Cracking open Apple's iPad (photos)

What's an Apple product launch without a follow-up dissection? TechRepublic's Bill Detwiler gets out his spatula--yes, spatula--and does the honors.

Bill Detwiler

April 8, 2010 7:11 a.m. PT

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Apple iPad box

CNET Networks site TechRepublic runs a regular series called "Cracking Open" in which it takes a look inside a variety of gadgets. CNET is publishing this excerpt of a photo gallery that examines the innards of Apple's iPad touch-screen tablet device.

The Apple iPad's box is surprisingly thick for such a thin device.

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Apple iPad box components

Within the box, we found the Apple iPad itself, a USB wall power adapter, standard Apple docking cable, a bit of documentation, and a few Apple logo stickers.

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Removing the Apple iPad's front panel

As with the iPod Touch and iPhone, cracking open the Apple iPad began with me sliding a thin metal blade between the glass front panel and the metal case. The front panel is secured with small metal clips that are screwed to the underside of the front panel. You'll find these clips along the top, bottom, and left side of the front panel. The right side has hard plastic tabs that fit into slots on the metal case.

Yes. That is a spatula you see on the table. Its extremely thin, flexible metal blade was perfect for slipping between the iPad's metal case and front panel.

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Lifting off the Apple iPad front panel

With the tabs popped loose, we can gently separate the front panel from the case, but not completely.

There are three cables that connect the front panel to components within the metal case.

One short ribbon cable, connects the ambient light sensor to the main logic board. A second, thinner ribbon cable connects the digitizer to the main board. And a third, thicker cable connects the display and LED backlight to the main board.

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Looking inside the Apple iPad

With the two ribbon cables removed, we get our first look inside the Apple iPad. Wow! Look at those batteries.

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Separating the Apple iPad halves

Separating the two halves of the Apple iPad.

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Two halves of the Apple iPad

Two halves of the Apple iPad.

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Apple iPad LCD display markings

Here you can see the markings on the Apple iPad's (1024x786) LCD display.

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Apple iPad batteries

The Apple iPad's 3.75V, 24.8 watt-hour battery provides the power for an advertised 10 hours of average use.

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Apple iPad buttons

In the top righthand corner of the metal case, you'll find the on/off or sleep/wake button, the screen rotation lock switch, and the volume up/down button.

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Apple iPad speaker assembly

At the bottom of the metal case, you'll find the speaker assembly, two speakers, data port, connector pins for the Home button, and one of the antennas.

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Removing the main logic board's shield

You must remove the thin metal shield from the main logic board to see the Apple iPad's processor and memory chips.

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Apple iPad A4 processor and other chips

With the metal shield removed, you can see the Apple iPad's A4 processor, two large Samsung NAND Flash memory chips, a Broadcom I/O controller, and chips from Texas Instruments and NXP.

The markings on the A4 processor are: N26GUOF 1007 K4X2G643GE JGC8 APL0398 33950084 YNL185A3 1004

The markings on the Samsung chips are: 952 K9LCG08U1M-LCB0 FAKG08X1

The markings on the Texas Instruments chip is: CD3240A1 02A0KET?C1

The markings on the Broadcom I/O controller are: BCM5973KFBGH HS0951 P11 951295 B1 APPLE 343S0446

The markings (at least those I can see) on the NXP chip are: L06 01 ZSD951