iFixit

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AirPods Max Headbands Could be Interchangeable

Andrew Orr ·

iFixit published a tear down of the AirPods Max and it reveals, among other things, that the headband could be interchangeable.

It was rumored that Apple wanted to design the AirPods Max headband to be easily-swappable like its magnetic ear cups. That feature was thought to be missing from the final design, but this joint is so complex it just might have one more thing up its sleeve…despite the joint’s complexity, you can detach the entire headband from AirPods Max with just a SIM card removal tool or paperclip, without even opening the ear cup.

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iFixit Shares iPhone 12/12 Pro Internal Wallpapers

Andrew Orr ·

iFixit is back this year to provide iPhone 12 internal wallpapers to let you see what the devices look like beneath the display.

Need a zoom party icebreaker? Take some folk on a phone tour, tell everyone Apple has pressed pause on unique battery shapes. And let us know how that goes because we’re running out of Kahoot topics…

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Look How Cool the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard Looks Under X-Ray

Andrew Orr ·

The folks at iFixit examined the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard with X-rays. It looks cool and shows the product’s complexity.

What makes this the Magic Keyboard instead of a Smart Keyboard? Scissor switches, which proved much smarter than butterfly switches over (too) many years. This is the least complicated thing we can see on the Magic Keyboard, and it’s probably the biggest improvement.

I think this looks great. Right now I’m not sure if I’ll get the Magic Keyboard or not. Brydge plans to send me their keyboard accessory. However, I’m definitely a fan of how thin the Smart Keyboard is, and it looks like the Magic Keyboard shares that trait.

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Mac Pro Gets High Score in iFixit Teardown

Andrew Orr ·

iFixit recently completed its teardown of the Mac Pro, giving it a repairability score of 9 out of 10.

The Mac is back and more Pro than ever, throwing away the cylindrical “trash can” design in favor of something that resembles a computer. Its appearance may harken to the original Mac Pro from 2006, but can it compare in the repairability department? We dropped six thousand dollars and one block of hard cheddar to find out. Let’s tear it down.

They listed two negative things: The SSD cards are modular and custom-made by Apple. This could make replacing them a bit complicated. And it could be expensive to replace a part that isn’t on Apple’s already-limited list of approved repairs.

Podcast

Persistence Is Reality – Mac Geek Gab 775

John F. Braun & Dave Hamilton · · Add Comment

Sometimes your computer keeps doing something you don’t want it to do. Sometimes it stops doing something it’s supposed to be doing. Persistence is a finicky friend sometimes, and your two favorite geeks are here to help you with some of the specifics. Listen as John and Dave dig into Safari tabs, Apps on Apple Watch, displaying Time Zones in a world without Dashboard Widgets, and more. Press Play and enjoy learning at least five new things!

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AirPods 2 Get a Zero out of Ten for Repairability

Andrew Orr ·

iFixit is back, this time doing a teardown of the AirPods 2. They remain “disappointingly disposable” and get a 0/10 for repairability.

That said, the construction isn’t entirely unimproved—this set might survive an extra trip through the washing machine. It’s just, we know Apple can do better.

Not really a surprise here.

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iFixit's AirPods 2 Teardown 'Disappointingly Disposable'

Andrew Orr ·

iFixit recently did an AirPods 2 teardown to see what’s different and how repairable they were. The verdict?

Let’s get the second of those points out of the way right away: they are not serviceable at all. iFixit had to go to almost comical lengths to open the AirPods up, and despite their expertise and tools, the iFixit team was unable to do so without permanently damaging the product. They described the product as “disappointingly disposable,” which is to say there is no practical way to service or repair them even at a professional shop.

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iFixit: We Are All Geniuses, Advocates Right to Repair

Andrew Orr ·

Writing for iFixit, Kay Kay Clapp advocates for the right to repair devices and says we are all geniuses.

If all this feels a bit dystopian, take heart! Thanks to repair advocates and brave netizens around the world, the tide is starting to change. This year, Right to Repair legislation has been successfully introduced in 18 states. The movement continues to spread—and for the first time, European repair allies have introduced their own version of repair legislation.

I think it’s nice that people can repair their devices, but it can also be a security risk. If it’s easy for you to repair, it’s easy for bad guys to “repair” and put hardware implants into your device.