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Reverse engineering confirms Apple iPad is 'a really big iPod Touch'
The pictures and details are juicy -- you can even order a bunch of die photos! -- but ultimately, there isn't anything exciting under the hood. The iPad is merely a large iPod Touch, with almost identical hardware in places. Chipworks calls the iPad 'a giant battery with a tiny [circuit] board attached to it' -- and looking at the picture above, you can see why!
So, no real news here I'm afraid, unless you're trying to mollify a Mac fanatic. What you're paying for is a large touch-screen and a giant battery -- you are not buying a piece of 'magic', but simply a large iPod Touch. The devil, as always, is in the software. It would not be the first time that Apple has shoehorned some fantastic software into a shiny, but otherwise lackluster hardware package.
In my opinion, the coolest part of this story is that Chipworks tears apart of bleeding-edge technology to produce full, reproducible schematics of a device's circuitry. Nothing is sacred!
Comments
36
Subscribe to commentsphobic99Apr 6th 2010 8:57AM
What they didn't show is that the batteries are a combination of today's technology and the magic of unicorn blood to power the iPad. It's that which makes the iPad truly magical.
Grant RobertsonApr 6th 2010 10:36AM
Scoff if you must but, the real story here is:
You will never. Ever. Evar. Get your shinny Win 7 Hp Slate to go a whole 12-14 hour average modern day of "work/on the go" time, at a whopping 75% duty cycle (9 of those 12 hours) and still have battery left.
Unless HP or another PC maker is prepared to shatter our existing understanding of physics or materials science, the iPad wins.
Apple has made some really slick strategic moves over the last 5 years to push battery boundaries and it's really starting to show. In fact, now that you see the iPad, the design decisions in the MacBook Air make *so* much sense. You think Apple got the idea to trade battery swap-ability (something only a fraction of laptop owners *ever* do) for 20%-30% more runtime (something everyone notices, immediately) by accident? Hell no. It's bold, daring and unstoppable R&D. Plain and simple.
'A giant battery with a tiny [circuit] board attached to it' - Why, yes.. it is. Thanks for noticing! I guess that's why *I* get tired before my iPad does!
Sebastian AnthonyApr 7th 2010 7:02PM
Cheers for stopping by, Grant!
I'm still holding out on ethanol fuel cells... but yes, until then, the low-power devices like the iPad will probably beat-out the Swiss Army knife tablets from HP and Co. :)
PwnzordApr 11th 2010 2:54PM
@Grant - That's all fine and good unless you are a company with a recent (albeit short) history of batteries that last less than three years. Does anyone remember the 2007-8 MacBook Pro?
digamejhApr 6th 2010 9:26AM
In other news, the sky is blue...
kevjohnApr 6th 2010 9:58AM
You could tell people there's nothing but three unconnected LEGO blocks inside this thing and it's not going to sway their opinion.
Eroded FallacyApr 6th 2010 9:59AM
It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out that the i-pad is an over sized i-pod touch. At least some people find it useful i know I don't, might as well carry around a Macbook or a laptop.
umgrego2Apr 7th 2010 2:15PM
ummmm, except that macbooks are twice the price
MatthewApr 6th 2010 10:19AM
I've been waiting for a larger ipod touch for ages. I found the screen on my sister's iphone to small for my eyes to focus on without getting migrain in 10 mins. I reckon lot of people are buying this just for a larger screen.
melkiorApr 6th 2010 10:12AM
Well, Apple always claimed they were a software company...
kevjohnApr 6th 2010 10:46AM
Yet they won't allow anyone to make Mac clones. So it's "Hey here's our great software. By the by, you can ONLY use it on our overpriced hardware."
DaleApr 6th 2010 7:53PM
@kevjohn Apple let people make Mac clones once.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh_clone#Official_Macintosh_clone_program
mkoApr 6th 2010 10:41AM
O'rly?
Sorry couldn't stop myself.
RichApr 6th 2010 11:19AM
I told my gf when they announced it that it was pretty much a giant sized iTouch. Looks I was more right then not with that smartass comment!
Still not going to get one.
roontApr 6th 2010 8:25PM
OK so it lasts 12-14 hours. Yah? So? Look at the batteries in the thing. Simple: bigger batteries=longer life, bigger batteries also = less room for more powerful hardware. How are you supposed to type on this thing? if youre spending ALL day working on your portable device, one would assume they are going to be inputting a lot of information...on a crappy touch keyboard that rocks if you lay it flat. Or hold it with one hand and type with the other, thus, reducing productivity. so you don't get nearly as much work done in that 12 hours as you would say in 8 hours with 4 in the middle to charge up the laptop. (oh and you can work on it while its charging. Most buildings so have power outlets.)
roontApr 7th 2010 8:51AM
oh. and that circuit board looks like it IS from an itouch.
bladesofgrassApr 8th 2010 2:07PM
Grant Robertson Said...
"Scoff if you must but, the real story here is:
You will never. Ever. Evar. Get your shinny Win 7 Hp Slate to go a whole 12-14 hour average modern day of "work/on the go" time, at a whopping 75% duty cycle (9 of those 12 hours) and still have battery left.
Unless HP or another PC maker is prepared to shatter our existing understanding of physics or materials science, the iPad wins."
What a load...LOL Glorified Web Browser wins? What else does it do? What productivity software does it support? Games?
Please, save us your drivel.....
BrianApr 6th 2010 11:53PM
@ Grant
You are absolutly right. But, right now I am typing on my Gateway Tablet (Btw I have owned gateway tablets for the past 6 years) and I am currently getting 4 hours of battery life. Sure doesn't sound good, def compared to a 12 hour battery life. But lets compare.
Apple claims 10 hours on Wi-Fi and other usage. (As I am sure everyone knows that apples times on their site are always exagerated).
My 4 hours is on full brightness, Wi-Fi, watching movies, including watching dvds, recording music, and so on. My battery is also nearly 1.5 years old, at about 60% of the amp/h I had initially. I was getting 7-8 hours initially. I also get a 14.1 inch widescreen, 500 gig hard drive, 4 gig ram, 2.4 gig dual core processor, USB ports, VGA ports, DVD/CD player.
My point is... I am on a computer that is far more powerful, far more usefully, with fairly comparable battery life. The price 1000 dollars. Which is awfully close to the price of a 64 gb iPad.
I think windows wins
DoockieManApr 7th 2010 1:36AM
You people are morons. If you look up pictures of the inside of an iPod Touch, the circuit board is MUCH smaller. Therefore an iPad and an iPod Touch are NOT, and I repeat NOT, the same.
JaffarnApr 8th 2010 2:56AM
doockie u fanboi.... do u have a lab dedicated to reverse engineering? no. then i will take the articles POV