For those of you tech heads who are interested, here is a couple of links to what's inside that pretty little piece of plastic your holding. :chinscratch:

http://www.wirelessgoodness.com/2010/03/29/teardown-a-look-inside-kobos-ereader/

More Pictures of the Kobo's inards:

https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=1258420&native_or_pdf=pdf

Enjoy.

Actually, I think the FCC pictures are the originals of all of those. Too bad they are sort of fuzzy. I haven't tried to figure out how to open up my Kobo. I think it is snap together, but it might have glue or ultrasonic welding, too. I don't want to break it :( I like it (mostly) just the way it is.

Actually, I think the FCC pictures are the originals of all of those. Too bad they are sort of fuzzy. I haven't tried to figure out how to open up my Kobo. I think it is snap together, but it might have glue or ultrasonic welding, too. I don't want to break it :( I like it (mostly) just the way it is.

Pholy, I think most of us like our Kobo just the way it is. AND I really think most people reading ebooks, don't really care what's behind the screen, as long as it works. I was just fulfilling that morbid curiousity that most of us humans seem to have. Yes, it is too bad the pics are sort of fuzzy. :D

If the Kobo comes out with WiFi capabilities - will it be call the i-Kobo? Yak, yak, yak.

I believe the case is snapped together. I accidently dropped the Kobo & the case broke & a small piece came off (sh*t). I just snapped it back in place.

The images are also available on our local wiki. http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kobo_eReader_disassembled

Dale

I believe the case is snapped together. I accidently dropped the Kobo & the case broke & a small piece came off (sh*t). I just snapped it back in place.

Ahh... the first person to drop one. was it a bad drop? Does the KOBO still work? I have been wondering about this since I was battered about on a busy subway ride. Ebooks are all good and fine but, if I drop a paper book it still works afterward.

Thanks for the look inside. I'm still trying to decide what to get. If they improve the sans-serif font and add full-justification, I'd gladly go with the Kobo.

The pictures have me curious about replacing the 1000mAh battery with a 2000mAh one for longer time between charges.

The switches in the 5-way button look pretty standard. I think it would be easy to replace them with a "softer" one that doesn't click.

Also, removing the bluetooth board would likely give longer battery life since I would never be using bluetooth anyway.

I might just have to get one to "operate" on it.

Also, removing the bluetooth board would likely give longer battery life since I would never be using bluetooth anyway.
The bluetooth module is only powered up when you explicitly tell the Kobo to sync that way via a menu... as far as I know, I don't think we even have the option to be in always-available mode with the current firmware.

Ahh... the first person to drop one. was it a bad drop? Does the KOBO still work? I have been wondering about this since I was battered about on a busy subway ride. Ebooks are all good and fine but, if I drop a paper book it still works afterward.

Yea, it still works fine. I've also read somewhere else here that the bottom left corner appears to be somewhat "flimsy". Guess which corner broke on mine!

Thanks for the look inside. I'm still trying to decide what to get. If they improve the sans-serif font and add full-justification, I'd gladly go with the Kobo.

The pictures have me curious about replacing the 1000mAh battery with a 2000mAh one for longer time between charges.

The switches in the 5-way button look pretty standard. I think it would be easy to replace them with a "softer" one that doesn't click.

Also, removing the bluetooth board would likely give longer battery life since I would never be using bluetooth anyway.

I might just have to get one to "operate" on it.

Yeah, those buttons are horrible!, can't believe they used those instead of the soft rubber ones with imprints at the bottom to close the circuit. The stuff you find on calculators.

Yeah, those buttons are horrible!, can't believe they used those instead of the soft rubber ones with imprints at the bottom to close the circuit. The stuff you find on calculators.

Personally, I totally approve of the clicky switches. I like the tactile feedback. (But then I'm using a model M keyboard!)

I like that the buttons are pretty 'tough', so I don't accidentally hit them all the time. On the other hand tho, sometimes the presses just don't registers.... even when I feel and hear the 'click'

I like that the buttons are pretty 'tough', so I don't accidentally hit them all the time. On the other hand tho, sometimes the presses just don't registers.... even when I feel and hear the 'click'

Agreed, on all points.

After looking at the pics it looks like it would be pretty easy to fit a new battery when it eventually becomes necessay. The only thing that would worry me is getting the cover off without breaking it, anyone done it yet.

Yep, I've gotten mine opened up. I didn't break anything, but there may be some small nicks by the time I get it put back together. Haven't had a chance to do pics yet, though. Coming soon, I hope. The battery seems to be fastened with double-sided sticky tape, by the way.

Yep, I've gotten mine opened up. I didn't break anything, but there may be some small nicks by the time I get it put back together. Haven't had a chance to do pics yet, though. Coming soon, I hope. The battery seems to be fastened with double-sided sticky tape, by the way.

Definitely not for the faint of heart. We've cracked many a case in the office here, we definitely were not thinking about easy access to the Kobo eReader's entrails when we finalized the plastics.

I can look into making this easier for intrepid souls such as yourself, but it would probably mean a change to the plastics mold, which would take *forever* (sadly).

In the meantime, crack open at your own risk everyone :)

It's very nice to see Kobo dropping by and chatting with the rabid masses

It's very nice to see Kobo dropping by and chatting with the rabid masses

Personally, I've had my shots, but otherwise I totally agree!

It's very nice to see Kobo dropping by and chatting with the rabid masses

:thanks:

Definitely good to hear everyone. Wish we did it more... been SO busy these days. Will try to keep up with all the happenings here.

Yep, I've gotten mine opened up. I didn't break anything, but there may be some small nicks by the time I get it put back together. Haven't had a chance to do pics yet, though. Coming soon, I hope. The battery seems to be fastened with double-sided sticky tape, by the way.

How did you open it, with a bread and butter knife, lol. Are there any tabs inside that means you have to release one side first ( like the battery covers on remote controls) or is it just pressure fit all the way around, any glue or plastic welding ???

Actually, I used my thumb nail - which is pretty strong, a credit card, and a short quarter inch wide flat screwdriver. I started at a top corner and worked around it. There is double-sided sticky tape around the inside where the case meets the screen, but no glue or welding. At the bottom, just below the centre of the screen, the is a tab that locks into a slot on the under case. You can release that tab after you unstick the bottom tape by twisting the top around the tab until it releases. Have at it... but don't blame me if something breaks :D

If the Kobo comes out with WiFi capabilities - will it be call the i-Kobo? Yak, yak, yak.

Nope, the KoBowie...

(and it'd include a fold-out knife)

:D

Here are two of the pictures I took while I had my Kobo opened up.

I did put it back together successfully, and am continuing to read the book shown...

I'll put the full-size pictures up over on the Open Inkpot site... http://openinkpot.org/wiki/Device/EB600/Photos

Here are two of the pictures I took while I had my Kobo opened up.

I did put it back together successfully, and am continuing to read the book shown...

I'll put the full-size pictures up over on the Open Inkpot site... http://openinkpot.org/wiki/Device/EB600/Photos

Neat! I like seeing things' insides.

Here are two of the pictures I took while I had my Kobo opened up.

I did put it back together successfully, and am continuing to read the book shown...

I'll put the full-size pictures up over on the Open Inkpot site... http://openinkpot.org/wiki/Device/EB600/Photos

Feel free to update our wiki pages for the open Kobo if you have higher resolution images with more detail. You could also include take apart instructions. Kobo eReader disassembled

Dale

OK, the pictures are up. I'll get the instructions up after I do a rough draft...

Now that we've the Kobo open, any source for the screen (eInk?)? I accidentally cracked my screen. Kobo can repair for nearly the price of a new Kobo. Perhaps I can replace the screen for less myself.

Now that we've the Kobo open, any source for the screen (eInk?)? I accidentally cracked my screen. Kobo can repair for nearly the price of a new Kobo. Perhaps I can replace the screen for less myself.

I've not seen the 6" e-ink screens for less than $120. Not worth it.

Also, the screens appear to be bonded somehow to the circuit board. It helps stiffen things.

Mind you, I didn't try too hard to pull them apart :D

Thanks 3dOg and pholy, at least we may be able to extend the life of the Kobo by replacing the battery when the time comes. In the mean time, I'll likely have to cough up another $150 for a new Kobo, unless I wait until it goes down to $100.

It's easy to open use a pocket knife. Withthe Kobo face up, start at the external SD card slot slowly work around the outside with the knife blade and a suttle upward motion.
The cover pops right off. 4 Screws hold the mian board in place.
Mine has a 2GB Sandisk Micro SD card inside it. I tried putting it into an adapter and starting off the external slot but it doesn't seem to want to load unless the micro card is present in its designated slot.

Has anyone tried replacing the micro SD with one of a higher capacity?