ZOMG, Zune runs teh Linux!

A tip like "omg its true. mys videl was really workin on teh zune linux." doesn't really inspire confidence -- in the story, or in the future of mankind -- but if this YouTube video is to be believed, it seems as if some foolio named "MysVidel," who can't even manage to get a camera to focus properly, has hacked up his Zune to run Linux. It could very well just be a video playing back on the Zune, meant to fool the casual viewer, but the button presses are well enough timed that we're willing to give this one a fair shake. Don't let us down, MysVidel. As for tipster -- our hope in you is lost already. Like always, check the video after the break.

[Thanks, Jeff]

[Panzer_V @ Jan 14th 2007 2:29AM]

If Zune gets the same linux support as the orginal XBOX got then i would buy it because i can see it have so many cool feature that other mp3 couldn't.

[Kyle Foley @ Jan 14th 2007 2:32AM]

looks real to me

[Carlos @ Jan 14th 2007 2:49AM]

Why is it that any time a moderately cool hack comes out that the proof is always from someone with a video camera from 1972?

Come on folks...

[scott @ Jan 14th 2007 2:49AM]

The low quality is inexcusable, show me a cast in VGA 15fps or better please, because anything less is too poor of quality to be considered evidence.

[Jeff @ Jan 14th 2007 2:56AM]

"If Zune gets the same linux support as the orginal XBOX got then i would buy it because i can see it have so many cool feature that other mp3 couldn't."

'Other mp3' have been running linux for a while now.

[Gil @ Jan 14th 2007 4:20AM]

But no other had WiFi

[George @ Jan 14th 2007 6:31AM]

The Archos 604 Wifi runs on Linux and, unsurprisingly, has Wifi functionality.

The Wifi on the 604 hasn't been crippled like it has on the Zune (you can wirelessly sync, browse and manage remote directories, browse the net, play media directly off your network and even run the 604 as a self-contained wireless NAS).

However as far as I know, the OS hasn't yet been opened up for anyone to play with.

[Carbonize @ Jan 14th 2007 5:11AM]

Even my mobile phone takes better video than that. If you had really managed to do it you would of done the video over and over until you had it looking at least half decent.

[Jonny @ Jan 14th 2007 5:20AM]

I agree that he shoulda had a better video. But if it's fake I commend him at least for his video production skills, it's pretty convincing.

[strider_mt2k @ Jan 14th 2007 8:35AM]

Way to ruin the potentially good hacking cred by filming the results in vasaline-vision.

It's as shady as it is out of focus.

[2ASquared @ Jan 14th 2007 10:22AM]

Umm, MysVidel wasn't the one who released this. MysVidel is a moderator at zuneboards.com, and someone CLAIMED MysVidel leaked it to him. If it were real, there would be a post about it on those forums. The only post I saw was someone asking about the fishy video. Don't get your hopes up guys.

[jon @ Jan 14th 2007 10:26AM]

I wish the video were clearer... If there were a post by "MysVidel" explaining whats going on, that would also help. It seems that I am not the only one complaining:

http://www.zunescene.com/forums/index.php?topic=8863.0

(unsuprisingly posted with a bugmenot account)

[Drew @ Jan 14th 2007 11:26AM]

I need better proof than that for this to be real. No audio, extremely old camera? Sounds like it could of been faked to me.

[pete @ Jan 14th 2007 11:40AM]

When you play a video on the zune it AUTO rotates to land scape mode. So unless the video of linux was composed onto the screen of zune in a video editing program this looks to be real

[waffles @ Jan 14th 2007 1:34PM]

what if the guy rotated the video to look like that in landscape?

[Dan @ Jan 26th 2007 5:21PM]

HE's got a point, I just got a zune and there's no way to rotate video to play vertically. The only way it's possible, as Waffles said, was to rotate the video. That is, if it was not transposed onto the zune after recorded, then a very high intensity blur effect was added. Not to mention, if the video was put on after...that was some impressive button-pushing

[Chris @ Jan 14th 2007 12:30PM]

first off, I've never seen linux boot and load any sort of GUI that fast. even the higher end iPaq's take twice that long. Until I see boot loader instructions, I'm calling this a fake.

[waffles @ Jan 14th 2007 1:35PM]

maybe i'm being stupid here, but i never understood the point of putting linux on a gadget like this >_>.

[Tim @ Jan 15th 2007 1:04AM]

Waffles, There are many reasons to put linux on all sorts of gadgets:

1) It's a challenge and challenges are fun.
2) It enables the device to (hopefully) do more than it was originally designed to do. Just look at the recent post of the iPod running Doom with a hacked NES controller as input! Plus, the zune has WiFi capabilities which could make it even more useful. It would be pretty nice to have an SSH client on my mp3 player.
3) Perhaps the irony of putting Linux on MS boxen is enough of a reason for some.

[riggs @ Jan 14th 2007 2:28PM]

its about as elusive to the camera as bigfoot and ufo's, except its not moving =\

[xxdesmus @ Jan 14th 2007 2:45PM]

It does indeed look quite real.

1. We need a better video
2. We need some code to try it out ourselves.

[Sergioknight @ Jan 14th 2007 2:55PM]

Sorry, but two instances in 14 comments?

It's 'HAVE been', not 'OF been'. Is one of you the tipster?

[greg @ Jan 14th 2007 5:46PM]

hmmm I see some freaken sweet things coming from a linux zune. I think I might have to pick one up = ]

[Murc @ Jan 14th 2007 10:59PM]

yeah, when I see fuzzy short videos like that...I call hoax.

My damn cell phone can shoot better video then that!

[Phil @ Jan 25th 2007 11:19PM]

ya go cheak out the Anchos 604 Wi-Fi

[justme @ Apr 3rd 2007 6:37PM]

Panzer_V: Ever heard of http://www.rockbox.org/ ?

[Dragod @ Aug 30th 2007 8:49PM]

MysVidel doesn't even have a Zune, I believe o.o