'Tis better to repair than to replace. At least, that's the ethos many DIYers live by.

And why not? With some basic tools, a couple of bucks and an eBay account, even geeks with modest electronics skills can get their gear back to like-new working order. Except for those shiny new Apple gadgets.

Apple has been rolling out recyclable hardware that's mostly free of harmful chemicals, but EcoGeek has discovered that the company's quest to remain ever so stylish has put the kibosh on repairs.

Hank Green, in speaking with Brett Mosley of BuyMyTronics.com, gleaned this disappointing news...

The new generations of iPods and the iPhone are not designed to be opened. Because the Nano, iPhone and generation 6 "Classic" bodies are metal to metal the body gets completely trashed upon opening. In the Nanos and Shuffles, parts are actually soldered together, eliminating the possibility of simple repair. So, for me, it will be harder to fix these, increasing repair costs and diminishing their resale value after they have been repaired.

Far be it for me to tell companies how to design their products, but this sort of forced obsolescence is a bit extreme. That said, I'm investigating how to keep my 5th gen iPod alive and kicking for years to come.

[via Treehugger]