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Mobility

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

By Bill Detwiler September 13, 2011, 3:51 AM PDT on Twitter billdetwiler

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Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

ntIn September 2011, Verizon added a fourth device to its growing lineup of 4G LTE smartphones–the Motorola Droid Bionic. Like Verizon’s other 4G phones (the HTC ThunderBolt, LG Revolution, and Samsung Droid Charge), the Bionic runs Google’s Android operating system.
nt
ntIn May, I cracked open the HTC ThunderBolt, and was excited to get my hands on another 4G device. Follow along as I go inside the Motorola Droid Bionic.

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ntFor a more in-depth review of the Bionic’s internal hardware, check out my article, “Droid Bionic Teardown: Motorola switches processors, upgrades RAM in final version.”

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

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Verizon $299 with contract

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Verizon $299 with contract

ntThe Motorola Droid Bionic is available from Verizon for $299.99 (US) with a two-year contract. I bought our Bionic test device (sans contract) from a local Best Buy Mobile location for $699.99 (plus tax). Interestingly, Verizon’s Web site lists the full retail price as $589.99.
nt
ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Brief hardware specifications

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Brief hardware specifications

ntOur the Droid Bionic has a 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 16GB of storage, 8MP rear-facing camera, VGA-quality front-facing camera, and 4.3″ display (960×540 pixels).
nt
ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Box contents

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Box contents

ntInside the Droid Bionic’s box, you’ll find the device itself (includes removable back panel, battery, and microSD card), USB cable, power adapter, and product documentation.
nt
ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Front

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Front

ntThe Droid Bionic measures 5″ (H) x 2.6″ (W) x 0.5″ (D). It weighs 5.6 ounces.
nt
ntPhoto by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
ntCaption by: Bill Detwiler

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Back

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Back

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: micro-USB and micro-HDMI ports

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: micro-USB and micro-HDMI ports

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Volume buttons

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Volume buttons

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Power button and headphone jack

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Power button and headphone jack

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Bottom edge

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Bottom edge

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Motorola Droid Bionic and HTC ThunderBolt side by side

Motorola Droid Bionic and HTC ThunderBolt side by side

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Motorola Droid Bionic and HTC ThunderBolt end to end

Motorola Droid Bionic and HTC ThunderBolt end to end

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the back cover

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the back cover

ntRemoving the Droid Bionic’s back cover grants you access to the user-replaceable battery, microSD card slot, and SIM card slot.

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Back cover removed

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Back cover removed

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the battery

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the battery

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: 3.8V 1735mAh battery

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: 3.8V 1735mAh battery

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Battery model MOTXT8758BAT

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Battery model MOTXT8758BAT

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: With battery removed

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: With battery removed

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the microSD card

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the microSD card

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the Torx T5 case screws

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the Torx T5 case screws

ntThe Droid Bionic’s rear case is held in place with 11 Torx T5 screws.

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Peeling off the battery compartment sticker

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Peeling off the battery compartment sticker

ntBefore removing the rear case, I had to peel off a sticker that lined the back of the battery compartment.

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Ready to remove rear case

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Ready to remove rear case

ntWith the rear case screws and battery compartment sticker removed, you can remove the rear case.

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the rear case

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the rear case

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Rear case

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Rear case

ntThe internal loudspeaker, headphone jack, and LED flash are mounted to the rear case.

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Internal loudspeaker

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Internal loudspeaker

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: LED flash and 3.5mm headphone jack

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: LED flash and 3.5mm headphone jack

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Internal hardware

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Internal hardware

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the microSD and SIM card reader bracket screws

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the microSD and SIM card reader bracket screws

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the microSD and SIM card reader

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the microSD and SIM card reader

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: microSD and SIM card reader

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: microSD and SIM card reader

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the webcam/card reader spacking bracket

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the webcam/card reader spacking bracket

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Disconnecting the LCD and touchscreen connectors

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Disconnecting the LCD and touchscreen connectors

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the front-facing webcam and speaker

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the front-facing webcam and speaker

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Front-facing webcam and speaker

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Front-facing webcam and speaker

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the main PCB

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the main PCB

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Front panel assembly and main PCB

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Front panel assembly and main PCB

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Touchscreen and LCD

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Touchscreen and LCD

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Detaching the touchscreen ribbon cables from the LCD

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Detaching the touchscreen ribbon cables from the LCD

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the LCD

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the LCD

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Touchscreen and LCD

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Touchscreen and LCD

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Touchscreen

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Touchscreen

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: LCD - Front

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: LCD - Front

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: LCD - Back

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: LCD - Back

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Main PCB

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Main PCB

ntUnfortunately, the EMI shields on the Motorola Droid Bionic’s main PCB are soldered in place. To avoid damaging the components on the PCB, I decided to leave the shields in place. There are still a few components we can remove from the main PCB.

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the processor shield

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the processor shield

ntOne of the only removable shields on the Droid Bionic’s main PCB is the one covering the processor. It also covers the rear-facing camera’s connector.

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Disconnecting the rear-facing camera

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Disconnecting the rear-facing camera

ntUsing a thin metal blade, I detached the 8MP rear-facing camera’s connector from the main PCB.

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the rear-facing camera

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing the rear-facing camera

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: 8MP rear-facing camera

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: 8MP rear-facing camera

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing rubber cushions from the main PCB

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Removing rubber cushions from the main PCB

ntSeveral rubber “cushions” surround various components on the main PCB. I removed them using a pair of tweezers.

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Main PCB - Front

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Main PCB - Front

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Main PCB - Back

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Main PCB - Back

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Elpida B8064B2PB-8D-F

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Elpida B8064B2PB-8D-F

When announced at CES 2011, Motorola indcated that the Droid Bionic would use a dual-core Nvidia TEgra 2 processor. But the final version of the phone uses this Elpida B8064B2PB-8D-F chip, which contains 8 Gb DRAM and the Texas Instruments OMAP4430 Application Processor.

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Atmel MXT224E touchscreen controller

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Atmel MXT224E touchscreen controller

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: X6500 F0TK RVC

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: X6500 F0TK RVC

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Vibration motor

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Vibration motor

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Ambient light sensor and proximity sensor

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Ambient light sensor and proximity sensor

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Microphone

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Microphone

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Complete teardown

Cracking Open the Motorola Droid Bionic: Complete teardown

ntThe Motorola Droid Bionic was remarkabley easy to disassemble. It uses standard screws, has a user-replaceable battery, and readily-accessible components. Only the rear-facing camera was a pain to remove.

n

ntFor a more in-depth review of the Bionic’s internal hardware, check out my article, “Droid Bionic Teardown: Motorola switches processors, upgrades RAM in final version.”

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By Bill Detwiler
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.
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