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iFixit releases tablet repairability list, puts Apple and Microsoft on the bottom
Not only has iFixit long been the go-to source for gadget teardowns, it's often seen as an authority on just how repairable a device is post-purchase. So when the outfit released its "Tablet Repairability" list recently, we took notice. The Dell XPS 10 took top marks (9 out of 10) for its color-coded screws and labeled cables, while Apple and Microsoft slumped to the bottom. Every iPad from the second generation onward scored a 2, and the Surface Pro has the unenviable position as the worst of the lot with a score of 1. Excessive adhesive is the culprit behind the low scores, as is the high probability of part breakage upon disassembly. Not every tablet on the market made it on the list, but it's a decent start as iFixit finds more slates to tear down. Head on over to the source to see if your favorite tablet is easily fixable or if you need to look into rugged cases and extended warranties.
iFixit pries open new 21.5-inch iMac, finds twin mics and a glued-on display
We got an early teardown of the latest 21,5-inch iMac thanks Japanese site Kodawarisan, but now it's had the full iFixit treatment. The overall verdict? Well iFixit weren't overly enthused with some of the new design's internal fixings, making a special reference to the use of glue to bind the LCD and glass to the rest of the frame, instead of magnets as found in previous models. Likewise, those two major components are now fused together meaning if you want to replace one, you'll be replacing the other, too. This adhesive also contributes to the trickiness of general repair. Beyond the glue-based concerns, there's the usual intense poring over of internal like the dual mics found at the rear, or the 2.5-inch HGST / Western Digital hard drive. Overall, though, the tone is a definite thumbs down when it comes to repairability, with the device getting just 3 out of 10 on it's now famous meter. Prise open the source link for the full internal tour.
Origin Stories: Tekserve
Tekserve is a much-beloved Apple repair and sales shop in Manhattan. Our own Mike Rose has been a customer, and profiled the shop a little while ago. In the video below, I speak with Tekserve's CTO, Aaron Freimark about how Tekserve began, and a short history of Manhattan's longest-open Apple shop. Happy 25th anniversary, Tekserve!
Microsoft Surface exposes its guts to iFixit, knows if you've been meddling with it
Now that the Microsoft Surface is in the wild and we've probed it from the outside, the tool-toters at iFixit have opened one up to see what makes it tick -- and whether you dare attempt a repair yourself. The first thing they noticed was how tricky it was to remove a plastic access cover, which caused unavoidable damage to the tamper-evident label when they finally got it off. That would tip repair depots that you've been rummaging about, likely rendering your warranty moot. Other sore spots included the LCD and glass being fused together, along with a keyboard connector that's impossible to get out without pulling the display off first. On the plus side, the iFixit team found the battery easy to remove despite being glued to the case (unlike other recent devices), and many un-soldered components that were also swappable. All that added up to a score of four on the repairability scale -- meaning that fixing one probably isn't a great DIY project, unless you're the patient type.
iFixit tears down 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro, rates it two grumpy kittens for repairability
You know the drill (er, screwdriver): someone releases a shiny new gadget and the internet tears it apart, both figuratively and literally. iFixit did the latter like clockwork, getting its tools on the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display. As with its older sibling, the notebook didn't do all that well on the repairability scale, scoring a two out of 10 -- slightly better than its predecessor's lowly one. Why so low? You can blame a glued battery, proprietary screws, soldered RAM and a display assembly that's "almost impossible to take apart." There are, however, plenty of pictures of a tiny kitten, which should help to ease the pain...
Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite gets torn-down, promptly put back together (video)
Now that you've been fully acquainted with Amazon's new Kindle Paperwhite, perhaps it's time to get to know it on a deeper level -- and what better than a tear-down to do just that? The folks over at Powerbook Medic took their own unit apart piece by piece on video, highlighting what appears to be a simple process, mostly done by dealing with screws. The trickiest part seems to be pulling off the bezel, as it's held in place with glue. Unfortunately, the repair shop doesn't analyze the e-reader's internal components in the iFixit fashion, but it has gone full-circle and provided a second video on how to put it all back together. Curious to see this Kindle's e-ink-filled guts? You'll find both videos after the break.
Motorola Droid RAZR M torn down to its bare Kevlar essentials (video)
Fall must be the season for surprisingly fixable thin smartphones. Repair part supplier DirectFix has posted a currently rare, video-based teardown of the Motorola Droid RAZR M that shows just how well Verizon's mid-range smartphone copes with surgery. In practice, it fares quite well: those unafraid of voiding their warranty can disassemble the Droid RAZR M from top to Kevlar bottom, replacing parts like the battery, cameras and flash with a minimal risk of damage. Not all is sunshine and roses, however. The display assembly is a single piece, which could be as costly to fix as it is easy to replace. We won't mind if it ever means dodging a full-price replacement in the event our RAZR meets the sidewalk.
iPhone 5 hits the teardown table, scores a 7 out of 10 for repairability from iFixit
If it's the day that shipments of the latest iPhone arrive around the world, then it is just as surely the day that iFixit's teardown specialists break out their screwdrivers and show you what's inside. This is not the first teardown of the iPhone 5, but it will certainly be among the best and most detailed. Some pleasant surprises inside Apple's latest device are signed indicating it will be much more easily repairable than its predecessor, thanks to a case that opens front to back, a pop-out ear speaker and a display assembly the team says is reminiscent of the iPhone 3GS. Also good news for those suffering through worn-out home buttons is an integrated metal support this time around, which may help extend its lifespan and make replacing it easier when it does expire. Beyond that, a 28nm Qualcomm MDM9615M chip is handling LTE, HSPA+, EV-Do Rev B and TD-SCMA connectivity, while the new metal back casing barely outweighs the back glass from the iPhone 4S. Hit the source link or check out the video review (embedded after the break) for more pics and details from deep inside the iPhone 5, while most fans wait a few more hours to get their grubby fingers all over the outside of one.
Amazon Kindle Fire HD torn down, proves an easy fix
Interested in what makes your new Kindle Fire HD 7-inch tick? The crew at iFixit certainly is. As is the repair shop's custom, it just tore down Amazon's new reader tablet to gauge its repairability as well as look for any surprises. In the case of the revamped Kindle Fire, the fixable design is the main surprise -- despite being skinnier than its ancestor, the tablet is easy to open and its components (usually) easy to replace. We're not as shocked by the choice of hardware makers, which include an LG Display LCD, the expected 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4460 processor and Samsung flash memory. Head on over to the source if you'd like to see the nitty gritty of Amazon's Android slab and possibly save the trouble of a replacement unit down the road.
The Daily Grind: Should MMOs embrace item decay?
If you grew up on themeparks like World of Warcraft, the very idea of item decay is probably foreign to you. Just go to the vendor and click the repair button and everything's just as it was the day you looted it, right? Well, no. In older games and especially in sandboxes, you'd need a player to repair your gear, and sometimes not even that would help. Sometimes the gear was irreparable, meaning that once it ran out of juice, it was gone forever. Decaying items are really not all that different from items with charges that deplete (consider Guild Wars 2's and Glitch's crafting tools), but modern gamers freak out at the idea that they might lose their gear to wear, and I don't blame them since many themeparks turn gear acquisition into a huge grind. But even sandboxes like Ultima Online have hedged their original item decay systems, allowing players to repair many artifacts indefinitely. It might take a fundamental change in game design, but what do you think -- should MMOs bring back item decay? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Around the world Tesla Roadster tour back on track after swift repair job
While we might not have enjoyed the full story arc just yet, we came within an electric whisker of seeing the electric Roadster's around the world trip derailed completely. The team at Tesla service in Munich, however, obviously love a fairytale ending -- which is why they pledged to fix-up the car in the fastest time possible. Just four days after that show-stopping accident, de Mestre is back in the game, and heading south to Barcelona. The journey won't end there though, as to make up some lost miles on the French Citroen team, he'll travel back up to Strasbourg, and in turn roll over the virtual 25,000 km finish line. Assuming no other problems along the way, we'll be mentally cheering the him along.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 teardown shows easy fixes, skimpy battery
We've already deconstructed Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1 on a metaphorical level, and now it's iFixit's turn to go the literal route. The DIY repair outlet found the pen-friendly tablet to be one of its easier tablet teardowns in recent memory: just about everything inside that frame can be swapped out individually. It's even possible to replace the relatively cheap glass that sits on top of the considerably pricier LCD, just in case the slate plummets face-first but leaves some chance at salvaging its screen. While largely coming back with good news, the investigation also explains Samsung's decision to go with a modest 7,000mAh battery -- stuffing all those components into a 0.35-inch thick frame doesn't leave much room for the lithium-ion pack that gives them life. Still, if you're itching to understand what defines a truly repairable tablet, or just want to get a peek at those Galaxy S III-derived roots, the full surgical procedure is available at the source.
Google Maps updates streetview for New Orleans, reminds us the jazz plays on
In many ways, Google's Streetview is a document. A snapshot in time. Usually, this amounts to pictures of a sunny clear day in downtown Localsville, but it can also be a reminder of times less bright. Since Hurricane Katrina, the city has been working hard to rebuild neighborhoods and communities, and better prepare itself for the future. Today -- via Google's Lat Long Blog -- Mayor Mitch Landrieu proudly announced that Streetview has been updated to reflect those efforts, and show New Orleans in that familiar, sunny way. Whether it's Congo Square ("the birthplace of jazz"), the city's parks, or more recent features and attractions, Landrieu proudly extends an invite to all of us to come take a look, enjoy the virtual tour, and "whet our appetite." We say put the Gumbo on.
iFixit produces repair manual for MacBook Pro with Retina display, tests DIY's limits
While we've been fans of the MacBook Pro with Retina display, iFixit hasn't been so keen -- a company based around DIY repairs isn't fond of a system where most components are glued or soldered into place. That hasn't stopped the team from developing a repair manual for those who want to give maintenance a try. A total of 16 guides show us how to disassemble or remove those parts that stand a realistic chance of leaving the system unscathed. While that does include some key components, iFixit continues to fly some caution flags: getting to one part often requires taking apart others, and removing the battery carries the very real possibility of permanent damage. If you'd still prefer to upgrade the SSD yourself (when an option) than pay Apple more for a custom order, there's now a helping hand for your thriftiness.
Research shows that lab-engineered muscle responds to a workout
It's fairly well known that if you want to get ripped, you gotta pump some iron. But what's more of a surprise is that lab-engineered muscle also responds to a workout. Researchers at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Institute for Regenerative Medicine have been looking at a way to help the body grow new muscle, and found that cells derived from muscle tissue (on a bio-compatible material) responded to "exercise." The research also showed that when tissue was applied to mice with reduced back muscles, those which received the exercised flesh enjoyed significant recovery benefits over those that just received the "sedentary" cells. The scientists who conducted the study suggest that if this was done on an equivalent human scale, muscle would have recovered to 70 percent of the force of native tissue within two months -- what they consider a significant amount. So if you ever need a transplant, perhaps that Thighmaster in the loft will finally come to use.
Nexus 7 more repairable than iPad
iFixit has taken Google's Nexus 7 tablet apart and found that it has at least one advantage over the iPad. The extra space inside makes it easier to repair than Apple's device. iFixit found the Nexus's interior squished than Apple's tablet, and the various components were apparently installed with standard tools. All of this won the Nexus a repairability score of a nice seven out of ten, instead of the two out of ten the iPad received. Repairability is just one feature of a tablet, and actually, it's one that most users probably won't worry about. But the past has definitely shown that being hackable and fixable can contribute to the success of any electronic device, so the Nexus 7 has that going for it. [via Ars]
Canon confirms PowerShot S100 lens error, offers free repair for affected cams
Select PowerShot S100 cameras are encountering a lens error, Canon confirmed on its Product Advisories page. An undisclosed number of the high-end point-and-shoots have had issues with a "disconnected part inside the camera," which causes the optic to malfunction. Canon suggests that the issue may be connected with exposure to heat or humidity, but regardless of the cause, the company is offering free repairs, even for out-of-warranty cameras -- assuming the issue is caused by this specific part. Qualifying S100s should have a serial number that begins with any number ranging from 29 though 41 (29xxxxxxxxxx, for example), and this specific offer only covers residents of the US and Puerto Rico, though owners in other countries should be able to reach out to their local support centers for assistance. You'll find the full advisory at the source link below.
How to fix an iPhone 4 Home button, Sprint or Verizon
I've never had problems with the home button on my Verizon iPhone, but if you do, you should check out this repair post from iMore's Allyson Kazmucha. Kazmucha, who founded the repair company PXLFIX, shows you how to remove the back cover, disassemble the internal components and pull out the home button on your CDMA iPhone. It's not an easy process as you have to dig through the battery and the logic board to get to the home button. The iMore post has detailed images, which should reduce your chance of making a costly mistake. As always, if you do decide to take apart your iPhone, proceed at your own risk.
Smoking iPhone emphasizes importance of authorized repair work
An iPhone self-ignited during a Regional Express flight in Australia due to a faulty repair. According to a Sydney Morning Post article, the smoking phone was spotted by a cabin crew member, shortly after the plane landed at the Sydney Airport on November 25, 2011. The crew member asked the passenger to throw the overheating device into the aisle and blasted it with a fire extinguisher. The iPhone was sent to the US for analysis where it was discovered that a faulty repair created a short circuit in the device. According to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau report, an unauthorized repair facility had pierced the battery's casing when it misplaced a screw during re-assembly of the iPhone. This created a short circuit which caused the battery to overheat and smoke.
Nikon confirms woes with D4 and D800, joins Canon in high-end doghouse
Okay Nikon owners, stop laughing at your 5D Mark III cronies for their leaky problem. That might be a drip in the pail next to your own worries -- namely, possible "lock-up", focus and viewfinder hitches on your D800 or D4. Nikon verified that a "small number" of units of both DSLRs can lock up and become unresponsive, but until there's a permanent patch you can prevent this by disabling both highlight and RGB histogram displays. The company also verified that a "run" of D800s is suffering from a viewfinder bug, although it has yet to confirm another emerging problem with autofocus in some units, which apparently requires a factory fix. So, if you've noticed any of this with your pricey new D800, or really pricey D4, your best bet might be to reach out to your Nikon repair center post-haste. And don't let the Canon guys see you. [Thanks, Thinh]
