And not hacked like "oh, cool, now we can change the system font" hacked, or "sweet bro, now we can watch the Linux boot sequence" hacked. I'm talking about splayed-open, ready for custom apps, probably-gonna-get-Barnes & Noble-and-AT&T-kind-of-upset hacked. In other words, it's been rooted, like so many Android phones, which means that core OS changes, hacks, and almost certainly apps are all in the cards. Here's the software breakdown, according to Nookdevs:

[The Nook] appears to be running a generic Android image with B&N customization on top to hide the Android underpinnings:

[With]:

• Android 1.5 Cupcake
• Built Tue Dec 1 14:50:20 CST 2009
• turboboot bootloader
• asound
• pvplayer

So what we've essentially got here is a full-fledged Android device, with two screens, a few gigabytes of removable storage and a SIM card with a data connection. The rooting process isn't exactly easy—it involves a screwdriver, a knife, and an Linux computer, if that tells you anything—but the hacking prospects here are massive. AT&T, whose free, unlimited, ebook-only data connection is the Nook's gateway to the internet, can't be too happy about this. That, or they've got some kind of provision for blocking non-ebook data transfer, which the new class of Nook hackers will spend the rest of their devices' lifespans actively trying to circumvent. This should be fun.

And for anyone dying to fill the gaps in the Nook's spec sheet, well, here you go:

• Samsung S3C6410 Processor
• Synaptics TM1369 Touchscreen controller
• Internal 2GB Sandisk microSD card for internal storage
• 3 Partitions
• sdb1: system: ext3 250MB
• sdb2: update possibly?: ext3 150MB
• sdb3: internal memory: ext3 1309MB
• Sierra Wireless MC8777V wireless modem in data only mode

[Nookdevs]

When WebOS 1.3.1 skipped updating the camera app, the developers of Precorder decided not to wait any longer, and things are looking promising. The app supports MPEG-4, H.263, and H.264/AVC video recording, lets you control the flash, and videos can be played back in the Pre's video player. Again, it's alpha software, so try with caution. But you can check it out at: [Precorder via Pre Central]

Sony's PRS readers run a stripped down variant of Linux, which apparently makes loading homebrew code fairly straightforward. Some users have found ways to change fonts, icons and graphics, as well as to remap keys, and even add rudimentary applications, like dictionaries and and basic games. (Hey, Sudoku!) The Register has a simple guide to the process—it doesn't involve much more than cooking up a special SD card—which, at least at the moment, won't net you a huge amount of new functionality. But the promise is there, and the floodgates seem to have opened, so why not?

There's no way to know if these kinds of hacks will work on the latest batch of PRS readers, because while they're also Linux-based, but Sony hasn't been terribly accommodating to homebrewers in the past. Let's just say it's conceivable that they've done a little code-caulking here and there. We'll have to see, but PRS-505 users, go forth! [The Register via BBG]

Why, Palm, when your SDK isn't available until late summer, would you go and patch the homebrew? At the very least, developers have the leaked SDK to work off of, even if it's not final. [Palm via Engadget]

Seriously. Apparently, there's a gaping security hole in the Pre's email app, which allows certain applications to be installed by way of a simple link. Once a homebrew app has been properly prepared, it's just a matter of emailing yourself a link to the app's .IPK file.

Creating the packages isn't so simple, since they have to be packages in a certain way and spoof a legitimate software signature, although if you're the kind of person who's well-versed enough to create a homebrew app in the first place, these instructions probably won't seem that intimidating.

So, the apps! Since this hack is about a day old, they're basically nonexistent, except for one proof-of-concept dummy app called "SimplyFlipFlops." Palm won't be properly opening up the App Catalog for a while, so homebrewers have plenty of time, and serious gap to fill. Let's just hope Palm doesn't seal this up with their next update. (Spoiler: They probably will.) [Precentral via Slashgear]

Their accomplishments are modest in the grand scheme of things, but this is an auspicious start:

My first application works!! I'm so excited! It's just a pretty "hello world" application with a few simple command tests - but hey - it's a working application on the pre!

Other mini-hacks include changing vibration length and intervals, adding a shot timer to the camera and eliminating its shutter sound. The early consensus, it seems, is that the Pre is an easy hack.

Notice anything familiar here? This is a lot like what happened with the first iPhone, which shipped without native app support, leaving prospective developers to toil with lame web apps—sort of like what's been outlined in upcoming the WebOS SDK. That situation spawned a productive homebrew community, which is still alive and kicking today. From the looks of it, the Pre will have a burgeoning underground app gray market before its SDK even gets distributed.

Granted, Palm will grant developers appreciably more leeway than Apple's initial web-only approach, allowing for local storage and tighter system integration, but system-level mods, like the aforementioned changes to the camera and vibration functions, aren't on the table. Follow the thread for more—it's fascinating stuff. [Precentral]

Normally available exclusively to licensed developers direct from Nintendo, a dev kit could facilitate the development of your own games. Great, right? But if that's not your thing, then the green-faceplated machine is probably a pass since, from what we understand, the Wii Dev Kit can't play final retail games. What about homebrew and backups? You're on your own with that stuff, though this thread has some decent background on the matter. Do any real Wii devs in the audience care to elaborate on that topic? [eBay via GoNintendo]

The video above shows (turn the sound off if you're at work) shows developers "Davee" and "Bubbletune" using a TIFF exploit on 5.03 firmware, placing the PSP into the correct state that it can eventually run custom homebrew apps. It's not quite finished, but it should be close now. [Slashdot via Technabob]

Update: Nevermind! Looks like Chickhen, the homebrew enabler, is available now. Thanks karltpb.

Loaded through the Homebrew Channel, WiiGator seems to work well enough in this video clip. But, according to the sharp eyes of one YouTube commenter, the gameplay does seem to be a bit quicker than normal...by two or three times. Hopefully issues like that are precisely why the bugs are still being worked out.

And for a complete instructions to hacking the Wii, check out John Mahoney's handy guide. [via Maxconsole]

When he created this little hack, Alanceil was thinking in a way many of us here today can understand. That way being, forget buying a box full of Luddite tools, let's hack some existing gadgets from around the house so they do the same job—but cooler!

To use LevelTool, you'll need to install the Wii Homebrew Channel, and have access to an SD card. The Wii Homebrew Channel tutorial begins... HERE. LevelTool info is available at WiiBrew.

Just another hack in a long line of them for Nintendo's immensely popular system. Still no hard drive though ;-) [WiiBrew via technabob]

While this may be just a standard hardware switch and not a concerted effort to block piracy, some keen-eyed modders quickly noticed the change—in the latest drive revision, found in an Australian model with the serial number LAH1098xxxxx, the drive controller chip necessary for previous mods had been completely replaced by a new one.

What they have done is combine the old D1A and drive controller chip in to one which is now called the GC2-D3, as you can see from the photo there is a big blank space on the PCB where the controller chip used to be.

So far there haven't been any other reports of these Wiis showing up outside of Australia, so it may be a while before we see them widespread and by then, I'm guessing there will probably already be a workaround. Kiddies who just can't wait to open up their new Wiis and solder up a mod chip on Christmas morning, though, should probably double check which drive they have first. [mywii.com.au via GoNintendo]

With a CD-R spindle, some cardboard and wood scraps, a giant syringe, a webcam, and some glue, Stephen Myer created the body of a doggy-treat dispenser. He then used ioBridge's beta hardware—which included a pre-made servo smart board and a fill-in-the-blank type web interface—that created a widget and javascript for him.

After pasting the javascript into his iPhone, Myer also embedded streaming feed from a webcam on his dog's kennel, so that he would be able to see what his dog is up to when it thinks no one is watching. If Sparky is being a good boy, Myer could press a button that will give Sparky a treat! However, if Sparky is misbehaving, I have to wonder if this application can get the dispenser to smack Sparky with a broom. Although this application is not for purchase, Myer's blog has step-by-step instructions on how to turn your iPhone into your very own dogwatcher. [Cygnet via TUAW]

Acekard, makers of many fine flashcarts for the original DS and DS Lite, have done in a month or so what many thought might take much longer, or even be impossible: load homebrew code on the DSi. And on top of that, Acekard is claiming support for all of the DSi's new hardware goodness like the camera and SD card, which is surely wetting many a homebrew mouth today with anticipatory drool.

The Acekard 2i should be available via your favorite gray market gaming gear vendors soon. [Acekard via Kotaku]

New features include USB keyboard support in the Mii channel, enhanced parental controls, and that's where the fun stops: the update also apparently deletes the Homebrew Channel and any other unofficial channels and promises to "check for and automatically remove" modified save files from your system—which is the method used to execute the famous Twilight Hack that makes all the homebrew possible. Not sure whether that means it will disable such save files going forward—hopefully not.

So at the moment, if you have homebrew on your Wii or are planning to (using our handy Wii homebrew
guide, of course), don't update. The Wiibrew folks will hopefully come up with a patched solution that allows you to upgrade without the ill affects. Man, I hope we didn't jinx Wii 'brew by calling it "relatively stable!" [Wiibrew via Maxconsole]

Full message from Nintendo describing the update here:

Message from Nintendo

Wii Menu version 3.4 is now available for your Wii console. To update your Wii Menu to the latest version, please select the Update button at the bottom of the screen or select the System Update option in Wii System Settings.

With this update, Parental Controls have been enhanced, USB keyboard support is available for the Mii Channel, and system functions have been improved.

The Wii User Agreement, which includes the Wii Privacy Policy, has been updated. Because the updated agreement applies to you and your use of the Wii Network Service, you should view the updated version by clicking on the Wii icon located on the lower-left portion of the Wii Channel menu, selecting Wii Settings, accessing the Internet setting, and selecting User Agreements.

You may also view the updated Wii User Agreement online at http://support.nintendo.com

Because unauthorized modifications to save files may impair game play or the Wii console, updating to Wii Menu version 3.4 will also check for and automatically remove such save files.

**Please note: If you've updated your Wii Menu after 11/17/08, you may not need to update again.

Thank you for updating your Wii console!

Nintendo

Now, it bears mentioning that HTC is pretty diligent about updating their phones, releasing driver and software updates to improve performance when necessary. Problem is, these updates don't usually trickle down through the cellular providers, leaving most users stuck with the first (and only) generation of the phone's branded—and sometimes crippled— software. Thanks to XDA, most users can switch to an up-to-date OS, with a variety of extra tweaks added at the discretion of the community.

What do you stand to gain from upgrading your ROM?

• Better battery life
• Faster performance, especially in TouchFLO 3D
• Stronger reception
• Quicker, less laggy GPS locking and tracking
• Bundles of useful software, included updated, faster Opera browser
• Reenabling carrier-chopped features such as tethering, HDSPA

Popular phones best suited for upgrade:

• Touch
• Touch Dual
• Touch Diamond
• Touch Pro
• Other variants

The prospect of upgrading your phone's entire OS might sound intimidating, but the XDA community has provided GUI tools for each step. The procedure is not risk-free, but the success rate polls highly among people who follow the directions closely. I flashed T-Mobile's branded Diamond, the MDA Compact IV, without incident.

Ready to give this a shot? XDA's detailed guides are available here:

• Touch/Touch Dual
• Touch Diamond/Touch Pro
• 
  Others can be found in the device subforums here.

If ROMs and bootloaders and radios all sound too scary (and I wouldn't blame you), XDA also has a hefty collection of simpler tweaks and mods for your HTC phones, including themes, games and apps that you might not find elsewhere.

Expect to hear a lot more about these guys in the coming months—they'll probably be the first ones to port Android to older HTC handsets. As of the 4th, they've got a severely gimped version of Android 0.8 (the G1 launched with 1.0) running on the Diamond, so an "Install Android on Your HTC Phone" Dealzmodo Hack is inevitable, if still pretty far off. [XDA Developers and ModMyDiamond]

Dealzmodo Hacks are intended to help you sustain your crippling gadget addiction through tighter times. If you come across any on your own that are particularly useful, send it to our tips line (Subject: Dealzmodo Hack). Check back every Thursday for free DIY tricks to breathe new life into hardware that you already own.

Finding a clear and concise guide for loading homebrew software on a game console is almost always impossible—the info is always changing as homebrewers battle new hack-blocking software updates (like Nintendo's recent doozy), and it's scattered across countless gamer forums that you don't want to have to sift through, trust me. Thankfully, the Wii's homebrew scene is fairly stable, and took only a few days to bounce back (mostly) intact after being temporarily shut down last week. Here you'll find a guide for easily getting homebrew up and running on any Wii, even if you've run the recent updated, to play old-school emulated games and watch video on your Wii. It's easy, trust us.

The gear you will need:
• A copy of Zelda: Twilight Princess
• SD card (2GB max) and reader
• Twilight Hack software [download v0.1 beta 1]
• Homebrew Channel software [download, beta 9]
• Homebrew Browser [download v.0.2.3b]

Note: links fresh as of October 31, 2008. If you're here a few months after that, check each project's linked site for any new versions.

First things first, if you haven't updated your Wii since October 23, 2008, don't do it yet. Follow our guide here without updaing, and then follow these instructions to install a tweaked version of the 10/23 update that won't kill your brew. Now, on with the guide.

Load up your SD card
Now, there are programs like the Wii Brew SD Installer that will grab or come bundled with the necessary files and will set up your SD card in a fairly automated fashion—but those programs can often be as confusing as the homebrew code itself and are rarely multi-platform, so I find it easier to go at it fully manual-style, which really isn't that hard at all and is more likely to work perfectly. Here are the steps:

1. Unpack the Twilight Hack zip file and copy the "private" directory to the root folder of an empty SD card.

2. Unpack the Homebrew Channel zip file and copy the "boot.dol" file and "wiiload" folder to the root of your SD card as well.

3. Create a folder on the root of your SD called "apps." Unpack the Homebrew Browser zip file and put the "homebrew_browser" directory and all its contents in your "apps" folder. Your SD card should look like this:

Time For the Twilight Hack
I think someone told me the intricacies of how the Twilight Princess hack works once, and I understood it not one iota, which is fine, because you don't need to understand it to use it. So let's just leave it at that, and go on with the knowledge that this is one of the weirdest backdoor hacks you're likely to come across. If you don't own Twilight Princess, it's good, you should, but a rented copy will work just fine too. Before you do the hack, make sure you've played Twilight Princess at least once and have a data file saved.
4. With the SD card you just prepped inserted, go into the Data Management interface and delete your previous Twilight Princess saved game (you should back it up first to the SD card or you'll lose it). Copy over the Twilight Hack save file from the SD card.

5. Before you put in the Twilight Princess Disc, look at the bottom: in the first dark band after the data portion of the disk, there will be a printed number. If it ends in 0A-0, you will use the TwilightHack0 save; if it ends in 0A-2, you use TwilightHack2.

6. Fire up Twilight Princess and select the correct save file. Once the game loads, walk backwards. The Homebrew Channel loader will fire up immediately—follow the onscreen instructions for a couple button presses and your Wii is official ready to brew. And now, feel free to switch to an SDHC card over 2GB, because the latest Homebrew Channel includes SDHC support. (But your Wii proper will still be unable to read it).

Grab Some Apps
The SD card we've prepared here comes with one app, the Homebrew Browser, which thankfully is a Wii Shop-like conduit to many, many more apps that can be downloaded and installed directly on the Wii without ever removing the SD card. You can also manually download and install individual homebrew apps can simply copy the directories they come in to your "apps" folder on the SD card, and the Homebrew Channel will recognize them automatically. The Wii Pack Generator is a great source for directly downloading apps, and it has a few that aren't listed in the Homebrew Browser.

7. Since the Homebrew Channel stores all of your added apps and data on the SD card, the first app I would download is ftpii, which is an FTP server for the Wii that allows you to login from any computer on the same network and access the SD card. This is awesome for loading movies or more apps to the card without having to physically swap it back and forth from your computer to Wii. To install an app simply fire up the Homebrew Browser, find it in the listings, and click "Download" for it to show up on your main Homebrew Channel menu automatically.

8. For videos, install MPlayer. There are a couple versions - you want the "dvdlib version." Then you can dump media files (I tested a few non-HD DiVX and MPEG videos, all worked great—but the Wii choked on the 1080p MPEG No Country For Old Men trailer I tried) onto your SD card and play them on your TV. No high-def, but if the Wii is your main machine, this is nice.

9. And, most important, SNES9X. Plays Super Nintendo ROMs without flaw. Essential. There are emulators for tons of other consoles, from the Genesis to N64.

One Small Catch, Now
DVD playback via DVDX is one of the only things that hasn't been updated to work with the newest Nintendo update. When it does, you can install it simply via the DVDX listing in the Homebrew Browser (we'll update this guide), and play DVDs through MPlayer. Custom WAD and backup installers (read: game pirating gear) are also not yet fully adapted to the new block, but you weren't going to be messing with any of those anyway, right?

So there you have it. With a few minutes of tinkering, you now have a Wii that can play just about every vintage video game system imagineable, play your downloaded, ripped or DRM-free purchased videos on your TV, and world of other tricks. We'll update this guide should anything change.

Hanging out at sites like Giz may have instilled in you an insatiable, pocket-emptying gadget habit. But now we're entering a new era—the old guys on the TV are saying that soon we may not even have pockets, let alone money for them. Don't panic though: You've probably got a wealth of gadgetry sitting underutilized in your living rooms, closets and basements, just waiting to be given powerful new (not exactly authorized) features. For free.

I've collected the best firmware replacements, software mods and homebrew hacks from the DMCA-flouting, EULA-hating frontiers of gadgetland that'll breathe new life into your stable of hardware and maybe—just maybe—let you feel that lusty new-gadget rush again.

Turn Your Xbox, Old PC or Apple TV into a Genuine Media Center

Xbox Media Center is about as refined as an unauthorized hack can get, playing back virtually any audio and video format, running a bevy of console emulators and still playing your Xbox games. To be honest, this should almost be viewed as a natural update for every Xbox, which at its core is a slow but functional PC with an easy TV connection. (Any actual PCs you have lying around can run a PC-ported version of XBMC.)

Boxee is a very slick fork of the XBMC project for Mac, and it's available for Apple TV. As shipped, the Apple TV works fine within the closed iTunes ecosystem, but Boxee's support for virtually every video codec and free online video like YouTube, CNN, BBC, and Revision3 will suit your new, more destitute lifestyle a bit better.

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate. Installation is pretty straightforward in most cases, with simple Boxee and XBMC setup programs available for Windows, Mac and Linux. Before you load XBMC, though, you have to mod your Xbox with one of these methods, many of which require a specific game. After that it's all install wizards and lollipops.

Installing anything on the locked-down Apple TV used to take some serious finagling, but there are now tools that will create an automated Boxee installer on a flash drive. Just plug the drive in, restart and you're good to go.

XBMC Online Manual

Boxee

Make Over Your iPod, Archos, iRiver or Sandisk with Rockbox

It's hard to look at the current generation of media players and not admire their diverse capabilities and extensible software platforms. That's not to say that your 5th-gen iPod doesn't play back music perfectly well, or that your iRiver H10 still isn't a kickass media player, but they do feel a bit dated. Rockbox replaces your MP3 player's operating system with something more substantial, effectively making it a completely new device. You get endless codec support, advanced audio options, dozens of games, useful apps like a calculator and a text editor, plus you can choose from tons of different interface skins for a unique look and feel. Rockbox's tweaking possibilities mean you will earn admiring "what is that?" questions from friends, and it won't cost you a thing. If your player isn't supported yet just hold on—everything from the Zen Vision:M to the Toshiba Gigabeat S has a fairly active dev team.

Difficulty: Easy. Rockbox has an automated tool called the Rockbox Utility available for Windows, Mac and Linux. It does the work for you. Even better, it often automatically configures your player to dual boot with its original OS.

Rockbox Official Site

Convert Your PC or Notebook Into A Much More Expensive Mac

It's undeniable that Macs are too expensive. For many, they are considered a luxury item whose added cost doesn't justify the benefit. Luckily Apple's switch to an Intel platform opened up a world of unauthorized OS X installations which can turn your existing PC into a powerhouse Mac Pro workstation, or morph your MSI Wind or Asus EeePC into the Mac netbook that should be in their goddamn product line anyway. Check the hardware compatibility list to see if your PC is eligible for the upgrade.

Difficulty: Moderate to Hard. If you're not morally opposed to downloading iATKOS and Kalyway, which are pre-patched Leopard install DVDs (this is bit torrent territory), then the process is much like installing any other OS. If you insist on building your own patched install from a DVD you own, then, well, good luck. Always check hardware lists first, though, because driver support is everything.

OSX86 Project Page

Flash Your Crappy Router Into a Top-Line Piece of Hardware

The DD-WRT project exists for a simple reason: Most routers are physically very similar, but are priced differently because of functionality derived from software. The DD-WRT firmware unlocks the potential of the most basic routers out there—too many to name but damn if yours isn't on the list. As it turns out, your budget model is kind of impressive: Program-specific traffic throttling, professional level wireless security and radical signal boosting are just a few of the dozens of new features that can be enabled.

Difficulty: Easy. If you can't manage this one, then you don't deserve a router—installation just takes a few clicks on the device's default configuration pages. A word of caution, though: Make sure your router configuration page is totally compatible with your browser before the operation, as some choke on Firefox and can botch firmware upgrades. Stick to IE if you have the choice.

DD-WRT Project Page

Download Updated Maps For Your Old GPS

I'm referring of course to capital 'D' downloading here, mainly because at the moment GPS map updates are a racket. You could spend hundreds of dollars on map data that is freely available on Google Maps, Microsoft Live and MapQuest, among others, or you can just, you know, not. Map packs for Garmin, TomTom and Magellan units are floating around torrent sites and usually don't require much more than a simple CD image mount and run routine to set up. (Guilty conscience sold separately.)

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate. If you're just running a copy of a CD, then you'll be able to use the installation wizards. Some more involved methods for Windows CE-based devices require some SSH file transfers, but these are relatively rare.

Jailbreak Your iPhone for Wi-Fi Internet Tethering

Two internet plans are enough, but to sign on to a mobile internet contract when you've already got unlimited iPhone data feels kind of stupid. Jailbreaking your iPhone is now about as easy as performing a firmware upgrade, and there are actually multiple tethering apps. PDANet and iPhoneModem both work a treat, but keep in mind that excessive usage could draw AT&T's attention and ire: Tethering is not allowed on the data plan, even though it works fine. Both apps are available in Cydia, where you can also find a limited assortment of other apps that don't have a place in the app store.

Difficulty: Moderate. Jailbreaking can be managed through the Dev Team's fantastic Quickpwn tool, but it does take a few minutes and can go wrong if instructions aren't followed closely. After jailbreak, Cydia and Installer fill the role of the gray-market app store, functioning as simple package managers that are arguably as polished as their more legitimate younger brother.

PDANet and iPhoneModem take different approaches to tethering, but neither requires more networking expertise than it would take to, say, set up a router.

iPhone Jailbreak

PDANet

iPhoneModem

Turn Your Wii Into a Free Emulation Machine

It's more than a little infuriating to have to repurchase your childhood library of console games from the Virtual Console, especially when free PC emulators and accompanying ROMs abound on the old intertubes. All you need is a copy of Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess, an SD card and an SD reader and you're ready to install A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on Blobolonia, which is pretty much all anyone has ever really needed since this whole "Video Gaming Television Machine" thing got under way in the first place. Throw in extended media playback and some helpful widgets for an extra value-add.

Difficulty: Moderate. This is one of the only hacks here that needs additional hardware to work, even if it's basic. The good news is that once you find a copy of Zelda and load up your SD card, the process pretty much takes care of itself. Further app installs are taken care of through a intuitive dedicated channel.

WiiBrew WIki

A great resource for similar projects is our industrious sister site Lifehacker, where you can find a veritable treasure trove of tutorials and tricks. Have you postponed any gadget purchases until you're sure your bank is solvent? Have any other budget hardware resurrection techniques that we missed? Let us know in the comments.