Hasta La Gadget!

We know what’s inside the TouchPad and we know just what it’s like to live with the culmination of those parts, and now Isuppli is doing its best to figure out just what those individual components set HP back each time one rolls off the assembly line. According to that firm’s analysis, the grand cost to build a single $599.99 MSRP, 32GB TouchPad is $328. That’s but $12 more than the 16GB version, which of course retails for $100 less at $499.99. That $328 cost is quite comparable to a 32GB iPad 2, which tallies up at $326 in 3G form according to the source. In other words, HP seems to be maintaining similar margins to Apple, begging the question: can it afford to do so?

[Image credit: TechRepublic]

HP TouchPad parts analyzed, manufacturing cost similar to the iPad 2 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When we reviewed the HP TouchPad we found it to feel a little hollow, as if it were rather more cavernous inside than the immediate competition. Now we’re getting to peek beneath the screen and, look at that, it’s “built more like a PC than an iPad” according to the screwdriver-meisters at TechRepublic. This means you can easily take the thing apart with just a Phillips screwdriver (and a little prying) should you wish. Or, you know, you can just look at the pictures on the other end of the source link and keep yours in one piece. They tend to work better that way.

HP TouchPad torn asunder, no palms found hiding within originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 08:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We don’t know about you, but we generally don’t give much thought to our hard drives or how they work. And that’s a shame because, as you’ll find out in the video after the break, they’re veritable miracles of modern science. Bill Hammack, also known as Engineer Guy, takes us on a detailed tour of the inner workings of the ubiquitous hard disk drive — from the Lorentz Force driven arm, to the head that floats a mere 10nm above the layered cobalt platters thanks to the wonders of aerodynamics. Maybe after this lesson in modern magnetic storage from Mr. Hammack you’ll appreciate how much more there is to storing your collection of Mission of Burma b-sides than simply printing ones and zeros on a shiny, spinning thing.

Continue reading The under-appreciated hard drive gets torn apart and explained (video)

The under-appreciated hard drive gets torn apart and explained (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 10:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s teardown time again, and this time the poor gadget under iFixit’s menacing spudger is the Samsung Series 5 3G Chromebook, one of Google’s follow-ups to the rather poorly-received Cr-48 Chromebook.

Before we get inside, it’s worth mentioning that Samsung has fixed the two big problems with the original. The trackpad now works properly (can it really have been so hard to get right? It’s not like trackpads are new tech) and the battery life is now a good long 8 hours. It is also a little faster thanks to its Atom N570 processor, and — according to iFixit CEO Kyle “The Can-Opener” Wiens — looks a lot better. I’m a sucker for clunky, utilitarian design, so I actually prefer the old one.

Then we dive inside the device. It’s possible to disassemble the whole thing with the spudger, a plastic opening tool, and a Phillips number 1 screwdriver.

The Series 5 is put together a lot like a vanilla netbook, with standard slot-in parts for things like Wi-Fi and 3G WWAN. The 16GB SanDisk SSD is also a standard plug-in module, so it should be possible to upgrade if you want to. In the pictures above, you can see the insides of both the new Chromebook and the original Cr48 for comparison.

Ifixit gives the Series 5 3G Chromebook a Repairability Score of 6 out of 10. Not bad. Be sure to check out the full teardown, complete with “huge” photographs of each step.

Samsung Series 5 3G Chromebook Teardown [iFixit. thanks, Kyle!]

See Also:

• Google Debuts Chromebook, the Web-Only Laptop
• Hands-On With Google's New Chromebook
• Google's Cr-48 Netbook Looks Gorgeous, Ditches Caps-Lock
• Cr-48

Ever wondered what it feels like to tear down a $58,000 professional video camera? Well, unless you’re as minted as Peter Jackson or James Cameron, chances are you’ll never get close to a RED EPIC-M (without breaking the law) to find out. That said, you may get some insight from this fresh batch of disassembly shots, courtesy of the FCC. Sure, there aren’t any jewels or unicorns hidden inside this powerful 5K imager, but you’ll get plenty of close-up shots of its delicate circuitry — it’s actually pretty impressive how much the hand-machined chassis holds. Head over to Wireless Goodness to admire the full glory, but make sure you don’t dribble over your keyboard.

FCC gives the RED EPIC-M its teardown treatment, so you don’t have to originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 May 2011 12:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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