Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Front

ntThe HP TouchPad is available in two flavors–a 16GB model for $499.99 (US) and 32GB model for $599.99. The current versions only support Wi-Fi connectivity, but HP plans to launch 3G models later this summer.
nt
ntOur HP TouchPad test unit had the following hardware specifications:

n

nt
• nttProcessor: 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060

nt

• nttStorage: 32GB SandDisk SDIN4E2-32G

nt

• nttRAM: 1G3B Samsung K4P8G304EC-FGC1 LPDDR2

nt

• nttCommunications: Atheros AR6003X WLAN IC

nt

• nttDisplay: 9.7-inch multi-touch screen (1024×768 resolution)

nt

• nttBattery: 3.7V 6000mAh 22.2Wh Li-Polymer battery

nt

• nttPorts: MicroUSB, 3.5mm headset jack

nt

• nttCamera: 1.3Mp webcam

nt

• nttAudio: Built-in microphone and stereo speakers

n

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: microUSB port and Center button

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Power button, webcam, microphone, and headphone jack

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Speakers

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Volume control and SIM card placeholder

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Back

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Popping off the front panel assembly

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Removing the front panel assembly

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Display and digitizer cables

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Inside the case

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Front panel assembly

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Removing the display screws

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Removing the display

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Display and digitizer panel

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: LCD screen - Front

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: LCD screen - Back

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Front panel and digitizer

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Case with internal hardware

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Removing the 1.3MB webcam

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Webcam removed

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: 1.3MP webcam - Front

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: 1.3MP webcam - Back

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Removing the digitizer PCB screws

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Digitizer PCB - Front

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Digitizer PCB back

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Cypress Semiconductor CY8CTMA395 touchscreen controller

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Cypress Semiconductor CY8CTMA375 TrueTouch controller

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Cypress Semiconductor PCB logo

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Removing the microUSB PCB screws

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Detaching the copper foil from the microUSB PCB

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Removing the microUSB port PCB

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: microUSB port PCB - Front

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: microUSB port PCB - Back

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Removing the vibration motor

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Vibration motor

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Removing the SIM card slot screws

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: SIM card slot removed

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: SIM card slot

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Removing the main PCB screws

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Disconnecting the antenna wires

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Disconnecting the main PCB ribbon cables

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Removing the battery screws

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Removing the battery and main PCB

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Main PCB and battery - Front

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Battery and Main PCB - Back

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: 3.7V 600mAh 22.2Wh battery - Front

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: 3.7V 600mAh 22.2Wh battery - Back

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Case with attached components

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: 3.5mm headset jack

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Microphone

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Power button

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Ambient light sensor

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Volume control

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Wireless antenna

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Right-side speaker

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Left-side speaker

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Main PCB - Top

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Main PCB - Bottom

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: 32GB SandDisk SDIN4E2-32G storage chip

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: 1GB Samsung K4P8G304EC-FGC1 LPDDR2

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Atheros AR6003X WLAN IC

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Wolfson Micro WM8958E Audio Hub and CODEC

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: CSR 63B23 9A04U K046BX08

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Invensense 3-Axis MPU-3050 gyroscope

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Fairchild Semiconductor FDMC510P P-channel MOSFET

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Qualcomm PM8050 power managment IC

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Texas Instruments P99003B5A

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Unknown chip

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Texas Instruments TPS 61187

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Main PCB markings

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the HP TouchPad: Completely disassembled

ntSo what are my observations about the HP TouchPad?

n

nt
1. nttIt’s much easier to disassemble than the Apple iPad 2, but not as easy as the Motorola XOOM.

nt

2. nttHP used standard Phillips screws inside the case and most of the internal components can be removed and replaced. Provided you can find replacement parts.

nt

3. nttThe display and digitizer are separate components. This lets you replace one without the other.

n

n

ntBut along with these significant positives, there were also a few negatives.

n

nt
1. nttThe battery can be replaced, but you must remove the main PCB to do so.

nt

2. nttThe batterr is also attached to the case with adhesive.

n

n

ntOverall, the HP TouchPad is a tablet that’s built more like a PC than an iPad. Which is good if you want to repair the device, but it also means that the components require a larger case.

n

ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler