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Cracking Open the HTC Flyer

  • HTC_Flyer_teardown_076_wm.jpg

    HTC Flyer Teardown

    \n\tThe HTC Flyer is the company’s first effort to grab a piece of the tablet market. We got our hands on the 7-inch, Android tablet and couldn’t resist cracking it open.

    \n

    \n\tPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    \n\tCaption by: Bill Detwiler

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Box

    \n\tAs of this writing, the HTC Flyer is available for $499.99 (US) from Best Buy. The current version only supports Wi-Fi connectivity, but HTC plans to launch 3G models later this year.
    \n\t
    \n\tPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    \n\tCaption by: Bill Detwiler

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: In the box

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Charger and USB cable included (but no HTC Scribe pen)

    Included with the HTC Flyer are a charger and USB cable. Unfortunately, the Flyer’s most interesting feature, HTC Scribe, requires the purchase of a separate pen.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Front

    The HTC Flyer weighs just under a pound (14.82 ounces) and measures 7.7″ (H) x 4.8″ (W) x 0.52″ (D).

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Back

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Flyer next to Apple iPad

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Flyer next to a small notepad

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: microUSB port

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Power button and headset jack

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Left edge

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Volume button and built-in microphones

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Removing the top cover

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Top cover removed

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Removing the inner top cover screws

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Removing the inner top cover

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Inner top cover removed

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Removing the rear cover screws

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Lifting the front panel assembly away from the rear cover

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Rear cover and front panel assembly

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Rear cover and volume button removed

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Rear cover RF window

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Internal hardware

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Removing the main PCB connector cover

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Main PCB connectors

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Removing a ribbon cable screw

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Detaching the battery cable

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Removing the battery

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Battery removed

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: 3.7V 4000mAh 14.8Whr Li-ion battery (Model: BG41200)

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Disconnecting the microUSB port PCB cable connectors

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Removing the microUSB port PCB screws

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Removing the microUSB port PCB

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: microUSB port PCB - Top

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: microUSB port PCB - Bottom

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Removing the vibration motor cover screw

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Removing the virbation motor cover

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Vibration motor cover removed

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Removing the speaker assembly screws

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Vibration motor and speakers

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Vibration motor and speakers - Top

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Vibration motor and speakers - Bottom

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Removing the main PCB screws

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Removing the volume button PCB screws

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Connectors on the underside of the main PCB

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Disconnecting the display controller PCB from the main PCB

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Volume button PCB

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Front panel assembly

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: 3.5mm headset jack

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Wi-Fi antenna wires

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: One of the two built-in microphones

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: N-trig DuoSense PCB - Bottom

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Macronix MX25L8006E Serial Flash memory chip

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: N-trig DuoSense PCB - Top

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: N-trig chip with markings DTRIG4 ES T3104804

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Removing the front-facing camera

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: 1.3MP front-facing camera

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Main PCB with shields - Front

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Main PCB with shields - Bottom

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Removing the rear-facing camera

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: 5MP rear-facing camera

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Main PCB - Top

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Main PCB - Bottom

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Elpida B8064B2PB-6D-F DRAM

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Samsung KLMAG4FEUA-A002

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Qualcomm QTR8200 RF Transceiver

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Silicon Image SiI9232 MHL Transmitter

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Texas Instruments TLV320AIC3254 (AIC3254) Ultra Low Power Stereo Audio Codec With Embedded miniDSP

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Chip 8903GE TI107 BTEM

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Unknown chip

  • HTC Flyer Cracking Open: Completely Disassembled

    \n\tThe HTC Flyer has several nice tablet features (a touchscreen that supports both a digital pen and your finger, a 1.5GHz processor, and 16GB of storage), but its internal layout looks more like that of a smartphone than a built-from-the-ground-up tablet.
    \n\t
    \n\tPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    \n\tCaption by: Bill Detwiler

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Bill Detwiler is the Editor for Technical Content and Ecosystem at Celonis. He is the former Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and previous host of TechRepublic's Dynamic Developer podcast and Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Previously, Bill was an IT manager in the social research and energy industries. He has bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Louisville, where he has also lectured on computer crime and crime prevention.