Desktops and Notebooks: Apple MacBook Air Teardown: iFixit Goes Where Apple Prefers You Don`t

Repair site iFixit took apart the new Apple MacBook Air and discovered, unsurprisingly, that Apple would really rather you didn't. The notoriously secretive company used a proprietary screw on the outside of the machine, which iFixit eventually got around by filing several flathead screwdrivers. From there, just about everything but the Air's notable SSD (solid-state drive) was soldered down. That included the RAM, which prevents the notebook from being upgradeable. Also notable on the Air, even before the team pried off its back, is the inclusion of a USB drive for software reinstallation (as the Air doesn't have an optical drive), the power button's relocation to the keyboard and the shrinking of the power adapter. Less obvious without a Torx screwdriver: the SSD is completely custom, "putting another nail in the coffin for user-serviceability, reported iFixit, which awarded Apple a low 4 out of 10 for "repairability. Take a look at what iFixit found in the MacBook Air, which was introduced Oct. 20. (Images 1, 4 and 5 are courtesy of Apple.)