Tech Industry

Top 10 TR Dojo cracking open galleries of 2010

By // December 23, 2010, 1:51 AM PST // billdetwiler

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  • 1. Xbox 360 S (2010) Teardown

    From smartphones and tablets to game consoles and small-office servers, TR Dojo cracked open a lot of tech in 2010. Here's a list of the 10 most-popular Cracking Open galleries of the year.

    Topping our list is Microsoft's redesigned Xbox 360 S.

    At E3 2010, Microsoft unveiled a new version of the Xbox 360--the Xbox 360 S or "Slim". The new console features a 250GB hard drive, integrated Wi-Fi, and sleeker design.

    Check out our complete teardown of the Microsoft Xbox 360 S.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • 2. Apple MacBook Air Teardown (2010 11-inch)

    In October 2010, Apple released the 2nd generation MacBook Air. The redesigned notebook is available in 11-inch and 13-inch models. We cracked open the 1st generation MacBook Air (released in 2008) and could wait to get our hands on the 2010 model.

    Check out our complete teardown of the 11-inch MacBook Air.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • 3. Cracking Open the Apple iPhone 4

    After waiting for 13.5 hours in line at the Louisville, KY Apple store, I was finally able to purchased an iPhone 4--only to bring it back to the office an begin cracking it open.

    Unlike the iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPhone 3G S, the Apple iPhone 4 was remarkable easy to disassemble.

    Check out the complete iPhone 4 teardown.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • 4. IBM System x3400 M3 small-office server teardown

    IBM loaned us a System x3400 M3 test system to review, and I decided to see what was inside before firing it up. This was one of my favorite 2010 teardowns.

    According to IBM, the System x3400 M3 is designed for "small/medium businesses, large multilocation enterprises and bank branch offices."

    Check out the complete IBM System x3400 M3 teardown.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • 5. Cracking Open the Apple iPad

    In April, I cracked open the tablet that would come to define what a tablet is--the Apple iPad.

    Check out the complete Apple iPad teardown.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • 6. Amazon Kindle Graphite (3G+Wi-Fi) 2010 Teardown

    Here's the Kindle Graphite (2010), or Kindle 3 if you prefer, completely disassembled. Compared to the first two Kindle versions and the Kindle DX, this device was much easier to crack open. In fact, it has many user-serviceable part--such as the battery.

    Check out the complete Amazon Kindle Graphite teardown.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • 7. Apple Mac mini 2010 (A1347) Teardown

    In June 2010, Apple released a redesigned Mac mini. The new model (A1347) has several improvements, such as a sleek unibody enclosure, user accessible RAM, HDMI output, and SD card slot.

    Check out the complete Apple Mac mini 2010 teardown.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • 8. ZOTAC ZBOX $250 mini-PC teardown

    The ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 is a bare-bones, mini-PC that retails for around $250 (US). It's available from several online retailers, including Amazon and Newegg. Depending on who you buy it from and which configuration you choose, it will likely ship without a hard drive or RAM. And, it definitely won't come with an operating system.

    Check out the complete ZOTAC ZBOX teardown.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • 9. Cracking open the Apple iPad 3G

    After cracking open the original iPad, we repeated the process for the Apple iPad 3G.

    Check out the complete Apple iPad 3G teardown.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • 10. Microsoft Kinect (Xbox 360) Teardown

    The Microsoft Kinect is an Xbox 360 peripheral that allows a "controller-free gaming and entertainment experience." Packed with cameras, microphones, an IR projector, and more, the Kinect is Microsoft's answer to the Nintendo Wii remote and the Sony Playstation Move controller.

    Check out the complete Microsoft Kinect teardown.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

1. Xbox 360 S (2010) Teardown

From smartphones and tablets to game consoles and small-office servers, TR Dojo cracked open a lot of tech in 2010. Here's a list of the 10 most-popular Cracking Open galleries of the year.

Topping our list is Microsoft's redesigned Xbox 360 S.

At E3 2010, Microsoft unveiled a new version of the Xbox 360--the Xbox 360 S or "Slim". The new console features a 250GB hard drive, integrated Wi-Fi, and sleeker design.

Check out our complete teardown of the Microsoft Xbox 360 S.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Related Topics:

Tech Industry CXO Innovation Microsoft Google Apple Amazon

About Bill Detwiler

Bill Detwiler is Managing Editor of TechRepublic and Tech Pro Research and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop supp...