iPod catches up


Linux hackers go where Apple feared to tread.

Hi Tux; where've you been?


I have been growing distressed at the galloping obsolescence besetting the iPod. Apple abandoned innovation for fashion.

While other players and image tanks come along with all manner of capabilities such as decent audio recording, ripping straight to device and even video playback, the poor iPods have just sat still.

Then along came the creative folks at the iPodlinux project and restored my faith in a device that was starting to look more like an expensive paperweight. Now I can do all sorts of things under Linux on my iPod I never imagined it could do under its native firmware. Download v0.3c to see what I mean.

The installation went smoothly, copying off the old firmware and then sliding the new Linux distro alongside my existing data and music without incident. But when the iPod booted into Linux after disconnection, there was nothing. I could hear the clicking of items ticking over as I shuffled the scroll wheel, but couldn't see anything. Turning on the backlight by pressing Menu-Play on my 3G iPod, I could see very faintly some writing. Carefully navigating to the Settings menu, I was able to arc up the contrast -- to reveal Linux in all its glory.

A Linux-powered iPod is more than simply a cool geek statement. Finally, I can record interviews in 96khz mono without the expensive Belkin mic that has such poor 8khz sound it is all but unusable. The same feature rips from a line input. And it will also display photos, although if you have a 3G iPod the limitations of the LCD make this more of a cool hack than a useful feature.

But better is to come. The guys have demo'd video on an iPod Photo and greyscale models.

Now if they could expand that functionality so I can use the iPod as a DivX/Xvid video tank for playback to TV, and not just its own LCD, then we would be rocking. Portable, high-quality digital video wherever I go.

Thanks to former colleague, Cyrus Farivar, for the tip.


Posted: Sun - June 19, 2005 at 12:26 AM          

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