iPodWizard hacks iPod nano to use backgrounds

We really had no idea how many iPod-using Engadget readers would be so stoked to finally be able to add such a simple thing -- backgrounds -- to their portable audio player. A new hack that claims to add a background to your 1st or 2nd gen nano (at the expense of dropping it down to the 1.1.1 firmware) have added customizable backgrounds with modder software iPodWizard. As usual, we do not vouch for the use of this software and wish you the best of luck in not bricking your precious iPod.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[jbstingray @ Feb 11th 2007 2:01PM]

Thanks, Ryan, for posting it!

Sorry we have such a poor screenshot for the hack, but for the first time this is actually legit!

Hope everyone enjoys it, we will have 5G support in a few days!

-jb

[BiT @ Feb 11th 2007 2:08PM]

Like I've said before: Awseome! And even on Engadget :P

[rosswf @ Feb 11th 2007 2:09PM]

It is only compatible with 1st Gen Nanos. 2nd Gen nanos are still encrypted.

[Tyme @ Feb 11th 2007 2:10PM]

Still windows only...
Mac users get no love when it comes to the ipod...
hm...

[jbstingray @ Feb 11th 2007 2:15PM]

Oh, one little revision - the 2nd Generation iPod nano is not supported - at this point the 1st generation nano and the 5G and 5.5G iPods will be supported.

We have yet to crack the 2nd generation nano's encryption; any of you great code breakers out there, drop us a line!

-jb

[jbstingray @ Feb 11th 2007 2:16PM]

http://digg.com/apple/iPod_Background_Finally_Possible

Digg it!

Better pictures to come!

-jb

[DJ @ Feb 11th 2007 2:49PM]

And while your downloading our work, please join and comment as well

[Aaron @ Feb 11th 2007 2:54PM]

That's cool, good work guys. But why hasn't Apple done this themselves? Such a simple thing, and it makes your iPod a lot less boring. For a company whose success is largely from making things shiny, it seems weird to me they didn't include the ability to do this.


...Go ahead, lower my post ranking for not loving Apple. I'm used to it.

[Brian @ Feb 11th 2007 3:00PM]

I agree, but it's probably to keep their minimalistic appearance, plus with lesser "fandangley options", it allows anyone to use it with more ease.

[Ed @ Feb 11th 2007 2:54PM]

Or I'll just do this from the get go with a Zune.

[rosswf @ Feb 11th 2007 3:00PM]

The point in this is that you can do it with a good player.

[Brian @ Feb 11th 2007 3:00PM]

will it allow a GIF animation?

[Aaron @ Feb 11th 2007 3:16PM]

Yeah, I think you're right. Keeping the look nice and clean is probably the reason. They could bury the option somewhere in the settings, though. For example, I doubt most people ever touch the equalizer on their iPod, but it is still in there for those that care about it. I think a lot of people would appreciate an iPod that you could customize beyond the color of the device itself.

[DJ @ Feb 11th 2007 3:00PM]

There is another clearer preview.

[jbstingray @ Feb 11th 2007 3:06PM]

Good call, Ross. That is exactly what I was thinking. Sure your Zunes and Sansas can do this already, but why the best part about this hack is it can now be done on an iPod, making you guys with Zunes and Sansas insecure that you are no longer special and now possess a mp3 player that just plain stinks.

-jb

[John Doe @ Feb 11th 2007 3:58PM]

Whatever fanboi. 1. Its only on a nano the world's smallest screen so WTF is the point. 2. Its only on a nano with a specific firmware. Upgrade the firmware and you are done. 3. Apple doesn't give a shit about their customers since its blatantly obvious that they have no intention of moving the iPod forward. I mean lets get serious here. Look at the first gen iPod and the latest. Other then size the damn thing hasn't changed other then moving to a touch sensitive wheel, color and video. That is after what? 6 years? Talk about stagnation. Apple knows they have a user base. There is no incentive to break the mold. Now if sales and market share dropped 10% in a one year period you can bet your ass that Apple would be releasing a new UI, new iPod design, think iPhone without the phone, and lower the price. But as it stand Apple has no incentive to give a shit about their users.
They are no better, and in many ways worse, then Microsoft. At least MS's fanbase is willing to call BS on them. Apple's? Steve Jobs could break into your house, mug you, and you would call it a blessing. I hate fanbois, on either platform, you are the ones keeping Apple from innovating. And a small clue: Smaller iPods != innovation.

[Andrew H. @ Feb 11th 2007 3:11PM]

this is already a feature in the creative zen v.
because ull very likely brick your nano attempting a downgrade, mite as well save ur money and buy a zen v or any other non-ipod player that can already do this.

...cue the ipod fanboys...

[rosswf @ Feb 11th 2007 3:29PM]

Well if your stupid enough to brick an iPod while downgrading it then yeh, you should stick to your zen.

[b @ Feb 11th 2007 3:46PM]

While this is a cool and impressive hack, I am not sure why people care so much about f-ing background images. Whenever Zune fanboi's prattle on about how Zune > iPod this is one of the two features they cite (the other being the crap song sharing). Honestly, who makes an mp3 player decision based on if they can put some crappy picture in the background to make the menus difficult to read?

[Russ @ Feb 11th 2007 3:46PM]

A lot of (perhaps deserved) iPod ripping going on here, but all the iPod hacks are actually part of why I own and love a first gen iPod nano. It currently has Rockbox on it, so I can play all the formats every nerd demands - ogg, flac, etc - in addition to mp3, and of course I can change the background and the theme. To be honest, I don't think I would own an iPod if all it could do is what Apple made it do. I think Apple made an awesome device with the Nano. It's crazy small and looks great, the interface is really nice, and combined with custom software, it's an awesome player.

[Truetune23 @ Feb 11th 2007 4:02PM]

why won't apple just let us do this one thing without the risks?!?!?!?

[Dan @ Feb 11th 2007 4:26PM]

I don't want to be an Apple apologist, but ... I imagine that part of the reason Apple has not enabled such an option in the past is simplicity. Allowing customizable backgrounds is deceptive at first glance, because in actuality it introduces a whole slew of other complications. You then have to allow users to change the text color so the menus remain readable, along with the highlight color, etc. etc. Its not just a matter of adding one new option to the settings screen; they would have to add several new settings. And well, according to Apple's design philosophy that would be bad...I don't entirely blame them.

[Victor Cornelius @ Feb 11th 2007 4:44PM]

When I read "A new hack that claims to add a background to your 1st or 2nd gen nano" I thought it was too good to be true. Turns out it was.

And here I was hoping that this could be the breakthrough that would allow RockBox on my 2nd gen. Nano.

[michael @ Feb 11th 2007 5:13PM]

Zune is way ahead of this, if you haven't noticed people.

[Mike @ Feb 11th 2007 5:16PM]

Wow...so many idiots can reply so quickly...lmao

I have a Sansa...and yes I have a wonderful background on it. WHO CARES THIS IS ABOUT THE IPOD LOL.

Its adding a feature that apple should have added long ago. Don't bash the player just cause you own a different one...instead be happy that the player to cause the portable audio revolution is finally getting a facelift by a generous crew of hackers. We love you :)

[mitch @ Feb 11th 2007 7:12PM]

Or just get iPod Linux...

[Craig @ Feb 11th 2007 7:53PM]

@rosswf: Wel if you're stupid enough to confuse "your" and "you're" you should go back to school.

(Unless English is your second or third language in which you're doing much better than most)

[Chris @ Feb 11th 2007 11:51PM]

What crawled up your ass.

[Christian SJ @ Feb 11th 2007 9:35PM]

Tried it, it works. But the layout is all over the place, title bar and battery meter is misplaced. I went back to the 1.3 Apple Firmware and everything is good, back to how it used to be.

[Miranda Kali @ Feb 11th 2007 10:22PM]

My, oh my. For a tech-savy lot, I see quite a few readers acting a bit immature.
The fact is boys, I don't care what team you generally wag your testicles for, the kids over at iPW have made and achievement. This is something that has been naught but a dream since the inception of the iPod, for more than a few people.
Kudos to you gents, kudos.
I do have a bit of bad news for the general public, though. Contrary to what this article stats, the "background" has not been modified. More truthfully, the "title bar" has been modified. In other words, on the "start" screen you have a nice background image, but once you go to a "now playing" screen you can see how the background is segmented. This is a very new hack and is riddled with bugs. Apple engineers won't be seeing this, saying "Damn it, Steve! Why won't you let us do this!".
On the other hand, this is a huge step. This is the furthest anyone's got at changing the background of an iPod...ever.
It may well be, that that's not a big deal to you. For other's it's huge.
Imagine.
You live in medieval times an are use to lounging on the ground or on bits of hay. Someone invents the couch.
Wow. It's amazing. It's wonderful. You don't know how you ever got by without. Then some smartass has the gall to say, "Yeah, it's great and all...but does it come in other colours?"
The inventor is flabbergasted. "Other colours!" What the hell is wrong with you. No one else gives a rat's bloated pancreas about the colour. What's your problem? Don't you realize we've designed this thing to be the best it can possible be?
People in your social circle hear of your dissent and suggest you go with a new competitor, "the divan", but it's just not the same. You LOVE the couch. You just wish it came in other colours. You try to dye the fabric, but it proves difficult. You begin to feel that the couch inventor has used treatments that actually make it impossible to make the couch a different colour just to be mean...
....
Okay. See where this is going?
Give credit where credit is due, and stop with "my gadget is better than yours" penis wagging. We're all geeks here and should get behind someone when they pull off a good hack.
Right. I'll shut up now. ('less y'all get foolish again)

[Andrew H. @ Feb 12th 2007 12:20AM]

probably the same thing that he snorted up his nasal passage =p

[DM @ Feb 12th 2007 5:12AM]

Apple is so behind, and so ahead when it comes to lawsuits, copyright infringements, stealing etc...