Apple Once Helped the U.S. Govt Procure a Modded iPod
Right here’s a story of an no longer going alliance: Support in 2005, the U.S. Govt requested Apple for back modifying an iPod. What did the government are attempting to achieve precisely? We don’t know undoubtedly. Nevertheless we attain know the modded iPod might possibly possibly maybe narrative information and hide its lawful nature from PCs and Macs. No less than, that’s what dilapidated Apple instrument engineer David Shayer tells us.
Over on TidBits, Shayer lays out the story. One day in 2005, he used to be in his site of labor at Apple HQ when the director of iPod came in and closed the door on the reduction of him. Shayer’s “boss’s boss” had an project: work with the government to educate them tips on how to originate a particular iPod. Nobody might possibly possibly maybe know and don’t quiz questions.
Shayer didn’t attain any work on the iPod, nor used to be he allowed to seem at what hardware the contractors connected to the government supposed so to add. In its set, he offered fetch admission to to fresh source code (which couldn’t leave the constructing) and answered questions whereas getting them in regulate on iPod style.
The contractors wished to hang tips on how to retailer information so as that it wouldn’t stutter up if somebody connected the iPod to a PC or Mac. They furthermore wished so to add a delicate menu likelihood to begin and pause recording information.
Apple didn’t provide instrument previous the source code or hardware. The contractors even bought their very accept as true with iPods to work with, fifth-generation iPod which contained a 60 GB tough force, and crucially didn’t advance with a signed OS.
Shayer can’t be particular what the government wished to flip the iPod into, but his most attention-grabbing bet is a surreptitious Geiger counter. In iPod create, Division of Energy brokers might possibly possibly maybe stroll around and order it, and no one regularly is the wiser. It’d spy like somebody being attentive to music on the trail.
Your whole story is over on TidBits, and it’s every bit price the read. Don’t omit out.
Provide: TidBits