Tag Archives: teardown

Hardware, tablets

Apple iPad 2 Gets Dissected by iFixit

Well, looks like it didn’t take the good fellows over at iFixit a long time to get their hands on a brand new iPad 2, and then tear it apart into several small bite-sized pieces. To put things in a nutshell, their findings suggest (at least when it comes to the WiFi-only version) that Apple’s second-gen iPad device (model number A1395) includes pretty much the same size battery as the iPad 1 – a 3.8V, 25 watt-hour unit, alongside a 1GHz A5 CPU, 512MB of RAM, 16GB of Toshiba TH58NVG7D2FLA89 NAND Flash, and a Broadcom: BCM43291HKUBC WiFi controller. Furthermore, there’s also a clear evidence for the existence of a S6T2MLC N33C50V Power Management IC, tucked with a tiny biny gyroscope (AGD8 2103), and a small pair of integrated speakers. And if you’re seriously interested in this fascinating topic, head on past the break to watch iFixit’s full-fledged explanatory coverage.

 

[iFixit]

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tablets

Dell Streak 7 Finally Gets Official, With Dual-Core Tegra 2 and Android Froyo On Board

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Of course we’ve already seen Dell tease us all with its upcoming 7-inch Android tablet, back in September. But today we finally get a chance to see a real unit of Dell’s production model, this time with a few more details, worth knowing, attached and the oh-so-not-surprising “Streak 7” moniker. And while availability or pricing are still particularly vague – excluding the rumors that indicate a release “in the coming weeks” – other specifications include an Android 2.2 platform (and potentially upgrade to 3.0?), paired with a Gorilla Glass-protected touchscreen, 16GB of storage, a 1.3MP front-facing camera (plus 5mp on the back) and a powerful 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 processor to improve your overall graphics and let you watch high-res content on board. Full PR plus Dell’s commercial video right after the break.

Update1: Are you curious about the inner part of the hottest Dell Streak 7? Make sure to check out the disassembling video right after the break.

Update2: And yet another quick hands-on video that you can watch after the break. This time in one piece 🙂

Update3: T-Mobile will be offering the 7-inch, Android Froyo slate, powered by 4G capabilities and equipped with NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 graphics, starting February 2nd, for $199.99 on a two-year contract (including a $50 mail-in rebate), or just $450 off contract.

Update4: And looks like Dell’s WiFi-only Streak 7 tablet officially goes live in the UK, with prices starting at £299 (about $485), and specs that include pretty much the same lineup (3G capabilities aside): a 7-inch (800 x 480) touchscreen, paired with a Tegra 2 dual-core CPU, 16GB of storage, a rear 5 megapixel camera, and another one at 1.3 megapixel up front. Regretfully, there’s “only” Android 2.2 running on board, but hopefully a Honeycomb update will be available for this device, somewhere before the Fall.

Continue reading Dell Streak 7 Finally Gets Official, With Dual-Core Tegra 2 and Android Froyo On Board →

Audio, Media Players, Music

New iPod Touch Players Get iPhone 4 Features Without The Phone

Apple has just updated its iPod Touch PMPs lineup with a new slick model which apparently includes iPhone 4 stunning Retina Display screen, together with a 3-axis gyroscope and that strong Apple A4 chip that will easily support all those brand new features inside such as the great Game Center and the Face-time capabilities which can now be used on iPod Touch players thanks to the latest rear and front-facing camera additions. Cupertino will start taking your pre-orders today as prices start at $229 for 8GB and climbs to $299 for 32GB, and $399 for 64GB. Full PR after the break.

Update1: We’ve just added a quick hands on video, courtesy of Engadget, so check it out after the jump.

Update2: And looks like the iFixit team has done it again and managed to nab one of Apple’s latest and greatest 2010 Apple iPod Touch player in order to tear it apart and eventually expose its inner parts to the world. First results indicate that the new 640 x 960 LCD touchscreen is actually fused to the external glass, while the area between the front end and the battery is protected by an 11-gram EMI shield. Other than that, you’ll find a 3.44Whr Li-Pol cell, firmly soldered to the board, but the headphone jack isn’t. There’s plenty more info at the iFixit website and one image that says it all right after the break.

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Hardware, Mobile, News, Phones

Another iPhone 4G Prototype Pops Up In Vietnam, Gets Dissected and Filmed On Video

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Another day, another Apple’s fourth-gen iPhone spotted in the wild, this time by the Vietnamese guys from Taoviet.com who’ve managed to purchase a prototype of Cupertino’s future device on the black market for a whopping $4,000. And while Gizmodo’s acquired phone had no capacity numbers behind its back, besides the “XXX” caption, this one, on the other hand, indicates a 16GB of internal storage, housing the usual “Bonfire” testing interface, instead of Apple’s coming OS 4 platform – what a pity. Other than that, it apparently packs the same line of hardware (minus the two external screws) we’ve already seen before with a micro SIM slot stuffed to the right side of the box and these dual silver volume buttons placed to the left, while rear and front-face cameras adorn this “magical” bad boy as well, providing a clear evidence to support future arguments about authentication. Hands-on video after the break.

Update1: The guys at Chipworks claim that the “339S0084” serial number etched on top of the big chip (the one with Apple’s logo) found in Cupertino’s next-gen iPhone during last teardown session, is actually THE Apple A4 chip, fabricated by Samsung as a result of Apple’s design acquisitions of PA Semi and Intrinsity. And if that allegation should be taken seriously, it means that Apple’s fourth generation iPhone will share the same micro-processing capabilities you can find inside the iPad – huzzah!

Update2: We’ve just added two more videos of Apple’s alleged iPhone 4G, posted by the same group of the Vietnamese guys. Check them out after the break.

[via Tinhte]

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Computers, Mobile

iPad 3G Gets The Usual Teardown Ceremony

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Did you really expect the iPad 3G release to go by without a drop of an unconventional dissection? And even though it’s been only one day since Apple’s 3G tablet officially arrived to retail stores, it’s still pretty surprising how quick the good guys at iFixit has managed to get one of their own and tear it down all the way, down to the bone. It’s not that we’re completely in shock, after all we’ve already seen them doing exactly the same thing with the regular iPad, along with the FCC guys, not long ago, but it’s always intriguing to see internal parts widely spread in front of your eyes. Heading to the nitty gritty part, the iPad 3G apparently packs five different antennas inside (including one in Apple logo), paired with Infineon’s baseband processor, you can find in iPhone 3GS devices, and of course, Cupertino’s latest A4 CPU. For more parts and images, just click the link below and dive in, to watch the entire process step-by-step, toe to toe.

[iFixit]

Computers

Apple iPad Gets The FCC Dissection Treatment

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Say, did you get yourself a sleeky Apple iPad today, or are you one of those people who prefer waiting for internal components to first show up and then make a decision? If you got it already, congrats, otherwise you won’t have to wait that long, because the FCC people, that apparently do their job day and night, have completely teared down in pieces the latest and greatest Apple wonder just for you – and boy it looks HOT. Still, no nitty gritty details about the kind of chips and some other parts that make this tablet work so fast and load up things in a snap (although we do know about this Apple 1GHz A4 chipset). Having said that, you know, it’s just a matter of time until those internal specs break cover, courtesy of the iFixit chaps.

Update: The iFixit fellows have done it again. Here’s their tear down roundup: Apparently, the iPad’s memory is hidden inside this customized A4 processor which looks to be manufactured by Samsung. The battery itself which appears to be 5.5x stronger than any iPhone battery is big (a 3.75V, 24.8 watt-hour at 148 grams) and assembled from two separate batteries (cell mark: P11GA6-01-C01F and 741-00310A +) wired in parallel. On average use it appears that Apple has created a very economical machine that uses only 2.5 Watts, while the chassis is made of environmental-friendly recyclable aluminum and glass materials, free of PVC, BFR, Mercury or Arsenic poisonous metalloid. And speaking about glass, the iPad touchscreen panel is pretty thick, around 1.18 mm, compared to the 1.02 mm you’ll find in the iPhone. The hidden rumored compartment we thought that Apple would use for a built-in webcam turns to be an ambient light sensor slot and the empty void in the upper right corner belongs to the cellular communications board you’ll only find inside the 3G iPad. Display and rear case assembly are 350g each, which makes your iPad fairly ergonomic and balanced, while logic board is about 4.5″ wide, spanning about 60% of the iPad’s width. GPS is notably lacking from the RF/data cable (in non 3G iPads), but the 802.11n WiFi/Bluetooth Broadcom card is well integrated into the dock connector cable. Another image of  the 3G component is right after the break.

[via iFixit]

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Audio, Media Players, Video

iPod Nano 5th-Gen Player Announced, Video Camera, FM Radio And Bigger Screen On The Stake

Apple’s Rock n’ Roll event just went down with Steve Jobs up on stage again, this time suggesting a new colorful iPod nano lineup, available today at the online store, delivering two different storage capacities, 8GB ($149) and 16GB ( $179), to choose from. Other than that, the fifth-generation nano is now offering some neat improvements, with Cupertino unveiling a small video camera, integrated at the back of each player, allowing live video shooting in 640 x 480 video capture resolution at H.264 format, which gets up to 30fps capabilities and including 15 real-time special effects, such as Sepia, Black and White, X-Ray, 2.2Film Grain, Thermal, Security Cam, Cyborg, Bulge, Kaleido, Motion Blur and many others. Additionally, you get a bigger 2.2-inch 376 x 240 display, holding an FM tuner that has Live Pause feature underneath, sitting along with iTunes Tagging support, a pedometer element, built in speaker / microphone  and a voice over trait – all packed into a small sized 3.6 x 1.5 x 0.24-inches body frame that holds a battery which literally plays up to 24 hours of audio and 5 hours of video. Stay tuned for more to come.

Update1: Turns out the new nano camera can only handle video footage without stills. Nonetheless, it still looks pretty amazing, so hit the break and checkout the video walkthrough right away.

Update2: Hey, we know you’re all excited to take a peek at those sexy inner parts of the new nano video cam player. And as we speak, the guys from iFixit were rapidly nabbing a nice blue fifth-gen nano device, tearing it apart and showing its bowels wide. Hit the jump to watch from close, or click the link to look at the entire process done.

[Apple]

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Events, Games, News, Video

Sony's PS3 Slim Edition Console Officially Announced, Goes Live In September For $300 (Update: Now Officially On Sale Across The US)

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Yes, we all heard about it time after time on recent weeks, but now it’s for real, as Sony finally makes the PS3 Slim edition official, at GamesCom show, ending up months of rumors and speculation about the new gaming console. And speaking about the slim console, turns out it will be available in the first week of September, worldwide, priced at merely $300 (that’s 300 Euros, or 29,980 Yen) and packing a 120GB HDD along with all the good features we know from the regular PS3. In addition, the slimmer version actually have clickable buttons on front, while sized 32 percent less than previous model. Furthermore, the new edition apparently consumes 34 percent less power and the bundle includes a wireless DualShock3 controller to comfortably rock your gaming experience from your living room sofa, as vertical stand is optional for extra $24. Sony will also release Firmware version 3.0, next to the Slim debut, so you will enjoy animated themes with avatars, some cool UI changes, modified friends lists and even a new status indicator, when running your brand new matte black console for the first time. For more details about the PS3 Slim announcement, the full specs, and some video footage to watch, hit the jump or pass the break.

Update1: Apparently, you won’t be able to play any Playstation 2 games with your new PS3 Slim console, which is a bummer (!) if you think about it, since not having a PS2 backwards compatibility will force everyone get rid of their cool games collection, but this way or another, if you keep searching for some cool advantages inside the latest Slim edition, then mind you this hot box will presumably support Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio bit-streaming through your fancy hi-fi receiver. Huzzah!

Update2: Looks like Sony’s new PS3 Slim console is officially up and available across US retailers like Best Buys and GameStops (earlier than expected) for $299, so you can go down to your local store and get it NOW. Meanwhile, If you happen to have it at your disposal, already, and curious to see the inside parts of the box, hit the break and take a look, both at the image (one of few) and video footage that iFixit group has recently published.

Update3: A 250GB PS3 Final Fantasy XIII edition officially announced, set to be released in Japan somewhere around December for ¥41,600 Yen. Image is right after the break.

Update4: And moments after, Amazon.co.uk has listed a 250GB version as well, but this time you’ll have to settle with the ordinary black. Pre-order price is set for £285 ($455) and delivery is scheduled to October 1st.

Update5: Apparently, the 250GB Playstation Slim version is about to hit US shelves on November 3rd for $349.99, so you have only couple of weeks to get yourself this extra capacity-size edition.

sony-ps3-slim_2

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Games, News

Sony's PSP Go Surfaces Up Before Its Time (Update: Now Official – $249)

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It’s not that we were totally surprised when Sony’s new gaming console abruptly showed up in a June 09 Qore edition – after all, rumors are floating around for quite some time – Yet, having a first look on a future portable gaming device can definitely rock our geeky heart, which barely stands the endless expectation for the official announcement to take place. And with so many neat features crammed inside, It shouldn’t take long until we snack ourselves a copy or two. But until we’ll manage to fulfill this dream, you all should probably like to know that Sony’s new PSP GO – as for on the go – seems to be offered with a 3.8-inch screen display, along with a built-in Bluetooth connectivity, rounded sleeky slider design and 16GB of internal Flash, expandable via Memory Stick Micro slot. Other essential traits to be noted include a smooth integration with PlayStation 3 gaming console (full network support), thin-and-light body design (43% lighter than PSP-3000), “10-year life-cycle products” guarantee (meaning long term viability) and various new action-game titles like Gran Turismo, Little Big Planet and Metal Gear Solid – in plan. With no pretensions to be crowned as a PSP-3000 successor and without determined price-tag given, all that’s left is a vague “This Fall” release announcement, which Sony executives were willing to share. And while waiting for this dates to arrive, hit the jump and watch the video itself.

Update1: Sony just announced the PSP Go at the E3 convention, to be available on October 1 in North America and Europe for $249, with a month later release in Japan. Turns out it’s 50% smaller and 40% lighter than Sony’s first PSP-1000 console, as most other specs remain the same, with few surprises at the corner – like a built-in WiFi connection, a new auto-playlist feature which randomly plays your favorite music and called Sense Me, a new video delivery service, and a lack of the UMD drive, implying you’ll be loading your games either through the Memory Stick Micro slot or over PlayStation’s network. Stay tuned for even more. Meanwhile, you can read the full PR announcement after the break.

Update2: In case you were all wondering what will happen to your old UMD games, once getting the PSP GO, maybe you should know that Sony will be offering for purchasing digital copies of those gamese, but maybe – just maybe – the company will be generous enough to make it even free of charge. Stay tuned.

Update3: If inner parts will make you excited, the folks at levelup.cn have managed to get their hands on one of the few available PSP Go devices out there and as expected, dissected it into pieces. Hit the jump to see the picture or click the link for even more.

Update4: Firmware update 6.10 is out, and those of you who’ve managed to get their hands on a PSP GO console (even though it’s not officially out yet) will now enjoy Bluetooth internet tethering for remote internet access. Additionally, you’ll find a new SensMe feature that literally creates audio playlists based on moods.

Update5: It’s here. Sony’s new PSP GO console finally goes live and can be found at your local retailers for $249.99. Gamind Party !

sony-psp-go

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