The Digital Doctor will see you now | The Vergecast

《The Verge Cast》节目的主持人 David Pierce 欢迎 Leo Mastrolia，他又名“数字医生”，共同探讨小工具维修的世界。最初是对“内存大崩溃”（Ramageddon）现象——人们如何延长设备寿命——的探讨，演变成了一场更深入的对话，关于 Leo 的创业历程、他独特的商业模式以及维修与内容创作的交集。 Leo Mastrolia 的故事始于一段不同寻常的经历。18岁时，他决定大学不适合自己，转而寻求一条基于自我驱动的道路。他曾在另一家手机维修店工作，最初是因为自己的手机经常坏掉，这段经历让他有所领悟。在新冠疫情最严重时期，看到一个本地租赁机会，Leo 毅然决定放手一搏。尽管当时实体零售业面临严峻挑战，但他意识到对于远程工作的人群来说，设备维修具有“刚需”性质。他投入了所有积蓄，甚至在生意初期通过在 Wawa 便利店上夜班来补贴收入，直到业务逐渐步入正轨。 早期，Leo 的店铺主要处理常见问题：屏幕维修、电池更换和水损设备。他观察到一个有趣的趋势：维修类型常常以“波浪”的形式出现，比如某一周有很多三星手机，另一周则被 PlayStation 占据。他半开玩笑（或许并非玩笑）地指出，同一型号的设备常常在大致相同的时间出现故障，这背后仿佛存在某种“阴谋”。他的店铺开业时机恰到好处，恰逢远程办公设备需求激增，使得他的服务高度相关。 向内容创作的转型并非一蹴而就，但一直是他的个人梦想。Leo 从小看着 YouTube 博主长大，渴望自己也能创作。直到他的维修业务站稳脚跟，他才重新审视这个抱负。最初，在朋友 Alaya 的帮助下，他们尝试制作了一些“令人尴尬”的短剧视频。突破发生在他们转向更真实的方法时：使用 Meta 眼镜记录真实的互动和维修过程。这种真诚坦率的风格深深打动了观众，使他的线上影响力达到了数百万粉丝。Leo 认为内容创作的成功与他店铺的成功不谋而合：人们欣赏个性化的体验和真心实意乐于助人的人。 然而，他内容业务的迅速发展带来了一个独特的挑战：如何平衡这两项成功却又要求很高的事业。他目前大部分到店顾客都来自很远的地方，往往正是因为看到了他的视频慕名而来。这形成了一个良性循环：更多的内容创作带来更多的业务。Leo 曾考虑完全投入内容创作，这是一条许多创作者选择的道路，但他对当地顾客——那些依赖他实体店的妈妈们、爷爷奶奶们以及其他人——感到强烈的责任。他正在探索组建一个编辑和拍摄团队来帮助管理工作量，承认自己目前“分身乏术”。 Leo 还分享了对维修趋势和消费者行为的见解。尽管较新的 iPhone 型号成为常见维修对象，但他观察到像 iPhone 13 这样的旧型号很快就退出了日常维修列表，这凸显了（尤其是手机）快速的升级周期。他估计硬件问题与软件问题的比例约为 75% 比 25%，并指出安卓手机常受“臃肿软件”（bloatware）弹窗问题的困扰，而 iPhone 则可能出现令人费解的死机现象。水损问题在他位于泽西海岸的店里尤为普遍，他坚决驳斥了“防水”神话和用米粒吸水的解决方案，建议人们及时寻求专业维修，或者备份数据/以旧换新。 谈到技术层面，Leo 透露他完全是自学成才，主要依靠 iFixit、YouTube 和 Reddit 等资源。他认为焊接是最难的技能，尤其是主板上微小组件的微焊接，制造商不愿向独立维修店提供原理图，这使得这项任务难上加难。他还在对电池越来越难以拆卸的趋势感到遗憾，并积极倡导可拆卸电池，尽管这可能对他自己的业务产生负面影响，但他认为这是“为消费者做正确的事”。 展望未来，Leo 认为维修行业蕴藏着巨大机遇。他鼓励年轻人学习这门手艺，指出市场需求巨大，但熟练技术人员匮乏，因为大多数官方渠道（运营商、大型连锁店）倾向于直接更换设备而非维修。他观察到“现在万物皆电脑”，从 Nest 等智能家居设备到动画机械，甚至雨刮器电机。尽管他已经适应了维修各种小工具，但 Meta 眼镜等新设备由于难以拆卸和缺乏可用零件而带来了挑战。目前，他最大的持续任务仍然是“堆积如山的 PlayStation”，它们大多遭受过热和 HDMI 问题困扰。 Leo 的故事证明了创业精神、适应能力以及通过维修故障设备或在线分享知识来帮助人们的真挚热情。

David Pierce, host of The Verge Cast, welcomes Leo Mastrolia, also known as "The Digital Doctor," to discuss the world of gadget repair. What started as an inquiry into the "Ramageddon" phenomenon—how people are extending device lifespans—evolved into a deeper conversation about Leo's journey, his unique business model, and the intersection of repair and content creation. Leo Mastrolia's story began unconventionally. At 18, having decided college wasn't for him, he sought a path rooted in self-driven initiative. His experience working at another phone repair shop, initially driven by his own frequent phone breakages, sparked a realization. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, seeing a local rental opportunity, Leo took a leap of faith. Despite the challenging timing for physical retail, he recognized the "essential" nature of device repair for a remote-working populace. He invested every last dollar, even supplementing his shop's early income with Wawa overnight shifts, until the business gradually gained momentum. In the early days, Leo's shop handled typical issues: screen repairs, battery replacements, and water-damaged devices. He observed a fascinating trend: repair types often come in "waves," with one week seeing many Samsung phones, another dominated by PlayStations. He jokingly (or not) notes the "conspiracy" that devices of the same model often fail around the same time. The shop's opening was serendipitous, coinciding with a surge in demand for new devices for remote work, making his services highly relevant. The transition to content creation wasn't immediate but always a personal dream. Leo grew up watching YouTubers and longed to create. It wasn't until his repair business was well-established that he revisited this ambition. Initially, with the help of a friend, Alaya, they experimented with "cringe-worthy" skit videos. The breakthrough came when they switched to a more authentic approach, using meta glasses to record genuine interactions and repairs. This candid style resonated deeply with viewers, propelling his online presence to millions of followers. Leo believes the content's success mirrors his shop's success: people appreciate a personalized experience and someone genuinely wanting to help. The rapid growth of his content business, however, created a unique challenge: balancing two successful, yet demanding, ventures. Most of his current in-store customers travel long distances, often specifically because they saw his videos. This creates a feedback loop where more content drives more business. Leo grapples with the idea of dedicating himself solely to content creation, a path many creators take, but feels a strong obligation to his local customer base—moms, grandpas, and others who rely on his physical shop. He's exploring building a team of editors and filmers to help manage the workload, acknowledging that he's currently pulled in "every different direction." Leo also shares insights into repair trends and consumer behavior. While newer iPhone models become common repairs, he's observed that older models, like the iPhone 13, quickly fall out of daily repair rotation, highlighting the quick upgrade cycle, especially for phones. He estimates a 75% hardware to 25% software problem ratio, noting Androids often suffer from "bloatware" pop-up issues, while iPhones can have unintuitive freeze-ups. Water damage, particularly at his Jersey Shore location, is prevalent, and he firmly debunks the "waterproof" myth and the rice-drying solution, advising prompt professional intervention or backup/trade-in. When discussing the technical side, Leo reveals his self-taught journey, relying on resources like iFixit, YouTube, and Reddit. He identifies soldering as the hardest skill, especially micro-soldering on tiny motherboard components, a task made even harder by manufacturers' reluctance to provide schematics to independent shops. He also laments the move away from easily removable batteries, advocating for them despite the potential negative impact on his own business, arguing it's the "right thing to do for the consumer." Looking to the future, Leo sees immense opportunity in the repair industry. He encourages young people to learn the trade, noting the overwhelming demand and the lack of skilled technicians, as most official channels (carriers, big box stores) simply replace devices rather than repair them. He observes that "everything is a computer now," from smart home devices like Nests to animatronics and even windshield wiper motors. While he's adapted to fixing various gadgets, new devices like Meta glasses pose challenges due to difficulty in disassembly and lack of available parts. Currently, his biggest ongoing task remains the "endless stack of PlayStations" suffering from overheating and HDMI issues. Leo's story is a testament to entrepreneurial spirit, adaptability, and a genuine passion for helping people, whether through fixing their broken gadgets or sharing his knowledge online.