Cracking Open the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight

Nook GlowLight teardown:

The Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight retails for $139 (US), which is $40 more than the standard Nook Simple Touch.

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

Nook GlowLight teardown: Box contents

Along with the e-reader itself, the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight box contains a USB cord, power adapter, and product documentation.

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

Nook GlowLight teardown:

The Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight has an 800MHz Texas Instruments OMAP3621 applications processor, 256MB of RAM, 2GB of storage, a 6″ Pearl e-ink screen with Neonode zForce touchscreen, and 802.11 b/g/n WLAN support. It measures measures 6.5" (H) x 5" (W) x 0.5" (D) and weighs 6.9 ounces. It weighs half an ounce less than the standard Nook Simple Touch.

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

Nook GlowLight teardown: Back

Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight vs. Nook Simple Touch

If it weren't for the grey edge along its bezel, the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight would look identical to the standard Nook Simple Touch, which I cracked open last year.

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

Nook GlowLight teardown: Home screen

Nook GlowLight teardown: USB connector

Nook GlowLight teardown: Power button

Nook GlowLight teardown: GlowLight information screen

Nook GlowLight teardown: GlowLight turned on

According to CNET's David Carnoy, GlowLight uses a form of LED front-lighting, instead of the traditional backlights found on everything from tablets to TVs. Barnes and Noble developed GlowLight in house and has filed for a patent.

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

Nook GlowLight teardown: GlowLight indicator icon

Nook GlowLight teardown: microSD card slot

You can expand your Nook's storage up to 32GB with a microSD card.

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Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Nook GlowLight teardown: Removing the power button

As with the standard Nook, the first step in cracking open the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight is removing the power button.

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

Nook GlowLight teardown: Removing the back cover Torx screw

Under the power button is the single back cover screw.

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

Nook GlowLight teardown: Sliding down the back cover

After removing the screw, you can slide the cover down and lift it off.

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

Nook GlowLight teardown: Removing the back cover and disconnecting the battery cable

As you remove the Nook's back cover, you'll need to disconnect the batter from the motherboard.

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

Nook GlowLight teardown: Internal hardware

Nook GlowLight teardown: Back cover with battery attached

Nook GlowLight teardown: 3.7V 1530mAh Li-ion battery (model: MLP305787)

The Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight's 1,530 mAh battery has the same model number (MLP305787) as the one on the standard Nook. This makes the batteries interchangeable, but it also means a single charge won't last as long when running the reader's light.

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

Nook GlowLight teardown: Motherboard and display assembly

Nook GlowLight teardown: Removing the motherboard screws

Nook GlowLight teardown: Disconnecting the e-ink screen connector

Nook GlowLight teardown: Disconnecting the GlowLight connector

Nook GlowLight teardown: Removing the motherboard

Nook GlowLight teardown: Display and frame assembly

Nook GlowLight teardown: E-ink display and GlowLight connectors

Nook GlowLight teardown: Nook button

Nook GlowLight teardown: Separating the e-ink display from the frame

Nook GlowLight teardown: E-ink display and frame

Nook GlowLight teardown: Front frame

Nook GlowLight teardown: 6" Pearl e-ink display assembly

Nook GlowLight teardown: 6" Pearl e-ink display mounting plate

Nook GlowLight e-ink display mounting plate vs. standard Nook e-ink display mounting plate

The Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight weighs about a half an ounce less than the standard Nook Simple Touch. Barnes and Noble achieved the weight reduction by making the GlowLight's display mounting plate (left) from a die cast magnesium alloy, AZ91D specifically. The standard Nook's plate (right) appears to be made from aluminum.

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

Nook GlowLight teardown: GlowLight LEDs covered with black tape

The GlowLight LEDs are covered with a thin piece of black tape. Before I remove the tape, I wanted to make sure this is were the LEDs are.

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

Nook GlowLight teardown: GlowLight LEDs lit up

To make sure the LEDs were under the black tape along the display's upper edge, I reconnected the motherboard and battery and turned the GlowLight on.

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

Nook GlowLight teardown: Removing the tape that covers the GlowLight LEDs

Nook GlowLight teardown: GlowLight LEDs exposed and lit up

Nook GlowLight teardown: GlowLight LEDs close up

Nook GlowLight vs. standard Nook e-ink display

Nook GlowLight teardown: Motherboard - Top

Nook GlowLight teardown: Motherboard - Bottom

Nook GlowLight motherboard vs. standard Nook motherboard

As with the outer shell and battery, the circuit board is nearly identical to the one on the standard Nook. There's an 800 MHz TI OMAP processor, a 256MB mobile DRAM chip, a 2GB storage chip, a Jorjin Wi-Fi module, and Neonode's . Besides a few extra really small ICs and components, the only big difference, is a connector used for the GlowLight's LEDs.

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

Nook GlowLight teardown: 800MHz Texas Instruments OMAP3621 applications processor

Nook GlowLight teardown: Samsung K4X2G323PC-8GD8 256MB mobile DDR SDRAM

Nook GlowLight teardown: Samsung KLM2G1HE3F-B001 2GB eMMC NAND flash storage module

Nook GlowLight teardown: Lattice Semiconductor ispMACH 4032ZE CPLD

Nook GlowLight teardown: Texas Instruments CD74HC4067 High Speed CMOS 16-Channel Analog Multiplexer/Demultiplexer

Nook GlowLight teardown: Texas Instruments TPS65921B Integrated Power Management IC with USB HS Transceiver

Nook GlowLight teardown: Texas Instruments TPS65181 Power Management IC for E Ink Vizplex Enabled Electronic Paper Display

Nook GlowLight teardown: Jorjin Technologies WG7310-2A 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi SiP module

Nook GlowLight teardown: CKP TI A3T9

Nook GlowLight teardown: Texas Instruments BQ27520 System-Side Impedance Track Fuel Gauge

Nook GlowLight teardown: Texas Instruments 2624I

Nook GlowLight teardown: Texas Instruments MSP430F2272 16-bit Ultra-Low-Power Microcontroller

Nook GlowLight teardown: Texas Instruments YE04 18K G4 A919

Nook GlowLight teardown: Power button contact

Nook GlowLight teardown: USB connector and Nook button contact

Nook GlowLight teardown: Neonode zForce touchscreen emitters and receivers

Nook GlowLight teardown: Completely disassembled

For a detailed analysis of the teardown, check out my article and video, Nook GlowLight teardown reveals secrets behind integrated light and lower weight.