iPod Touch Teardown Reveals Only 256 MB of RAM and No Vibrator [Apple]

We’d heard that the most recent iPod Touch comes with a built-in vibrator for FaceTime notifications, but there was no such thing to be found when the gadget was torn down. And even worse? There was only 256 MB of RAM.

We certainly feel a piece ripped off after hearing in regards to the lack of RAM inside the device. While 256 MB is enough to keep things running smoothly, it’s rather disappointing once we do not forget that we could get a much more powerful iPhone for an analogous cost as an iPod Touch.

As far as everything else goes, listed below are the highlights of the teardown in line with the blokes at iFixIt :

*Here’s the perfect iPod Touch we’ve ever cracked open – slightly glue and two tabs hold the front panel in place. We hoped that the insides would remain repair-friendly, but then found that the front glass and LCD panel were permanently fused together. This may prevent dust from getting beneath the glass, but unfortunately will even make repair costlier.

* Like several other revisions of the iPod Touch, the battery is soldered to the logic board. This isn’t a surprise given the slim form factor of the iPod, but we would like Apple would make battery replacement easier, especially on a splash which is now easier to open.

* Apple did add extra space between the battery’s three solder points compared to the 3rd Gen Touch. This should make the soldering job somewhat easier when replacing the battery, as there’s less chance of accidentally bridging the contacts.

* The EMI shield is surprisingly heavy, weighing in at 11 grams. The full iPod Touch is simply 101 grams, meaning Apple has devoted more than 10% of the iPod’s weight to this metal EMI shield.

* Unfortunately, the rear-facing camera is simply 960×720 resolution. That’s only about .7 megapixels, compared to 5 megapixels on the iPhone 4. Apple was forced to sacrifice still photo resolution so that you can squeeze the camera into the Touch’s slim package. Going forward, we predict Apple to adopt improved micro camera technology as better cameras come to market.

* For those of you who are wondering, there’s no way the iPhone 4′s rear camera could be installed inside the Touch.

* In a first for the iPod Touch line, the headphone jack isn’t always soldered to the logic board. There’s also a liquid damage indicator on the bottom of the headphone jack, so don’t use your Touch to stir the coffee.

* This primary antenna is situated near the front glass panel. Its new location eliminates the desire for the plastic ” window” found on the 3rd generation Touch. There also appears to be a secondary antenna located on the headphone jack.

* Contrary to Apple’s initial claims on their FaceTime marketing page, the iPod Touch would not have a vibrator. Apple’s website has been updated to remove this claim.

You can look at more photos of the teardown over at iFixIt. [ iFixIt ]

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This post is tagged: battery replacement, logic board, megapixels, Notifications, photo resolution, slim package