repairability
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The man behind the USB-C iPhone rebuilt the AirPods Pro case to make it repairable
Robotics engineer Ken Pillonel, known for creating a makeshift USB-C iPhone and AirPods, has revealed his next project. The modding wunderkind has deconstructed Apple’s AirPods Pro case and built a custom repairable version. Pillonel is sharing the design for free, allowing enterprising self-repair enthusiasts with a knack for engineering to make their own.
Chromebooks' short lifespans are creating 'piles of electronic waste'
Chromebooks may not be such a good deal after all, according to a new report called Chromebook Churn from the US Public Interest Research Group.
The Nokia G22 is HMD's first phone built with repairability in mind
HMD says it has built the first Nokia phone designed specifically with repairability in mind. It has teamed up with iFixit to offer official repair guides and parts for the Nokia G22.
The second-gen HomePod may be easier to repair than the first
The new HomePod is considerably easier to pry open than its ancestor.
EU proposes new rules to make phones and tablets last longer
The bloc wants to reduce e-waste by mandating phone and tablet reparability standards.
Apple, Google and Microsoft score poorly in repairability report
Apple, Google and Microsoft have all struggled in a repairability report card from an influential public interest group.
Google Pixel 5a teardown shows that it's still a challenge to repair
Google's Pixel 5a has a hard-to-remove battery that contributes to its middling repairability score.
The repairable Fairphone 2 gets an Android update five years after launch
Ethical phone company Fairphone's first modular handset, the five-year-old Fairphone 2, is getting an Android 9 update.
Apple now shows device repairability scores in France
Apple has started displaying device repairability scores on its online store in France to comply with a local anti-waste law aimed at reducing e-waste.
Startup designs a modular, repairable laptop
Framework wants to apply the Fairphone model to laptops.
iFixit says Apple’s AirPods Max are ‘quite serviceable’
There are also x-ray images of the new headphones.
AirPods Pro have replaceable components but aren't repairable
Apple's AirPods Pro might sound better, but they're just as non-repairable as the regular AirPods. A teardown of the new buds performed by iFixit confirms that trying to repair them is "both impractical and uneconomical."
Fairphone will stop supporting its first 'ethical' phone
Fairphone has announced that it will no longer be supporting the Fairphone 1, which first hit the market in 2013. That means the company won't be supplying spare parts for the phone any longer and has ceased developing the Android software update.
Tesla is building more service centers alongside Model 3 launch
Tesla just completed its first batch of Model 3s and 30 cars are scheduled to be in their owners' hands on the 28th. But with an estimated 400,000 orders waiting to be filled, Tesla's production ramp up is going to put many more Model 3s on the road in the very near future. In preparation for those added vehicles and the demand they're sure to put on Tesla service centers, the company is working to expand its service facilities.
iFixit kit helps with that tricky Retina MacBook Pro battery swap
Gadget repairability is an ongoing issue, one that iFixit has taken on by providing spare parts and manuals for those who want to fix their gear. The company is now offering battery replacement kits for MacBook Pros with Retina Display.
Europe wants iFixit-style product repairability ratings
The European Parliament has approved recommendations for companies to make devices easier to repair and even add labels showing an iFixit-like "score." They also want batteries, LEDs and other critical parts to be removable and not glued in, "so that we do not have to throw away a phone when the battery breaks down," wrote Green MP and author Pascal Durand. This is exactly what groups like Greenpeace and iFixit have been demanding for years, but at this point, it's just a series of recommendations and not law yet.
iFixit: OnePlus One equals five for repairability
Like the proverbial internet pony of lore, you may want the OnePlus One smartphone's highly desirable specs and cheap $300 price, but you can't have it -- yet. Somehow the iFixit screwdriver brigade got one though, and recently disemboweled it for your pleasure (see the video below). Sure enough, all the bits are there: 3GB of Samsung-based RAM, 5.5-inch 1080p screen, Snapdragon 801 CPU and a goodly 3,100mAH battery, all inside an 8.9mm thick body. That's pretty slim for a phablet, and therein lies the problem: squeezing all that in required a hard-to-budge (and pricey to replace) fused screen, hidden connectors and adhesives. All that adds up to a repairability score of five out of ten -- far from the worst we've seen, but if you ever manage to nab one, you may want to insure it.
iFixit opens up iPad mini with Retina display
The diminutive powerhouse known as the iPad mini with Retina display has just been pulled apart by the evil geniuses at iFixit. In one of its patented teardowns of new Apple technology, the team took Apple's latest iPad mini and subjected it to a mock autopsy, looking at each and every component and determining how the device is put together -- ostensibly for the purpose of learning how repair shops will (or will not) be able to fix the mini. Some of the highlights of the surgery include finding out that the new mini is 0.3 mm thicker than the original model, that the Retina display is made by LG and that a lot of the components are identical to those used in the iPad Air. Of course, the iFixit teardowns all come down to one thing: the repairability score. The new iPad mini gets a dismal score of 2 out of 10 for repairability -- it should be noted that the quite similar (in size and capability) Kindle Fire HDX received a 7 out of 10 score. As usual, iFixit offers a lot of comments, fascinating insights and links to humorous YouTube videos, so be sure to get yourself to its website for a quick look.
iFixit releases tablet repairability list, Apple scores poorly
iFixit, the trusty resource for tech teardown and repair, has put together a tablet repairability guide for its readers. Unfortunately for the home tinkerer, Apple's iPad has performed rather poorly. iFixit places a high value on tech that is designed with repairability in mind, where consumers can easily and cheaply repair their tech. Out of a possible score of 10 for ease of repairability, the iPad 2, 3 and 4, and the iPad mini, came in with a score of 2, with the mini being nearest the bottom. Reasons for the low score are primarily down to excessive amounts of adhesive used and a high chance of cracking the glass during the disassembly, making repairs extremely difficult. The only tablet to score lower than the mini is Microsoft's Surface Pro, coming in last with a paltry 1. Dell's XPS 10 came in at number one for being easy to open and using color-coded screws and labeled cables. The XPS 10 is also noted for having an easy-to-remove battery. Apple's first-generation iPad scored a 6. For all the details, check out the iFixit's website here. [Via Engadget]
