Comments on: Lego iPod hacking robot

By: Hillshum

Hillshum — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:03:56 +0000

More people are likely to have mindstorms sets and want to hack their iPod than want to take the thing apart.

By: signal7

signal7 — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:59:45 +0000

@mykeyfinn: This issue has to do with licensing. I can’t really say for certain why apple would do this, but in the case of the PSP, the development costs of the PSP are subsidized by the sale of games and accessories. If you run whatever code *you* want to run on the device, it breaks the subsidy chain. In other words, it all comes down to money and Sony wants to ensure that they make money on the device. This is especially true when these devices are being sold at a price point that’s below the build cost. The PS3 is a perfect example of a device that (used to) cost more to manufacture than the price consumers paid for it.

But anyway… I’ll agree with others that commented saying that building the bot is way over complicating things. Take it apart and wire directly to the button contacts. It would probably be faster and you wouldn’t wear out the buttons iteratively running tests.

By: Tyramis

Tyramis — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:40:17 +0000

We should definitely help out the linux4nano team some more I heard a guy say if they got a 3rd gen donation they could have those hacked as well. anyone hav a 3g….??????

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 08:59:30 +0000

beyond awesome

By: mykeyFinn

mykeyFinn — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 07:48:46 +0000

Its the psp all over again, I bought the dam thing, now your trying to tell me what I can do with 250 dollars I spent. Screw that I bought it Ill do what I like, and if you “protect” it I am well within my rights to break said protection. Why do companies always try to limit what can be done with their tech. I understand when it’s software, but the hardware is already bought. As long as companies lock their physical product then Well keep hacking it.

By: AutoRecerca't

AutoRecerca't — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:48:40 +0000

Cool hack! We also provide some tips for Lego robots in our site. It’w written in catalan but you’re welcome anyway!

By: dext0rb

dext0rb — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 06:08:33 +0000

cool about the robot but i found the part about the notes app jumping and running arbitrary code more interesting.

By: threepointone

threepointone — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 05:04:39 +0000

totally agree with hiroe, don’t have any clue why they don’t just wire up the darn switches directly to a uC. Definitely won’t fry it if you know what you’re doing, and if you’re really concerned just use a relay. I’ve got several MP3 players hooked up like this for cheap media playback for quite a number of my projects.

By: ProGamingLife.com

ProGamingLife.com — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 04:26:34 +0000

@frg I 2nd that notion

By: tjhooker

tjhooker — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:52:42 +0000

More vendors are figuring out starting packed signature chains from unmodifiable resources is the way to go on embedded devices for integrity. Now if they can just start using page locking.

On an unmodified signature chain with page locking bus tapping and code modification are useless if the feature are implemented right. You add LPAR it’s actually impossible without die modification which nobody can do. They use LPAR on the ps3 for almost every and the vital code is in a local store controller the host lpar..

By: Hiroe

Hiroe — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:10:31 +0000

you’d figure theyd just take a micro controller and wire it directly to the inputs, although it would probably destroy the ipod…

By: sly

sly — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:57:58 +0000

mystery nano theater 3000

By: bort

bort — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:55:09 +0000

brute force ftw

By: frg

frg — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 23:20:24 +0000

“nanotron 3000″ i like the sound of that XD