The Times profiles Partsearch, a company that acts as an inventory broker between manufacturers and repair technicians.
The items most frequently broken or lost, he said, include laptop batteries, projection television lamps, refrigerator water filters and dryer timer knobs (so you’re not alone).Mr. Laumeister said his company is in the midst of a seasonal surge, as consumers break, lose or wear out their holiday gift gadgets. Also helping sales recently, he said, are environmentally aware customers looking to keep their older electronics items out of the dump. A precarious economy, of course, helps. “When the economy slows down, people fix their old stuff,” he said.
Even cooler, Partsearch operates its own web-based retail site for consumers called Partstore.com
When Gadget Parts Break or Get Lost [NYTimes.com]
I used them to get a new laptop keyboard a few years ago when my roommate spilled rum & coke on my laptop. It took about a month to get, but they actually found it and got it to me for a good price, without having to deal with corporate headquarters in taiwan to try and order a part from somebody for a laptop they stopped making a year before
I have an older Gateway laptop whose battery hold only a 2min charge. I’d love to use it with me on road trips (won’t cry if it gets stolen) and it’s perfectly adequate for most use, including watching video. I’ve wondered for a long time how I can replace the batteries as they are no longer available, even on eBay. Anyone knows ?