As much as we love those guys and gals over at
Will It Blend?, we couldn't help but cringe each time they "dissected" any given gadget. The cautious cats over at
iFixit, however, are more our style. Gentle, loving, appreciative and respectful -- what else could you want in a gizmo surgeon? Per usual, they've done whatever it takes to get ahold of Palm's new
Pre and
Touchstone, but rather than basking in the glory of ownership, they promptly unrolled their tool belt, fired up the DSLR and proceeded to dissemble both units for your viewing pleasure. We already know that all those little innards add up to right around
$170 (for the Pre, anyway), but there's nothing quite like looking at each and every chip and bit yourself. Hit up the read links below if you find your interest piqued, and don't forget to tip your hat as you exit.
Update: Through their official
Twitter account, the
iFixit folks have chimed in to say they'd be "shocked if it cost more than $5 to manufacture." As always, that's not the whole story and there's probably a good number of other variables justifiably contributing to the cost, but knowing $70 is a bit of a
turn-off for some customers, we can only hope that price drops sooner rather than later.
Read - Palm Pre teardown
Read - Palm Touchstone teardown
posted Jun 7th 2009 1:41PM
It's beautiful even when it's in pieces.
I think every thing is beautiful when it's stripped down to the bear essentials. It brings a tear to my eye anyway. But hey I'm just a nerd.
The PRE is an awesome phone, as are many of the other wannabe iPhone Killers...but unlike the iPhone, the PRe only improves on the iPhone design in ways that don't really seperate it from the iPhone.
-multitasking? Any phone can get that.
- 3.2 MP Camera with photo backlogging? Any phone can get that.
What does Pre really do differently or what are its unique points?
Bear essentials? You going camping, later?
Quantumphysics: What are the iPhone's unique points that cannot be replicated? Apple's patents haven't seemed to protect it this time. What is the Pre missing?
@ mac404
Sure am. Me and the GPU are gonna roast marshmallows and swap ghost drive stories.
its a nice phone...i played with it for a good 20 minutes yesterday. two things its 1) two small for my liking. i think they could have afforded to make the screen at least .5 bigger. 2) man oh man, i guess this is true w/ all palms, not just the pre but that hardware keyboard was hard as hell to type on. maybe i have clinically obese thumbs or something, but that was tough. guess i'll have to wait for the touch pro 2, thats an example of a keyboard made for obese thumbs
Take a long, close look at this disassembled Pre because it's the last anyone will ever hear or see of it once the iPhone Video is announced.
"Bear" essentials? Since when did bears start carrying handsets? Still, even a bear would choose to carry an iPhone. It would certainly be easier for him to get one or two from all the campers that carry them.
Looking at this tear-down photo reminds of how they showed the flood-proof compartment design of the Titanic after it sunk and killed a countless number of souls. This tear-down may prove to be the undoing of the Pre especially when so many Pres will be have be brought in to get repaired after a few months use.
iPhonerulez, seeing that you're an iDiot, I thought you would be smart when it comes to one thing, Apple products. I was wrong because you actually believe that the iPhone announced on Monday will be named the iPhone Video. oh lawd
sexy
"-multitasking? Any phone can get that"
Apart from the iPhone. Which I guess would be the difference.
Thank goodness all the iPhone kids are here to show us how not at all insecure they are.
Is the $65 extra that customers pay for the Touchstone called the Palm tax. It's OK, because if Palm isn't able to make a bit of profit, they will soon be facing bankruptcy. Let's just pray this Touchstone charger doesn't overheat and self-destruct faster than the Pre does.
"-multitasking? Any phone can get that.
- 3.2 MP Camera with photo backlogging? Any phone can get that.
What does Pre really do differently or what are its unique points?"
Except for the iPhone...
And still, the CPU clockspeed remains unknown?
someone didnt read the article.
"The processor is a 600 MHz ARM Cortex A8 + PowerVR SGX 530 GPU + 430MHz C64x+ DSP + ISP (Image Signal Processor)"
But the iphone does multitask. Only the other day I was browsing the web while listening to music, checking for email every 15 minutes, and I took in between I took a couple of phone calls. Maybe you've never used one, Mark?
PS and that was before jailbreaking
no redcard we all used an iPhone. It doesn't multitask. Only native apps like the ones you are describing can run simultanously.
Deja vu I guess...
http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/06/palm-pre-already-torn-to-shreds-estimated-to-cost-170/
How about some real news.
come on it's engadget after all. Repeats, while rare nowadays, do still happen!
Except that this is a Touchstone tear down, not a Pre tear down.
@ananimus3, it was edited. For those that don't read the articles the minute they are posted.
Yep, no room for MicroSD. They couldn't possibly fit another thing in.
Um, one dues not build a casing and then try and fit components in. A micro SD and cables (a hair thin strip actually) would take the volume of a nickel or less. One would design it in. The SD card slot was not left out for the sake of room, or even of cost ($4 for parts and design costs), but to allow a premium 16 and then 32 GB model in future.
Limited non expandable memory are part of older thinking older computing models, but they offer an advantage in creating a future premium product line
I remember reading somewhere that an expandable card slot was left out entirely for aesthetics... strictly from a design standpoint.
aesthetics is just an excuse. Look at what HTC does, puts them under the battery cover! Problem solved!
no microSD is bullshit, Palm is learning how to bullshit from the king bullshitters, Apple.
Is it true that the touchstone is much slower at charging the Pre than USB?
From what I've read so far, it seems to be anywhere from 40-60% slower than using the regular wall charger, but it's still faster than charging the phone from the USB ports on your computer. Also, given how flimsy the USB port cover on the phone looks like, I think it's a good idea to get the touch stone. (if you can find one, I looked around a few Sprint and Best Buy stores and none of them have it in stock)
@CL. Exactly what I think. The USB cover is tough as hell to remove, and I'm scared I'll break it. And seeing that the freaking Touchstone is this cheap, maybe they'll lower the price to something reasonable sometime soon.
The USB cover was pretty difficult the first couple of times, but I've gotten the hang of mine now. You just have to dig in with your fingernail on the furthest to the back edge of the cover, then it pops out easily. But yes, it does seem flimsy :(
no info on the VRAM ?
Sorry to hear that the keyboard reveal is a bit awkward, but I'm sure that will change with future models. I'm very excited to try out the WebOS, after all that we've heard about it.
D...did it...blend...?
No, don't tell me, I don't want to know!
DON'T LOOK
IT'S NAKED
THINK OF THE CHILDREN!
MY SPOOOOOON IS TOO BIG !!
Seems like most of the Pres out there are having major screen distortion isues. See here:
http://forums.precentral.net/palm-pre/182589-anyone-noticing-little-distortion.html
Some people think this is a heat-related issue.
PREheated?
Palm need to get this sorted asap! It would be a disaster with very, very deadly consequences, if the Pre had to be recalled because of this issue. If that happens we can pretty much kiss Palm goodbye. This is a very good example of what can happen when you choose to buy a version one product.
Mine has a light leak and blotchyness on the lower part of the screen and up the right side. Looks terrible. Sprint support seems swamped on this issue
Don't tell me the Pre is starting to self-destruct on the first day's use. I figured it would take at least a week's use for that to happen. That doesn't sound good at all for Palm's share price.
Lucky it happened this soon so Palm users can get their money back and buy the iPhone they should have bought in the first place.
Tomorrow's headlines will read. 20,000 Pres sold in one day. Unfortunately, 19,999 were returned due to overheating problems. Palm set to file for Chapter 11.
really iphonerulz? How many iphones were returned due to stuck pixels... and I'm not talking 1st gen either. I just returned my 3G last month due to quite a few stuck pixels.
Get over it, no phone is perfect--and the jesusphone is no exception
@audioboxer
Well, a stuck pixel is a bit different than overheating, screen distortion/discoloration. Just a wee bit different :)
@absolutc
Didnt seem to affect the sales of those Macbook Pro's now did it?
okokokok
Ok have we gotten this silly Palm Pre stuff out of our systems? Tomorrow is WWDC, let's get back to the far more interesting Apple news.
If the iPhone Video is announced to be on sale tomorrow, the Apple store lines will start forming the moment it's reported to the general public. Apple will sell a million in a few days and maybe five million in a month.
@iphonerulez
iPhone Video?
So you're saying the current AND 1st gen iPhone don't have video capabilities?
O_o
You of all people, I would expect to know that they do have video capabilities....
And what would be so special about it if it did get announced on Monday?
Even my Nokia 3109 can do video....
he means video recording
The Pre is like a monkey that follows the iPhone every move...iPhone does, Monkey do☺
Unlike the iPhone however, "monkey" can do more than one thing at once
Its amazing how so many people can say such horrible things about a ohone they have never held in their hands.
I purchased my Pre at radioShack saturday morning took about an hour since they were jacking pres from other stores. And without a doubt this is the best phone i have ever used...EVER...I upgraded from a PPC6700 to Mogul to palm Pre. And on each phone i got my full use of..I hacked the ohones,replaced roms played with registry to speed it up and tethered all day and night with no issues for years. And this phone makes me wonder how i ever was so happy with those clunky beast. Granted WinMo is faaar from perfect..hell at times its down right horrible. but me personally i like the freedom of being able to do whatever i want with my phone..i dont like being limited..
No the Pre lets me do that..
1.Synergy having all my contacts in one place facebook,gmail, outlook etc and simpley typing any name or initials and being able to choose if i wanna email,text or aim/Gmail them
2.Having multiple cards open and switching between them with a simple swipe..MULTITASKING
3.Fast web browser (could be better on a bigger screen) but still great.
4.Clear crisp camera for a phone.Not having to wait to take another pic is great
The list can go on but so far those are what iv enjoyed the most. theres plenty of room in the market for the Pre,iphone,N97 OmniaHD etc so everyone back off so far i think Palm has given people what they wanted and needed..not everyone wants a large screen and 32gb of music and video. And have to play by apples rules. Some like freedom..The iphone is a great phone at certain things BUT not for everyone..
So backup and stop HATING!
Now Palm hurryup and add more apps to the catalog.
Amen.
You obviously have never held an iPhone.
Is there a way to NOT have the Pre address book absorb all your Facebook contacts?
I'm not sure I would want that. I have hundreds of old friends from college and high school... and I'd rather just communicate through Facebook.
@ikurt 5d
you obviously don't respect a persons opinion. back off.
Agreed!
I love LOVE my new pre. The only thing I'm waiting for now is a Yahoo messenger app. I'm sure it will come soon. Other than having to give up my SERO plan, I have no complaints at all!
Your prior phones weren't exactly stellar camera-phones. How do you think this compares against Nokia's 5mp varieties?
The shutter lag issue does sound nice.
That's a good point actually: when will we see the guys at "Will It Blend?" doing the Palm Pre? They should do both the new iPhone and the Pre in separate blenders at the same time.
$65 "wowomgwirelesscharginglol" charge.
:D
I'm assuming the $5 is just for the touchstone, not the separate battery that is included
Actually, it doesn't come with another battery. it comes with another back cover for the phone.
dissemble vs. disassemble
To clarify, that $5 mark is a complete guess without any substantive numerical basis. But it really appears to be a simple to manufacture part, and everything they used to make it is very inexpensive. The engineering effort behind it, and the shielding required on the phone, is the vast majority of the expense, and impossible for an outsider to quantify.
For real. I hate when people immediately say it only costs $XX to build something. That may be true for the raw parts... but who knows how much R&D went into making it in the first place.
For instance... a venture capital firm, Elevation Partners, has invested $425,000,000 into Palm and owns about a third of the company... to help them create a $199 phone.
And Elevation Partners is owned by Bono. Just thought I'd say.
Electric toothbrushes have had this charging technology for years; I doubt Palm had spend that much on R&D.
I'm guessing they made the price $70 because the regular charger is $35; if they made the Touchstone a more reasonable price like $35, no one would pay $35 for the regular charger.
ITS BEYBLADE!!
+1
Let it rip!
Palm is just ripping people off.
Its called maximizing shareholder value.
Palm Pre Overheating Problem
I hope this wouldn't make it as an Engadget Headline tomorrow as there will be a lot of traffic caused by WWDC. Pre's problems would be exposed.
http://forums.precentral.net/palm-pre/182589-anyone-noticing-little-distortion.html
http://forums.precentral.net/palm-pre/182589-anyone-noticing-little-distortion-4.html#post1643722
Discoloration Pictures
http://forums.precentral.net/palm-pre/182589-anyone-noticing-little-distortion-8.html#post1649412
Widespread problem? This doesn't look too good for Palm.
Really? The 3G was a bit shit when released too. It was fixed so I guess the Pre will be also.
Things will not be funny for Palm if this issue hits the blogs, this is something they just cannot afford at this time. The launch of the Pre needed to go of without a hitch, it needed to be perfect. This thing could kill the Pre if it becomes big news, and you can bet your ass that Apple will make the most of this as they always do, just take a look at Microsoft.
Note: the Pre and the iPhone 3G are made by different companies. They will not necessarily "evolve" at the same rates.
"M&M chocolates melt in your mouth and not in your hand." The Pre seems to be melting in people's hands. Maybe Palm should put a layer of hard chocolate around the Pre. Apparently that fast processor is turning the Pre into an instant hand-warmer. The new nickname for the Pre is to call it "The Hot Potato".
wonder if you can charge a Pre with a Sonicare charger. Same 'magic' and I have a couple spares!
the touchstone is a gotta have, thhough it is overpriced. the matte back you get with it is much nicer than the fingerprint prone one that comes with the phone. when the price drops, I'll probably buy another couple touchstones to scatter around the house. one step closer to a wireless world.
I'm dieing to spend $70 on a pad to charge my cell rather than plugging it in, how about you guys
/sarcasm
Palm just trying to make up for the discount to he Pre.
Darren is truly an iSheep to the 'T'.
Can't wait to bash your beloved hypePhone when the 3.0 PATCH comes out with worthless hardware as usual.
i switched to the pre from a blackberry. I've been very happy with the pre so far, and i love having the touchstone on my nightstand. I agree...$70 is a little high, but it's not like you have to get it.
However, you have to remember it's not just the parts that your paying for. You can't forget about the years and years of dissecting alien spacecrafts it took to create this beautiful electronic device.
That's under $200 in parts and you pay a bit under $1100 without a 2-year. Ouch.
what?
Stop pushing that exponential button on your calculator...
Just letting you know that there is an audio version of the original article available to listen to at http://www.blogvocalizer.co.uk/2009/06/07/palm-pre-and-touchstone-get-torn-down-gently-beautifully/
@BlogVocalizer
Hopefully this also means cheaper 3rd party knock-off versions. However, I don't really want a 3rd party knock off battery door on my pre.
look on the bright side, pissed off sprint customers (a group i am a part of... $5 bucks to make, and it costs $70, holy crapola what a ripoff) if apple releases a similar charger at the WWDC tomorrow, its probably going to cost $150!
$5 to manufacture but millions in FCC and other government testing and approvals.
Agreed, but also there's more to manufacturing cost than just parts cost. You have to own a building and equipment, pay employees, pay taxes, shipping, etc.
WOW $5 when I move on to Bell here in Canada when the Pre arrives, I think I'll just keep my USB charger thank you.
What's the total cost of parts in an Engadget post? How much do you get paid by advertisers on average per post?
Cost To Manufacture: $5
Cost to License Magnetic Induction Charging Technology from Patent-holder: $65
It undoubtedly doesn't cost that much to manufacture but designing the battery door to fit and allow charging, and making sure you don't discolor or mess up the battery door when charging was probably a pain in the butt. I know the bottom of my sonicare toothbrush is discolored and looks like the charging process actually burns and discolors the rubber...hopefully this doesn't look that, I don't care about the bottom of my toothbrush but I'd be more than a little pissed if my phone got discolored from charging.
Anyways palm needs these insane margins to make for the negative money they've been making for years lol.
They'd prolly cost $30 if there was no need for constant marketing and to have warehouses full of them due to demand. Maybe if we abolished the monetary system then all this would be readily available to all and therefore dramatically dropping the price point in effect.