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? Everything's microsoldered to a circuit board the size of a credit card,

I invite you to go to iFixit's website and actually look into an iPhone to see how wrong you are. I count 16 discrete parts, each of which could potentially be replaced as they are are connected via small surface mount connectors.

Look at the disassembly process, there's a distinct lack of soldering iron.

Where outside of China are you going to find the components and the equipment to repair any of these electronics, anyway?

I usually get them here.

the tiniest slip of your all-too-human hands and you've ruined a trace on a different circuit.

Soldering isn't as hard as you make it seem. With practice, even someone with shaky hands like me can do small circuits.

The antenna was not the entire case, but the band around the edge of the case.

No. This is incorrect. You can order the cellular antenna as a part. The wifi antenna was separate.

That antenna is strictly for CDMA. The only two providers (almost in the entire world) that use CDMA are Sprint and Verizon. But I was wrong. IT was two antennas, not three. See for yourself

The antenna was not the entire case, but the band around the edge of the case.

No. This is incorrect. You can order the cellular antenna as a part. The wifi antenna was separate.

So you are saying that repair companies do not like difficult to repair products because they make more money repairing them. Difficult to repair just means consumers can not readily repair it themselves and must take it to a repair company and pay them in order to carry out the repair.

So it just happens that iFixit https://www.ifixit.com/ is "iFixit is a wiki-based site that teaches people how to fix almost anything. Anyone can create a repair manual for a device, and anyone can also edit the existing set of manuals to improve them. Our site empowers individuals to share their technical knowledge with the rest of the world.", you claim in that light is really quite nasty and smells of corporate propaganda.

To make it clear, yes it is self serving to complain bitterly about being ripped off with unrepairable products which result in shitty resale values. What, I am meant to live my life to serve corporate profits instead, seriously WTF?

Even if it is as complicated as putting together 6-part Duplo duck.

That's the whole point of the module. That even the dumbest end-users could be able to sevice the phone.
The previous one used screws and required a tiny bit more dexterity to fix.

Ethical sources part only confirms diagnosis

...was conflict-free minerals all the way back at the time of their first phone. That's what FairPhone was founded for.

The news is that the 2nd one is modular to make it even easier to fix. (Whereas with the previous, they just made sure that the ODM used screws instead, and then partnered with iFixit to release fixing guide).

it is targeted at holier-than-thou vegan hipsters, rather than on hacking/modding community.

The modularity (now even easier to repair or refurbish instead of throwing away !) and the material source, indeed are.

On the other end, the pogo pins that you see on page 2 are certainly targeting the hacking/modding comunity, just as the Jolla's "The Other Half" did for the Jolla hacking community.

(BTW: Jolla's Sailfish OS seems to be coming to the FairPhone 2 too)

According to this teardown of the Apple AirPort Extreme A1521, it does in fact have a Broadcom BCM4360 chip rated for 1.3Gbps. So the parent's original question is a good one. Why wasn't this included in the test??

The current version of iTunes runs on any of the last 4 OS revisions, covering about 4 years and probably 10 years of hardware at a minimum.

At the time, the hardware was 4-5 years old (iBook G4, 3rd gen nano; you do the math).

One nice thing about Macs is, no, it's really not a "fucking pile of grief.

Oh, it was. The OS/X upgrade wasn't free, for one thing. Apple fucked up and sent the french version, because apparently that's the default language they send to Canadians. Eventually got it, and the install was... well, after a couple attempts it worked. Don't get me wrong, it was still easier than installing Windows, but it wasn't fun.

I assume they've gotten better in the last decade, but I definitely identify with the previous poster about his ProTools experience. When Apple stuff works, it works well and in harmony with everything else. When it doesn't, it's not pretty.

About six months later the hard drive in the iBook croaked. I can assure you that "fucking pile of grief" is exactly the way to describe the process to replace the hard disk in an iBook G4. What kind of psychopath assembles the entire device around the part with the shortest expected lifespan?

Hell, I imagine the same type of behavior is even coming to Linux through systemd.

Most Linux distros have been in a continuously updating state for at least a decade. You do get "major" version bumps periodically which require a bit more clicking, but even those updates are pretty painless... I think the last time I needed manual intervention was 2008-ish. systemd likely won't change anything there, except maybe make the process more brittle for a while until things migrate over.

We as owners of the crap we buy have every right to see what's inside, and repair, hack, and do what we wish with it. https://www.ifixit.com/Manifes...

I'm a frequent and very happy iFixit user and customer. But really, an app?

See, I've got this other app on my phone. It's called "Browser". It's the creaky old pre-Chrome Android browser, dog-standard and unchanged since my first HTC Desire running Gingerbread. And this app loads up the contents of the iFixit website just freaking fine.

"App"? Do people really install apps that deliver nothing besides repackaged web content? Have we, as a civilization, really sunk this far?

I weep for the future.

I would be inclined to tage the article "andnothingofvaluewaslost", but that would only speak of this pointless app, and not iFixit's actual content and value in the community.

I love the iFixit self-repair manifesto:
http://www.networkworld.com/ar...

We hold these truths to be self evident... If you can't fix it, you don't own it.

Bravo, iFixit!

It wasn't that they tore the thing apart, it's that they published said teardown on their web site.

In exchange for pre-release hardware you have to sit on any reviews, teardowns, unboxing videos or other public commentary until the release date. That's just how it works.

iFixit admits they violated their agreement with Apple. Apple didn't sue them or anything particularly nasty, they simply disabled their developer account which unfortunately was also the account iFixit used for their app.

Now iFixit will probably apologize to Apple until they get they get their account reinstated, and hopefully a few people will have learned that NDAs actually mean something.

it's a well-known issue

https://www.ifixit.com/Answers...

amazon said they'd give me $15 off the purchase of a new one because it doesn't charge any more. instead i purchased the $5 repair USB port:

http://www.amazon.com/Charging...

looked through some videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

and tried it out

in the first 15 minutes, i succesfully broke a tiny plasticzif connector:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

great, nothing to see here, move along, cross your fingers it will stay with some rubber cement

then i made a hilariously inept attempt to solder tiny connections of the new USB port with a fat soldering iron and some eye glass repair magnifying glass

but lo and behold it worked. it charged! ...for half an hour. now it's dead as a door knob

here's the real issue:

i don't have the time to do this shit, and the cost of modern electronics makes the cost of new electronics compared to the time investment to attempt a repair means repair is not an option

go to repair places and the cost of a repair is also prohibitively expensive as compared to the cost of a new item

therefore: welcome to our throwaway culture

i tried. i really did

i just don't have the time or patience anymore, not to join now myself

sorry

I bet they're very happy with their decision to make Apple products impossible to disassemble and make all the parts practically impossible to replace.

Given that iFixit gave the iPhone 6+ a 7/10 on repairability, knocking them on the use of a pentalobe screw and lack of disassembly information, I'm pretty sure Apple is more than capable of dealing with that.

The only way to get an 8/9/10 is to basically use standard screws and make available information on how to take it apart, something you'll never see anyone do because of how easy warranty fraud is (far too many people take something apart with the hopes of fixing it, and end up screwing things up worse).

Yeah, I'm sure Apple is REAL sorry about doing that. (iPhones since the 4 onwards have used screws to hold them shut. 5 onwards the screen is what is screwed in - the 4s are a PITA to change the screen still).

Even the Trackpad is easily replaced.

I give you the instructions for replacing the trackpad on my Macbook. It is an easy 44 steps. Well, 87, since you have to do it all in reverse to put it back together.

Also, it's $450 just for the parts and tools. More if you don't like to buy refurbished.

Funny, the TrackPad I replaced in a friend's 2009 13 inch MacBook Pro was like 4 steps, if. Remove screws from bottom pan. Remove battery connector. Remove battery. Remove 4 screws holding Trackpad. Done.

Well, I see that it IS a bit more involved for that model (you did pull the wrong guide though. Here's the right one). But the tools needed are more like $20, and the TrackPad can be had for around $60 online. FAR less than the $450 that you quoted (without citation).

Even the Trackpad is easily replaced.

I give you the instructions for replacing the trackpad on my Macbook. It is an easy 44 steps. Well, 87, since you have to do it all in reverse to put it back together.

Also, it's $450 just for the parts and tools. More if you don't like to buy refurbished.

Funny, the TrackPad I replaced in a friend's 2009 13 inch MacBook Pro was like 4 steps, if. Remove screws from bottom pan. Remove battery connector. Remove battery. Remove 4 screws holding Trackpad. Done.

Well, I see that it IS a bit more involved for that model (you did pull the wrong guide though. Here's the right one). But the tools needed are more like $20, and the TrackPad can be had for around $60 online. FAR less than the $450 that you quoted (without citation).

Even the Trackpad is easily replaced.

I give you the instructions for replacing the trackpad on my Macbook. It is an easy 44 steps. Well, 87, since you have to do it all in reverse to put it back together.

Also, it's $450 just for the parts and tools. More if you don't like to buy refurbished.

Just because you can't quickly and easily remove it yourself doesn't mean that it's not removable. It is removable, you just need some time and tools to do it.

Remove the battery on an iPhone 6 in 27 easy steps. After that, reassembly is simply the opposite of disassembly!*

You just need some time and tools to do it!

*: You hope.

Disassemble PS4 (Just in case you get one): https://www.ifixit.com/Teardow...

Disassemble PS3 slim: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardow...
Disassemble PS3 fat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

You are correct, the Parent is outdated. The only feasible upgrade a user can undertake on a recent MBP is the SSD - the RAM and CPU are soldered directly to the logic board.

Hopefully battery technology can improve, but the tethering is not a technical choice it's a policy choice designed to lock you inside the Apple system.

Oh, come off it!

Do you REALLY think that Apple (or anybody?) could place a CELLULAR ANTENNA (let alone the hardware to drive it) inside that package? Not to mention the battery it would take to maintain communication with the cellular network. You think the battery life is short NOW?...

Not to mention that, to be autonomous from a cellphone (and still have even a large fraction of the features) you would have to figure out how to shoehorn all (or nearly all) of the hardware seen in steps 15 through 17 of this iPhone 6 Teardown. Again, I ask you: Where does that hardware go? What does it use for a battery?

Think before you bleat out such idiocy, fucktard.

Apparently they also provide service manuals online for free, and seem generally more repairable than Apple kit according to iFixit. So they probably do deserve a bit more kudos than they get.

iFitit has them, although they are ruinously expensive. I expect they'll come down over time.

https://www.ifixit.com/Store/M...

iFitix has them, although they are ruinously expensive. I expect they'll come down over time.

https://www.ifixit.com/Store/M...

http://www.techinsights.com/te...

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardow...

You can replace the SSD in the current Macbook Pro: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/M...

I suppose you could in theory upgrade the RAM though, but I don't count any Mac upgrade solution that requires re-soldering anything.

Have you thought of popping the case open and fitting a ramsink to it? It has an internal aluminium heatsink, but it's just a piece of aluminium inside the case. You could do a lot better with a small copper block with fins. Take a dremel to the case over where the RAM and SoC sit (opposite sides of the board, sadly) and you should be able to get much better airflow.
 
Teardown here and ramsinks here as a suggestion.

Here is why I chose it as an example of something annoying:
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers...
Note that is starts AFTER removing the outer case, the faraday cage and one of the boards.
So that's really bad design compared with a battery replacement in a recent iphone where it's designed with replacement in mind.

For what it's worth, iPhone screens can be replaced by removing screws. It still takes some skill, and is easier if you have a suction-cup tool, but does not involve adhesive.

For instance: iPhone 6 teardown

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardow...
http://blog.macminicolo.net/po...

The hard drive is replaceable after a couple hurdles.

a real link

link. FTFY.

The newer unibody models don't need a paint scraper/spatula. The chassis slides out. There is a "special" apple tool for service providers to slide it out, but it can be done by mere mortals. And there is a second hard drive kit available.

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/I...

Look for the appropriate iFixit teardown page, then open it up! If the glass isn't obviously cracked, maybe something inside just came loose. You didn't say what model you have, but the first comment on the Asus Transformer Infinity TF700 teardown mentions an internal power switch next to the battery connector (step 15 picture 2), maybe that could have bumped itself off.

It's an Apple issue, beacause they make it hard to replace the battery

Looks pretty simple to replace to me

"Banning has already eradicated many other invisible activities..." They 'll just sell you a computer with Secure Boots on steroids (always enabled, allowing only fully "certified" images to run) which also is glued-shut and has glued-on components, so you can't open it without destroying it. https://www.ifixit.com/Teardow... Good luck with installing a custom OS on that. I hope I am wrong, but soon some Hollywood Legislator will ban devices with unlocked bootloaders like Nexus devices and mandate always-enabled secure boots on all devices (phones, tablets, laptops etc).

listen, Life is NOT a movie, a hacker cant reconfigure the temperature sensor into a "FLIR heat sensor" to give them ANY information other than how hot it is on the ceiling in the hallway where you mounted it. That Passive IR sensor cant be magically turned into an HD IR camera, it's a single specific function sensor that can detect if smoke has entered the chamber, you cant turn it into a spy camera. Then you have a CO sensor that is specifically designed for it's task, again cant be reconfigured as a direction Co2 and other gas sensors to detect if you have been smoking crack in the bathroom again.

the ONLY data that someone can glean from this is local mounted temperature, alarm state and CO2 levels. Nothing else. even if you left for a 4 week vacation in your Paris apartment you cant even hope to get data if the house is unoccupied unless you set the thermostat to very low and it was the dead of winter.

https://www.sparkfun.com/news/... 6 seconds on google turned this up. It even has links to the sensors data sheets.
https://www.ifixit.com/Teardow... for the ifixit teardown

Please, if you write an article, Know something about the subject, spend DAYS researching it before you publish the information. This is why "bloggers" have zero respect and are mostly ridiculed.

You should check some details on the VirtualBoy. As you can see in this teardown, it does not use screens, but oscillating mirrors with a single 1D LED array by eye. Even if it ultimately failed, it is interesting to see.

sorry for multiple replies, maybe it will be helpful to build this info in one place. Here's how to kibosh the mike on your macbook.

to kill in hardware: For unibody macbook pros the microphone is connected to the logic board but not soldered on, so if you have iron nuts you can actually just unplug it. you give up the convenience of FaceTime chats or dictation without plugging in an external mike, but if you care then you care:
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Ma...

then if you get one of these it's convenient to get microphone access when you need it. This one works for the macbook airs that have the line-in/ line-out port like an iPhone, it might work for an older macbook with a separate line in port, i don't know.
http://www.amazon.com/IK-Multi...

if this is too permanent or hard core, then there are a few ways of doing it in software. Here is a guide from the NSA themselves on how to harden your macbook. this version applies to snow leopard, but much of it likely still holds over.
http://www.nsa.gov/ia/_files/f...

a last thought, another way you could be super hardcore is to pull out the airport card, which like the microphone isn't soldered on. it has wifi and bluetooth. another super pain in the ass thing, but it's a step.

this appears to be a small USB dongle that would give you BT and wi-fi when you need it.
http://www.amazon.com/Cirago-B...

OK, once you've done all these things you can upgrade to ranger-level tinfoil hat.

I thought that the HTC One already had that market cornered.

The SSD cards are not soldered even in the late 2013 MBPs. I'm not aware of anyone who makes a replacement, but it is theoretically replaceable. http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook+Pro+15-Inch+Retina+Display+Late+2013+Teardown/18696

iPhone 4 and newer iPhone battery replacement is fairly trivial:

1: Buy a battery and a pentalobe driver or bit from dealextreme or ebay for about $10
2: Uscrew the two case screws
3: Slide the back cover off
4: Unscrew the battery connector screw
5: Replace the battery and reassemble the back cover

I've done it about once a year on my iPhone 4, once the average recharge interval goes from about five days to about three days.

Much of the Mac Pro is replaceable according to iFixit with a score of 8/10. The issue is that the parts are not standard PC parts which is a different matter.

There's no way a business can afford a longer warranty period...

Certainly not when they deliberatly build in obsolescence so your forced to throw away/consume more - increase profits vs deplete more natural resources. Longer warrenty periods by law would go a long way to reign in companies balancing act - how short can they push a products life without overtly harming the brand. Force them to increase product quality (or at least remove the cheap gimmicks they use to sabotage their own products after a short period).

The Kindle Fire often fails for this reason:

http://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/112103/Intermittent+USB+Power+Port+-+Common+Problem

Both my kindle fire and my mother-in-law's kindle fire failed for this reason. Also, my three year old has difficulty getting the plug in and out, and tends to yank on the cord. With a pad, he would have no problem charging the device.

Ars? Maybe but really do you not know the place for teardowns?

http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/

And as to JoeyRox's idea that this was a detailed teardown...no. No it was not. It was a fluff piece for people who don't know anything about computer hardware.

You jest, but I really think that's the direction mobile computing is going to go. If you open up a modern tablet, the "computer" part of it is a thin PCB little wider than a stick of gum. The battery can be molded to fit whatever shape you want. The only reason tablets are the bulky slate shape (which has tremendously excessive surface area for the volume of components) is because of the screen. As technology progresses, the computer bits are going to continue to get smaller, and both battery capacity will increase while required capacity will decrease as power efficiency improves. The screen is more and more going to become the millstone around the neck of these devices.

If you could roll up or fold the screen, you could substantially shrink the size of the device when it's not in use. A 10" tablet could roll into something about the size of a fat pen. There's some engineering work which needs to be done to make a collapsible frame to hold the screen flat when unrolled, but I think the tradeoff is going to be worth it.

They sell several amounts of already soldered chips on the main board.

Not soldered to the motherboard for the 15" Retina MBP and not soldered to the motherboard for the 13" Retina MBP. On which Macs is the SSD soldered to the motherboard?

They sell several amounts of already soldered chips on the main board.

Not soldered to the motherboard for the 15" Retina MBP and not soldered to the motherboard for the 13" Retina MBP. On which Macs is the SSD soldered to the motherboard?