https://shkspr.mobi/blog Regular nonsense about tech and its effects 🙃 Wed, 30 Nov 2016 07:05:18 +0000 en-GB © Terence Eden. 🄯 CC BY-SA. See https://shkspr.mobi/blog/copyright-and-copyleft/ hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/cropped-avatar-32x32.jpeg https://shkspr.mobi/blog 32 32 https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2016/11/inside-a-chipolo-plus/ https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2016/11/inside-a-chipolo-plus/#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2016 07:05:18 +0000 https://shkspr.mobi/blog/?p=23767 <p>Last week <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2016/11/review-chipolo-plus/">I reviewed the Chipolo Plus</a>. It's a small Bluetooth beacon which you can use as an item tracker - attach it to your keys or wallet and know where they are at all times.</p> <p>As I said in the review, the only downside is that it has a <strong>non-replaceable</strong> battery. I'm not sure I want to <a href="http://ssqt.co/NEvh">buy one for £20</a> and then throw it away after 12 months of use.</p> <p>A few of you asked how tightly sealed the unit is - so I'm going to take one apart and show you its guts!</p> <h3 id="warning"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2016/11/inside-a-chipolo-plus/#warning">Warning!</a></h3> <p>Opening your Chipolo will almost certainly void your warranty, it will degrade its waterproof rating, and you risk breaking it entirely. Proceed with caution!</p> <h2 id="opening-it-up"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2016/11/inside-a-chipolo-plus/#opening-it-up">Opening it Up</a></h2> <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/01-Chipolo-in-a-box.jpg" alt="Chipolo in a box" width="786" height="442" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-23964"> <p>There's a thin seam running around the outside of the Chipolo Plus.</p> <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/02-Chipolo-Seam.jpg" alt="A thin seam running around the outside" width="1024" height="576" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-23965"> <p>A thin screwdriver can get between the cracks.</p> <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/03-Taking-a-screwdriver-to-the-Chipolo.jpg" alt="Using a screwdriver to get in" width="1024" height="576" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-23966"> <p>You'll need to go all the way around the casing in order to get it open. You will almost certainly crack and break the casing.</p> <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/04-Chipolo-case-cracking.jpg" alt="Cracking the case" width="1024" height="576" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-23967"> <h2 id="battery"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2016/11/inside-a-chipolo-plus/#battery">Battery</a></h2> <p>Once the top is off, we can see the battery</p> <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/05-Chipolo-Exposed.jpg" alt="The battery is exposed" width="963" height="963" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-23968"> <p>It's a fairly standard <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CR2032_battery">CR2032</a> - although it is tightly wedged in there. The <a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2016/04/review-chipolo/">original Chipolo</a> uses the similar CR2025.</p> <h2 id="parts"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2016/11/inside-a-chipolo-plus/#parts">Parts</a></h2> <p>The plastic casing comes apart very easily from the electronics. We can see the three clips which need to be cracked in order to open the piece.</p> <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/06-Chipolo-Separated.jpg" alt="Taken apart into three pieces" width="1024" height="360" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-23969"> <p>On the underside is a small foil disc which acts as the speaker, there's a button in the middle for interacting with the unit.</p> <h2 id="chips"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2016/11/inside-a-chipolo-plus/#chips">Chips</a></h2> <p>What's powering this unit? <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/07-Chipolo-Chips.jpg" alt="Close up of the chips" width="1024" height="576" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-23970"></p> <p>The main SoC is the <a href="https://www.nordicsemi.com/eng/Products/Bluetooth-low-energy/nRF51822">Nordic nRF51822</a>. The smaller chip is the <a href="http://www.diodes.com/_files/datasheets/PAM8904.pdf">PAM8904</a> which controls the speaker.</p> <h2 id="thoughts"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2016/11/inside-a-chipolo-plus/#thoughts">Thoughts</a></h2> <p>The original Chipolo is a little fragile - but I'm not convinced that making the Plus unit sealed is a good idea. It feels wasteful to have a completely disposable unit.</p> <p>It <em>is</em> possible to replace the battery, but you have to destroy most of the outer casing in order to do so. A slip of sticky-tape should be enough to seal it back up again - at the cost of aesthetics!</p> <p>Manufacturers have to become more environmentally responsible when designing these gadgets.</p> <h2 id="buy"><a href="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2016/11/inside-a-chipolo-plus/#buy">Buy</a></h2> <p>You can <a href="http://ssqt.co/NEvh">buy a Chipolo using my referral link </a><a href="http://ssqt.co/NEvh</a>">http://ssqt.co/NEvh</a> for £20 - or £62 for a pack of 4.</p> <img src="https://shkspr.mobi/blog/wp-content/themes/edent-wordpress-theme/info/okgo.php?ID=23767&amp;HTTP_REFERER=RSS" alt="" width="1" height="1" loading="eager"> https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2016/11/inside-a-chipolo-plus/feed/ 6