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Apple always manage to improve on the interface for their products with each incarnation. It leaves those who have bought previous models lusting after the newest model. However, there’s always custom firmware! Here’s how to pimp your 5g iPod Video to look very special…

A student in my form came up to me a couple of weeks ago showing me his iPod (the same as mine) but with a radically different interface (see picture above). After conversations about ‘modding’ things such as Xboxes, etc. he managed to not only install Linux on his iPod but radically alter the firmware. As he’s only 12 I thought I’d give it a shot.

It really is very easy. Basically, all you do is use iPodWizard to update the firmware on the iPod instead of using iTunes. Although Mac-formatted iPod users will have to use a Windows machine to complete the hack, it worked fine with mine. No songs or settings were overwritten.

• iPodWizard can be downloaded here.
• The required firmware can be downloaded here.
• Follow the instructions at iPodStuff here.

If you need any further pointers, just give a shout out in the comments section!