Nexus S torn asunder, Contour Display secrets revealed

Online fount of DIY repair knowledge iFixit has gotten its hands on the Google Nexus S, and immediately set to work taking it apart. The device doesn't differ too much from the rest of Samsung's Galaxy S smartphones that it's based on, but Samsung did use a clever trick to achieve its Super AMOLED Contour Display.

Like the other Galaxy S devices, the Nexus S is powered by a 1GHz Cortex A8-based Hummingbird processor. It includes 512MB of RAM, 16GB of internal NAND storage, a 4" Super AMOLED display, a rear-facing 5MP autofocus camera, and a front-facing VGA camera. It's powered by a 1500mAh battery, which trumps the 1400mAh batteries used in the Nexus One and the iPhone 4. iFixit noted that the battery has a warning recommending not feeding it to babies—good advice!

The main differences hardware-wise compared to other Galaxy S variants is the addition of a near field communication (NFC) module stashed in the rear cover and the slightly curved surface of the what Samsung is calling a "Contour Display." The capacitive touchscreen digitizer is fused to the AMOLED display, and both are perfectly flat like in other smartphones. The glass covering the display, however, has a slight curve to its exterior surface, which can fit more comfortably against your head than the typical flat display. It's not terribly technical, but we think it's a clever solution to a common design problem.

The front and rear-facing camera modules are connected as one part, as are the earpiece speaker, speakerphone speaker, and proximity sensors. iFixit notes that this integration reduces part and assembly costs for production, but can make repair more expensive. For instance, if the earpiece speaker goes out, you'd have to replace the whole module.

One caveat that iFixit noted for those on AT&T: the Nexus S doesn't support the 850MHz and 1900MHz HSPA frequency bands that AT&T uses for 3G data. Though the device is unlocked and can be used with any GSM/UMTS carrier, the lack of support for those frequencies means AT&T users will be stuck on EDGE.

For overall repairability, though, iFixit rated the Nexus S at 7/10, thanks to use of standard Philips screws and fairly straightforward disassembly. Be sure to check the full teardown guide for all the details.

Source:http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2010/12/nexus-s-torn-asunder-contour-display-secrets-revealed.ars