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Cracking Open
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Motorola Xyboard 10.1 Teardown: Overpriced, soon to be outdated
The Motorola Xyboard 10.1's excellent build quality and decent hardware are overshadowed by its high price and quad-core tablet competitors.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | January 19, 2012, 2:00 PM PST | Latest comment by BALTHOR
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Ultrabooks cheat sheet cuts through the hype
Are ultrabooks a unique category of computer or just the next step in the laptop's evolution? This cheat sheet helps you decide.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | January 19, 2012, 10:58 AM PST | Latest comment by stykat
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G-Form Extreme Sleeve protects iPad from dropped bowling ball
G-From Extreme Sleeve lets you drop a bowling ball on you iPad and not crack it open.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | January 17, 2012, 1:18 PM PST | Latest comment by dogknees
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Cracking Open Live at CES: Samsung Galaxy Nexus
Bill Detwiler and Jason Hiner crack open the Samsung Galaxy Nexus live on the CNET stage at CES 2012.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | January 12, 2012, 1:51 PM PST
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Five must-crack-open devices from CES 2012
From tablets to TVs, Bill Detwiler counts down the five devices from CES, he most wants to crack open.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | January 11, 2012, 11:19 PM PST | Latest comment by TopTechie
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Toshiba Excite X10 tablet too thin for 4G
At CES 2012, Toshiba unveiled a new, ultra-thin 10" tablet. Dubbed the Excite, the Android device is a mere 7.7mm thick--too thin for current 4G modules.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | January 8, 2012, 11:13 PM PST | Latest comment by 8lackie
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Acer Aspire S3 Teardown: Good hardware, lackluster construction
The Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook is thin, light and feature rich. But, its build quality and battery life are less than one expects in a premium laptop.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | January 5, 2012, 6:36 PM PST | Latest comment by shriek11
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CES 2012: Ultrabooks and quad-core mobile devices likely to take center stage
Bill Detwiler shares his thoughts on the hardware trends that you should be watching for at CES 2012.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | January 3, 2012, 8:43 AM PST | Latest comment by BALTHOR
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Hottest Cracking Open teardowns of 2011
Bill Detwiler counts down the top five Cracking Open hardware teardowns of 2011.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | December 26, 2011, 1:33 PM PST | Latest comment by npiotrowski@...
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Motorola Droid Razr Teardown: Better hardware should anger Bionic buyers
The Droid Razr is thinner, lighter, and has better hardware than the Droid Bionic, which Motorola release just two months prior.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | December 8, 2011, 11:04 AM PST
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Amazon Kindle Touch (2011) teardown: Replaceable battery, Neonode touch screen
The Kindle Touch is a definite step up from Amazon's base model Kindle. But, the Touch's hardware specs are very similar to another popular e-book reader.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | December 1, 2011, 2:04 PM PST
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Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet teardown: Upgraded, improved Nook Color
The Nook Tablet is nearly identical to the Nook Color, both inside and out. This Android tablet also shares hardware with its chief rival--the Kindle Fire.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | November 23, 2011, 3:06 PM PST
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Kindle Fire teardown: No-frills tablet filled with TI hardware
The Kindle Fire puts Amazon's store right in your hands. Bill Detwiler cracks open the Fire for a look at the hardware inside.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | November 17, 2011, 2:57 PM PST
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Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 teardown: Unmarked processor, replaceable battery
From the outside, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 looks nearly identical to the larger 10" model, but there are significant differences inside the case.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | November 10, 2011, 11:18 AM PST
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Acer Iconia Tab A100 teardown: Lots of tech crammed into 7" case
The 7" Acer Iconia Tab A100 looks a lot like the 10" Iconia Tab A500, both inside and out. Unfortunately, the similarities aren't all good.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | November 2, 2011, 9:35 AM PDT
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Alienware M14x Teardown: Wireless HDMI portends future without wires
Bill Detwiler cracks open the Alienware M14x for a look at the high-end gaming notebook's integrated wireless HDMI transmitter and other hardware.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | October 26, 2011, 11:42 AM PDT
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Apple iPhone 4S Teardown: Old design, new hardware
Bill Detwiler cracks open the Apple iPhone 4S and finds a design nearly identical to that of the iPhone 4, but also significant hardware updates.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | October 14, 2011, 4:33 PM PDT
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Motorola Lapdock Teardown: Tiny motherboard, no HDMI output
Bill Detwiler cracks open the Motorola Droid Bionic Lapdock--a Webtop accessory that pushes the convergence of the smartphone and PC one step closer.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | October 12, 2011, 9:08 AM PDT
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Amazon Kindle (2011) Teardown: Faster processor, fewer chips
Bill Detwiler cracks open the redesigned 2011 Kindle and discovers a device that's very close to being a truly disposable e-reader.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | October 5, 2011, 10:57 AM PDT
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Galaxy S II (Sprint Epic 4G Touch) Teardown: Samsung Exynos processor and no NFC
Bill Detwiler cracks open the Sprint Epic 4G Touch (Samsung Galaxy S II). He finds a unique blend of Samsung and third-party components, but no NFC.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | September 28, 2011, 7:53 AM PDT
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DIY desktops are dead in business and dying in the home
Declining PC sales, fewer discrete components, and the proliferation of mobile devices are pushing the homebrew PC market into obscurity.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | May 24, 2013, 8:22 AM PDT | Latest comment by rwwff
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Samsung Galaxy S4 teardown reveals redesigned interior, easier-to-fix phone
Bill Detwiler cracks open the Samsung Galaxy S4, explores the redesigned interior and shows you why it's easier to repair than previous Galaxy phones.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | May 6, 2013, 1:08 PM PDT | Latest comment by awolf@...
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How to replace a broken laptop screen
A cracked screen can make a laptop unusable. Luckily, you can fix it. Bill Detwiler gives you step-by-step instructions for replacing a broken laptop LCD panel.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | September 6, 2012, 1:31 PM PDT | Latest comment by lajthabalazs@...
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Google Glass teardown reveals hits and misses on repairability
Bill Detwiler cracks open Google Glass and discovers the wearable computer's sturdy construction also makes repairs impractical.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | May 14, 2013, 8:06 AM PDT | Latest comment by NZJester
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Nexus 4 teardown: Easy-open case hides LTE hardware surprise
Bill Detwiler shows you how to crack open the LG-built, Google Nexus 4 and uncovers a hardware surprise inside.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | February 11, 2013, 1:35 PM PST | Latest comment by jeffeyg@...
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PS3 Super Slim teardown reveals hardware changes, but no real upgrades
Bill Detwiler cracks open the PlayStation 3 Super Slim, shows you how Sony redesigned the popular gaming console, and compare the new machine to older PS3 models.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | October 11, 2012, 7:50 PM PDT | Latest comment by pallab1981
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Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 teardown reveals efficient hardware layout and replaceable battery
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Android tablet has a case that's easy to open, clean internal design, and replaceable battery.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | April 26, 2012, 2:08 PM PDT | Latest comment by mstooley
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Samsung Galaxy S III teardown reveals easy-open case, difficult-to-fix display
Getting inside the Galaxy S III is easy, but Bill Detwiler shows you why replacing the front panel or display isn't.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | June 21, 2012, 11:34 AM PDT | Latest comment by Aditi Gupta
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Apple's next-generation Macbook Pro drops Ethernet, optical drive
Apple's next-generation MacBook Pro lacks an Ethernet port or optical drive. Bill Detwiler explains why one missing feature will add $29 to laptop's already high cost.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | June 12, 2012, 8:56 AM PDT | Latest comment by anil_g
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Pricey Chromebook Pixel: Built well but impractical to upgrade
Bill Detwiler cracks open the Google Chromebook Pixel and shows you why it's easy to open and service, but nearly impossible to upgrade.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | March 14, 2013, 1:25 PM PDT | Latest comment by tdrane
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Five things you should know before trying to fix a smartphone or tablet
Bill Detwiler shares essential advice for everyone who wants to repair a cracked iPad screen or broken smartphone.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | May 24, 2012, 1:44 PM PDT | Latest comment by suncatTR
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HTC One X teardown reveals an internal design that isn't DIY repair friendly
Bill Detwiler cracks open the HTC One X, finding an internal design that isn't exactly DIY repair-friendly and a difficult-to-replace battery.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | May 10, 2012, 1:38 PM PDT | Latest comment by JD1500
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Teardown shows Retina MacBook Pro is nearly impossible to upgrade, difficult to work on
Bill Detwiler shows you why the MacBook Pro with Retina Display is nearly impossible to upgrade, a pain to work on, and lacks an essential Pro feature.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | July 5, 2012, 10:08 PM PDT | Latest comment by steadfastiandi
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Difficult-to-repair Surface Pro built more like an ultrabook than a tablet
Bill Detwiler cracks open the difficult-to-repair Microsoft Surface Pro and shows you how it's built more like a laptop or ultrabook than a tablet.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | February 21, 2013, 6:59 PM PST | Latest comment by psmithers@...
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MacBook Air 11-inch (2012) teardown reveals upgraded hardware, same battery/internal design
Bill Detwiler tears down the 2012, 11-inch MacBook Air and shows you how Apple upgraded its hardware without changing the internal design.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | August 9, 2012, 8:46 AM PDT | Latest comment by Nitramd
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Acer Aspire S3 Teardown: Good hardware, lackluster construction
The Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook is thin, light and feature rich. But, its build quality and battery life are less than one expects in a premium laptop.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | January 5, 2012, 6:36 PM PST | Latest comment by shriek11
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Toshiba Excite 10 teardown reveals pure tablet hardware and design
Bill Detwiler cracked open the Excite 10 and found the hardware and internal design of a true tablet, unlike the very laptop-like Toshiba Thrive.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | June 7, 2012, 2:01 PM PDT | Latest comment by wrex@...
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Asus Transformer Prime Teardown: Solid tablet, but not without flaws
The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime is a solid Android tablet, but its case is tricky to open and quality control during assembly needs improvement.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | February 9, 2012, 1:20 PM PST | Latest comment by madstork91
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iPhone 5 teardown: Redesigned case and interior simplify repairs
Bill Detwiler tears down the iPhone 5 and shows you how its redesigned case and interior hardware layout make the phone easier to disassemble and repair.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | September 25, 2012, 4:38 PM PDT | Latest comment by Animal13
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Nokia Lumia 900 teardown reveals mediocre hardware, reasons for great price
Nokia's Lumia 900 is an attractive Windows Phone handset, but TechRepublic uncovers hardware that's a step behind the Galaxy Nexus and iPhone 4S.
Posted by Bill Detwiler | April 3, 2012, 6:00 PM PDT | Latest comment by pherphy
