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The Pixel 9 Pro Fold. (Image source: Phone Repair Guru)

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold proves easier to tear down than non-foldable sibling in new video

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold Google's latest foldable smartphone, and seems to be one that has made strides in terms of internal design despite being only a second-gen product, according to a new teardown video. Then again, the new top-en...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 08 Sep 2024 17:31

A Pixel 9 Pro XL mid-teardown. (Image source: iFixit)

Pixel 9 Pro XL proves less than repair-friendly in new teardown videos

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is increasingly widely regarded as the closest equivalent to the iPhone 15 Pro Max among Android smartphones. It also seems more durable than its predecessor already. However, Google may not have made the new de...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 29 Aug 2024 17:19

67 Wh DIY battery mod doesn't even require you to 3D print a housing for the Asus ROG Ally (Image source: Ksrnate on YouTube)

DIY Asus ROG Ally mod nearly doubles the battery capacity without leaving anything exposed

A YouTuber named Ksrnate has uploaded a walkthrough on installing a 67 Wh battery on Asus ROG Ally, almost doubling the energy capacity from the original 40 Wh battery. Unlike the 88 Wh DIY mod by iFixit, this one doesn’t leave an...

Abid Ahsan Shanto, 19 Aug 2024 19:09

The Zeromouse V35 is an unbelievably light, minimalist gaming mouse that requires some assembly. (Image source: Zeromouse)

YouTuber builds ultralight Zerømouse 16 g gaming mouse with Razer Viper V2 Pro guts

The modified version of the Optimum Zeromouse V35 shaves 10 g off the production super-light gaming mouse and is very minimal, with nary a scroll wheel or side buttons remaining from its Razer Viper V2 Pro donor. The Optimum Zerom...

Julian van der Merwe, 16 Aug 2024 01:24

The DIY gaming laptop with desktop hardware doesn't have a battery, thought (Image source: Socket Science)

YouTuber shows off DIY gaming laptop built from desktop components

While laptop CPUs and GPUs have become quite powerful, they are still way behind their desktop counterparts in terms of performance. Being fed up with this performance gap, a YouTuber that goes by Socket Science built a custom DIY...

Abid Ahsan Shanto, 15 Aug 2024 18:05

The Mars 5 Ultra is said to be able to reproduce fine details well. (Image source: Elegoo)

Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra: Powerful 3D printer comes with camera, WiFi and AI functions

The Mars 5 Ultra from Elegoo is a new 3D printer designed to enable the production of particularly detailed 3D prints and is easy to use for beginners. The model can also be conveniently accessed via WiFi.

Silvio Werner, 13 Aug 2024 03:16

The U24 Pro. (Image source: JerryRigEverything)

HTC U24 Pro shows off 3.5mm jack and endures bend test in new video

HTC is back (again) with the U24 Pro, one of 2024's very few 5G Android smartphones with a 3.5mm jack and microSD card slot. The OEM also aims for "Unique Brilliance" with its design, which is put to the ultimate test of durabilit...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 11 Aug 2024 15:15

ETA Prime's Steam Deck mini PC is very bare-bones but has better acoustics and thermals than the standard Steam Deck thanks to an open case and more heat sinks. (Image source: ETA Prime on YouTube - edited)

Broken Steam Deck becomes dirt-cheap mini PC in creative DIY project

ETA Prime on YouTube has recently demonstrated how to turn a broken Steam Deck into a fully functional mini PC on the cheap. You don't even need in-depth knowledge or specialised tools to accomplish the task, and the parts-bin Ste...

Julian van der Merwe, 09 Aug 2024 21:26

OnePlus Nord 4 proves absurdly difficult to take apart in new video

The Nord 4 brought the metal unibody back to the 2024 Android smartphone world - however, it seems that the new and potentially robust chassis has its drawbacks. OnePlus' "Absurdly Good" mid-ranger has achieved one of the worst re...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 08 Aug 2024 18:16

The custom Raspberry Pi 1000 features a Raspberry Pi 5 with 4 GB of RAM (Image source: Arnov Sharma)

DIY maker builds PC-in-a-keyboard with Raspberry Pi 5

The Raspberry Pi 400 is yet to see a successor, but a DIY maker named Arnov Sharma has taken the matter into his own hands. He built what he calls the Raspberry Pi 1000, which features a Raspberry Pi 5 inside. The maker has also s...

Abid Ahsan Shanto, 02 Aug 2024 19:40

The Apple Watch Ultra (left) with the Galaxy Watch Ultra. (Source: iFixit)

Samsung wins battle of Watch Ultras in new teardown video

The Galaxy Watch Ultra has roundly been accused of looking just like its Apple namesake on the outside - however, they are not the same on the inside, according to iFixit. The teardown enthusiasts now indicate that Samsung's Watch...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 02 Aug 2024 16:46

Edge Enhancer DIY kit fixes video output issue of all two-chip SNES models (Image source: Macho Nacho Productions on YouTube)

DIY mod fixes one big issue that plagued Super Nintendo for over 30 years

Super Nintendo is best known for having a large library of games. However, the two-chip variant of the SNES has had one big issue that Nintendo eventually solved in the one-chip model: blurry video output. Voultar has been working...

Abid Ahsan Shanto, 28 Jul 2024 18:57

The Windows Start Menu is full of bloat, but this can easily be removed with a fresh install using a Windows Unattended Setup file (Image source: domsch1988 via Reddit)

Better than Tiny11: Here's how to debloat Windows 11 using Microsoft's own tools

CheckMag Windows 11 is packed full of garbage which is one of the reasons people are determined to stick with Windows 10 or look for alternatives. Tiny11 is impressive, especially now it works on all Windows 11 variants. However there is a...

David Devey, 27 Jul 2024 20:21

The Galaxy Buds3 Pro. (Source: Phone Repair Guru via YouTube)

Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro found to have repair-friendly design in new teardown

Samsung's Galaxy Buds3 Pro design update has apparently backfired on the company with reports of generationally reduced build quality thus far. However, the new flagship wireless earphones' switch to an Apple AirPod-like design ha...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 25 Jul 2024 18:46

Devices with Asus ROG XG Mobile port can now be connected with any desktop GPU with Osy's eGPU dock (Image source: Asus)

Open-source eGPU dock brings expanded desktop GPU support to Asus ROG XG Mobile

Asus ROG XG Mobile interface is available on ROG Flow laptops and the ROG Ally gaming handheld, and it lets users get better gaming performance with an external GPU. However, Asus has a few graphics card options available, and the...

Abid Ahsan Shanto, 24 Jul 2024 19:36

YouTuber builds DIY laptop with mechanical keyboard because the original keyboard failed twice (Image source: Marcin Plaza)

YouTuber puts mechanical keyboard in his 13-inch Lenovo Yoga laptop after original one failed twice

While some gaming laptops have mechanical keyboards, they still offer relatively little travel, usually around 1.8mm, while also being rather bulky and heavy. YouTuber Marcin Plaza has solved both problems and, after a 12-hour des...

Marvin Gollor, 20 Jul 2024 15:01

The Raspberry Pi has a massive selection of add on boards that make it a diverse and capable system (Image source: Pimoroni)

5 of the best accessories for turning the Raspberry Pi 5 into a powerhouse

CheckMag The addition of a PCIe connector on the Raspberry Pi 5 opens the door for a range of cheap add-ons that can significantly increase its potency and capability, including NVME drives, 2.5 gigabit ethernet and support for running pre...

David Devey, 19 Jul 2024 11:34

Don't count older laptops out; these old dogs can learn some new tricks. (Image source: generated by DALL-E 3)

Age before beauty: Why a decade-old laptop is more than enough

CheckMag While buying the latest tech is tempting, older desktop and laptop computers are often more than enough to meet the demands of modern computing work. An older machine may require some time and tinkering to get up to par, but the p...

Sam Medley, 17 Jul 2024 20:58

The Raspberry Pi 5 is quite capable of handling multiple Docker containers (Image source: Raspberry Pi)

3 useful low resource Docker containers which will also run on a Raspberry Pi 5

CheckMag You don’t have to invest in expensive hardware to run a home server. With Docker you can run containerised applications on almost anything including PCs, Macs, laptops and even a Raspberry Pi. Ideally it needs to be on 24/7 which ...

David Devey, 10 Jul 2024 10:28

Is it possible to daily drive an Android device without using any of Google's services? (Source: Google / Notebookcheck)

De-Googling a phone, is it possible to live without Google on your Android device?

CheckMag As technology users, we either knowingly or unknowingly hand over our data to large tech companies on a daily basis. In an attempt to get away from the overwatch of Google, I decided to try running a de-Googled phone. This is how ...

David Devey, 01 Jul 2024 10:22

Gaming on Rabbit R1 isn't that bad if you have a wireless controller and don't mind the tiny screen (image source: Bringus Studios)

Rabbit R1 gets modded to run games, performs better than expected

The Rabbit R1, originally launched as an AI-powered device designed to offer a less distracting experience than a phone, got modded to run Android. This allows the device to be opposite what it was designed to be, to function like...

Abid Ahsan Shanto, 28 Jun 2024 18:56

Off the shelf or DIY, which is cheaper and which is better? (Source: Amazon)

Pre-built or DIY NAS price comparison - Is it really better to buy from QNAP Synology or another big brand?

CheckMag Whether it’s QNAP, ASUStor, Synology or some other pre-built brand, a NAS is not a cheap piece of equipment. With free or low cost operating systems such as TrueNAS, Open Media Vault or even Unraid is it cheaper to build your own ...

David Devey, 21 Jun 2024 21:00

Framework Laptop 13 to get a RISC-V motherboard soon (image source: Framework [edited])

Framework collabs with DeepComputing to bring RISC-V motherboard for its DIY Laptop 13

If you own a Framework Laptop 13, you can soon run it with a RISC-V mainboard. The DIY laptop maker has announced a collaboration with DeepComputing to bring a new motherboard with a StarFive JH7110 processor. It's a quad-core 64-...

Abid Ahsan Shanto, 19 Jun 2024 14:44

If the stylish Sonos Play:1 is broken, an RPi can help. (Image: Sonos)

Sonos Play:1 reused and better than before thanks to Raspberry Pi

Recycle instead of dispose: A detailed DIY guide shows how the smart speaker from Sonos can be brought back to life. Afterwards, it is also much more versatile, so it's actually upcycling.

Mario Petzold, 15 Jun 2024 15:16

Nikon's self-service repair program is currently rather barren, but the repair manuals are a good start. (Image source: Nikon USA)

Nikon self-service repair program website lists but 3 products while spares hide elsewhere

Nikon has officially launched its self-service repair website, giving users access to tools, replacement parts, and repair manuals to repair their own gear in the comfort of their own homes. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, ...

Julian van der Merwe, 14 Jun 2024 16:09

Framework laptop 16 is now more customizable than ever (Image source: Framework)

Framework makes 3D CAD design files for modular 16-inch laptop open source

The Framework laptops are best known for their modular and repairable design. Now, the company has taken things to the next level by open-sourcing the 3D CAD files for its 16-inch laptop. This will enable users with 3D printers to...

Abid Ahsan Shanto, 13 Jun 2024 11:59

The Linamp is an IRL ode to the most popular music player software of all time (Image source: Rodmg via Hackaday)

Real life Winamp MP3 player recreated with Raspberry Pi based hardware

The beloved MP3 player from the 90’s and early 2000’s has been brought back to life in a hardware avatar by DIY maker Rodmg using a Raspberry Pi 4B. Titled the Linamp, the device is designed like a retro-ish standalone stereo ampl...

Vishal Bhardwaj, 11 Jun 2024 17:58

Rabbit R1 can smoothly run Android with almost all the functions working as it should (Image source: HowToMen on YouTube)

Rabbit R1 runs Android almost natively, with integrated functions working seamlessly

HowToMen on YouTube has showcased Rabbit R1, the AI-powered gadget, running Android 13 almost natively. The integrated functions also work seamlessly on this mod. Additionally, it brings Google Gemini AI assistant, which is more u...

Abid Ahsan Shanto, 10 Jun 2024 19:52

There are a good number of DIY mods already available for Spotify Car Thing (Image source: lmore377 on GitHub)

Hacking community saves Spotify Car Thing from becoming an e-waste

Spotify Car Thing will officially reach the end of support and stop being functional after December 9th, 2024. Even though the company has started to offer refunds, there's a requirement that many of the users may not meet. The ha...

Abid Ahsan Shanto, 08 Jun 2024 20:44

The Mini Maker Turbo Mini X features support for up to 14th gen Intel desktop-class 65 W processors. (Source: Mini Maker)

Turbo Mini X mini PC launches with desktop-class Intel processor and eGPU support with impressive performance claims

Mini Maker has revealed the Turbo Mini X mini PC with support for Intel's 14th gen 65 W desktop-class processors, dual SODIMM slots, and a healthy selection of ports. Besides it, the company also unveiled the StreamPlay X eGPU, fe...

Sambit Saha, 07 Jun 2024 21:54

Voodoo 4 in MXM form-factor (Image Source: Vogons)

Modder manages to fit legendary 3dfx Voodoo 4 GPU inside a laptop

The original 3dfx Voodoo 4 4500 board launched in 2000 was replaced with a custom-made MXM board mounted inside a 2013 Dell Precision M4800 mobile workstation. Modder "sdz" added double the original VRAM for a total of 64 MB, and ...

Bogdan Solca, 06 Jun 2024 18:12

The self-built smart speaker can look like this or completely different. (Image: github/judahpaul16)

Neither Amazon Alexa nor Google Nest: smart speaker uses ChatGPT

With a Raspberry Pi, a speaker and the instructions on GitHub, you can easily use OpenAI at home. The freely programmable assistant can also control Spotify, smart lights and more.

Mario Petzold, 27 May 2024 15:46

Pironman 5 makes Raspberry Pi 5 look like a gaming PC (image source: SunFounder)

Pironman 5 transforms Raspberry Pi 5 into a mini gaming PC

Pironman 5 is a DIY small tower PC-like enclosure for the Raspberry Pi 5. It has two RGB fans, a cooler with a PWM fan, and PiP HAT+ expansion board support that allows NVMe SSD installation. There's also a small LED on the front ...

Abid Ahsan Shanto, 25 May 2024 15:02

An iPad Air X-ray. (Source: Creative Electron via iFixit)

iPad Air 13 (M2) proves iFixit reparability lightweight following teardown

Apple's latest iPad Air has upgraded to the M2 chipset as well as the same 11- and 13-inch size options as its Pro counterpart. It has also now grabbed more of the vlogging spotlight for itself - courtesy of teardown experts iFixi...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 24 May 2024 19:58

The 13.3" Modos Paper Monitor has a fast 60 Hz refresh rate that enables this e-ink display to play videos smoothly. (Source: Modos)

Modos announces pre-launch for 60 Hz 13.3" e-ink Modos Paper Monitor and Development Kit with open-hardware and open-source hackability

Modos has announced the pre-launch of its 13.3" e-ink Modos Paper Monitor with 60 Hz refresh rate. The main drawback of slow e-ink displays has been tackled with low-latency technology that enables smooth video playback. A separat...

David Chien, 22 May 2024 06:19

The iPad Pro's M4 processor. (Source: iFixit via YouTube)

Apple iPad Pro 13 design and reparability praised while Pencil Pro panned as potential e-waste

Apple's newest and biggest iPad Pro has many potentially significant upgrades; however, it seems durability is not one of them. Nevertheless, the ability to take it apart and put it back together might make up for that, according ...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 18 May 2024 17:48

An LPDDR5X CAMM2 module. (Source: iFixit via YouTube)

ThinkPad P1 Gen 7: LPCAMM2-powered reparability of new Lenovo laptop praised in new teardown

Lenovo's ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 is now officially the first laptop to have been torn down by iFixit in search of its LPCAMM2 module. The emerging RAM type is hailed as a more powerful, efficient and sustainable form of memory thanks to...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 08 May 2024 15:44

Ditch Google Photos and embrace Immich: Here's why there is so much hype around hosting your own photo backup solution

CheckMag Whether its questionable privacy practices, incorrectly categorising images as child pornography, or using your data for its AI training models, storing your photos with Google continues to be a privacy nightmare. Thankfully a sel...

David Devey, 04 May 2024 19:54

YouTuber converts Apple AirPods Max to USB-C with custom kit

Apple now makes AirPods that do not need a Lightning port to charge; however, the company seems in no hurry to do the same with its (even more expensive) flagship wireless headphones. However, as a popular device repair YouTuber h...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 04 May 2024 17:26

YesItsKira makes the Asus ROG Ally get a secondary screen (Image source: YesItsKira)

Asus ROG Ally turns into Nintendo 3DS-like gaming handheld with dual-screen DIY hardware mod

A DIY hardware modder known as YesItsKira has modded the Asus ROG Ally and converted it into a Nintendo 3DS-like gaming handheld. The secondary DIY screen even closes like a clam, just like the classic console.

Abid Ahsan Shanto, 03 May 2024 19:54

Kobo: Users can now repair their own e-readers.

Kobo: E-readers can be repaired - manufacturer and iFixit offer instructions and spare parts

Kobo offers various e-readers that can also be repaired. Instructions are available for those wishing to carry out the repairs themselves, and the corresponding spare parts can be easily purchased.

Silvio Werner, 02 May 2024 15:15

Gigabyte Metal Gear Plus ITX brings Ryzen 8000G desktop processors in a mini PC form factor (Image source: JD.com [edited])

Gigabyte Metal Gear Plus ITX packs more power than traditional mini PCs

Gigabyte Metal Gear Plus ITX isn’t like the regular mini PCs. While most of them come with mobile processors, Gigabyte’s new mini PC can be configured with the latest AMD Ryzen 8000G desktop APUs. It even brings the DIY aspects th...

Abid Ahsan Shanto, 21 Apr 2024 18:11

YouTuber makes the Sony PSP 1000 get two modern features (Image source: Macho Nacho Productions)

2004 Sony PSP breathes new life with DIY HDMI and IPS screen mods

Macho Nacho Productions modded the classic Sony PSP 1000 and made it gain two features found in modern gaming handhelds: an IPS screen and an HDMI port. While both require a fair amount of DIY skills, they did turn out to be worth...

Abid Ahsan Shanto, 21 Apr 2024 14:39

Apple's repair options get a little more sustainable. (Source: Apple)

Apple to move genuine iPhone part calibration on-device in potential independent repair-friendly move

It is usually impossible to swap the display of one iPhone with another, thanks to the parts-pairing practices touted as the ultimate user privacy and security measure by Apple. However, the Cupertino giant has announced that it w...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 12 Apr 2024 18:06

It looks as though Asus Zenfone 10 users may want to stop holding their breath for bootloader unlock functionality. (Image source: Florian Schmitt / Notebookcheck)

Zenfone bootloader unlock tool outlook bleak as ASUS refunds customer over missing feature

Asus recently settled a lawsuit in the UK over its unfulfilled promises of a bootloader unlock tool for its Zenfone line-up. Asus promised the Zenfone bootloader unlock tool way back in early 2022 and still hasn't delivered.

Julian van der Merwe, 09 Apr 2024 21:35

DIY Fairberry keyboard is an open source project that's easy to customize (Image source: Dakkaron)

DIY Fairberry keyboard converts any modern smartphone into a BlackBerry phone

It’s hard to come across smartphones that feature physical built-in keyboards these days. However, the DIY hardware community has kept the concept alive. One of the latest projects is called Fairberry, and it aims to let you attac...

Abid Ahsan Shanto, 26 Mar 2024 11:37

Ender-3 V3: New particularly quick 3D printer

Ender-3 V3: 3D printer with auto leveling, easy maintenance and large touchscreen now available

Creality is now offering a new 3D printer. The model is said to be characterized by high speed, powerful component cooling and easy maintenance. A display is installed and is designed for easy operation.

Silvio Werner, 26 Mar 2024 11:18

Remi Pi: Single-board computer with Raspberry Pi compatibility

Remi Pi: New single-board computer is relatively cheap and compatible with the Raspberry Pi

The Remi Pi is a new single-board computer. Depending on the specific application, the model could also be an alternative to a Raspberry Pi and allows the connection of various sensors and actuators.

Silvio Werner, 24 Mar 2024 00:50