Submission + - Apple Blocks Open Source Syncing (Again)
marcansoft writes: "Since 2007, Apple has been locking their users into iTunes, which isn't available under Linux, by adding secret hashes to their iPod/iPhone databases. After this hash was reverse engineered, Apple developed a new one and tried and failed to use legal threats to stifle the reverse engineering effort. Last year, the hash was finally cracked and as of today iPhone and iPod Touch users can sync music using open source tools exclusively. This is about to change, though, as Apple have once again changed their hash algorithm for the iPad and will likely use this new version for their upcoming 4.0 iPhone OS release.
If you want to keep your ability to sync music using open source, you should not update. As part of their lock-in strategy, Apple are preventing newer devices from being downgraded by requiring any firmware updates to "phone home" for approval. The iPad already includes a version of the 3.2 OS with the new hash, and does not work out of the box."
If you want to keep your ability to sync music using open source, you should not update. As part of their lock-in strategy, Apple are preventing newer devices from being downgraded by requiring any firmware updates to "phone home" for approval. The iPad already includes a version of the 3.2 OS with the new hash, and does not work out of the box."