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Motorola Xyboard 8.2 WiFi-only model streaks through FCC, reveals little
Remember that Motorola Xyboard 8.2 WiFi-only model that just went on sale? Well it just paid a visit to our friends at the FCC who promptly tore it down and took a few shots -- you know -- in the name of science. The pictures show the main board, the front and rear camera modules, various flex cables, the rear housing and display chassis, the battery, the capacitive digitizer and screen, the speaker and both antennae (WiFi / Bluetooth plus GPS). It looks like the tablet received minor modifications to the WiFi / Bluetooth antenna involving judicious application of Kapton tape. Go figure. Want to see more? Hit the via and source links below.
Samsung dissects Galaxy Note, confirms NFC support for LTE version
Teardown fans rejoice! Samsung's chosen to dissect the Galaxy Note for all to see -- and on its official blog, no less. Strangely, the pictures show the global Galaxy Note with its physical home button but the specs match those of the Galaxy Note LTE that we played with at CES and which is supposed to launch on AT&T and Telus real soon now. There are no major surprises here -- Samsung outlines some of the over 1000 components within, including the glorious 5.3-inch 1280x800-pixel HD Super AMOLED display, the unspecified 1.5GHz dual-core processor (likely a Qualcomm Snapdragon S3), the eight megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash plus other bits and pieces like sensors and radios. What's particularly interesting is that Samsung confirms NFC support (with the antenna inside the battery cover) and the use of a Wacom digitizer for the S Pen. Want more? Hit the source link below for the pr0n gory details.
iFixit tears down iPad 2
We love the iFixit team and their singleminded dedication to getting their mitts on the latest, greatest Apple gear -- just so they can take it all to pieces. Tonight's piece de disassemblement is, of course, the iPad 2; you can see their complete takeapart here. Not too many surprises in the new build, although now the front panel is glued to the case (on the original iPad, it was clipped in), making it harder to disassemble. The new bits of hardware (cameras and gyroscope, along with the magnets and sensor for the Smart Cover) were all identified, cataloged and photographed.
iFixit opens up the iPhone 4
As expected, the tool-minded folks at iFixit have torn down an iPhone 4 and posted its inner workings for all to see. There are plenty of juicy high-res photos and details here. The story of how they got their phone is even more interesting than what they found inside. Kyle was all set to hop a flight to Japan and wait in line at the Ginza Apple Store when pre-ordered iPhones started arriving early, saving him the trip. He and the rest of the team got right to work. First of all, let us give kudos to the iFixit team for a set of very well-done photos. I'd love to get a look at their studio setup some day. Highlights of the teardown include how easily accessible the battery is. By removing the two bottom screws, iFixit notes, the rear glass pops right off revealing the battery. It's not soldered into place and very easy to remove.
iFixit tears down the updated Macbook
As usual, the folks at iFixit.com have taken apart a piece of Apple hardware. This time, it's the recently refreshed Macbook. This update wasn't significant, so most of the machine's innards are the same, with a few exceptions. First is a larger battery. Apple proudly notes that the MacBook will give users 10 hours of battery life. The feat is accomplished, in part, by a slightly larger and heavier battery. Despite having the same model number (A1331) as the battery found in the unibody MacBook that was refreshed last October, the current one is 7.5 grams heavier and provides an extra 350 mAh of power. In fact, it's the same 63.5 watt-hour battery as the 13" MacBook Pro. Also new in this machine is audio and video out via the Mini DisplayPort, which is a small but very welcome change. We enjoy the iFixit teardowns, but always wonder...who puts it back together? [Via AppleInsider]
Mac mini unboxing and dissection
The guys at Macminicolo.net have already gotten their hands on a new Mac mini, and they offer not only the obligatory unboxing, but a dis-assembly as well. As before it seems you can take the mini apart with a putty knife. A few parts have been moved around or re-oriented, and there are now three antennas as well as a SATA optical drive (i.e. SuperDrive).Now that they've got a look at the guts they promise to start benchmarking the new minis in server performance. Needless to say, they're optimistic that the new machines will make even better servers than the last model.Thanks Brian![via 9to5Mac]
Eee PC 900 gets dissected, looks about the same as the Eee PC 700
Oh, poor Eee PC 900. You haven't even made it into most people's hands, and already you're getting dissected and inappropriately inspected. Honestly, we didn't mean for that to rhyme. Regardless, the folks over at bit-tech have gone to all the hassle of cracking the little dude open, though what they find inside is apparently more of the same. No new modules, no fancy layout changes, no tiny army of artificially intelligent lifeforms. Still, it's nice to look at. Take peek and see for yourself!
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.
Double iPod dissection: 3G nano, 6G classic go under the knife
You've seen the announcement, you've peeped the hands-on, and you've read the reviews -- but how well do you really know the new iPod nano and classic? Well, thanks to the folks at iFixit, you can get familiar with the little guys inside and out. That's right, the first official tear-downs (or take-aparts, depending on who you ask) have happened to Apple's latest and greatest, and the results are somewhat... um, nerdy. Upon unfastening the eight locking tabs on the nano, iFixit made note of an increase in the use of adhesive, particularly on the click-wheel, making replacement "difficult," as they put it. Additionally, it appears battery replacement will be harder because of its attachment to the logic board with three "though-hole" solder points. Switching over to the classic, the tinkerers find that there is a metal plate on the backside of the screen (for protection against breakage, they suspect), and they discover that the battery is exactly the same as the one used in the 30GB iPod video. Don't take our word for it, however, hit the link and check out all the gory details.
iPod nano/classic take-aparts
People love to dismantle their expensive, new toys for whatever reason (probably the same reason I took transistor radios apart as a kid - to see "how it works"). Today, AppleInsider is pointing to fully illustrated take-aparts at iFixit.com - one for the iPod nano, and one for the classic. They note that Apple abandoned the anodized aluminum enclosure of the former nano for the scratch-hungry gloss of the original. Also, Apple used lots of adhesive with the nano, which makes getting it back together difficult.As for the classic, it has metal enclosure tabs instead of the old plastic ones, making it harder to get apart.If you're still compelled to disassemble your iPod, iFixit has the how-to.
iMac take apart photos
While I don't feel compelled to disassemble brand new equipment, I will watch someone else do it. If you're like me, check out this photo set depicting the take-apart of an iMac. Note how the glass is removed, the blue board, the trio of fans...and the voided warranty.Enjoy your Thursday afternoon geek pr0n.[Via MacDailyNews]Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Found Footage: Disassemble your iPhone for fun and profit
Maybe it's just because I'm a big geek, but there's something absolutely fascinating about watching the complicated process of disassembling an iPhone. PDAParts.com produced the above video to go with a forthcoming DIY screen repair kit for the iPhone. Nonetheless, it's just cool to see what it takes to get one apart, admiring Apple's engineering chops along the way. For those of you worried about the battery, it's also interesting to see what replacing it will take. According to the video it's soldered to the motherboard, so putting in a new one will be quite a bit tougher than on the iPod. Obviously opening your iPhone will void your warranty, so I'd say this is probably more one to watch than to do![via Infinite Loop]
iPhone Take Apart
As often happens with new and fantastic technology products with a lot of hype associated with them get released, someone immediately wants to take them apart to see what's inside. Such is the case at iFixit where they have begun the disassembly process on a new iPhone. So, if you're curious not only about what the device looks like on the outside, you can also get a peek underneath the shiny, candy-coated exterior as well and see the inside. However, if you happen to be a bit squeamish about photos of disassembled devices costing over six hundred bucks, you may not want to look.thanks for the tip kristen
MacBook DIY hard drive replacement from Apple
If you've got a MacBook with a cramped hard drive, and you're kind of handy, check out this official DIY manual from Apple. As someone who has changed the drives on beastly Nubus Macs and 1st generation iMacs, I can tell you that the process described here is a breeze. So pick up a drive and save yourself some labor fees. This one is a piece of cake.
Rig of the Day: Where did the computer go?
Today's rig is more of an "anti-rig." When Apple released the iMac G5, they used the tagline, "Where did the computer go?" Flickr user *nathan takes the idea to a whole new level with this "faceless" iMac. Where did the computer go indeed."Faceless" posted by *nathan.If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. We select one image to highlight each day, and crown a Rig of the Week on Sundays.
First MacBook take-apart
One of may favorite aspects of the Mac Web is the race to be the first person to take apart a brand-spanking new piece of equipment. Kodawarisan has broken down this white MacBook, and put up the photos to prove it. You can clearly see how accessible the hard drive is, as we mentioned in an earlier post.Thanks for the gallery, Kodawarisan! Now get that thing back together. Thanks to everyone who pointed this out to us.
Intel Mac mini take-apart
What's the first thing you do when you get your new Mac home? Set it up and start playing around, maybe transfer all of your files? No, you grab some tools and take it apart! If you're itching to rip a new Intel mini wide open, take a look at this fully illustrated how-to at Apple Fritter. Prying apart the case seems to require the same process as the PPC mini (get yourself a very thin putty knife), but the innards are a bit different (two RAM slots...finally!).Check it out...but don't try this at home.[Via Make:Blog]In related news, TUAW reader Tim just received his Intel mini and has posted some nice unpacking pics. Thanks, Tim!
iMac disassembled for your viewing pleasure
Continuing the tradition of taking things apart as soon as they're released, a site by the name of KODAWARISAN has already dissected an Intel Dual Core iMac. The images aren't incredibly hi-res, but they should be good enough to keep you from doing the same to your zippy new iMac.[via MacDailyNews]
Inside Apple's Mighty Mouse
It always amazes me when I see these dissections. Someone plunks down a neat stack of their own, hard-earned cash for a brand new Apple product that they know will be dissembled the instant they get it home. Of course, I'm always happy enough to look. The urge to "see how it works" has been with me since I was a kid taking radios apart (sorry, dad), and I'm sure it is responsible for my working in IT today.Anyway, Apple Matters looks at Daniel Kushner's examination of the little device's innards, which he describes as the complexity of making something work simply. The gallery is not for the timid (words like "cadaver," "guts" and "tongue" are brandied about), so be forewarned.
