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A Powerful and Portable Information Tool for Professional Appliantologists


Samurai Appliance Repair Man

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If you've been doing appliance repair as a Professional Appliantologist for any length of time, you've probably struggled through something similar to all these situations:

- You're trying to fix an Electrolux range but you can't even figure out how to take it apart so you can troubleshoot.

- You need to put a Whirlpool Duet washer into diagnostic mode but the sleaze bag who worked on it last stole the tech sheet.

- You're working on a temperature control problem in a GE refrigerator and need to look up some schematics and specifications in the service manual, which you don't have with you.

- You're preparing for a job on an LG dishwasher and want to make sure you have the service manual with you but you can't find it in those messy piles of papers and documents you call your filing system.

Wouldn't it be awesome if there was a way of keeping all the technical documents you need during service calls in an inexpensive, compact, light-weight container in which you could quickly find the document you need to fix the problem? In this action-packed, no-holds-barred episode of Samurai TV, I'll show you how I use the Amazon Kindle Fire to easily carry service manuals, bulletins, diagrams, etc., with me on service calls. Using the Kindle Fire, all the tech info I need for a job is right there at my fingertips, easy to retrieve and use.

You can buy a brand new Kindle Fire for $160, a very modest investment for such a powerful information tool. Plus, if you're using it for work, it's tax-deductible!

Amazon also offers a Kindle Fire HD, which has a higher screen resolution and more memory. It's also a lot more expensive. I just use the plain Kindle Fire because, for what I use it for-- carrying technical service manuals on jobs-- it has plenty of storage and the screen resolution is more than adequate for reading manuals. Here's the link to the Amazon Kindle Fire that I use on service calls: http://amzn.to/ZhC8tG

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You can easily mount an iPad in your truck using a music stand ipad holder.  Anybody interested I will post some photos.

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DurhamAppliance

Posted

How 'bout selling kindle fires preloaded with manuals. Call them Samurai fires or Appliantology Fires. You can have your fire logo branded on them. Sell them for a premium but you have to give one to me. Such a pittance for a money making idea. Who knows, you may even become a thousandaire

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Samurai,

Two Questions:

1) Must the service data PDF be sent from the computer TO the Kindle only, or can we, in the field, gain access to WI-FI and view/download directly to the kindle from the Web?

2) Can the PDF be printed out from the Kindle using a USB cord to a field printer--for those of us who like to write,draw and take notes on tech sheets on paper?

Thanks for the great video.

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Samurai Appliance Repair Man

Posted

How 'bout selling kindle fires preloaded with manuals. Call them Samurai fires or Appliantology Fires. You can have your fire logo branded on them. Sell them for a premium but you have to give one to me. Such a pittance for a money making idea. Who knows, you may even become a thousandaire

 

 

You have a master marketing mind, Brother Durham!  Imma call my buddy Jeff Bezos over at Amazon and have 'em whip me up a few prototypes.  Then I'm on my way to the Big Pahty in the Sky! 

 

jnkdjaaa.gif

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Samurai Appliance Repair Man

Posted

Samurai,

Two Questions:

1) Must the service data PDF be sent from the computer TO the Kindle only, or can we, in the field, gain access to WI-FI and view/download directly to the kindle from the Web?

 

 

Yes, you can download and view PDFs on the web using the Kindle's Wi-fi and the built-in web browser, Silk, which is pretty good.  Also, using just the Kindle Fire, you can download documents from this site in the Downloads section and open them using the Adobe Acrobat app.  It plays Youtube videos, too.  

 

I gotta say, though, if you're gonna get much into apps, email, and web use with the Kindle, you're quickly getting outside my competency with the device because I use it for reading documents (PDFs) that load onto it using the Send to Kindle app on my desktop and watching the occasional video that I stream for free from Amazon Prime Instant Video.  But there are hundreds, maybe thousands of apps out there for the Kindle because it uses the same operating system as the Android so it taps into that market.  

 

 

2) Can the PDF be printed out from the Kindle using a USB cord to a field printer--for those of us who like to write,draw and take notes on tech sheets on paper?

Thanks for the great video.

 

 

No USB port on the Kindle so printing that way isn't an option. There may be a Wi-fi printing app out there like there is for the iPhone but I haven't looked into that. You can search the Kindle app store and see what they have:  http://amzn.to/YpKISv

 

Domo for watching the video and for your questions!  

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Samurai Appliance Repair Man

Posted

You can easily mount an iPad in your truck using a music stand ipad holder.  Anybody interested I will post some photos.

 

 

Let's get an iBall on your iPad git-up, Brother NCA!  tv0.gif

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Comstock_Services

Posted

Awesome Ideal Boss! but I gots the Ipad already, and I'm stickin to it.

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Samurai Appliance Repair Man

Posted

I have an iPad, too, but it's too big and expensive to take on service calls.  The Kindle Fire is so inexpensive that I don't mind risking carrying it on service calls.  

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DurhamAppliance

Posted

My samsung pad is dear to me and I hate taking it to calls for fear of losing/breaking it. I use my S3 quite a bit  for doc reading.. Even though it has a large  4.8 inch screen but my eyes aint as good as it used to be. I wish I had the 5.5 screen Galaxy Note Phone but that's a year or so out do to my current phone contract. The Fire seems like a great toss it away tool. and has a big enough screen. wouldn't keep anything on it but docs, no sensitive data etc...

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Samurai Appliance Repair Man

Posted

The Fire seems like a great toss it away tool. and has a big enough screen. wouldn't keep anything on it but docs, no sensitive data etc...

 

This is exactly how I treat my Kindle Fire:  with respect but accepting the possibility that it may get injured or killed in the line of duty.  It is a line officer in the appliance repair infowars and, as such, accepts the responsibilities that come with command.  

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Samurai, first let me say you are AWESOME!  I started my appliance business a couple of years ago with a hope and a prayer, not really sure if it would work or not.  With your invaluable website and sharing of information I have been successful in those calls when I was stumped.  Thank you very much, I hope to meet you someday and buy you a beer or two.

 

I currently do the same thing with a Motorola 10" Xyyboard.  It's a little more pricey than the kindle but it has 4G and I can access the web.  I store many of my tech sheets and repair videos on it for reference and I also use it get on the web and Google information.  With the web access I can access the LG tech site, Frigidaire/Electrolux tech site etc where there is great information also (videos, tech sheets, common problems etc)  And lastly I use it to take credit card payments, swipe the card and the customers signs and I'm on my way.  Great tools indeed.  Looks very professional!

 

If you ever sell a pre-loaded Kindle, mark me down for one.  Thanks again Samurai!  

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Samurai Appliance Repair Man

Posted

Domo, bluefrog!  But this site is all about a community effort of professional Appliantologists helping each other out in the appliance repair infowars.  Thanks for being a part of it!  

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Was at Radio Shack looking for some large alligator meter leads.  Spotted the kindle fire for $159.  ask the sales person about it & he had a comparable device on sale for $100.  with more features,  Bought it & don't think I wasted my money.  Still an Android device with more features, wifi ,web browsing, email, dropbox, & more things I don't know anything about.  Has 8GB internal memory plus additional memory cards for more storage.  Has a camera, also HD port for hooking to a TV or something.  Think I got a good deal.  ?  I think.  Will play with it tomorrow, I will update forum.

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Samurai Appliance Repair Man

Posted

Was at Radio Shack looking for some large alligator meter leads.  Spotted the kindle fire for $159.  ask the sales person about it & he had a comparable device on sale for $100.  with more features,  Bought it & don't think I wasted my money. 

 

 

I don't think you got ripped off at all... as long as it's still easy to load PDFs onto it.  Do you have a link so I can take a look at it?  I might be interested in one myself!  

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electrician4sk

Posted

Hi,

 

Is any way i can download all manual to my ipad ?

I am using good reader and when I need i download in the good reader but sometime if I am in basement it is hard to download the manual.

Thanks

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Samurai Appliance Repair Man

Posted

There’s no way to download all the manuals at once nor is that desirable for several reasons. But the biggest is that this would slam the server and slow the entire site down for everyone else. 

The best workaround is to prediagnose your service calls the day or morning before and load up your iPad with the documents you need. I do this routinely because I can’t count on good cell signal in many of the houses I go to. I also walk into each job with a troubleshooting strategy in mind and have the relevant pages in the service manual bookmarked for quick lookup.  

 

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Excellent video. I have been downloading manuals from Appliantology on my Kindle Fire, but this is much easier. Thank you Grand Master Samuari!

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