Amazon Kindle 3 3G/GSM/WiFi 6" TEARDOWN - EEVblog #109

[zane000000000]

is that sim card the cellular card for 3g

[zomege]

the catches look like "move to the left easy pop" but not seeing it you would prbobly have trouble

[zomege]

i like your lcd microscope

[chitaristu88]

there's nothing pornographic about a kindle with the back taken off. All that's left is a motherboard, a battery and a wifi/gsm card.

[anthonyjamesphipps]

Thanks, this helped me remove the little metal piece that broke off in the slot from the Amazon cover. My little son dropped it and it broke off in there.

[zebo1369]

hello i have been researching wirless networking and gsm for some time and i was wondering what probably many are do you tink if i put that sim in an unlocked phone i would be able to get free internet

[monstercactus]

Soooo...while I do appreciate the info in the video, where's the teardown? :)

[monkeymaj1k]

thanks for that! after watching this i figured out how to fix my kindle! that reset switch on the board saved me $139 buying a new one (also squashed my excuse to by a Kindle Fire when it comes out in Oz).

[AdbukaDAul]

Базарит

[AdbukaDAul]

базапит как Пидр!!!

[ftharcae]

i opened it now how do i put it back together? :/

[nrz666]

Thank you. You sound like trololo but raised a VERY insteresting question.

1. What if we take that sim card and insert into a usual 3G modem? Will it have free internet when properly adjusted?

2. What if we take that sim card and insert into Kindle 4 Touch 3G (as we know, their free 3G browsing support is very limited to 2 sites)?

3. If the limitations are hardware-locked and don't have to do anything with SIM, is it possible to emulate kindle 3 connectivity on kindle 4 to get full-featured 3G?

[palinkorn2010]

do you think i can replace the flash drive with something bigger than 4gb

[Lexagmor]

Hey I was wondering if someone can help me out with my Kindle. I bought it almost a year ago at Target, and it works perfectly fine. The only thing is that lately the power switch has gotten stiffer and I have to apply more force to it. Never dropped it or spilled anything on it. Talked to customer service and they offered to return it for a refurbished one. Don't like the idea. Any way to fix it without opening it up? I'd hate to have to return it!

[abrambur2]

it's pornographyc :)))

[Sassymui8]

Made in China... Masterminded by America :)

[91jmda]

I've never seen such a descriptive video about the guts of a Kindle 3, I own one and I just love it but the device is so fascinating, how it works and the things it uses, if you have vids like this im totally subscribing ;)

[MichaelKovarik]

"Oh ha! Isn't it pornographic?" XD

[simondchambers]

Two small things:

1. The GSM standard requires a SIM card - this was orignally to ensure that handsets can change between suppliers.

2. I believe the Wi-fi antenna is on the bottom of the PCB. The part you identified as the antenna, is a 0 Ohm/link resistor. At the track after the resistor, it goes into a via hole - to what I would believe be another PCB antenna, as there is no ground plane around that via hole. Also the silkscreen says its on the bottom!

Keep up the great video blogging work!

[Pinwormx]

He's like Crocodile Hunter for tech.

[6footerspeaks]

If we remove the sim card from amazon and insert to other device, are we able to connect to the internet just like the kindle?

[paulpothier123]

@greenkhan your kindle only has wifi the white thing on his is the 3g under your black thing there is nothing and you dont need the sim card unless you have 3 g

dont know how to fix though sorry

[Postscript624]

The little I/O connectors inside the tabs on the side of the device provide power to the Amazon issue case with booklight. I remember when they got those cases into staples and I played around with it I was like "what the fuck, where's the power for the light coming from?"

[Heartythreat]

Isn't that pornographic!?

[constablespagnogulan]

Nice work thanks mate, i managed to get it open with me finger nails.

[greenkhan]

my kindle 3 doesnt seem to have that sim car and the label on the main chip isnt white, actually black and blank. I bought a kindle 3 and now am in Japan. Its only 2 months old and the screen or part of the screen seems to have the screen saver burnt in. What should I do?

[ivaneduardo747]

Your teardowns are WAY better that any guy at iFixit or any of those sites.

[EEVblog]

@ivaneduardo747 Thanks! 

[DeShark88]

I'm sure someone will have said it already, but I'm pretty sure the 0603 is a resistor (designated R301), and the antenna is the gold strip on the edge of the board. Just a guess, but a half-wavelength wifi antenna is about 2 and a half inches (and a quarter wavelength antenna is obviously half that). The thing in the video looks to be a couple of inches, so that's my guess. A 0603 device could not possibly be a wifi antenna as far as I know, but I'm not an antenna guru...

[pedrok60]

Porn for Robots.

[vknong]

Oh look, it's Van der Sar!

[Kryteris]

Is it at all possible to mod/add the 3G to the basic wifi model? Or.. add blue tooth?

[Films4You]

When I look at all the electronics engineering that goes into thing like this, whooa... how can the sell them at this cheap price per eectronic component.

Alien Technology may be one way to explain things.

[ventureelect]

WTF which the ad

[militantmindset]

JTAG pew pew .... who wants to start an open source project to reflash that kindle with linux and use the amazon whisper network to do our bidding

[jlpktnst]

Hm, I guess I was being too smart and managed to nick the display connector while opening. It was a small nick, but I figure display is not working anymore. I have done some small jobs fixing stuff but is that plastic bendable connection "cord" on the side for screen fixable? I just ordered another kindle though but I figure I could do something smart with this one still.

[EEVblog]

@jlpktnst Yes it's fixable if you have the soldering skills.

[vorkev1]

and you also fuck up the plastic use the tool dumbass.

[SUPERSS90]

F**k I HATE THIS ADVERTISEMENTS. Great video

[hapcimano]

damn this guy's way of talking makes me angry :D

[s1mp13m4n]

The holes on the side of the case that have the connector, those power an LED light from the $60 Amazon Kindle 3 case. The Kindle supplies power to an LED light from its own battery.

[phydr]

Great stuff!

Really informative

[HackCausality]

I love your voice so much. You're like some kind of Australian Tech Leprechaun. Everything you do is just so damn exciting.

[thecustomkiller1]

the sim card could it be used in a phone?

[EEVblog]

@thecustomkiller1 I haven't heard nor tried it. They would have thought of that and it's probably locked in some way.

[DnyWlsh]

@thecustomkiller1 I've seen it working in an iPad 3G (which are unlocked) in the UK and the APN just had to be changed to "Broadband" then it worked, plus you got a choice of like 5 carriers haha. Amazon will likely get suspicious if you start using large amounts of data though.

[saxz99]

Great video man, thanks a lot!!!

[ipodtouchsweet]

when you were prying the casing to pop the back cover up, did you gouge the sides of the case at all?

[EEVblog]

@ipodtouchsweet Only a very tiny amount. Hardly noticeable.

[4FipS]

Hi Dave, thanks for the video! It helped me fix my Kindle’s “sticky” power switch. Here’re some notes in case someone encounter the same problem: forums(dot)4fips(dot)com / FipS' HOLE General Discussion / Fixing Sticky Kindle’s Power Switch

[6291994mike]

this guy has no fickin life what so ever. what do all the numbers mean? and the accent

MAJOR NERD

[kyberzyler]

You can see the connections being used on a video review of the Amazon lighted cover (look for 2sINv06Wss4). Not saying that is all the connection can be used for though as there is a lot of circuitry to provide just a power source to a lamp.

[RICHARDxFTW]

those connectors are designed for use with the lighted kindle brand cover which takes power from the battery and the top one is spring loaded that helps your kindle not fall out of the case

[ArsenalPlayer18]

the kindle is pornographic. thank god somebody else realized this!

[MrArando]

Could you put that sim card in the iPad and get the free 3g or is it not compatible?

[Derikpr]

@MrArando I think is posible, I dont have an Ipad to try it out, but google >>ipad-3g-with-kindle-2-gsm-ch­ip-micro-sized.

[FlavorOverMatter]

crickey! it's pornographic!

[clovekkk]

Great, let's go to to scan a JTAG chain and make some own cool firmware. For example Internet sharing 3G to WiFi access point.

Thank you for a nice video.

[nickrndm]

the side power connectors are for amazon's lighted book cover, the kindle would power the light through those connectors.

[SlightlyWetFart]

0:01

[dureyes]

Thanks Dave, great informative and entertaining video. I could not imagine opening up my Kindle 3 the way you did. It seems that we Kindle 3 users can easily change the battery when the time comes to change it. Would like to see the battery changed some day in one of your videos. Thank you.

[benpatient]

ok, so you took the top off. why not dig deeper?

[jacobh1995]

I heard interference at 12:35

[CalicoatMaker]

VERY funny making google translate your accent. "Israel is tight"

"Arctic manufacturing"

"And I cant seem to get it"="In consumer gadgets" hahhaa!

I have a Kindle. Its all in pieces, it still works :)

[zupnikal]

The CC feature is really great fun. At about 1:18 into the video: "it's time for fun to the homicide".

I wonder if I should get me one of these for Xmas.

[TheBill2468]

Box opening you tubes show me how to open the box. This production shows me how to bust my kindle. SUPER!

BiLL

[lras650]

The connectors (6:30) are for a cover, and the cover can hold a lamp that is powered by the kindle.

[lras650]

The connectors (6:30) are for a cover, and the cover can hold a lamp that is powered by the kindle.

[Soulrider2012]

I turned on the translation feature as you suggested and it was great for a laugh!! One of the things it translated was, "that part is a police order dissolution and call on the battery...". and the battery capacity translated to:"sending fifteen billion gallons of six point five one analyst. and 'I'm not going to take the battery out because I Know precisely what is under there..' translated to: "Clinton met at the same time precisely what's under there."

[4rcane]

i think those connectors at the side are for the kindle 3 case with the light that draw power from the kindle itself

[ka7cev]

Woah, the cool gadget at 10:39 got my attention! Got one in for work this last week, as a less expensive and portable alternative to a digital camera equipped stereo microscope. Thanks for the lead!

[Howgoit33]

Excellent I am not knowledgeable about a lot of this stuff but you definitely make it interesting, Its amazing how they put these boards together, I just bought one of these kindles and it seems you have the one best video of opening it up to see how the Battery is attached in there, So if Later down the road I wanted to replace my battery,I know how to do that, I am one of those people who has little money and can't just go out and buy new items all the time, But its so cool to learn new stuff

[three14]

You seriously make me nervous by waving that knife around. :-) On a more serious note, thank you for this video.

[EEVblog]

@three14 It's ok, I'm a professional!

[happymerc]

@EEVblog Is there any way you could possibly get more memory on the thing?!? I have ~7 gigs of pdf's I would really enjoy having with me for my upcoming tour. and ~10 gigs of music of course :P. 3 just simply does not cut it for me.

[EEVblog]

@happymerc Not that I'm aware of. Even i you did hardware hack it, the firmware might not support it.

[happymerc]

@EEVblog gahhhh. well it's pretty disappointing that they would cut out the sd port from the kindle 1. thanks man.

[daro2096]

Or the rfid chip is used to spy on you.

[daro2096]

6.25 They are for the cover with light.

[rasjnda]

I love EEVblog! Dave's criticism is always top-notch!

[jeppehogild]

would it be possible to use the kindles sim card in another table ? so that you get free 3g network on another device ? :)

[mrjohncummings]

I'm really interested that they have used and left in an RFID tag. Could this be more than for manufacturing use? Could it be used in conjunction with libraries? I know my local library uses an RFID scanner.

[fsoup]

The conectors are for the lighted CASE

[nicrallred]

im sure you already know this by now but those two slots on the left side of the device are for lighted covers and other sorts of electronic add ons. Amazon makes a built in lighted cover for the K3 and uses gold to connect to the device so the light uses the kindles battery instead of having to use external batteries. Like I said I'm sure you knew this since this video was posted like a week back almost but yeah just thought I could help!!

[gblive12345]

I always enjoy Dave's Videos. Sometimes I am even more amused by the YouTube "suggestions" that come up while watching them. Today's suggestion was for a video titled "Virginity Got You Bummed?". Is this what the advertising alogorithm world thinks for EEs?

[EEVblog]

@gblive12345 Yeah, the suggested ads are hilarious sometimes! If you want and even greater laugh, turn on the auto translator youtube has. It tries to interpret my aussie accent!

[Mistraker]

With the holes on the side of the kindle, they're for the kindle cover to hook into, and the new kindle cover has a light that's powered by the kindle. The top one that's also a port is what powers the cover's built in light. Clever stuff.

[pinbox007]

EEVblog, the things in the side of the kindle are for a case, with a built in light you can buy at amazon.com

[Vlakpage]

The AnyDATA module has wrong CE mark. For those who don't know: letters in CE should be farther apart, if you make full circle from the C and E they touch only in one point. You can check wiki article "CE mark"

[artifactingreality]

lol @ at how you didn't want to take it apart any further... somebody loves his kindle.

It is a very nice device though by the looks of it. And a bargain too at the price.

[nickolasvanbeek]

Every time I see a device with such a low power consumption I always want to add a small solar cell for trickle charging or in this case two solar cells in parallel at 3.6 or so volts for regular charging under normal light conditions. Do you think it would be possible with the real-estate available within the case to mod a small calculator sized solar cell onto?

[rambokam88]

I have that exact same screwdriver. :D

[Quadraphonicsoul]

@12:38 some interference with the wifi and your camera?

[EEVblog]

@Quadraphonicsoul That's the GSM module. Classic GSM interference. I've done a video on that before.

[gilgameshismist]

@6.23 is the Serial bus, nice for hacking ;)

[CypherAod]

the holes with the internal connectors on the side that you're curious about are the hook-points for the Amazon-brand case for the kindle. they're electrically wired for the lighted-version of the case, which draws power from the kindle itself.

love your Videos btw!

[Dibblah1900]

I posted on your last video - The connectors are for the lighted case. The bottom one also has the serial port.

[shiftplusone80]

So theoretically, you can take out the sim card and stick it into a HSDPA modem and use it as free (ignoring the price of the kindle) unlimited broadband?

[EEVblog]

@shiftplusone80 Hmm, that sounds to easy to be true?

[yifanlu94]

@EEVblog That does work, but you can ONLY access amazon.com (and bypassing it is a violation of your TOS, so don't let amazon take away free web usage because of greed).

[shiftplusone80]

@EEVblog I was just thinking, they can check the IMEI of the device and ban your account if they wanted to. However, if someone got tethering working on the device...

[Membrane556]

@shiftplusone80

They probably have a deal with the carriers to limit those SIMs to only Amazon's site.

This would work better then just simply banning the mismatched IMEI as that can be easily spoofed.

I'd be pretty surprised if they have not done this.

I am surprised to see a labeled J-tag port.

[shiftplusone80]

@Membrane556 Well spoofing IMEI is pretty illegal, so that would be a bit of a deterrent. I didn't know the connection is limited to amazon... Dave doesn't mention that, so I don't think that's how it works.

[Mulletsrokkify]

Nice video. Just bought one since seeing your video, gotta wait for it though. They are back ordered in the UK..... The side connectors are for the leather cases. In the cheap one (still £29, which is steep for a case) they just serve as anchors. In the fancy pants, top-of-the-range leather case, the connectors power the lamp as well as anchor it.

[cabreyca]

Those side connectors are mainly used for cases. Amazon's leather case with built-in light is a perfect example.

[xXdenhartXx]

awesome

[SciStarborne]

I wonder if those side connectors are for uploading the custom welcome message to each unit before it ships? It did say "Dear David" when you did the unboxing in the previous video.

[neuraxon77]

@SciStarborne Quite possible. They could also be for docking the device. Three connectors appear to be used; one power, one data, one ground.

[EEVblog]

@neuraxon77 It is an RS232 interface for the U-Boot kernal. pins are GND, 1.8V, RX and TX.

[yifanlu94]

@EEVblog It's actually TTL

[Vlakpage]

@yifanlu94 hardly TTL in battery powered device

[af895]

@SciStarborne

In response to: "I wonder if those side connectors are for uploading the custom welcome message to each unit before it ships? It did say "Dear David" when you did the unboxing in the previous video."

No, the welcome message is actually transferred via WiFi or 3G once the device is registered. I've watched this process on two Kindles now; it shows up in the "pending downloads" of the account screen until delivered. Those connectors seem to still be a mystery.

[Albinorama]

EXCELENT Review! Hope you can do all and more like this one.

TAKE IT APART!!!

[Twistx77]

I would say that the two holes, might be for a expansion base or something wich would have something else like more ports, speakers... something like that.

Great teardown btw!

[scancool]

thanks Dave you should copyright that quote "Don't turn it on, take it apart" :)

[shiftplusone80]

@scancool Copyright is automatic, you don't need to do anything. However, that would be a trademark... which does need to be applied for.

[nitrousoxijk]

You had some RF interference at one point. =], what a sexy device. 

[EEVblog]

@nitrousoxijk Yeah, see my GSM phone design video!

[pikuorguk]

@EEVblog That'll be the Kindle. If you put the SIM card into an unlocked mobile phone, I wonder what network it would say on the screen.

If you go to amazon's website and put /kdk/ after the url (so amazon dot com frontslash kdk frontslash) they provide some insight into how the GSM connection might be funded.

I think this might be more interesting than an iPad.

[Fromthaheightz]

great review. The sides holes on the case are for the kindle case with the light imbedded in the case. It is used to power the light on case so that one can read in the dark. check out the case at amazon's website.

[urbanimage]

The two slots on the side are for attaching the cover that Amazon sell for the Kindle. This comes in two versions. One version of which has a light that draws power direct from the Kindle which explains the function of the 'unknown' port.

Peter

[Geek2dcore]

excellent review/tear-down. Pornographic indeed!!

[Lachlant1984]

A very technical product indeed, all very interesting indeed. It's really not such a good idea to point at the chips and circuit boards with a metal knife, you could so easily short something out and destroy a chip or the whole circuit board. Why does the audio keep fading out of the left channel from time to time? Sometimes I only hear sound through the right channel.

[EEVblog]

@Lachlant1984 It's ok, I'm a professional! :->

The audio is mono, so should not fade in or out. Must be your end.

[Zadster]

@EEVblog Mono or not, it is fading out on the left channel during some of the shots. Maybe YouTube's transcoder messed it up again?

[EEVblog]

@Zadster

Hmm, you are right, something went wrong, around 8min in.

It's on my podcast version too, so my video rendering screwed up somehow. Don't think that's ever happened before.

[FoamPackingPeanuts]

Is it just me or is the AnyDATA card a mini-PCI-E card?

[keenantims]

@FoamPackingPeanuts Yup sure is. Chances are it uses the USB lanes though and isn't actually a PCIe device. Don't think any of the Freescale application processors have PCIe, but quite a few have two USB OTG/H/D ports.

[morto360]

If you think this looks sexy inside.. you should open any of the apple products ;)

nice review!!! keep up the good work.

[hitachi088]

Thank you for your Great review !