Unusual stuff inside computers

[Steve Algernon]

As an employee with some involvement, there was a batch of original iPads that were engraved with Steve Jobs signature.  Scott Forstall joked "I don't want to see these show up on eBay!"

Anyway, being none too careful, I let my then 3 year old play with it, and she was walking around with rapt attention to whatever cartwheeling clown was on it, when she dropped it on some bricks.  The iPad's back was dented (not near the signature), and while it still worked, wouldn't take a charge. Failure Analysis said they didn't want to take it since it was one the "special' ones...

So I opened it up (easier then then now; just wedge the screen out and break some metal retaining clips) and found that the dent, while small, was sharp and deep and pressed on the charging circuit.  I wanted to insulate it, so I put a picture of my daughter there and sealed it up.  Still works to this day and is great for netflix.  

But when it does eventually wind up with some collector down the line, I hope they'll be surprised and a little confused.  Its always nice to make someones life a little more surreal.

Cheers,
--sma