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Google Glass Explorer Edition teardown reveals hits and misses on repairability

Not since the iPhone or iPad has a gadget generated more buzz than Google Glass. So of course I wanted to take it apart and explore its internal hardware. Unfortunately, as I'll show you, this version of Google Glass wasn't built to be easily dissected or repaired.

According to Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt, Glass is still "probably a yearish away" from hitting store shelves. But true to the company's iterative development style, Google is shipping 10,000 or so Explorer Edition units to developers, beta testers, and winners of Google's "If I Had Glass" contest. And while the company might make a few tweaks to the product before launch, these test units still give us a good idea of what to expect in terms of overall design and hardware.… Read more

Pricey Chromebook Pixel: Built well but impractical to upgrade

Unlike Chromebooks from Samsung, Acer, and HP, the Google-designed Pixel has both high-end hardware and a high-end price tag. On this week's episode of Cracking Open, I go inside the Pixel and show you why it's easy to service, but nearly impossible to upgrade.… Read more

Difficult-to-repair Surface Pro built more like an ultrabook than a tablet

When Microsoft built the Surface Pro, the designers packed the power of an ultrabook in the body of a tablet. Unfortunately, they also made the device nearly impossible for a typical consumer or even an in-house tech to service and repair. On this week's episode of Cracking Open, I take you inside the Surface Pro.… Read more

Nexus 4 teardown: Easy-open case hides LTE hardware surprise

Google's Nexus 4 offers a pure Android experience on an unlocked device, at a great no-contract price. It's also fairly easy to disassemble and hides a bit of a hardware secret inside.

Full TechRepublic teardown gallery: Cracking Open the Google Nexus 4

The Nexus 4 has a 4.7-inch IPS display (1,280x768-pixel resolution at 320 ppi), 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU, 2GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel main camera, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi, and it comes in 8GB and 16GB versions.

Given its hardware specifications, the Nexus 4 can definitely hold its own against other high-end smartphones. And with its support for NFC and wireless charging, LG's handset is even a step ahead of many devices. What the Nexus 4 doesn't have is LTE support -- at least not officially.

Overall, it's well-built, feels sturdy in your hands, and is fairly easy to take apart.… Read more

Quarter of iPhones have a broken screen, poll says

As many as a quarter of iPhone owners are walking around with a broken screen, according to new figures.

Mobile-phone insurance Web site MobileInsurance.co.uk (which obviously has a vested interest here) asked iPhone owners whether their blower's display is currently broken, smashed, or cracked in any way, to which 23 percent yes.

The average length of time people have been putting up with their damaged display? Six months.

Most people said they hadn't gotten around to fixing their screen, with roughly equal numbers saying they weren't insured, couldn't afford to fix it, or were … Read more

RIM superfan keeps faith alive with BlackBerry 10 tattoo

What's likely to trigger more regret 10 years down the road -- a tattooed profile of that special someone who broke your heart and took your favorite records, or a permanent etching of an obsolete operating system that some critics thought was already bordering on irrelevance when it was brand new?

Most of us would probably just opt to skip both options, but not Brian Heffren of Middleton, N.Y. He's chosen to go all in on BlackBerry 10, which launches tomorrow, by getting the new mobile OS logo tattooed on his shoulder forever. Ladies, take note. This is a guy who understands what commitment is all about.… Read more

Create words with Word Crack

Social gaming has taken over Facebook profiles and mobile gadgets. Now, while you wait for your friends to take their turn in other games you're playing, you can play a round of Word Crack. It tests your creativity and vocabulary at a relaxed pace. Replay value is high, and the price of $1.99, which you need to pay for an ad-free version, is not too much. However, the game might be a little too simplistic to keep you coming back and choosing this over other digital board games.

The app requires you to either sign up through Facebook … Read more

Software pirate pleads guilty to theft of $100 million in goods

After being lured to U.S. territory and arrested in an undercover sting, Chinese national Xiang Li pled guilty in U.S. federal court to pirating, cracking, and selling software worth more than $100 million today, according to Reuters.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security took down Li in June 2011 after agents discovered that he was heading a pirating ring that sold stolen software on the Web. The software was mostly used by defense, space, and engineering companies and was made by Microsoft, Oracle, Rockwell Automation, Agilent Technologies, Siemens, and others.

"Li thought he was safe from … Read more

Top five Cracking Open teardowns of 2012

From smartphones and tablets to a $7,000 desktop, we've cracked open a lot of tech this year. And as is the tradition at the end of each year, it's time to take a look at a few of our favorites. During this special episode of Cracking Open, I'm counting down my top five teardowns of 2012.

5. Nokia Lumia 900

First on our list is the Nokia Lumia 900. Released in the spring, this Windows Phone device was Nokia's attempt to recapture some of the American smartphone market.

Unfortunately, as we discovered during our teardown, the phone's hardware just wasn't up to par with the competition. I went so far as to call it mediocre. So why did I include our 900 teardown on this list? Because it's probably this year's best example of why knowing what's inside a device is an important factor in deciding whether to buy one.… Read more