Cracking Open the Amazon Echo cloud-connected speaker
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Amazon Echo teardown
Amazon Echo teardown
Part speaker, part microphone, part Star Trek computer in your house, the Amazon Echo is a surprisingly handy “smart” appliance.
In this Cracking Open gallery, I break out my screwdrivers to uncover how Amazon gave an otherwise ordinary Bluetooth speaker a brain by connecting it to the cloud.
To watch a complete teardown video and read my full hardware analysis, check out my article, Amazon Echo teardown: A Smart speaker powered by Amazon’s cloud.
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Microphone on/off button, Action button and volume control ring
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Microphone on/off button, Action button and volume control ring
The Echo is 9.25 inches tall and 3.27 inches wide, or about the size of a one liter drink container. Its controls are minimal. There is a microphone on/off button and action button on the top, as well as a rotating volume ring. LEDs are located around the edge of the volume ring and under the buttons.
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Power connector
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Power connector
A connector for the power cord is located on the bottom.
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the rubber base
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the rubber base
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Rubber base torn during removal
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Rubber base torn during removal
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Prying off the remaining half of the rubber base
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Prying off the remaining half of the rubber base
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Lift off the molded half of the rubber base
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Lift off the molded half of the rubber base
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Bottom cover exposed
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Bottom cover exposed
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the cover screws
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the cover screws
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the bottom cover and attached power board
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the bottom cover and attached power board
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Disconnecting the power board wires
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Disconnecting the power board wires
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Bottom cover and power board
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Bottom cover and power board
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Tweeter cover
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Tweeter cover
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the tweeter cover
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the tweeter cover
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the outer shell
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the outer shell
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Outer shell removed
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Outer shell removed
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Tweeter attached to speaker
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Tweeter attached to speaker
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the inner cloth wrapping
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the inner cloth wrapping
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Internal hardware
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Internal hardware
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Tweeter and internal hardware
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Tweeter and internal hardware
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the tweeter screws
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the tweeter screws
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the tweeter
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the tweeter
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: 2-inch tweeter
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: 2-inch tweeter
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Woofer and internal hardware
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Woofer and internal hardware
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the woofer
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the woofer
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: 2.5-inch woofer
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: 2.5-inch woofer
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: 2.5-inch woofer magnet
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: 2.5-inch woofer magnet
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the power board flat flexible cable
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the power board flat flexible cable
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Main circuit board attached to the inner shell
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Main circuit board attached to the inner shell
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the main circuit board screws
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the main circuit board screws
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the main circuit board
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the main circuit board
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the volume wheel assembly
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the volume wheel assembly
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Inner shell and air chambers
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Inner shell and air chambers
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Reflex port
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Reflex port
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Volume wheel assembly - Top
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Volume wheel assembly - Top
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Volume wheel assembly - Bottom
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Volume wheel assembly - Bottom
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the volume wheel assembly screws
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the volume wheel assembly screws
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the volume wheel assembly bottom cover
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the volume wheel assembly bottom cover
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Volume wheel assembly with cover removed
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Volume wheel assembly with cover removed
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the volume ring
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the volume ring
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Volume ring assembly with ring removed
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Volume ring assembly with ring removed
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the volume ring circuit board cover
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the volume ring circuit board cover
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the volume mechanism gear
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the volume mechanism gear
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the volume ring spacer
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the volume ring spacer
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the microphone and control circuit board
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Removing the microphone and control circuit board
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Top cover and control buttons
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Top cover and control buttons
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Top cover - Inside
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Top cover - Inside
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Microphone, LED, and volume control circuit board
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Microphone, LED, and volume control circuit board
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Control button contacts and LEDs
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Control button contacts and LEDs
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Volume control mechanism
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Volume control mechanism
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Microphone and LEDs
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Microphone and LEDs
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: LVC74A EZ49904 TXD15 13C
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: LVC74A EZ49904 TXD15 13C
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: National Semiconductor (Texas Instruments) LP5523 Programmable LED Driver
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: National Semiconductor (Texas Instruments) LP5523 Programmable LED Driver
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Texas Instruments TLV320ADC3101 low-power, stereo audio analog-to-digital converter (ADC)
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Texas Instruments TLV320ADC3101 low-power, stereo audio analog-to-digital converter (ADC)
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Microphone on/off button contact and LEDs
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Microphone on/off button contact and LEDs
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Action button contact
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Action button contact
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo:
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo:
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Main system board - Front
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Main system board - Front
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Main system board - Back
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Main system board - Back
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Texas Instruments DM3725 Digital Media Processor
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Texas Instruments DM3725 Digital Media Processor
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: 250MB Samsung K4X2G323PD 8GD8 mobile DRAM
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: 250MB Samsung K4X2G323PD 8GD8 mobile DRAM
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: 4GB Toshiba THGBMBG5D1KBAIT eMMC NAND flash storage chip
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: 4GB Toshiba THGBMBG5D1KBAIT eMMC NAND flash storage chip
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Qualcomm QCA6234 Dual-Band 802.11n and Bluetooth 4.0 chip
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Qualcomm QCA6234 Dual-Band 802.11n and Bluetooth 4.0 chip
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Texas Instruments TPS65910 integrated power-management IC
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Texas Instruments TPS65910 integrated power-management IC
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Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Teardown complete
Cracking Open the Amazon Echo: Teardown complete
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