Zune 8 goes under the knife, bares all

We're actually kind of surprised it's taken this long for us to get a solid look at the guts of a new Zune 8, but we suppose it gets pretty distracting up in the social. Anyway, the fine folks at RapidRepair have done the honors, and there's not much hiding in there of note: the battery appears to be soldered in, and the Zune Pad appears to be sealed in and irreplaceable -- which is a shame, because we were anticipating some wicked squircle mods. Hit the read link for the rest of the gory pics.

[MonteVale @ Nov 17th 2007 4:26AM]

Is there a phone out there with a soldered battery?
How about a laptop?
Maybe a flashlight...?
for all of yea Apple lovers this is the direct result of iPod which propagated this with the hidden battery money grab.
Now, it would be nice to accuse MSFT with another bad thing except Apple was the one that started this freaging trend.

[Richard Lai @ Nov 17th 2007 4:35AM]

Yes, one can say that this is just to get more money in servicing, but then it also does make the device slimmer. I believe some of the exisiting uberslim phones have a fixed battery compartment too. Hopefully it won't be long until we get some proper high-capacity batteries.

Oh, and I do have a credit card sized flashlight with a fixed battery. :D

[Jaxim @ Nov 17th 2007 8:32AM]

The iPod has the same issue. I'd like Microsoft come out with a Zune that has a replaceable battery. iPod fans have been rightfully compaining about that issue, so if Microsoft came out with a product where you could replace the battery, they would have to give them props.

[computer.dude.28 @ Nov 17th 2007 10:30AM]

"Is there a phone out there with a soldered battery?"
Yes.
http://www.samsung.com/ph/products/gsm/gsm/sgh_f300.asp

[mmmmna @ Nov 17th 2007 11:13PM]

And NO MATTER WHAT, everyone still buys them: 'I gotta have one'.

Maybe stops your gadget addiction long enough to REFUSE to buy one? In front of other customers, TELL the store clerk these are garbage? Tell your friends that the Apple-ism is unwanted?

The only OTHER way to make your desires known is to hammer the customer satisfaction survey comment boxes (but M$ doesn't usually allow comments - they invented the 'Microsoftian' survey)

[bernard @ Nov 17th 2007 4:40AM]

When will we see pictures of the Zune 80 under the knife?

[neon @ Nov 18th 2007 2:01AM]

Whenever they stop selling out enough for them to get their hands on one. The z80 is no where to be found. I don't even think Engadget has a z80...

[Amblin @ Nov 17th 2007 4:45AM]

Hmm. The images of the PCB are pretty low resolution, but my eyes are telling me that the flash based Zunes use a Wolfson 83506 audio processor.

[Michael B. Titman @ Nov 17th 2007 6:02AM]

Sheesh

[Tim @ Nov 17th 2007 6:31AM]

I'm suprised the guy with all those Zune tattoos isn't in the background.

[Le Master @ Nov 17th 2007 8:14AM]

I don't get it. You mean like weeping with a veil over his head? Or on his phone calling 9-1-1 to report a murder?

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Nov 17th 2007 8:55PM]

I put it on digg so he doesn't miss out! =)

[Anto @ Nov 17th 2007 8:39AM]

Looks better like this.

[juju @ Nov 17th 2007 9:03AM]

u tickle me le master, u tickle me

[Glenn Gore @ Nov 17th 2007 9:11AM]

What? No user-replaceable battery??????? It's worthless!! Microsoft sucks! How can they treat their customers this way?

I hope you give Microsoft as much flack for this as you did to Apple for doing virtually the same thing. Once again, Apple does it better, at least with an iPod you just unplug the old battery instead of having to break out a soldering iron and risk ruining the whole thing during a battery change

[John @ Nov 17th 2007 11:36AM]

The last time I heard any flack from anyone regarding non-replaceable batteries was with regards to the iPhone, what with it being a phone and something you might actually NEED to use... plus their "send us your phone when the battery dies" policy. When it comes to dedicated media players, the complaint has always been along the lines of "it would be nice if...".

So, do I wish it had a user replaceable battery? A little. But then again, zune engravings would look pretty lousy with a hatch to pull the battery out of.

[michael @ Nov 17th 2007 12:24PM]

Maybe, I'm stupid, but...

What's the importance of a user-replaceable battery? I never got what some people may want that for.

Is that like batteries in a remote control? Where you switch them out every time they die? Why would you want that? Isn't it easier to recharge it, instead of buying and wasting batteries?

I seriously don't get. What's the benefit from a user-replaceable battery?

[jroc @ Nov 17th 2007 1:17PM]

@ Michael: You don't want to send your remote into a factory and pay 150$ to rip it apart and solder a new battery in it after a year when is craps out and you need the it for pRon watching!

[Tony @ Nov 17th 2007 1:22PM]

@Michael

User replacable batteries can also be replaced when the battery dies. Most useful in situations such as long plane rides where you may not be able to recharge your battery. I'd gladly pay $50 for an extra battery than sit through 6 more hours of nothing to do.

[Constable Odo @ Nov 17th 2007 9:29AM]

iPod nano guts look a lot better. Still it was nice to see this Zune laid out the way Hannibal Lecter enjoys it. Too bad there are no squircle mods, whatever the heck that could possibly be.

[Dave @ Nov 17th 2007 10:04AM]

does it come with EPA certified super non boron etched enviro friendly PCBs? I must know because I won't support companies that just recklessly destroy the environment like those cupertino guys with their non degradable starbucks coffee cups.

[john @ Nov 17th 2007 11:27AM]

This article belongs in the "who give a sh*t" section of engadget.

[Whiskey Lima @ Nov 17th 2007 11:27AM]

Where is the outrage?? Where are the class action law–suits??

[Jonathan-DBOSS @ Nov 17th 2007 12:19PM]

Autopsy's are hard to see... creepy... ugh!

[Auto @ Nov 17th 2007 1:28PM]

Whats the point in cutting these things up? Even the most geeky people around here dont know what 90% of the stuff inside is. Or do people really go "OMFG, it's like got some micro chips and PCB in in it!!! and i thought it was made of cheese".

Give them to charity or something.

[eEZER @ Nov 17th 2007 1:35PM]

Lol.
Omg! It's made in China, that's so non-Apple and soo M$.

[Sam Winter @ Jan 1st 2008 6:46PM]

@Michael
You seriously couldn't figure this one out? You didn't know standard (aka lithium-ion) batteries can only recharge x amount of times before they are dead??? Yes, you ARE stupid. Or 12. Or Both.

[tekdroid @ Nov 17th 2007 10:30PM]

Great to see more people thinking about user-replaceable batteries (removable flash would be the next logical..)

I hope Microsoft do the sane thing and make them standard for their players up there in the 3-plays-before-expiring digital restrictions social.

Then, and only then, we might get Apple and Sony and virtually the rest of the industry copy-catting them with what was common sense, which has become uncommon sense in audio land.

[PeterDLai @ Nov 18th 2007 1:18PM]

It uses the FreeScale i.MX32 for its multimedia processing... I wonder what sound chip it's using?

[John Wilson @ Nov 20th 2007 8:20AM]

New Zune models use WM8350 which is an integrated audio and power management device from Wolfson