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Hardware Hacking Businesses Apple

iPod Shuffle Deconstructed 90

Posted by timothy from the so-you-don't-have-to dept.
tomofdarknesss writes "Apple Matters posts a disassembly of an iPod shuffle." They're not getting any warranty service, I suspect.
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iPod Shuffle Deconstructed More

iPod Shuffle Deconstructed

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  • Fast-forward? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Matt Perry ( 793115 ) <[moc.oohay] [ta] [45ttam.yrrep]> on Monday January 17, 2005 @11:48PM (#11392261)
    Does anyone have one of these things? If so, can you fast forward through a song or only go to the beginning of a song? I'd like to get one of these but I listen to a lot of hour long (or more) DJ mixes so not being able to seek to a specific point in the song would suck.

  • warranty (Score:5, Funny)

    by mmkkbb ( 816035 ) on Monday January 17, 2005 @11:48PM (#11392267) Homepage Journal
    i think that as long as they don't try to eat it, they're in the clear

  • Yeppers! (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Bios_Hakr ( 68586 ) <xptical@@@gmail...com> on Monday January 17, 2005 @11:49PM (#11392269)
    There's a green circuit board thingy and a battery. Oh, and a switch and a headphone jack.

    How about these guys do something semi-useful and try and list the components used on the PCB? How about figuring out what kind of battery and what the interface is.

    Nope, nothing useful here. Just a bunch of boys smashing a toy.
    • they did identify the battery type.

      what's to note is that it looks pretty 'full', so to speak.

    • Re:Yeppers! (Score:2, Insightful)

      by libra-dragon ( 701553 )
      At the very least, I was expecting them to point out the 512MB chip.

    • Re:Yeppers! (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @01:04AM (#11392612)
      Nope, nothing useful here. Just a bunch of boys smashing a toy.

      You're unclear on the concept of pioneering effort. Very importantly, these "boys" made a sacrifice to show the rest of us how -not- to open an iPod shuffle. Their first two actions were unnecessary and potentially permanently damaging. You don't need to pop off the switch or the control "dial". You carefully pull off the USB plug (without tearing the short ribbon cable) and then slide the innards out.

      I'd say theses "boys" are iPod hacking pioneers, while critics like yourself are doing sweet shit all for the community.
      • It isn't clear from the photos that it would be possible to remove the innards without removing the the controls. It seems that the On/Off switch is pretty easy to remove and then replace. The other controls are another story. In any case, please explain how it is possible to slide the innards out without removing the controls when the controls protrude out from the case. Thanks!

        • Re:Yeppers! (Score:2, Informative)

          by greed ( 112493 )

          The controls on the surface of the case are not fastened to the contacts they operate.

          So, [it looks like] you can slide the circuit board out from underneath the buttons without first removing them.

          • Though it does look like removing the power/play mode switch is necessary for innards removal, as it seems to snap over a little metal 3-way switch attached to the circuit board. But since that's such a trivial and apparently nondamaging step, no problem there. I agree with the article and other posters that removing the control disc was probably unnecessary for disassembly, though.
      • I agree that they've provided a valuable service. I am also glad that they posted the pics to help the rest of us avoid costly mistakes! Hats off to the iPod hacking pioneers!
    • Just a bunch of boys smashing a toy.

      A bunch? This kid has friends?

    • Some anonymous coward on AppleMatters [applematters.com] has subsequently asked them to post a parts list:

      Wonderful pioneering effort! Kudos! We've all been wondering how this "Man Who Fell To Earth" artifact could be opened! Hope you will post a basic greenboard component list: battery size and any part numbers or markings especially, processor and memory next of course. Thanks a million (well $99 actually) for your sacrifice to the iPod community!

  • Quick Note (Score:5, Funny)

    by Rie Beam ( 632299 ) on Monday January 17, 2005 @11:55PM (#11392295) Journal
    I take it he got his free IPod.

  • Pulling tiny electronic devices apart isn't as fun (Score:5, Insightful)

    by sendai2ci ( 629417 ) on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @12:06AM (#11392352)
    The battery looks to be a lump of Lithium polymer, other than that, can't really tell anything else about the device. Since they have practically ruined the device, why didn't they go the whole hog and pull off the black plastic covering a few of the components on there...

  • Inspired Technology. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by eRondeau ( 844349 ) on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @12:12AM (#11392379)
    Ten years ago this would have been proof of alien visitation. Now, when 95% of the world's computers are functionally similar, only cutting-edge industrial design, packaging, and marketing will differentiate them. Like it or not, Apple is still way out front of everybody else on all counts. They will sell 20,000,000 of these this year.
    • Now, when 95% of the world's computers are functionally similar, only cutting-edge industrial design, packaging, and marketing will differentiate them.

      Not to the 95% of the world's population for whom price is a bigger factor.

      • Re:Inspired Technology. (Score:1)

        by Anonymous Coward
        Tell that to the 10 million people who have bought existing iPods, making it the #1 music player even though it was priced at $249 or above (until last week).

        And then tell that again to that segment of the population for whom price is a bigger factor, and make sure to mention to them that the iPod provides more space for $99 than other competing players.
      • Yeah, those will buy bigger devices, with less memory, for more money.

      • Mod up +1 insightful (Score:4, Insightful)

        by Zhe Mappel ( 607548 ) on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @06:58AM (#11393778)
        Precisely right; your elegant quip really took the wind out of the previous remark.

        The fact is that differentiation is measurable by much more than the criteria of design, packaging and marketing; there are objective and subjective issues.

      • Re:Inspired Technology. (Score:5, Informative)

        by XxtraLarGe ( 551297 ) on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @08:58AM (#11394336) Journal
        Not to the 95% of the world's population for whom price is a bigger factor.

        I was just at Walmart this weekend pricing MP3 players. Most of the 256 MB Rio's and MuVo's were in the $89-99 price range. In this instance, I'd say a $99 512 MB iPod is highly competitive.
        • They have screens though. That adds cost and functionality. I'm not really buying this random song playing idea. But I'm sure there are people out there to fill the small market. However, I don't think it's the same market of people who want a cheap yet functional music player.
    • 20 million? maybe, maybe not. BUT being way out front of everybody else??? WHAT THE F***? IT'S A F*CKIN* USB STICK MP3 PLAYER! it's not even the first to ditch the display.

      ten years ago it would have been proof of some ic company being wayy ahead of curve.

      no offence but it doesn't really offer anything new - similar things have been available for .. five years? even a wristwatch with the same functionality has been available for at least a year or so. the rio i started with is more pleasing than the shuf

      • Re:Inspired Technology. (Score:5, Insightful)

        by zpok ( 604055 ) on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @04:10AM (#11393230) Homepage
        Yup, you're right,
        1) it's not a new thing, so it's not as 'cutting edge' as some people scream, and
        2) its real strength indeed is in the integration with iTunes and iTMS.
        But I think you're wrong on some counts:
        1) people won't be disappointed because these things work as advertised (they just don't make your pimples go away)
        2) apple is in its own way doing truly new things, like for the first time making products in the consumer's spending sweet spots.
        3) and they don't need more daring, they're plenty daring as it is right now, a new Newton would help them as much as a new Cube - which the mini isn't, I should know, I still use my cube as my primary computer. It's great but not for everyone. The mini has a much larger audience waiting.
        • They are also innovative in their design. Of all the USB-drive MP3 players out there, this is the sleekest, sexiest design available... especially for the size and battery life (12 hours!?!). Not so cutting edge, agreed, but innovative nonetheless. This product blows away all devices in its class. Brian
          • Not to speak of its capacity...
            It gives me great anguish. Wait for HD players to be reasonable priced (meaning within my budget) or compromise and buy memory stick with head phones... :-)
            • Easy answer to your dilemma:

              Buy the "stick with headphones" now, then when you can afford the HD iPod, give the stick to the woman in your life. Seeing as how we're on slashdot, that probably means yo momma. =)
      • Well the grandparent would still be right in the rough number of units sold if it wasn't for one thing i think will hold it back. storage capacity on it, like all similar devices, still isnt exactly huge in this day and age. i dont even think i could swing a small mouse about in that little space, let alone a cat.

        • Re:Inspired Technology. (Score:3, Informative)

          by UWC ( 664779 )
          Yeah, but any more storage capacity and the lack of display would be more than just an inconvenience. I have a 128MB MuVo and with its mere 30-song capacity the lack of display still gets annoying. It has identical controls to the Shuffle, plus an A-B loop button (and a replaceable AAA battery). I can't imagine trying to navigate through a GB of music with just the controls available there.

          The Shuffle feature and iTunes integration will be the selling points, undoubtedly, and very likely enough to make it

          • What about when everyone has their Mac mini and want to carry around a sizable amount of their music, as easily as possible, and share it (permanently or temporarily) wherever they go?

            I have an iPod and wouldn't want anything less than 40Gb, but I'm not the target market. Late teens will lap this up.
      • So you're saying that Apple's doing nothing new, and your cure for that is for them to make a...Newton?

  • Background pattern (Score:2, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Ugh, if you have Web Developer installed on Firefox, I highly recommend you use it to turn off the background image. Much easier to read the text with the background off.

  • Techno porn! (Score:5, Funny)

    by Boccaccio ( 762644 ) on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @12:41AM (#11392542)
    Talk about striptease! It's not fair only having a link to the next pic in the series. Cut to the money shot already will you. I wanna see it naked!!!
    • I don't know about anyone else but I thought it was a sort of violation. Poor iPod Shuffle being ripped apart with industrial tools; made me feel sorry for the thing. What was wrong with some jewellers screwdrivers and a scalpel? I'm sure it wasn't put together with a 6lb lump hammer...
  • I read that as "iPod Shuffle Discontinued"

    Instantly i think "Damn it, this is what i miss when i go to work!!"

  • CPU and Memory (Score:5, Interesting)

    by macmurph ( 622189 ) on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @04:06AM (#11393211)
    Dear Apple Matters. I think people want to see what the processor and memory are of your broken iPod. Could you please update your web site with photos of those components?

    PS. Macro mode on a digital camera could substantially improve the image quality.

  • profit? (Score:5, Funny)

    by jxyama ( 821091 ) on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @08:33AM (#11394210)
    1) spend $99+tax on iPod shuffle
    2) destroy it completely to show that not much is new inside
    3) take pictures and post them on the web
    4) get minor apple slashdotted
    5) withold geeky information from the descriptions and piss people off
    6) ???
    7) profit?

    • Re:profit? (Score:2, Insightful)

      by thue ( 121682 )
      6) Put ads on the page, as they have done (The amazon link to "iPod and iTunes Hacks" book)

      or

      7) "profit" by having fun, getting your curiosity satisfied, and/or getting respect from your readers.

  • What? No circuits? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by mnmn ( 145599 ) on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @08:38AM (#11394232) Homepage
    I was expecting to see ICs, what MCU is used, the type of amplifiers and how the capacitors are arranged. Maybe they have a custom IC. Maybe they used a transistor for an amplifier, or no amplification at all. Maybe its a 4-bit MCU + MP3 decoder, or maybe its a 16-bit.

    Slashdot demands more.
    • With something this small, I don't think you're going to be able to find any transistors just sitting there. I doubt you're going to be able to look at one of these and Pspice the diagram. And I believe it has to have some amplification. It's going from digital to analog. It needs some amplification after the analog.
    • According to IpodLounge [ipodlounge.com], the MP3 decoder chip is a SigmaTel D-Major STMP3550 [sigmatel.com] (PDF).

      This thread [head-fi.org] at head-fi.org has some additional comments regarding the chip.

      It looks to be a basic MP3 decoder + DAC + integrated headphone amplifier with support for custom DRM algorithms, no fancy custom chips here. It is interesting that the chip has audio record features as well as FM tuner input and control capability. The data sheet also mentions that it can be upgraded for codecs other than MP3 (and obviously AAC

  • Well done on styling from an apple site. (Score:3, Funny)

    by tod_miller ( 792541 ) on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @08:40AM (#11394248) Journal
    black/blue bands with black text one them.

    Brought to your by the select the text before you read it department.

  • RAM (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Linuxathome ( 242573 ) on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @10:05AM (#11395144) Homepage Journal
    Poster shows the battery, but what about the RAM? Where's the 512MB/1GB that these things are supposed to hold---that's the more interesting aspects of this device.

    • No shit man. I'd rather have seen what chips this thing had than an in depth microscopic of the fucking USB cover. Congratulations AppleMatters, way to blow up an iPod.

  • The REAL question (Score:5, Funny)

    by Skibbering ( 787368 ) on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @12:45PM (#11397333)
    Ok.. Ok.. so they got the wrapper off. Big deal..

    What we wanna know: HOW DOES IT TASTE?!?

  • White Balance! (Score:4, Funny)

    by Basehart ( 633304 ) on Tuesday January 18, 2005 @08:53PM (#11403958)
    Anybody who risks voiding their warranty taking apart an iPod should really take the time to set white balance, if possible, so we don't end up looking at yellow versions of what I'm sure is a brilliant white object. That said, I really appreciate people taking the time pulling this stuff apart. Bravo.
  • Worst dissection ever.
    The frog I had to dissect in 7th grade made me sad. But not this sad.

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