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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle DX (Graphite)
In 2010, Amazon released an updated Kindle DX reading device. Hoping to keep the device relevant in a post-iPad world, Amazon dropped the Kindle DX's price to $379 (US), added an improved display, and included a few software enhancements.
Follow along as Bill Detwiler cracks open the Kindle DX (Graphite).
Checkout Bill's teardown gallery of the original Amazon Kindle and see how far the electronic reader has come.
Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic -
Opening the box
The Kindle DX (Graphite) is shipped in a brown cardboard box. There's no inner box, so opening the box reveals the reader.
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Documents and power cord
Under the Kindle DX, you'll find the product documentation and power cable.
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Power cable
The power cable on the Kindle DX (Graphite) appears to be identical to the one used on the previous Kindle DX.
Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic -
Front
From the front, the updated Kindle DX (Graphite) looks nearly identical to the original Kindle DX, except for the dark gray plastic case.
The only real difference between the two devices seems to be a new E-Ink display, which Amazon touts as having "50% better contrast for the clearest text and sharpest images."
Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic -
Back
With the exception of the darker plastic, the back of the Kindle DX (Graphite) is the same as the original version.
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Top
On the top of the Kindle DX (Graphite) are the power switch and headphone jack.
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Bottom
Along the bottom of the Kindle Dx (Graphite) are the speakers and the Micro USB connector.
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Left side
Along the Left side of the Kindle DX (Graphite) are the two slots used to attach a case or cover for the Kindle DX.
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Kindle DX (Graphite) - Right side
Along the right side of the Kindle DX (Graphite) are the Volume up/down, Home, Menu, Back, Next Page, and Previous Page buttons. The 5-way controller is also located on the right side.
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Keypad
The keypad on the Kindle DX and new Kindle DX (Graphite) are identical.
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Control buttons
The new Kindle's control buttons are the same as the ones on the original device.
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Back
Our first step in disassembling the Kindle DX (Graphite) is to remove the plastic RF window that's located above the metal back panel.
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Remove the RF window
Using a thin metal spludger, you can release the two tabs that snap the plastic window to the rest of the Kindle DX (Grpahite).
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Lifting away the RF window
Once you depress the two plastic tabs (shown here), you should be able to slide the plastic panel forward.
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RF window removed
Behind the RF window is the antenna for the Kindle DX's 3G wireless card.
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RD window - Back
The external portion of the Kindle DX's power switch is attached to the plastic RF window.
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Metal panel held in place with two screws
There are two small Phillips screws that hold the back metal panel in place--one on each side. You'll need to remove both before the metal panel will come free.
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Removing the metal panel
Lifting away the metal panel from the back of the Kindle DX (Graphite), we can see the 3G wireless card and a little of the main logic board.
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Back metal panel - External
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Back metal panel - Internal
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Large plastic support structure
With the metal removed from the back of the Kindle DX (Graphite), we get our first look inside Amazon's wireless reader. Unfortunately, a large plastic support structure, covers most of the main logic board. At this point, all we can really see are the battery, 3G wireless card, and SIM card.
To remove support structure, you'll need to remove 20 Phillips screws that hold it to the front case panel and logic board. You can leave the two screws holding the battery in place. We'll remove those later. You will also need to disconnect the two molex connectors that connect the speakers to the main logic board.
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Support structure removed - Front
The battery will come away with the support structure.
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Support structure removed - Back
The back of the large, plastic support structure. You can now remove the two screws holding the battery in place.
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Battery - Front
The Kindle DX (Graphite) uses a 3.7V Lithium-ion battery.
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Battery - Back
There are no wires connecting the Kindle DX's battery to the main logic board. Instead, the battery is connected via two, bent metal tabs that press against the battery contacts when it's in place.
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Main logic board
The main logic board on Kindle DX (Graphite) is very similar to the original version. There are two large metal shields covering the CPU and other chips.
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Lab126 markings on the main logic board
As with the original Kindle DX's main logic board, the Graphite version's board has marking for Lab126--the company that designed and developed the Kindle for Amazon.
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5-way controller - Internal
The 5-way controller is connected to the Kindle DX's main logic board by a thin ribbon cable. The connector is marked with "JOYSTICK ASSY". Below the ribbon cable is one of the DX's two molex speaker connectors.
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Display cable and main chips
Clustered together are the main chips for the Kindle DX--some still hidden behind metal shields. The display's thin ribbon cable is also located here.
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Epson E-Ink controller, Freescale PMIC, and Hynix CMOS
Several chips are visible within this cluster, including:
Freescale Semiconductor MC13783 Power Management and Audio Circuit
Hynix H55S1222EFP-60M 128M (4Mx32bit) Mobile SDRAM
EPSON E-Ink controller (D135211B3)
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Freescale Semiconductor MC13783 PMIC
Freescale Semiconductor MC13783 Power Management and Audio Circuit
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Hynix SDRAM (CMOS) and EPSON E-Ink controller
Hynix H55S1222EFP-60M 128M (4Mx32bit) Mobile SDRAM
EPSON E-Ink controller (D135211B3)
Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic -
AnyData DTP-600W wireless card
The Kindle DX (Graphite) uses an AnyDATA DTP-600W HSPA mini PCI-E module for wireless connectivity. According to AnyDATA documentation the DTP-600W "operates globally on tri-band UMTS 850/1900/2100 wireless networks as well as quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 networks."
Below the wireless module is a SIM card, which was not present on the original Kindle DX.
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Removing the SIM card
You can remove the SIM card on the Kindle DX (Graphite) by sliding the metal cover to the unlock position and lifting it up.
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Headphone jack and wireless antenna
Along the top edge of the main logic board, we find the headphone jack, the 3G antenna, and an unused ribbon cable connector.
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Next Page and Previous Page buttons
The Next Page and Previous Page buttons are held in place with small metal hinge pins.
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Removing the page navigation buttons
To remove the page navigation buttons you simply pull out the hinge pins. There are no wires to disconnect.
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Page navigation buttons removed
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Removing the metal shields
Using a metal spludger you can gently pry loose the thin metal shields that cover the CPU and other main chips.
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CPU, memory, and other chips
Beneath the metal shields are the heart of the Kindle DX (Graphite), including:
Freescale MCIMX31L Series 400 MHz SMT Multimedia Applications Processor
Samsung K4X1G323PE-8GC6 DRAM
Intel 640W18BE wireless FLASH memory
Samsung KMBLG0000M-B998 moviNAND
These chips are
Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic -
Kindle DX (Graphite) completely disassembled
The Kindle DX (Graphite) was rather easy to disassemble. The hardest step was removing the RF window without damaging the plastic window or metal panel.
Mounted under the main logic board is the E-Ink display. But as there's not much to see on the back of the display and the logic board appears to be held in place by either glue or sticky tape, I'm going to refrain from pulling the board away from the front plastic case.
The new Kindle DX (Graphite) is nearly identical to the original version.
Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle DX (Graphite)
In 2010, Amazon released an updated Kindle DX reading device. Hoping to keep the device relevant in a post-iPad world, Amazon dropped the Kindle DX's price to $379 (US), added an improved display, and included a few software enhancements.Follow along as Bill Detwiler cracks open the Kindle DX (Graphite).
Checkout Bill's teardown gallery of the original Amazon Kindle and see how far the electronic reader has come.
Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
By Bill Detwiler
Bill Detwiler is Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop support specialist in the ...