My N900 got bricked a few weeks ago after applying a cssu major upgrade and as my usb port had fallen out ages ago I wasn't able to reflash it. I'd survived on external battery chargers and multiple batteries til then, and wifi/SD cards for data backup/sync.

But the bricking forced me to get something done about the usb port, or at least give it a go instead of shelling out on another 2nd hand one or switching for a newer Samsung/Nexus/other device.

I took a shot and asked my local computer/mobile repair shop (in SW London, UK) to see if they could get it working again and despite multiple confusions and bad communication on their part and failing to ever call me back when they said etc. (as you unfortunately tend to get with the majority of companies), despite saying there was only a 50/50 chance of getting data working again, they fixed it for me (for a fee that I was ok paying). So yay reflash and fixed phone and working data connection again!

Despite me mentioning several times (when I gave them the phone and when I phoned them) that I only needed the usb port working again, and just-charging wasn't going to be any use but if that's what they could do then so be it; they fixed that then started work on trying to figure out what hardware was broken to stop it booting. I would have waited weeks more I'm sure if I hadn't reminded them of this and they'd have charged me more to do unnecessary work/analysis...

So I'm glad they did the job that I could hope for and my phone has bounced back to as it was originally! Good old solid Nokia (ish...)!

Not taken it apart to see whether they made a mess inside or how clean it is, I might do at a later date, but this I think (and why I'm posting), is some good news for those worried about attempting the soldering job themselves (as I did for a while, done some soldering before but not in so tight a space or with complex boards) - you can pay someone to fix it and it can be done. Do some online searching for reviews of the company's service though perhaps first...