If you’re like me, when the Apple iPad came out, you just had to know what it looked like on the inside.
To be honest, it kind of looks like a big iPhone. So much for mystery, eh? Nevertheless, there are some parts in the iPad that appear to be switch-able or even fixable, and if you’ve had iPad problems, you’re probably thinking about tearing the thing open to see what you can do. More power to you. However, before you open an iPad, here are a few things that you should definitely consider.
1. You can break a lot of stuff by not being careful. Boy, that sounds obvious for a first tip, but the obvious stuff is the stuff that you end up missing. The inside of your Apple iPad has a few cables and cords that can easily snap, severing your poor device’s battery or other components in a second. If you feel resistance when opening the iPad and it’s obviously not coming from the sides, don’t pull too hard. Be very careful. Take pictures to help yourself reassemble the iPad when you’re done. Foolproof your plan, and you won’t mess anything up too seriously.
2. You’re definitely voiding your warranty. Apple WILL be able to tell that you’ve opened your iPad. Have no illusions otherwise. You’re voiding your warranty here, and you’re not going to get any of that spiffy AppleCare stuff anymore. Make sure that you really want to do this before you start.
3. Videos are your best friend. There’s a reason that I’m not trying to give you a step by step with all of these warnings; even if I wrote it coherently (and that’s a 50% chance at best, given the amount of coffee I drink), chances are good that someone out there wouldn’t understand it. Geeks are very visual, and we need to see something to really know how to do it. Luckily, the Internet’s around.
Look for videos of people opening iPads, and view them a few times before you start to try to open your own iPad. You only get one shot to do this without accidentally scratching or breaking the device, so don’t screw it up. Take your time, and make sure that you actually know what you’re doing before you bust into the poor little thing.
4. Reassembly is just as important as disassembly. Everything needs to lay exactly as it did before you’d opened it when it’s closed back up. Otherwise, certain components might overheat or relay electricity improperly. Don’t rush through the reassembly after taking time with the disassembly, or you’ll be sorry.
Do you have any other tips for opening an Apple iPad? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.
