Teardown: A look inside Kobo's eReader

Orochi · 05-15-2010, 12:51 AM

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.

http://www.wirelessgoodness.com/2010...kobos-ereader/

More Pictures of the Kobo's inards:

https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/oet/f...ive_or_pdf=pdf

Enjoy.

pholy · 05-15-2010, 01:03 AM

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.

Orochi · 05-15-2010, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pholy

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.

JCSullivan · 05-15-2010, 05:32 AM

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

Gordo29 · 05-15-2010, 12:46 PM

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.

DaleDe · 05-15-2010, 12:51 PM

The images are also available on our local wiki. https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kobo...r_disassembled

Dale

techie42 · 05-18-2010, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordo29

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.

Roy Hinkley · 05-18-2010, 05:49 PM

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.

Stinger · 05-19-2010, 02:59 AM

Quote:

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.

Gordo29 · 05-20-2010, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by techie42

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!

Bismar · 05-21-2010, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roy Hinkley

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.

corona · 05-21-2010, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bismar

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!)

Stinger · 05-21-2010, 02:04 PM

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'

corona · 05-21-2010, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinger

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.

drawlll · 06-18-2010, 11:09 PM

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.

05-15-2010, 12:51 AM	#1
Orochi Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 5138 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo, Ipod Touch	Teardown: A look inside Kobo's eReader 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. http://www.wirelessgoodness.com/2010...kobos-ereader/ More Pictures of the Kobo's inards: https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/oet/f...ive_or_pdf=pdf Enjoy.

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05-15-2010, 01:03 AM	#2
pholy Booklegger Posts: 1,801 Karma: 7999816 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Device: BeBook(1 & 2010), PEZ, PRS-505, Kobo BT, PRS-T1, Playbook, Kobo Touch	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.

05-15-2010, 05:32 AM	#4
JCSullivan Chief Inspector Gamache Posts: 123 Karma: 12 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Canada eh! Device: Viewsonic	If the Kobo comes out with WiFi capabilities - will it be call the i-Kobo? Yak, yak, yak.

05-15-2010, 12:46 PM	#5
Gordo29 Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 16 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Winterpeg Device: Kobo-1st Porcelain 2nd Black, Touch, Aura, now Libra H2O	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.

05-15-2010, 12:51 PM	#6
DaleDe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,470 Karma: 13095790 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Grass Valley, CA Device: EB 1150, EZ Reader, Literati, iPad 2 & Air 2, iPhone 7	The images are also available on our local wiki. https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kobo...r_disassembled Dale

05-18-2010, 05:49 PM	#8
Roy Hinkley Member Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: none	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.

05-21-2010, 02:04 PM	#13
Stinger Asha'man Posts: 335 Karma: 844 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Canada Device: Kobo	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'

06-18-2010, 11:09 PM	#15
drawlll Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: kobo	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.

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