iFixit

iFixit is back with another hardware teardown, but this time the focus is on Google Home instead of a smartphone or notebook In a world where smartphones seem to be getting increasingly more difficult to repair, it would seem that isn't the case with Google Home. As it turns out, iFixit has given Google's little smart home device a rather high repairability score, encountering only a few roadblocks along the way.

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The new MacBook Pro, with its “hi-tech” Touch Bar, is undoubtedly the highlight of Apple’s closing months in 2016. But as if to balance out the injustice, the entry-level, 13-inch, late 2016 MacBook Pro, yes the one without that Touch Bar, is also being lavished some attention. A preliminary teardown by OWC already revealed some slightly good news, but now iFixit is giving it the full treatment to see exactly what’s in store for both users as well as repair shops. Suffice it to say, it’s not all peaches and cream.

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The first step in a Google Pixel XL teardown is the worst as its digitizer glass separates from its OLED too easy. This front panel removal is the only method with which repair happen with this device, and it requires some heat. Once the rim of the front panel is hot, separation requires a bit of a pick and pull - therein lies the danger. When the front panel becomes removed in the incorrect way, it'll separate with the swiftness.

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Not only has iFixit already managed to subject an iPhone 7 Plus to one of their trademark teardowns, but the new Apple Watch Series 2 has gone under their knife as well. While the second generation of the smartwatch hasn't quite gotten the same level of upgrade as this year's iPhone models have, it still boasts several improved features and specs, namely a larger battery and "swim proof" water resistance.

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The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are officially launching today, and, just as they do every year, the teardown experts at iFixit have already managed to get their hands on one and opened it up to show us what's inside. Their first writeup focuses on the rose gold iPhone 7 Plus specifically, and among the most interesting details are how the space previously dedicated to the 3.5mm headphone jack has been used, the water resistant adhesive used, and the fake speaker grille on the bottom of the device.

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Samsung's newest flagship device, the Galaxy Note 7, has just been subjected to the teardown experts at iFixit. The bad news is that the phablet earned a repairability score of 4 out of 10, only slightly better than the Galaxy S7's 3 out of 10. However, iFixit's writeup also reveals that several components are still replaceable, and a number of other parts are completely sealed, contributing to the Note 7's waterproof feature.

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As of yesterday, the Xbox One S console is available to order in the U.S. If you ran out and bought one, then wondered what you’ll do if it breaks, fret not: the folks at iFixit have published their full teardown of the console and found that, with a couple exceptions, it is quite easily repairable for the DIY owner. The only big exception is the hard drive, which not only requires some 'difficult hackery,' but also voids the warranty.

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Google's official acknowledgment of multi-window and split screen capabilities in the still to be named Android N has inevitably put the Pixel C back in the spotlight. It doesn't hurt that Google's only remaining tablet also got a bit of a discount. The team at iFixit took that a sign from above (from the mothership really) to finally give the tablet-would-be-laptop a good and thorough teardown. Sadly, it was an adventured mired in glue, revealing the Pixel C to be a rather tough nut to crack. Or rather a difficult tablet to take apart.

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What, you might be asking, is a pentalobe? It's a sort of screw head - a very annoyingly rare screw head, one that's generally only in place to make taking devices apart more difficult. The screwdriver you're going to need to use to get this screw out is available to the public - it's no secret - but why has Meizu begun using it? And why Huawei? Has the screw suddenly become less expensive to use, or is there a more obvious reason?

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These days, the premium look and quality of flagship smartphones usually come at a price. The first to go are removable batteries, followed usually by hardened silos that are tough to get into. So when a flagship smartphone gets a 7 out of 10 repairability score, it's definitely a surprising but very much welcome breath of fresh air. That seems to be the case with the Huawei P9, the Chinese OEMs latest and greatest. Amusingly, iFixit notes that Huawei might have one upped Apple to some punches, despite copying the latter in a few aspects.

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When I get a new gadget, there's a little part of me that wants to tear it apart, just to see what's inside. Of course, I know that at least half of them would never be quite perfect again, once I reassembled them. Thankfully, the guys over at iFixit are always one step ahead of me, and their latest gadget breakdown is the HTC Vive.

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As expected, Apple unveiled last week a new batch of Retina MacBooks that is visually indistinguishable from last year's model. That is, unless you get a Rose Gold version. Of course, you do get a beefier CPU and more capable battery, but almost everythin else is similar. It turns out, that similarity goes deep down into the MacBook's repairability. iFixit does its obligatory teardown of the device, finding very few good news inside. Well, except perhaps for the fortunate disappearance of Apple's previous tri-wing screws.

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