Cracking Open: Amazon Kindle Touch (2011)

Amazon Kindle Touch (2011) Teardown

At the same time Amazon launched the Kindle Fire tablet, it also introduced three new Kindle e-ink readers--the Kindle, Kindle Touch, and Kindle Touch 3G. I've already cracked open the Kindle Fire and 2011 Kindle. All that's left is the Kindle Touch.

For a more in-depth review of the 2011 Kindle's internal hardware, check out my article, "Amazon Kindle Touch (2011) teardown: Replaceable battery, Neonode touch screen."

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

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch:

The Kindle Touch has a 6" (diagonal) E Ink multi-touch display with a resolution of 600 x 800 pixels (167 ppi) and 16-level grayscale. The device has a The e-book reader measures 4.7" W x 6.8" H x 0.4" D and weighs 7.5 ounces (213 grams).

As of this writing, the 2011 Kindle Touch is available for $99.00 (with Special Offers) and $139 (without Special Offers). The 3G version of the Touch is available for $149 (with Special Offers) and $189 (without Special Offers).

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch:

The Kindle Touch has two internal speakers.

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch:

Along the bottom edge of the Kindle Touch are a 3.5mm headphone jack, Micro- port, and a power button.

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Popping loose the back cover

Using a thin metal blade, I popped loose the Kindle Touch's back cover.

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Removing the back cover

Once loose, I slide the back cover down and away from the Kindle Touch.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: First look inside

Lifting the cover off the Kindle Touch, we get our first look inside the Amazon e-book reader.

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Internal hardware

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Removing the battery screws

Using a Phillips #00 screwdriver bit, I removed the screws holding the Kindle Touch's Li-Ion battery in place.

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Removing the battery

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: 3.7V, 1,420 mAh Li-ion Polymer Battery (Model: S2011-002-A)

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Removing the case screws

After remving the battery, I removed several screws that hold the Kindle Touch's metal, outer case to the display assembly.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Heating the front molding

I used a hair dryer to heat the adhesive that holds the Kindle Touch's front molding to the display assembly. At the same time, I used a thin metal blade to pry the molding loose.

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Removing the front molding

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Front molding removed

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Removing the front case screws

Several screws, located on the front of the device, hold the Kindle Touch's metal case to the front display assembly.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Removing the outer metal case

With all the screws removed, I lifted the Kindle Touch's metal case away from the display assembly.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Metal case and display assembly

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Removing the motherboard screws

Next, I removed the Kindle Touch's motherboard screws.

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Disconnecting the display connector

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Disconnecting the speaker wires

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Disconnecting the Wi-Fi antenna wire

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Removing the cellular card spacer

Being a Wi-Fi only Kindle Touch, this unit has a black, plastic spacer in place of a cellular card.

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Cellular card spacer

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Wi-Fi antenna support

A clear plastic bracket is attached to the display assembly with metal tape and to the motherboard with weak adhesive. Using a thin metal blade, I separated the bracket from the motherboard, but left it attached to the display assembly.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Removing the motherboard

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Prime View International (PVI) 6-inch ED060SCG E Ink Display

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Display assembly

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Internal speakers

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Power button contact

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Home button contact

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Wi-Fi antenna bracket

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Macronix MX25U4035ZNI memory chip

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: PVI 6-inch ED060SCG E Ink Display

Prime View International (PVI) 6-inch ED060SCG E Ink Display

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Motherboard - Front

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Motherboard - Back

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: 800MHz ARM Cortex-A8 Freescale i.MX508 processor (MCIMX508CVK8B)

800MHz ARM Cortex-A8 Freescale Semiconductor i.MX508 Multimedia Applications Processor with integrated Electronic Paper Display Controller (MCIMX508CVK8B)

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Samsung K4X2G323PC-8GD8 DDR SDRAM

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: 4GB SanDisk SDIN5C2-4G NAND Flash memory module

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Freescale Semiconductor MC13892 Power Management Integrated Circuit (M1382AJ CTPQ128R)

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Wolfson WM8962 Audio Codec (WM8962E 19BRKBC)

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Qualcomm Atheros AR6103 Wi-Fi package (AR6103T-BM2D)

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Texas Instruments M430F2272 16-bit Ultra-Low-Power Microcontroller

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: NXP 74HC4067 16-channel analog multiplexer/demultiplexer (HC4067BQ L1E8R024 UnD138E)

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: National Semiconductor LVM654 12MHz, Low Voltage, Low Power Amplifier (VM16AH LMV65 4MT)

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Texas Instruments YF04E TI 18K AGHQ

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Texas Instrument CEF TI J 15YN

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Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Neonode zForce touch screen system sensors

Like the 2011 Barnes & Noble Nook, the Kindle Touch uses the Neonode zForce touch screen system. This technology uses a series of transmitters and receivers (likely IR) to create a grid above the display. As an object, such as your finger, passes through the grid, the system translates its movement into actions on the display.

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

Cracking Open the Amazon Kindle Touch: Complete teardown

For a more in-depth review of the 2011 Kindle's internal hardware, check out my article, "Amazon Kindle Touch (2011) teardown: Replaceable battery, Neonode touch screen."

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