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iFixit puts the MacBook Pro's anti-debris keyboard to the test
Users have complained that the butterfly switch keyboard that comes with newer MacBook and MacBook Pro models is too sensitive to crumbs and dust, with difficult-to-repair keys becoming "sticky" overtime. But when iFixit took a look inside Apple's newest MacBook Pro, it discovered silicone barriers around the keyboard switches -- a new addition that a MacBook Pro service document states is to "prevent debris from entering the butterfly mechanism." Now, iFixit has put those barriers to the test in order to see how effective they really are at keeping particles from damaging the keyboard.
iFixit finds a 'cover-up' inside new MacBook Pro keyboards
While we've been all over the outside of Apple's newest MacBook Pro lineup, iFixit has, as usual, decided to look underneath the hood and find out what's changed from previous models. While it has not published a full teardown report yet, the repair outfit said that the keyboard may have a bigger change than Apple let on. Users have reported problems with the "butterfly switch" keyboards in new Apple laptops for a while saying they're too sensitive to crumbs and dust and can't have individual keys repaired. Still, the company said this iteration only has changes that make them quieter to use.
Huawei P20 Pro teardown sheds light on its three cameras
Take a look at the P20 Pro and there's a good chance you'll wonder how Huawei managed to stuff three rear cameras into a phone roughly the same size as its two-cam rivals. Thankfully, it's no longer much of a mystery. The DIY repair crew at iFixit has torn down the P20 Pro to explain how Huawei pulled off the design. The primary, monochrome and telephoto cameras are all stuffed into a compact module that's closely connected to a similarly space-efficient mainboard -- in fact, it looks like there was plenty of room for the 4,000mAh battery and speakers (though there's no headphone jack, alas).
Don't even try to repair Apple's HomePod
You may not like the thought of paying Apple a pretty penny to fix the HomePod, but you might have to -- it definitely isn't meant for DIY repairs. An iFixit teardown has revealed a clever design that makes good use of a tiny space, but is also nigh-on inaccessible. It appears that you can pull the fabric mesh off with a drawstring, but almost everything else requires tearing things apart. Many parts are glued on (including the top and bottom), and there's one seam so thoroughly sealed that iFixit needed a hacksaw and ultrasonic cutter to get in. If there's a non-destructive way to get in, it's not obvious.
You can’t buy an ethical smartphone today
Any ethical, non-🍏 📱 recommendations? It all started with a WhatsApp message from my friend, an environmental campaigner who runs a large government sustainability project. She's the most ethical person I know and has always worked hard to push me, and others, into making a more positive impact on the world. Always ahead of the curve, she steered me clear of products containing palm oil, as well as carbon-intensive manufacturing and sweatshop labor. That day, she wanted my opinion on what smartphone she should buy, but this time requested an ethical device. Until now, she's been an HTC loyalist, but wanted to explore the options for something better and more respectable. My default response was the Fairphone 2, which is produced in small quantities by a Dutch startup, but I began to wonder -- that can't be the only phone you can buy with a clear conscience, can it?
Take a peek inside the iPhone X
As they tend to do, the folks at iFixit have descended upon Apple's latest creation to pull it apart piece by piece. While we didn't spot any fairie dust spilling out of the iPhone X, they did dig into its TrueDepth camera system (above) that enables all those new recognition features like FaceID and Animoji. Interestingly, Apple decided to rely on a dual-celled battery design to better utilize space behind the nearly-all-screen OLED display. In total, it packs 2,716mAh, which is just a bit larger than the iPhone 8 Plus (2,691mAh) but smaller than the iPhone 7 Plus (2,900mAh) and Galaxy Note 8 (3,300 mAh).
Don't even try to repair the Essential Phone
The Essential PH-1 (aka Essential Phone) is designed to withstand dents and scratches, but what happens if something breaks on the inside? You can forget about fixing it yourself, apparently. The DIY repair crew at iFixit has torn down Essential's handset, and it's obvious that you're not meant to poke around inside. For one thing, iFixit had to freeze the phone (and break the LCD) just to get inside -- and even then, it still had to get past a mid-frame shield. The USB-C port is soldered on to motherboard, and the abundance of adhesives makes it likely that you'll break something if you somehow didn't wreck the screen going in.
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.
iFixit rips out the Galaxy Note Fan Edition's new battery
Now that Samsung has officially relaunched its troubled Galaxy Note 7 as a "Fan Edition," the folks at iFixit couldn't help but dive back in. As you'd guess, Samsung has chosen to deal with the Note 7's unfortunate tendency to explode by going to the root of the problem -- the battery. By swapping in a 12.32 Wh unit instead of the original 13.48Wh unit, it should have enough room to avoid either of the issues observed previously. The only problems now are that these are only available in South Korea, and the Galaxy Note 8 is right around the corner.
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.
Amazon's Echo Show hides some meaty speakers
iFixit, the teardown kings, built their reputation by ripping open everything from gaming consoles to iPhones -- much to the chagrin of Apple. Their latest guide sees them taking apart the Amazon Echo Show. Having spent some time with the new Alexa-powered device, we decided we quite like it. But the child trapped inside our adult body that wants to pry open every new gadget and marvel at its insides is admittedly keen to see what lies beneath its bulky exterior.
Greenpeace and iFixit slam smartphone companies over e-waste
Greenpeace likes to keep tabs on tech companies, highlighting where they're going wrong when it comes to clean technology and how they can improve. Earlier this year, the organization released its report on how the IT sector consumes energy and they ranked a number of companies on both their energy consumption practices as well as their transparency. Greenpeace's latest report takes on mobile devices and how repairable companies make their products.
You can replace RAM and processors in new iMacs, but there's a catch
Earlier this week, Apple revealed a fleet of new iMacs -- and as usual, the "teardown" experts at iFixit have started taking them apart. The first to go under the knife is the new 4K, 21.5-inch iMac (which we've already taken out for a brief test run), and the iFixit team found a few surprises. The most notable is that the iMac's RAM isn't soldered directly to the motherboard. That means it is technically replaceable down the line, something that hasn't been the case in a 21.5-inch iMac since 2013.
Recommended Reading: iFixit wants to show you how to repair everything
Meet the $21 Million Company That Thinks a New iPhone Is a Total Waste of Money David Whitford, Inc. We're no stranger to iFixit's in-depth teardowns here at Engadget, but the company has a plan that's much more than ripping apart the latest gadgets to see what's inside. Inc. takes a look at how the the company is helping the masses repair everything from smartphones to kitchen appliances and why they offer guides for doing so free of charge.
iFixit teardown reveals what's inside a Nintendo Switch
Now that Nintendo's newest console is on store shelves you may be familiar with the outside of it, but what's inside? The crew at iFixit has completed its teardown of the Switch, pulling apart the console and those Joy-Con controllers. Within, they predictably came across its NVIDIA Tegra CPU, a total of 4GB of RAM and a 16Wh battery.
Apple's tiny, totally wireless AirPods get meticulously torn down
After having been delayed for months -- for reasons never publicly confirmed, no less -- Apple's AirPods are finally here. And really, what better to way to celebrate one of the most curious delays in Apple history than by tearing those things apart? The folks at iFixit have done just that (as always), and the end result is a fascinating look at $160 worth of meticulously crafted silicon and audio parts. Spoiler alert: there's more glue in them than you'd think.
12 gifts for tireless tinkerers
They say the best gifts are the ones you make yourself. But that doesn't necessarily mean you, the gifter, needs to be doing the assembly. Sometimes the giftee will enjoy building their own present. Over the last several years the maker movement has really taken off. And whether you're shopping for an accomplished builder or someone just looking to get their toes wet, we've got a few suggestions. If there's someone in your life that's super into making everything themselves (and you love them enough to drop $1,000 on a gift for them) consider a 3D printer like the Replicator Mini+ from MakerBot. If a grand is a little extreme for you, consider a simple driver set, like 64-piece one from iFixIt. They'll be able to open up and (hopefully) put anything back together with it. If the creator in your life is more into coding than building, consider a tool like RPG Maker, or for the wee one in your life Ozobot's Evo is an excellent place to start teaching programming skills. For our full list of recommendations in all categories, don't forget to stop by our main Holiday Gift Guide hub.
The new MacBook Pro is more appliance than PC
It almost goes without saying that modern Apple devices are tough to repair or upgrade, but the Touch Bar-equipped MacBook Pro might just take the cake. An iFixit teardown of the 13-inch model reveals that there are even fewer replaceable parts than before. The solid-state drive is embedded on the motherboard (even the non-Touch Bar model has a removable card), to begin with -- whatever capacity you choose is what you'll have for the life of the system. The Touch Bar, as you might guess, isn't exactly easy to replace. And while having a fingerprint reader in the power button is very convenient for sign-ins and purchases, that also makes repairs complicated. The button is tied to a chip on the motherboard (since it needs a secure element), so you can't just slip in an aftermarket component and call it a day.
Google Home teardown confirms two mics and Chromecast's chips
See those parts meticulously laid out in the image above? That's what a Google Home looks like after it's been torn down by iFixit. The team known for dismantling the hottest gadgets has opened up Mountain View's Echo competitor to confirm that it has two microphones. Echo has seven, but Google says Home has the capability to differentiate voice patterns from background noise despite having fewer mics. iFixit also had déjà vu while looking at its parts, because the chips on its motherboard (besides a semi-conductor) appeared in the 2015 version of Chromecast.
