thy might ask for repairing fees.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I understand that, but I know that these ever increasing faults are not of my doing, but I cannot prove it.. Therefore, it is possible (maybe probable) that Sony will offer an expensive repair or simply send it back with the total cost to me being close to £30.
pipspeak said:
I always assumed the metal bezels on these phones was powder-coated aluminum, which is pretty tough. Anyone know what is actually is?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe they are painted plastic but I might be wrong.
I've said before that this is one of the few annoyances I have with the build quality of this phone. The Z3 doesn't have the front and back plastic bezels as the metal frame attaches directly to the front and back glass. I don't mind the transparent plastic on the sides of the Z3C but I don't like that they needed to use plastic front and back bezels.
To answer the OP's question, i also have light scuffs and small chips on the front plastic bezel of my Z3C but the back is near perfect at the moment. If I'd have known the build quality in these areas was lacking I'd have waited until I had a case before i used it but it's too late now.
I've decided to return the phone for repair (hopefully under warranty) and have ordered several cases (I usually do this once I am satisfied that the phone is a keeper). Will keep you posted.
Hi
My phone fell on concrete and landed on the corner closest to the rear camera. It's damaged it quite badly, with most of the area closest to impact now cracked into small fragments, and the cracked lines extend all across the rear of the phone. Thankfully the front is not damaged and the camera and flash still work fine.
Does anyone have a rough idea of what it would cost to repair the back? I'm considering sending it to Sony UK, but would be interested in knowing about any others that offer authorised repairs. My warranty is due to run out in December, so I may look into 3rd party specialists who can guarantee a repair that would maintain waterproof features of the phone.
Cheers
It would probably run you around below 100 dollars. When the back panel is broken and according to you dropping it on a concrete ground, the whole back panel needs to be replaced, my price estimate could also increase alot if the camera sensor is damaged as well.
If you decide to bring it to "after market" fixers, you could get it repaired cheaper but chances are they don't have the sealant used to restore waterproofing after the back panel has been opened.
Amazon
Hi, just look for Amazon products, my back glass broke 1 month ago and i fixed it myself and it's quite easy, u just have to buy the replacement from amazon, mine cost 15€ (10$) and it's original, i just unsticked the old one and replaced with the spare part, it's 5 minutes work, good luck :good:
Sony can't/won't give me a quote for replacing the back without sending my phone back in, something I won't do just to get a quote, so opted to try my luck with OEM parts from other sources. From eBay, I bought an OEM rear glass with adhesive, suction cups and some guitar picks, for grand total of £15. I've seen some videos online and it seems very simple. Next up, sourcing a hair dryer to soften the glue
@stanciuvlad11: How's the waterproofness holding up, did you test it?
As stanciuvlad11 mentions it is very easy to do it yourself. Just buy on eBay the back glass (some $10) and the sticking tape (some $3) and look any of the several video tutorials.
At the end you can check that the device still hermetic by typing *#*#7378423#*#* then tap on Service Tests > Pressure Sensor and press in the middle of the front screen to see if the milibar increases
Should the pressure change or not when waterproof?
The pressure increases when it is waterproof. The rationale is that when you apply pressure in the center of the screen the air within the phone cannot escape (it is hermetic) so the pressure increases. You can observe up to some 20-30milibar increase.
If you open one of the tabs or simply the phone is not properly sealed the milibar displayed does not show any movement with your finger pressuring the screen.
I have read lots of threads and comments on the Internet regarding screen cracking on the z3c but most are dating back to early 2015.
As I am now considering buying a Z3C does anyone know if improvements have been made by Sony to address these issues for the 2016 models?
Thanks for any comments.
Nothing has changed. On the bright side, replacing said-glass is very cheap and easy to do. On the minus-side. Say bye-bye to any form of water-resistance. This long with the Z3C: I've grown to accept this phone won't be water-resistant unless I use a case because the seals and IP-68 rating is only for fresh-water and the rating completely depends on the ability of flap-seals and sealant of the back cover to to do its job. I hope I can convince you to disregard water-resistance factor in your purchase. Notably because Sony won't cover any repairs if the damage is a result of water-damage(personal experience). That way, you can swap back glass covers as you please. They go for like $2.
My z3c screens right top corner today unglued. Lasted for about 8 months since purchase, without case, without any water interference. Still under warranty, sending it for repair.
alpha-niner64 said:
Nothing has changed. On the bright side, replacing said-glass is very cheap and easy to do. On the minus-side. Say bye-bye to any form of water-resistance. This long with the Z3C: I've grown to accept this phone won't be water-resistant unless I use a case because the seals and IP-68 rating is only for fresh-water and the rating completely depends on the ability of flap-seals and sealant of the back cover to to do its job. I hope I can convince you to disregard water-resistance factor in your purchase. Notably because Sony won't cover any repairs if the damage is a result of water-damage(personal experience). That way, you can swap back glass covers as you please. They go for like $2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply, if I understand you correctly replacing the back glass is not a big issue and is cheap, but what about the front screen? I did have a quick search around the net and it looks quite complicated and expensive to replace the front one.
Have you done the front one yourself?
Thanks.
vilx01 said:
My z3c screens right top corner today unglued. Lasted for about 8 months since purchase, without case, without any water interference. Still under warranty, sending it for repair.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, mine has unglued as well, after 7 months of usage (bought it brand new), I am sending it for repair also. When my warranty expires, I will replace case on my own, because I have black one, and I want black screen + white case
bmg777 said:
Thanks for the reply, if I understand you correctly replacing the back glass is not a big issue and is cheap, but what about the front screen? I did have a quick search around the net and it looks quite complicated and expensive to replace the front one.
Have you done the front one yourself?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I service my own phones often enough to kind of say that replacing your own front screen is easy to do if you're starting out with this phoneYou take out the front-screen the same way you take apart the back screen.. As long as your motherboard components are in good condition like the USB Port, antenna, SIM/MicroSD slots, and the battery(cause this is glued very well to the motheboard), nearly everything on the Z3 Compact is expendable and easily replaceable.
alpha-niner64 said:
I service my own phones often enough to kind of say that replacing your own front screen is easy to do if you're starting out with this phoneYou take out the front-screen the same way you take apart the back screen.. As long as your motherboard components are in good condition like the USB Port, antenna, SIM/MicroSD slots, and the battery(cause this is glued very well to the motheboard), nearly everything on the Z3 Compact is expendable and easily replaceable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been using Z3C (15W33) since early september and this phone has really rough life. I mean working in very hard conditions (very cold outside > pretty warm inside the house) and I never really cared about it even when I know there are problems with the glass. Also I have a custom s-line case and that's the only protection... I dropped the phone twice or three times...
but it's still running pretty nice and there are no signs of any damage, the glass is more than OK
So I like just about everything about the Sony Z compact line of phones but durability wise I have been unlucky. My first Z3 compact died from water damage and my 2nd one has a screen that is ready to fall off the device.
I choose to buy a HTC U11 to replace my Z3 compact as I have never owned a HTC phone before and thought I would try something different.
What I would like to ask here though is it worth trying to fix the Z3 compact to sell or not?
The only way to protect this phone:
The phone bends 0.1mm causes the phone screen to start opening. So it's not suitable for jeans pockets.
I remedied this by using an anodized aluminium bumper and tempered glass both sides.
Sony does a very bad repair of it's phones, and the issues will return, and their parts are expensive.
It is better to do it yourself and use B7000 glue, use plenty, easily removable for future repairs, no heat, clothes pegs, wait 48 hours before removing pegs or turning on the phone. And look for the best grade of screen with frame, Sony uses two manufacturers for its screens.
My Z3C has a screen that is lifting. This thread and others seem to indicate that fixing the screen is not hard but hardware is not my thing at all...
Would a phone repair place (in a shopping centre) be able to do this kind of repair? Is the phone much different to other phones that people would take in for screen replacements?
I don't care about the loss of waterproofing. The screen isn't even falling out, just lifted in the corner. I don't want to send the phone anywhere and be without it, or have it come back changed in unexpected ways...
a1291762 said:
My Z3C has a screen that is lifting. This thread and others seem to indicate that fixing the screen is not hard but hardware is not my thing at all...
Would a phone repair place (in a shopping centre) be able to do this kind of repair? Is the phone much different to other phones that people would take in for screen replacements?
I don't care about the loss of waterproofing. The screen isn't even falling out, just lifted in the corner. I don't want to send the phone anywhere and be without it, or have it come back changed in unexpected ways...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Phone shops including Sony themselves have difficulty in repairing this particular phone, I think any phone shop can do this repair, but, they must use the B7000 glue or similar, or silicone, and not the red tape they usually use, it's useless, as this phone can heat up, or the blue z3c ready cut tape is not so good either. And if you get the wrong screen (clone), the colours will not be as good.
Many phone repairers have the clone screens that are thicker than the original.
The screen sometimes is actually bent, along with the body, check on a flat surface.
Always buy a good screen together attached with the body, and never by itself.
So armed with this knowledge and or hardware, you could go talk with a phone repairer... The first 3 times, shop, but maybe the fourth repair, try doing it yourself, it's as easy as opening a PC, just smaller, just follow z3c repair guides and youtube, when you're ready. When attempting to repair the phone, for the very first time, do it over hours, maybe over the weekend, and not one sitting.
If you start loosing patience, leave it for a while etc.
[emoji12]
I got so comfortable with opening my phone, I put extra 0.3mm copper plates on the processor and gpu with Cooler Master Extreme Fusion paste etc. Lol.
But it's good to have an already damaged motherboard to work on.
Z3C LOS Omni Oreo
My screen is still working fine. Just lifting.
I do have some old phones I could practice on, assuming they have the same glass sandwich construction.
I will go look for some videos...
a1291762 said:
My screen is still working fine. Just lifting.
I do have some old phones I could practice on, assuming they have the same glass sandwich construction.
I will go look for some videos...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
?
Z3C LOS Omni Oreo
I put up with my screen for a long time but eventually the glue gave out and I had no choice. It was good, then bad, but ultimately ok.
I didn't have any trouble taking the glass off the first time because the glue was barely hanging on. I had a look and noticed that the headphone jack's glue was also failing. Probably why it was becoming unreliable. I glued that and reseated the screen cable and it worked fine while sitting there so I glued everything on again.
It was a poor first attempt. I had both too much glue (blobs that leaked out) and not enough to actually seal around much of the screen. No problem. I took the glass off again and glued it again. This time I followed the instructions closer and glued the front screen before connecting the ribbon.
The second gluing was good but something with the ribbon was wrong because it only worked when I pressed on the lower part of the screen. Sigh.
Taking the glass off after a good glue was much harder. I finally got the spudger under the glass but I moved it sideways before removing the suction thing. It was too much pressure for the glass. The good news is that it was the rear glass and only the bottom half shattered. I got the rest off and started on the front.
Now that I knew to be more careful, I got the front off OK. Reseat. Test and working. I glued the front on first again, without disconnecting the cable. Tested and working. I glued the half back I had on (covers the camera).
Its working!
I use a case so the back isn't even a problem, but I ordered a new back from China (cheap). The headphone Jack seems better. I put a new screen protector on. In some ways the phone is rejuvenated.
I was apparently not careful enough when taking off the screen though. I appear to have some marks on my screen now. It's minor, probably won't notice during normal use, but there if you look.
I'm so glad to have my phone back. I've been using an iPhone for the last 3 weeks.
Thanks for the tips.
Edit: The hands free speaker works again too. Bonus