Google Nexus 10 rated 'extremely repairable' after teardown
Gadget autopsy specialists PowerbookMedic have ripped into the Nexus 10 with gusto, finding it marvellously easy to disassemble.
The Google Nexus 10 has been given the teardown treatment. Head over to PowerbookMedic and you'll see the 10-inch Android tablet laid bare in an extensive gallery, with detailed instructions and no blushes spared.
Interestingly, the tablet autopsy notes how easy the device is to take apart. "Whereas Apple seems to be making it more and more difficult to repair devices by combining parts and using as much glue as possible, Google seems to be taking the complete opposite approach," it says. "The end result is a device that is extremely repairable. Go Google!"
You've got to love the enthusiasm these sites bring to a teardown.
All it takes is the removal of five Philips screws, then working your way around the display using a flat tool and suction cup to get the back plate off. The battery connector is rubberised instead of plastic, making it flexible and harder to break when disconnecting, which should make it easier to replace the battery.
Everything else seems to come out just as easily, according to the write-up. But the Nexus 10 display and digitizer are fused together, so there's no chance of separating the two.
The site notes how many of the components are made by Samsung. "It
appears that the battery, processor, and flash memory are all made by
Samsung," it says. "Is this Google's way of capitalizing on the drift
between Apple and Samsung?" Could well be. Or it could be that Samsung built the thing, just as Asus made the Nexus 7 and LG the Nexus 4. The large Samsung logo on the back plate might have given you a clue.
The Nexus 10 went on sale just days ago, and promptly sold out. Head to Google Play and you'll see the 16GB and 32GB models are out of stock. There's no date given when it'll be back in either, with a note advising to "please check back soon".
Did you get a Nexus 10? What do you reckon? Is it the iPad killer Google makes out? Or is the smaller Nexus 7 a better fit for Android? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.
Image credit: PowerbookMedic