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December 2005

Inside the iPod Nano

We voided the warranty -- so you don't have to. A look inside Apple's flashiest toy.

By Daniel Turner
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Inside every gadget a hundred stories lurk: What innovative memory, battery, or LCD design does it use? Where did the components come from and how do they work together? What previous design weaknesses needed fixing? And, maybe most important: How can users make the device work better for them?

Many of these stories can be teased out by ignoring that familiar warning: "no user-serviceable parts inside." We pried apart Apple's new iPod nano -- a music player so small that many customers are buying bulky carrying cases to make it harder to lose. But don't try this at home.

[Click here to see our hack. Then move your cursor over any letter on the iPod to see our gloss on that particular component.]

Home page photo courtesy of Christopher Harting
December/January 2005

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Comments

  • wow....i found out more info than i knew about the iPod Nano!
    Guest (dpmaxey@gmail.com) on 01/04/2006 at 6:40 AM
    Posts:
    1
    yes...i have an iPod Nano, and it suits me well, better than the iRiver U10 i had previously purchase due to its capabilities of video playing, FLASH games, and text viewing.  But I never knew how much money had probably gone into just this tiny little device.  It seems like the iPod Nano serves its purpose on the market now...you get more than you pay for.  Anyways... the Nano seems to be a great turning point for all mp3 technologies.  The fact that the Nano could resist a cars impact while being driving on amazed me!  Wow...Im pretty impressed with the iPod Nano.
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • ipod nano
    Guest (Danielle) on 01/08/2006 at 12:57 PM
    Posts:
    1
    what is it?
    Rate this comment: 12345
    • Inside the IPod Nano
      Guest (Don Paxton) on 02/16/2006 at 12:00 AM
      Posts:
      1
      What OS is used? 
      Rate this comment: 12345
      • iPod Nano OS
        Guest (Greg) on 02/16/2006 at 12:00 AM
        Posts:
        1
        see http://www.portalplayer.com
        Rate this comment: 12345
  • wow....i found out more info than i knew about the iPod Nano!
    Guest (dpmaxey@gmail.com) on 01/04/2006 at 6:40 AM
    Posts:
    1
    yes...i have an iPod Nano, and it suits me well, better than the iRiver U10 i had previously purchase due to its capabilities of video playing, FLASH games, and text viewing.  But I never knew how much money had probably gone into just this tiny little device.  It seems like the iPod Nano serves its purpose on the market now...you get more than you pay for.  Anyways... the Nano seems to be a great turning point for all mp3 technologies.  The fact that the Nano could resist a cars impact while being driving on amazed me!  Wow...Im pretty impressed with the iPod Nano.
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • ipod nano
    Guest (Danielle) on 01/08/2006 at 12:57 PM
    Posts:
    1
    what is it?
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • iPOD
    Guest (Dick Morley) on 02/16/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    What is inside the iPOD?

    MUSIC

    MORLEY@BARN.ORG
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • iPod Nano
    Guest (Ken Gilleo) on 02/17/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    Nano must be the most disassembled new product - lots of tear downs on net. But Apple did not really use high density chip packaging, like Flip Chip and CSP (Chip Scale Packaging). New revs could be smaller of more potent.
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • Inside iPod
    Guest (EV Robinson) on 02/19/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    I teach a college ed tech class -- is the piece showing the inside parts of the iPod available to show my students - if so where can I retrieve it.
    Thanks.
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • Ars Techinca
    Guest (v.dog) on 02/27/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    In the AT article they refer to, they took it apart there as well, so I've seen this before. Still a good read tho'.

    What I'd love to see is a Jasjar pulled apart.

    I've got one, and I badly want know what's in it, but there's no way I'm taking to mine with a screwdriver.
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • iPod
    Guest (ipodman) on 05/05/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    the ipod are the best mp3 in the world
    Rate this comment: 12345
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