Culture

Linux on iPod efforts continue

Ina Fried Former Staff writer, CNET News

During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley.

See full bio

Ina Fried

June 17, 2005 3:34 p.m. PT

Macworld.com has an interesting update on the longstanding work to allow iPods to run a version of Linux.

An open source project now allows rudimentary image viewing and audio recording through Linux, while also allowing the device to quickly switch back to the standard iPod OS for music playback. It works on first-generation, second-generation and third-generation iPods. Developers are hoping to add 4G iPod and iPod mini support soon.

Things seem to have progressed quite a bit since early 2003, when an engineer got Linux running on an iPod, but the Penguin-powered Pod could not take advantage of key parts of the iPod, such as its scroll wheel and FireWire port.