iFixit Launches a Cloud-Based Service for Repair Guides Called Dozuki And It’s Awesome

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Dozuki-from-iFixit

iFixit is famous for its gadget tear-downs and repair guides. Every time Apple releases a new piece of tech, iFixit gets hold of it and pulls it apart for our pleasure. The company is now about to branch out — starting up a new cloud-based service called Dozuki that will provide technical documentation to hardware, appliance and chemical manufacturers.

Dozuki is currently in beta, having been tested for the last 12 months with Make Magazine. It has previously been used to create simple instructions for iFixit customers, but the plan is to expand the service out to companies like Home Depot and Ryobi. The service allows a client to create a manual using a cloud-based server that allows multiple editors at once, and enables a team of people to discuss different parts and provide support.

Kyle Wiens, iFixit’s CEO, says that the service encourages customers to build things with their tools:

You have lots of service manuals for your tools, but they’re in legacy PDF. You could put them online, and use them as the start of an online community and maybe your tool manuals are just the start you encourage your customers to share how to make things with your tools.

“So they’ve got all this useful information about how to learn plumbing, and they sell all the parts, but they haven’t made it easy for people to connect the two. We would give them an online how-to site and a mobile app for both consumers and point of sale.

“That’s the big lesson we learned with iFixit. People can’t use our products if we don’t teach them how.”

Wiens believes that AutoDesk’s acquisition of Instructables is proof that the company’s latest project is a lucrative one:

 “I think AutoDesk’s purchase of Instructables shows that big money is chasing this space.”

“The opportunity is huge. I’m not one for lavish estimates because I don’t have to pitch VCs, but we’re going to make millions.”

Dozuki is set to launch this Fall, but you can sign up for a beta account and access the service now. It costs around $100 per month for small businesses, $250 per month for larger organizastions, and $500 per month for big companies.

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