One user said he was surprised but not overly concerned by his “warm-to-pretty-hot” iPhone, while another said her 3GS got so hot that she was afraid to hold it up against her face. Is a recall in order?The story first cropped over the weekend, with a few owners of the white iPhone 3GS noticing that their handsets were running a bit too hot—so hot, in fact, that brownish patches (scorch marks?) were starting to appear on the glossy white backs of their phones.

Then a few tech editors began feeling the heat. Melissa J. Perenson of PC World wrote that her black iPhone 3GS got “very, very hot” if she used it while it was plugged into its AC charger—indeed, “toasty doesn’t even describe hot surprisingly hot it got … it was too hot to even put the phone against my face.”

Next, cranky PC World columnist David Coursey noticed that his iPhone felt “warm-to-pretty-hot” on “several occasions,” although he doesn’t feel the overheating problems are “terribly serious, just surprising.” Meanwhile, a MacNN writer with a white iPhone 3GS “encountered the [overheating] problem independently,” and confirmed some “discoloration” on the back.

Wired’s Gadget Lab talked to Aaron Vronko of Rapid Repair, who thinks “faulty battery cells” are the problem and that a recall might be necessary. “If you have a problem in the design of a series of batteries, it’s probably going to be spread to tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, and maybe more,” Vronko told Wired.

OK, but how widespread is the problem, really? Hard to say. For its part, Wired pegs the figure at a “small number.” I have the black 32GB iPhone 3GS, and so far I haven’t noticed any overheating problems at all (or at least nothing out of the ordinary). I also did a quick check of the support forums on Apple.com and Macrumors and only found a few sporadic threads—in fact, I’d say people are more upset about the 3GS’s battery life than overheating issues.

Still, you never know, and the problem might blow up in Apple’s face—literally—if someone’s iPhone 3GS battery explodes.

As Coursey writes, “A mass iPhone recall isn’t likely, but it isn’t impossible, either. Just see what happens if an iPhone catches fire.” Well said.

So, any iPhone 3GS owners out there having any overheating problems? Seeing any brown discoloration on the while model? Let us know.

The original article can be found here.

Just a week after the release of Apple’s new iPhone, a few owners have complained about the handset’s high temperatures, which in some cases are high enough to start browning the white plastic on the back of the phone.

Only a small number of iPhone 3GS customers have reported their handsets are reaching very high temperatures. But because more than a million iPhone 3GSes were sold in the first weekend, the issue could put tens of thousands of new iPhones at risk, a component specialist told Wired.com.

Aaron Vronko of Rapid Repair, which performs teardowns of iPhones and iPods, said overheating is likely an issue due to faulty battery cells, and said he expected it could spur a recall of up to hundreds of thousands of iPhone 3GS units.

“My guess is there’s going to be a whole lot of batteries affected because these [iPhones] are from very large production runs,” Vronko said. “If you have a problem in the design of a series of batteries, it’s probably going to be spread to tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, and maybe more.”

Apple has not returned phone calls and e-mails requesting comment on the reports.

Of all hardware-related failures, overheating batteries have historically posed the greatest safety risks — in extreme cases causing fires, exploding and even killing consumers. The issues of overheating batteries are typically traced to faulty battery cells provided by a component supplier.

Apple products in the past have had battery-related woes. In 2006, Apple issued a recall for iBook G4 and PowerBook G4 notebooks, because their batteries contained cells provided by Sony that were causing some batteries to explode.

Also, Apple in August 2008 issued a recall for defective iPod Nanos, which caused three fires in Japan. In that incident, Apple said only 0.001 percent of iPod Nanos were affected. Even so, that’s still a large number of consumers, considering the millions of iPods sold.

Over the past weekend, a small number of iPhone 3GS owners reported in forums and on blogs that their handsets were reaching oddly high temperatures. The issue was most visible in white iPhones, which were turning brown as a result of the high heat (right).

“At some point, I became aware the handset had become very hot,” wrote Melissa Perinson, senior editor of PC World, who felt high temperatures while gaming and browsing the web on her iPhone 3GS. “Very, very hot — not just on the back, but the entire length of the front face, too…. Toasty doesn’t even describe how surprisingly hot it got. It was too hot to even put the phone against my face.”

Vronko said the iPhone 3GS’s heat problem is evidently tied to the battery, because the pictures of discolored white iPhones reveal the outline of the battery. He noted that although thousands of iPhone 3GS users probably own defective handsets, the risk of causing fire or explosion is low because the iPhone’s battery cell is extremely small.

“[An overheating iPhone] is much less dangerous than a laptop,” Vronko said. “It’s extremely rare for a cellphone battery to explode. A little bit of smoke eventually is probably the best bet.”

He stressed, however, that overheating will more likely cause complete failure of the iPhone 3GS over time. When a battery overheats, it’s getting a runaway reaction that produces gas, causing expansion to occur inside the sealed battery. This expansion puts pressure on components, damaging them and eventually killing the iPhone.

Wired.com polled iPhone 3GS owners via Twitter asking if they were experiencing any problems with their new handsets. Only one out of 21 respondents said his iPhone 3GS felt like it was overheating.

Eleven of those respondents, however, reported the iPhone 3GS had poor battery life — even shorter than its predecessor — a different topic Wired.com will investigate soon.

Wired.com will continue examining the iPhone 3GS’s battery issues and keep you posted. Look forward to a battery test comparing the new iPhone to its predecessor in the near future. Meanwhile, e-mail any of your iPhone 3GS-related problems to Brian_Chen [at] Wired [dot] com.

The original article can be found here.

Welcome to the RapidRepair Kindle DX teardown. With the amazing features like the 9.7″ screen, auto-rotating screen& wireless 3G connection, we needed to get a closer look. You will see in detail what the internals look like and get a basic understanding of how this unit was strung together.

		Prepare Tools required: Small Phillips Screw Driver, Small Flathead, exacto razor & Safe Open Tool Repair Toolkit available HERE Gather all neccesary tools and place your Kindle DX on a clean flat surface, use a soft cloth or towel to place under it. TV dinner anyone?
		1st Look at the Kindle DX We like the look and feel of this new larger screen version. With the crisp screen and user friendly button layout we think this one will be a big hit. The back panel reminds me of the iPod design. Feels very light and smooth.
		Step 1 To get started, flip the unit over so we can remove the top grey plastic bezel. There are 2 screws to remove in this step after the grey bezel comes off. see sub picture for screw removal location. the other one is on the opposite side. These arent hidden so they are pretty easy to get to. After the 2 screws are removed, slide the back panel down towards the bottom of the unit. this will free the entire back panel.
		Step 2 Now remove 22 more screws located on the back panel. Visibly shown here, not too much to do in this step, start unscrewing! After all the screws have been removed, unplug the two speaker molex connections located left and right of the battery. Now remove the white bezel to reveal the Kindle DX System Board. The battery consisits of a 3.7V Lithium Polymer 1530mAh rating P/N 170-1012-00
		Step 3 Remove the 3 clips circled. There are also 2 screws remaining for the wireless card. A plastic bezel protects the wireless module screws, remove this by popping the clips. Remove the black rubber holder on the bottom of the Kindle. To remove the side buttons just pull the silver pin hinges back and out. Be careful not to lose the tiny springs on the buttons! Wireless card shown: E727NV WN2 ESN: 5BA671AE IC ID: 3229B-E725 FCCID: PKRNVWE725
		Step 4 Removing the front white bezel is not difficult, but it does take patience. Double sided adhesive is attached to the outer edge of the e-ink screen making removal of the front bezel timely. Make sure to go very slow, dont put too much pressure on the e-ink screen while trying to remove it from the front white bezel. If you need to remove the e-ink screen entirely, just pull it up very slowly as it is also attached with double sided tape on the reverse side of the system board. Notice how there is clearly text still displayed on the front screen? With no power might I add!
		Step 5 After Removing the metal shields from the board, we can see the memory chips and processor. *MCIMX31LDVKN5D, M91E, CTAK0915B *Samsung 916, K4X1G323PC-8GC3, EMA188A5 *Samsung 907, KMBLG0000M-B998 *MC13783VK5, AM86D, CTRE083B *Samsung 840, K4M28323PH-HG75, AAH055BE *Epson D135211B1, F09090125. E-INK Complete! Simply follow these steps in reverse to put your Amazon Kindle DX back together! The Kindle DX has many replacable parts inside. In many ways this product is user servicable.

The original article can be found here.

The Technician notes:
There are a several major hardware updates and design changes in the new 4th Generation iPod Nano.  The lens over the LCD is now glass instead of plastic, and instead of being glued in place, it is held by a recess inside the case and pressure from the LCD screen.  The design of the parts inside and how they connect has been changed.  The CW, LCD and hold switch interconnects are easily damaged, especially without experience servicing the unit.  If you plan on working on this unit yourself, make sure you are extra careful during the disassembly process!

The Technician states:
It seems as if Apple cannot decide on a design for the iPod Nano.  They have done away with the shorter, wider 3rd Generation “Nano Fatty” in favor of the 2nd Generation form factor, but with a “fish-shaped” top view.  They have kept the 3rd gen video capability alive with the addition of the tilt feature, so you can turn the unit to its side to watch video.  While the outside may look like a revision of an earlier iPod Nano model, the inside has been completely revamped.  Apple changed the chips used, the features offered, and layout of the parts.  The layout of the hardware seems to be an almost overt attempt to make the 4th Gen Nano nearly impossible to service without the experience of a professional.  Overall, it looks like a cool new unit, that is very different from its predecessors and Apple is showing that it really hasn’t found a design they love enough to stick with.

[toc]

Prepare

Tools required:

• Small Phillips Screw Driver
• Small Flathead or exacto razor
• Safe Open Tool
• Repair Toolkit available HERE

Gather all neccesary tools and place your iPod Nano 4G on a clean flat surface, use a soft cloth or towel to place under it.

Palm Pre Exposed: Rapid Repair to Give Smartphone Fans a First Peak inside the Much-Anticipated New Device
Technicians Will Reveal Pre’s Guts to Analyze Performance, Create Do-it-Yourself Repair Guide

KALAMAZOO, MI – (June 4, 2009) – Rapid Repair, the most well-known and reputable national online repair service for consumer electronics, announced today that it will give smartphone fans a first peak at the technology inside the eagerly anticipated new Palm Pre device with a launch-day disassembly on Saturday, June 6. Images of the disassembly process will be posted to the company’s website at www.RapidRepair.com as it unfolds, shortly after Sprint stores open for the Pre launch at 9 a.m.

Rapid Repair technicians will expose and examine the guts of the device to analyze its performance capabilities and see how it stacks up against other comparable devices. They will use the knowledge gleaned from the disassembly to create a repair guide for do-it-yourselfers who opt to make repairs on their own.

“It’s inevitable – within a week of the device hitting the stores, new owners will already be needing repairs,” said Aaron Vronko, service manager at Rapid Repair. “Damage from dropping devices like this is common, and screen repairs are high on the list.”

Vronko says Rapid Repair technicians are looking forward to seeing Palm’s implementation of the multi-touch screen and how it allows the user to navigate a more robust device interface. In addition, technicians will inventory the Pre’s internal components to see which manufacturers are contributing to the device, gain insight into when technology upgrades can be expected and establish a basis for comparison for newer versions when they are released. Disassembly technicians will also offer commentary on the layout of the internal technology to provide guidance on the ease of do-it-yourself repair.

“Palm is iconic in the handheld device industry – this company literally put the PDA on the map,” Vronko said. “To a certain extent, this is their first legitimate attempt to capture a piece of the mainstream smartphone market, and we’re anxious to get a look at the processor and the memory on board to get a sense for the Pre’s horsepower.”

Images and commentary on the Palm Pre disassembly will be posted as soon as they are available at http://www.rapidrepair.com/guides/Palm-Pre/palm-pre-dissasembly-repair-guide.html and the do-it-yourself Palm Pre repair guide will be posted within a week.

Rapid Repair is one of the longest-standing and most reputable sources for small electronics repair, specializing in iPod, iPhone, Zune and handheld and console game systems. Customers receive free diagnostic services on most items by completing the diagnostic service request form at www.rapidrepair.com and sending in their device for evaluation. A technician consults with the customer within 48 hours to provide an estimate and gain approval before any work begins.

Rapid Repair not only fixes iPods, Zunes, and iPhones with sound issues, liquid damage, hard drive problems and broken screens, but also customizes the devices with colorful screens and faceplates. For do-it-yourselfers, the company sells parts, accessories, and manuals, and includes professional installation of most parts at no extra charge.

For more information, visit www.rapidrepair.com.

PRESS CONTACT:
Maya Zarchan
SS│PR
719-634-1180
mzarchan@sspr.com

About Rapid Repair
Rapid Repair is dedicated to the service, repair, and modification of all iPod, iPhone, Zune, and other small electronic devices. The national company specializes in small electronics repair, with quality workmanship, speed and efficiency, and offering customer service that is second to none. Rapid Repair is headquartered in a 3,000 square foot building in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with 15 employees.
iPod and iPhone are registered trademarks of Apple. Other products and trade names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.