SolveYourProblem
eLearning Series
iPods & MP3 Players
Linux
and iPod: iPodLinux
Apple makes iPod for Mac and Windows, but
not for the open-source operating system Linux. Because of
this, Linux developers began working on an iPod solution for
Linux. When developers began testing Linux with iPod it was
partly just to see if it could work. It did. However, initially
there was no real need for it and no benefits for users who
installed Linux onto their iPods. They just simply had two
operating systems on their iPod: the Apple firmware and iPodLinux.
Once the concept was proven, more work was done to tweak the
system and its capabilities. Now, installing Linux on the iPod
is a way to add capabilities and enhancements beyond the basics.
Podzilla
is the name for the standard iPodLinux interface. It is similar to the Apple interface but has a crisper font
and switches between menus between one and two seconds faster
because there is no animation for menu changes. Once of the
cons is that the Linux operating system uses more battery.
The
iPodLinux includes an Extras menu that expands to four
other items. First, is the Recording Menu that allows you to
do Mic or Line in Record. Line In recording is for recording
the audio output from other sources. This enables you to make
instrumentals of your favorite songs without having to buy
a program to do it on your Mac or PC. With Mic recording you
can use the left earbud of the iPod headphones and record mono
audio at up to 96 kHz. Using the Apple firmware, you are able
to create recordings as well, with an add-on device that must
be purchased and at only 8 kHz. Once you have recorded audio
on your Podzilla, the recordings are saved as WAV format. They
can then be downloaded to your Mac or PC later and converted
into a different format if desired. The next two menu items
are the Calendar and Calculator. These are not significantly
different from the Calendar and Calculator that come installed
with the Apple firmware. Last is the Games Menu. The Podzilla
comes with 5 games: Asteroids (called Steroids), Othello, Tetris
(BlueCube), Pong, and Minesweeper (Nimesweeper). Now, you have
options if you get tired of listening to music on long trips.
Another
feature of Podzilla is the File Browser. This function
allows you to see all of the files on the iPod, even the hidden
ones. It can also display GIF, JPEG, and BMG files in black
and white. This is a feature that earlier generations of iPod
did not have. Surely, it doesn’t turn it into an iPod photo,
but it can be useful for looking at diagrams and other simple
drawings. Since images are displayed with 2-bit grayscale,
those with a lot of contrast will look better on the Podzilla
than those with subtle color distinctions. Podzilla can display
text files as well.
Installing the iPodLinux operating system on your iPod does
not delete the Apple firmware that comes installed on the iPod.
Both operating systems can co-exist on the iPod without any
trouble. It is possible to re-boot the iPod in either system
if you wish.
The iPod-Linux project is an open source project, which means
that the source code is published and made available to the
public. Anyone can copy, modify, and redistribute the source
code without paying fees or royalties. One of the things that
makes open source successful is that it is a community effort.
One of the cons is that enhancements may not happen as frequently
and the software may be buggy.
iPodLinux has some great nice to have features, but is still
working on perfecting the Podzilla’s ability to play music
as well as Apple’s firmware. Songs don’t play at the same quality
and can sometimes skip. If you attempt to play a game while
listening to a song, the song will stop. It’s not a big problem
as you can easily switch between the operating systems to play
games and listen to music.
Linux developers are constantly working to improve the iPodLinux
software. Developments are underway to provide the capability
to watch video on 1 – 4 Generation iPods and to allow Game
Boy games to be played on the iPod as well. Since Apple is
not a part of the effort, the developers are figuring out how
to make these enhancements through a little reverse engineering
and a lot of trial and error.
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SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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