tear down
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Magic Mouse post-teardown loses some of its dark arts charm
Were you expecting unicorn tears or something? iFixit keeps working to finish its list of teardown to-dos, this time with Apple's new Magic Mouse. It probably comes as no surprise, but just under the top surfaces lies a considerable number of capacitive sensors, and other than that, there really isn't a lot to gaze upon. Then again, if you tend to fancy the ins and outs if gears and gizmos, this should be right up your alley.
MacBook strips off its polycarbonate unibody shell for the expected teardown
That thumbs up means exactly what you think, and just like all the other new MacBook (Pro) models, that "non-removable" battery in the new polycarbonate unibody MacBook is more of a guideline than an actual set of rules. iFixit's currently doing its traditional teardown process -- so far, other than the battery and hard drive swapping places, the internal geography looks about like its predecessor. Letting your eyes venture into forbidden territories is just a mouse click away at the read link below.
Video: PSP Go torn down, owners counseled on warranty violation
Sure, most of you are interested in the playability and durability of your gaming devices -- that's why we do our extensive, award-winning reviews (for instance, our latest PSP Go review is quite a page-turner). But sometimes you just want to rip into a device and see the chips and the solder -- that's why we're grateful that the kids at iFixit have provided us with a complete tear-down guide, featuring step-by-step instructions and plenty of pretty pictures. Apparently, the Go owes its diminutive size to the fact that it eschews an internal metal framework altogether (instead relying on the external plastic shell to provide structural integrity). But don't take our word for it! Check out the full video below -- it's basically Hostel with a handheld gaming device.
Mac Portable gets a 20th anniversary vivisection
In September 1989, Apple made its first stab at a portable Macintosh computer. The name? "Macintosh Portable." Kind of has a ring to it, huh? This 16 pound behemoth packs a 10-inch (640 x 400) monochrome display, 16MHz Motorola CPU, 1MB RAM, 40MB HDD, 3.5-inch floppy drive, and a 2400 baud modem into a handsome clamshell design that features (and this is our favorite part) a modular design that allowed the user to position the trackball on either end of the keyboard. Lefties of the world unite! Originally yours for $6,500 - $7,300 (that's $11,288 - $12,677 when adjusted for inflation), but we're guessing you can find someone on eBay (or at Goodwill) to cut you a deal on one at this late date. Hit the read link to celebrate this momentous anniversary in the manner of a true gadget-head: by watching someone gut the thing and take pictures of it. You'll be glad you did.
Microsoft's Zune HD already cracked open and photographed (updated)
Considering that even now only a swath of Zune HD owners are able to update their software in order to -- you know -- have a working device, we can understand Anything But iPod's eagerness to stop trying and just crack open Microsoft's newest entrant into the portable media player market. Without getting too gushy, we can definitively say that the innards look just as sexy as the exterior, but unfortunately the make and model of the internal WiFi chip (amongst other things) remains a mystery. Hit the read link for a nice gallery of closeups, but be sure and shield your screen from any lingering cube passers.Update: iFixit just went live with their teardown as well!Update 2: The iFixit teardown is complete. While there aren't any 802.11n WiFi or vacant camera-space surprises like those found inside Apple's iPod touch, the Zune HD doesn't need any to pique our interest. What you will find photographed in exquisite detail is the NVIDIA Tegra SoC, SiPORT HD Radio module, Toshiba-sourced flash NAND, a 2.45Wh battery, Wolfson MIcro WM8352 audio subsystem, and Foxconn logo confirming its manufacturing origin. There's also a "for our princess" inscription meant as a tribute to a Zune team member who passed away during development. Check the gallery for a tease or head over to iFixit to get knee-deep in it.%Gallery-72950%
Apple iTunes LP format gets dissected, explained
Did you hear the news? Apple "resurrected" the LP! It turns out that a complete reversal of millions of music lover's listening habits has been accomplished by throwing some images, videos, interviews, and DRM-free 256Kbps AAC audiofiles into a WebKit package playable in iTunes. OK, so maybe we are a little jaded -- our busy 21st century lives generally don't afford us the time to stare glassy-eyed at our computer screen (any more than we have the time to stare glassy-eyed at 12-inch album covers while sitting on the floor of our incense-soaked Haight-Ashbury crash pads). But if you're morbidly curious about the inner workings of the new iTunes LP format, an experience accomplished via HTML 4.01, CSS and JS, hit the read link for the down-and-dirty tear down from web developer Jay Robinson. And who knows? You just might learn something. [Via Daring Fireball]
3rd gen iPod touch teardown: 802.11n potential and room for a camera?
Just this morning, we linked to the results of iFixit's iPod nano teardown. Hours later, we have the opportunity to dive into their 32GB iPod touch teardown. There are definitely a few interesting tidbits about what Apple did and did not do with the iPod touch this time around... and possibly some hints of what could happen in the future. Here are the highlights: The ARM processor in the iPod touch is a newer revision than the iPhone 3GS's CPU. We still don't know its exact clock speed but it's a definite upgrade from the 2nd Generation iPod touch. It has a 1080 mAh battery; what does that mean? Well, it'll get pretty good battery life. Apple's website lists it at 30 hours of music playback. The NAND flash memory is manufactured by Samsung and has been split into two chips to achieve the 32GB capacity. The wireless chip is from Broadcom. According to their documentation this chip supports 802.11 n as well as 802.11 a/b/g. This is a new move from Apple. Until now, all of the mobile devices have only had g-capable wireless chips. It's possible that this would be enabled in the future, but I wouldn't put money on that. Mark this one as rumor fodder: iFixit claims that there is room for a camera at the top of the device. The empty space measures 6mm x 6mm x 3mm. That could easily fit the same style camera as the 5th gen iPod Nano, but they don't believe an iPhone-quality camera would fit because of the limited space. If that's not enough iPod touch news for you, read on.
iFixit tears apart the 5th Generation iPod nano...nicely
The pioneers at iFixit are at it again, this time exploring the Loop's newest, coolest gadget -- the iPod nano. According to their measurements, this iPod is as thin as it could possibly be, and more densely packed than any previous Apple device. I work on iPods at my day job, but I'm afraid to start working on this one because there is very little wasted space and LOTS of glue. Here are some facts worth highlighting: The iPod nano uses flash memory manufactured by Toshiba. Apple would not be able to put a larger camera into it without reducing the footprint of other components. It uses the same style speaker as the iPod touch. The sound exits through the dock connector. The display has 17.5% more real estate than the 4th Generation iPod nano. Read on for the nitty gritty, "I want to tear it apart" information...
SanDisk Sansa Clip+ gets torn down, presumably built back up again
No need to twist our arm to get a confession: we absolutely enjoy seeing ultra-complex hardware getting dissected bit by bit. But sometimes -- particularly on cold and unwelcoming mornings with no coffee in the cupboard -- we prefer to keep things simple by just cracking open a shockingly rudimentary MP3 player. The spartan Sansa Clip+, which you may know as the Sansa Clip plus a microSD slot, turned out to be a doddle to undress, and its insides were about as uncomplicated as they come. Two SanDisk chips dominate the miniature motherboard, and the fabled marathon-running battery also makes an appearance. If you're not 1) disgusted or 2) confounded by the details we just discussed, you owe it to yourself to check out all the bare naked circuitry in the read link. [Thanks, Yuki]
PS3 Slim gets torn asunder
If you're wanting some quality analysis of what's under the PlayStation 3 Slim's hood, you're still gonna have to wait for that. However, if you're the sort that just needs to see hardware broken down into as many simple pieces as possible, boy have we got some pictures for you. Update: The results are in and well, there isn't a lot of excitement to show for it except for maybe the large 17-blade fan that stretches 95mm in diameter. There's also a video slideshow of the process, seen after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!] Read - Tech Powerup forum Read - iFixit teardown Read - Rapid Repair teardown
Video: ASUS Eee Keyboard gutted, soldering secrets revealed
Oh the carnage! A prototype ASUS Eee Keyboard made a wrong turn at Albuquerque only to end up gutted in a French orgy of gadget terrorism. Nine screw removals later and we see the stand-alone PC with its 5-inch, 800 x 480 pixel touchscreen splayed, 1.66GHz Atom N280 processor and all. Unfortunately, easy access does not mean easy upgrades as the RAM is soldered to the motherboard. Other notables are the Silicon Image HDMI transmitter that allows 1080p playback over HDMI and 1880mAh battery that should provide an estimated 1 hour and 40 minutes of use before hitting the mains. Blogeenet also has a pretty thorough video overview of ASUS' customized UI running on XP; after the break, son.
iPhone 3GS gets the quick and dirty tear apart treatment, already (update: could do 833MHz and 720p video)
Well that was fast. Orange Boutique in Paris, France did a midnight release of the iPhone 3G S, and the gang at Rapid Repair were there to pick one up and subsequently rip their new toy to shreds. There isn't much here in terms of analysis of parts yet, it's more so just a quick and dirty job to get it out to the world, but hey, if you're into watching someone rip apart brand new, expensive gadgetry, we've got just the gallery for you.Update: They've identified the chipset as the SoC S5PC100 from Samsung and thus confirm an ARM Cortex A8 running at 600 MHz (operates at up to 833MHz though) and the ability to record 720p video and handle real-time video conferencing should Apple choose to go in that direction (iPhone 3G S records VGA only). PowerVR SGX graphics and 256MB of RAM too as expected. S5PC100 block diagram after the break.Read -- S5PC100 [warning: PDF]Read -- RapidRepair Teardown
iPhone 3G S gets the quick and dirty tear apart treatment, already
Well that was fast. Orange Boutique in Paris, France did a midnight release of the iPhone 3G S, and the gang at Rapid Repair were there to pick one up and subsequently rip their new toy to shreds. There isn't much here in terms of analysis of parts yet, it's more so just a quick and dirty job to get it out to the world, but hey, if you're into watching someone rip apart brand new, expensive gadgetry, we've got just the gallery for you.
Cowon S9 gets pulled apart, put back together again
It was bound to happen sooner or later -- this poor Cowon S9 got the vivisection treatment and the startling pics have been posted in the Anything But iPod forums. And guess what? It's choc full of tiny components, a little bit of "wax paper or something," and let's not forget that world renowned AMOLED touch screen. This endeavor hasn't been undertaken in vain, however -- the good doctor has included tons of pics and step-by-step instructions in case you ever have to conduct the operation yourself. You know, in the name of science.
Dell's Mini 10v gets unboxed, cracked wide open, fitted with OS X
Not that Dell's other Mini machines aren't perfect candidates for creating your own hackintosh, but it's stellar to know that the outfit's newest member is as well. After going on sale earlier this month, the Mini 10v has been procured, unboxed and dissected, all in the name of unabashed discovery. Interestingly, it seems as if the RAM slot requires that the keyboard and motherboard be lifted for access, but for even the mildly seasoned computer user, that's absolutely nothing they can't handle. If you're into hardcore, uncensored splayings of newfangled netbooks, the read link is where you need to be, holmes.[Via MyDellMini, thanks Erik]
N97 disassembled on video... sort of
Are you dying to see Nokia's latest, the N97 ripped to shreds in glorious moving pictures? Well, that's too bad: we don't have that. What we do have, however, is a series of photographs of said shred-ripping, turned into a video. A creepy, silent film, if you will, complete with subtitles. Lack of movement and sound aside, it gives us a pretty great look at the innards of the handset, if that's what you're into. Sure, it's not The Goldrush, but if you want to see the N97 in a talkie, there's always that Royksopp video, right? Full video after the break.[Thanks, Mike]
Eee PC 1008HA gets cracked open, ASUS' obsession with Scotch tape revealed
We won't go so far as to say that the innards of ASUS' sexy Eee PC 1008HA are literally held together with tape, but man, there's an atypically high amount of sticky strips in there. If you're curious to see the ins and outs (but mostly the ins) of the first member of the newly created Seashell family, give that read link a look. Just be fully prepared to have your confidence shaken.
$22 iPod Shuffle shocker: components tiny, inexpensive
When iSuppli recently reported that the parts and packaging of the iPod Shuffle 3G cost only $21.77, a mere twenty-eight percent of the unit's retail price, PMP Today asked a most reasonable question: Where are the new Shuffle KIRFs? According to Business Week, Samsung is making a killing on these things, supplying not only the unit's ARM-based processor ($5.98), but the storage ($6) on at least a few of the units as well. The lithium ion battery, described by iSuppli as "the smallest we've ever seen," has an asking price of $1.20. As for things like capacitors and resistors, they're being described as "about the size of a grain of salt" and cost fractions of a penny each. Of course, none of this takes into account things like paying engineers and designers, and royalties paid to patents owned by other companies. Not that the KIRFsters of Shenzhen worry about these sorts of things. Maybe the wherewithal required to produce a phony Shuffle is (for the time being) beyond the capabilities of the pirates? Or maybe they're just having too much fun cranking out NOKLAs.Read - iPod Shuffle 3G Costs $22 to Make: Where are the Clones?Read - Deconstructing Apple's Tiny iPod Shuffle
Nintendo DSi torn asunder, sized up against DS Lite's innards
Sure, we saw the Nintendo DSi get its teardown treatment back in November, but now that it's available stateside, iFixit's decided to go for round two and rip the portable completely apart, snapping pics at each painful step. Taking it a step further, we also get to see in finer detail some of the differences between the new hardware and its DS Lite predecessor, including the now smaller 840mAh battery that we hear's been contributing to some shorter play sessions. For all the gritty imagery, kindly point your mouse to the read link below.[Via Wired]
iPod shuffle teardown: guts weigh just 10% more than sheet of paper
Regular readers, you know the drill: interesting product introduced, product splayed wide for nerdgasm pulp. iFixIt has the honors again, this time aiming its Xacto at the new iPod shuffle. After the usual struggle to open Apple's un-serviceable (by consumers) gear, iFixIt notes that the functioning parts of the 3rd gen shuffle weigh only 10% more than a single sheet of letter-sized paper. Hit that read link for the visual gore -- pretty amazing stuff at this scale. [Via 9to5 Mac]
