As one of the most popular MP3 players ever invented, the iPod has won numerous awards and has been purchased millions of times by people all around the world since its inception over 10 years ago. Apple has included their own operating system, known as iOS, on all of the iPods they have built and shipped. While iOS is a good operating system in its own right, some people naturally want to expand the capabilities of their iPod by installing a new operating system that replaces the existing one on new iPods. iPodLinux is an operating system based on Linux technology that is designed to run on all Apple iPod devices.
History
The idea for a Linux type operating system to be used on an iPod was thought of shortly after the original iPod was released in 2001. Computer scientist student Nils Schneider recognized numerous shortcomings related to the Apple iOS operating system and decided to extract the fourth generation bootloader. This process took him 22 hours to complete. After extracting the bootloader Schneider was able to replace the original iOS operating system with a Linux-type system he and fellow students had developed.
How to use Linux on your iPod
Installing and using Linux on iPod is easy when you follow the steps below:
Choose an iPod management software that you want to use for your operating system. There are numerous choices for the Linux OS, read reviews to determine which is right for you.
Connect your iPod to your computer and follow the onscreen instructions that are displayed by the bootloader program. If this is a new iPod you may need to initialize it prior to using it with the new operating system.
Run your iPod management software which will allow you to transfer your playlists, movies, games and other things from your iTunes library onto your iPod.
After transferring all of the files you want on your iPod you must press “Unmount” in iTunes. Wait until your iPod says “OK to Disconnect.” This is your signal that all files have been successfully transferred and you can then unplug your iPod from your computer.
You get many features not found on the Apple OS when you install and run Linux. Chief among them are new color scheme support, ability to run emulators, such as iBoy, numerous new games and ability to record higher quality sound files through audio jack.
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