[kupan787]

For all you nay-sayers, this idea is like going the TI calc route (for those that don't know about this then please read up at ticalc.org). I just read somewhere that the current iPod OS is no more than an image stored on the iPod's hard drive, so it could theoretically be replaced, I need to know if this is true.

TI was still able to issue firmware updates to their calcs, and this usually required a simple fix to the OS that TI calc programmers had created. But most games/apps were unaffected (as long as they called OS hooks, and not direct ROM calls that might be changed.)

I think this could really be cool. We could create apps for the iPod to extend its functionality beyond what Apple first thought of.

First a new iPod OS would need to be written, and then someone could write an mp3 app, someone could write a game, someone could write a contact manager, etc. As long as the OS was multitasking, mp3's could play while doing other things (looking up contacts, playing a game, etc).

Some good games were written in assembler for a 6 MHz Z80 processor (a TI-83 for example). Now, we have a good size display, some decent controls, and a faster processor (2 if I am not mistaken).

I believe the original gameboy was no more than a 6 MHz Z80 (modified a bit). Discussion of this goes on in the TI comunity every so often.

Well going off of what I said above, I just ordered a free evaluation CD, it contains the following:

quote:



What's On the Evaluation CD

The evaluation version comprises:

• C and C++ compilers
• Assembler and linker
• An Integrated Development Environment
• Powerful GUI based debugger
• Instruction Set Simulators
• ROM-based debug tools
• Support for all ARM cores
• An interactive demonstration of features and benefits of ADS
• Documentation in PDF format

The tools included in the evaluation version are in no way different in functionality to those provided in the full product. The evaluation tools are supported on Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0 and 2000.

The built-in evaluation license lasts for 45 days from the date of installation. No technical support is provided with the software.



I have two things to say/ask.

1) Do you think that is enough to start writing new iPod apps? I am thinking yes, but am not sure. A full package is like $6000, so actually ordering it is out of the question, but tinkering around for 45 days would be cool. And they only have a PC version (so people would need to fire up VPC for this to get going.)

2) Please don't everyone go asking/requesting these kits. They would probably stop the program. If all works out, I would be happy to put a disk image on an ftp server so others could try it out as well.

Ben

[Waterman]

I think the iPod's utility as a "data wallet" is totally undermarketed by Apple. Most people I talk to don't even know you can boot your system off the iPod if you put system software on there. I think there could be a whole other segment of the market who would love to be able to move 5GB of graphics files around to different computers without FTP-ing, or who would like to boot up a Mac so that it becomes "their" computer at home complete with all their apps and preferences... but this segment may be turned off by the MP3-focused marketting that Apple is doing.

So, here's what I want... and this may have been discussed already... if so, I'm sorry.

I want an option at the login window that says, "Log in from iPod." Of course, this option would only present itself if an iPod was, in fact, detected. The iPod would need to have some synching ability with certain user-defined folders, similar to the way that Interarchy does things in the latest release (FTP-disk, I think is what it's called).

This would be a hellish hack I bet, if it's possible at all, so it's probably best left to Apple to implement it... but I think it could be really cool. I don't own an iPod, but I think it's a fascinating product capable of a lot more than just playing MP3s. Any thoughts?

[macanonymous]

Sounds fantastic!

I heard of someone out there all ready creating an address book type app, but I think that app is more of a "fool" than an actual app.

You guys should contact iPodding!

[phobos]

macanonymous the address app you are refering to is awful.It creates small mp3's and the only thing you do is put your adress stuff on the mp3 tags.AWFUL.Also the boot up from iPod is probably out of the question.Someone from iPoding booted X from the iPod.One week later the iPod's hard disk was dead.Which is logical.What do you expect from such a tiny hard disk??
I would love to see some apps that are really apps.An address book would be great.A clock is not so useful.What would be great it would be a text reader.You could put some bare ASCII text on your iPod and then you could choose which you want to open and read.That would be AWESOME......

[aaronvegh]

Agreed. We need to have a contact list, and a calendar. These bits of functionality would provide read-only capability of your contacts and to-do items.

Before going the TiCalc route, though (which is a monumental task!), remember that this is covered already by the Pixo OS. These bits of functionality already exist...why doesn't Apple just implement them? Instead of a contact hack within the music area, why not a menu that comes before the current main menu, which lists "Contacts", "Calendar", "Games", and "Music"? I also like that text idea that another poster here mentioned. Very slick.

[hellmachine]

Originally posted by phobos:
<STRONG>Someone from iPoding booted X from the iPod.One week later the iPod's hard disk was dead.Which is logical.What do you expect from such a tiny hard disk??
</STRONG>

ocationally booting from the ipod is ok. for instance to repair your drive via norton etc. but the smartest thing is to just copy your complete osx userfolder from your home machine to the ipod. at work create a new user in osx. open netinfo and edit the homepath of the new user so it links to the ipod. should look like /Volumes/iPod/Users/iPoduser/
now you can just log out, login as iPoduser and u have your complete home experience at work incl. mailaccounts, desktop, dockconfigs etc. but u are still running the system on the hostmachine. it just gets all the prefs from the ipod. its like a terminalcomputer getting all power from the hostmachine only carrying your personal settings.
now thats personal computing...

[macanonymous]

(popping around here a bit, but...)

I just have to say that putting your OS X user profile on your iPod is the coolest thing I've ever done! Thanks for the idea hellmachine! It's been a life saver!

[Jansar]

Some company other than Apple is actually developing an organizer for the iPod right now.

[Waterman]

Hellmachine... that's exactly what I was talking about - using the host computer for all the processing and just grabbing the prefs and stuff off the iPod. I didn't know it was so easy! Perhaps there should be an "iPod_User" account feature builtin or hidden in the OS so that a user doesn't have to go through the setup procedure with netinfo?

I could totally see using an iPod like this once my school upgrades to G5s... just cruise over to the computing labs, plop in the iPod and BAM! you've got all your prefs and passwords and what not right there. Nice.

[kupan787]

Originally posted by Jansar:
<STRONG>Some company other than Apple is actually developing an organizer for the iPod right now.</STRONG>

Ya, but as far as I know it is just the same implementation as the current organizer is (browse through Artist till you get to whatever)

What I need to find out is where the iPod's OS is stored. I have looked through the HD, and cant find it (even turning on all the hidden files and such, and I still cant see it). That means it must be in RAM somewhere (firmware updates update it, so it has to be stored some place that can be read and written from).

Anyone have any clues?

Ben

[WJMoore]

Originally posted by kupan787:
<STRONG>

Ya, but as far as I know it is just the same implementation as the current organizer is (browse through Artist till you get to whatever)

What I need to find out is where the iPod's OS is stored. I have looked through the HD, and cant find it (even turning on all the hidden files and such, and I still cant see it). That means it must be in RAM somewhere (firmware updates update it, so it has to be stored some place that can be read and written from).

Anyone have any clues?

Ben</STRONG>

I have no real experience with the iPod itself however as a computer systems engineer in the making I can say with some certainty that the OS is stored in hardware, hence it gets a firmware update. This is most likely Flash memory. The only way access it is in a fashion similar to the way the firmware update program does - how ever that is.

There is no reason except that Apple don't want to why all sorts of extras can't be added to the iPod's functionality - space (Flash memory) permitting. Although I'm sure that if they wanted to they could make it execute (StrongARM?) programs from the hard disk. This thing has a lot more CPU power behind it that many of the first Mac's. Of course this is all just wishes. The fact remains that not much will happen without Apple's help, which is something I don't see happening soon... it would be nice though.

Wesley