iPod hacking

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iPods have been hacked to allow users to utilize or customize their devices more freely, making them more useful or unique for novelty purposes. The goal has also been to enable new features before the advent of the iPhone.

Software hacks

• Reset Your iPod (Patrick Norton, March 2005) - How to reset an iPod if it won't respond.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• Restore iPod (Patrick Norton, February 2005) - Use Apple's iPod Updater to erase all data and restore factory settings, usually to repair from an error.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• Convert DVDs to iPod Guide to convert DVDs into format iPods can understand

iPod GUI customization

• iPodWizard Home Web Site (Everything to do with iPodWizard, and more)^{[DEAD LINK]}
• iPod fonts revealed ("iPodWizard", November 2004) - Export iPod fonts and graphics from the firmware. Creating the availability to...^{[DEAD LINK]}
• ...Hack the iPod firmware (Graphics) (Phillip Torrone, December 2004) - Adds option to change the “Do not Disconnect” circle/slash icon, battery icons, power status, boot up logos and fonts.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• iPod Nano hacking (Phillip Torrone, September 2005) - Still not fully hackable but allows users to change the text strings, modify the font and change certain graphics on iPod Nano.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• Arbitrary Font Images (November 2005) - Walks you through adding icons to the menus of your iPod firmware using the iPodWizard.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• Change the iPod Battery Display Style - Changes the battery icon in the upper-right corner to a more-accurate number ranging from 0-500, indicating the battery's charge level. Does not work with the iPod Nano.^{[DEAD LINK]}

iPod eBooks

• Make iPod eBooks (Phillip Torrone, March 2005) - Allows users to create iPod eBooks cross-platform.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• iPod eBooks Guide! (Phillip Torrone, June 2005) - Detailed guide about using "Notes" function (able to create: text, creating a locked "kiosk mode", quizzes, games, etc.) and making full-length ebooks.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• Linux/unix pipeline for making simple ebooks:

Start with any text file, for example, something from Project Gutenberg. Delete anything that you may not want, like the Project Gutenberg legal riders. Then use

fromdos < file | fmt -w 30 | cat -s | split -a 3 -d -C 4k

Rename and folder the new files as desired and then move the folder/files to the Notes directory on your ipod. No special features, but good enough if you don't have a lot of time to spare.

Games

• iPod Arcade: Free selection of text-based quiz and trivia games. (archived 2006-09-02)
• iPod games: Free text-based quiz games by Coolgorilla. (archived 2005-12-25)

Note that early non-text games sold outside of the iTunes Store required jailbreaking or modification of the iPod's firmware. Official iPod Games were introduced on September 12, 2006.

Operating system hacks

• iPodLinux is a μClinux-based Linux distribution targeted specifically to run on iPods. Besides the kernel, iPodLinux features Podzilla as a primary GUI component.
• Install SLAX on an iPod nano by JakeMikey: Guide on how to install Slax, a live-CD Slackware Linux variant. Note this is not a hack for the iPod's firmware. It is a guide on how to install Slax on an iPod as a USB disk. This hack uses the built in functionality of disk mode.(2005-09-18, archived 2006-04-19)
• IBM's SoulPad project - Boots Knoppix from a 60GB iPod photo and runs an x86 virtual machine in VMware. Designed to have a system to run desktop PCs from with the user's config on the iPod. Note that this is not a hack for the iPod's firmware. This hack, which is currently unreleased anyway, simply stores a virtual machine on the iPod. Essentially using the built in functionality of disk mode. (2005-08-12, archived 2005-09-10)
• Phew! (Alan Joyce) - How to restore Linux support after updating using Apple's Spring 2005 iPod update.
• Rockbox is an open source operating system for MP3 music players. The IPod port is currently suitable for developers only. From the Rockbox website, "Rockbox boots and appears to be stable on the iPod 4G (grayscale) iPod Color/Photo, the Nano and the Video."

Hardware hacks

iPod hardware hacks

• iPod Super (Collin Allen, March 2005) - Attach a 3.5" desktop hard drive to your iPod.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• Wooden iPod Dock (Trevor Shannon) - How to make a cheap and classy dock for your iPod out of wood.
• Replace an iPod's Battery (Joe Grand, July 2005) - User guide to replacing the battery.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• Brushed iPod (Adam Podnar) - Allows users to brush their iPod cover, to prevent hand marks impairing the objects appeal without voiding the warranty.
• Shufflephones 1.0 (Jim Younkin) - An iPod shuffle hack designed to eliminate cord clutter.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• Getting Power from your Nano (Fabienne Serriere, October 2005) - How to run other small low power devices off the nano.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• Wooden iPod (ZapWizard) - A wooden iPod - Write up by ZapWizard.
• PhotoPodSony (Nickee, May 2005) - Designed to keep iPod dry near water.
• Altoids Nano Case (iNano, September 2005) - A robust DIY-tin iPod case.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• Shuffle Headphones (Ryan Simms) - An iPod shuffle fully integrated into a pair of Sony MDR 7506 Headphones.

iPod peripherals hacks

• iPod FireWire Cable - Guide to fixing FireWire iPod cables, should it come apart at the seams.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• DIY iPod stand (Piers Morgan, March 2005) - How to build a DIY-cardboard dock for the iPod, as an alternative to the official iPod Dock.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• Hand-powered DIY Recharger (Phillip Torrone, March 2005) - Portable way to recharge an iPod Shuffle.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• Car stereo iPod connection (Damien Stolarz, 2005) - How to connect an iPod to a car stereo's AUX jack via. adapters that charge the iPod and allow for remote control.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• Cheap iPod A/V Cable - How to use any standard cable with a mini RCA (male) connector to A/V connectors useable on the iPod, rather than buying the $19 cable from Apple.^{[DEAD LINK]}
• Pushbutton Radio Input - How to physically modify a stereo - this case a Sapphire XVIII pushbutton - to accept a stereo jack input.^{[DEAD LINK]}

See also

• Jailbreaking

External links

• iPod Hacks at Hackaday — articles about aftermarket mods for iPods
• iPod Hacks — web portal about iPod hacking and related news (archived 2007-06-09)
• iPodLinux — official website of the iPodLinux Project
• iPods & Mods — website about iPod mods and related news (archived 2006-07-17, 2006-02-07)
• ShuffleHacks — blog about hacks and customizations for the iPod shuffle
• Podloading at Wikipod (archived 2005-03-12)
  • Other iPod Websites (archived 2005-08-23)
• iPod hacks at Wikipedia (archived 2006-02-18)