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Give iPod Thieves an Unchargeable Brick
Svippy writes "Apple has patented a technology for new generations of iPods that would detect when a user tries to operate the iPod on an unauthorised machine ... and will refuse to charge. Indefinitely. From the article: 'Every portable gadget with a rechargeable battery has a charging circuit that recognises when the external mains charger has been plugged in. It then manages the transfer of current to the battery. Apple's patent suggests that by attaching a "guardian circuit" to the charging circuit, it would be possible to block the charging process. When a device is plugged into an unauthorised computer, software would compare a security code in the device to a code buried in the software in the computer. Apple already employs a similar technology to "pair" iPods to iTunes running on a specific Mac or PC. If the codes do not match, then the guardian circuit could be triggered to prevent any further charging.'"
I can imagine this will raise a lot of false positives. It reminds me of Windows Genuine Advantage, only nastier...
More Twoson than Cupertino
... if car chargers won't work.
An ipod is plugged into an unauthorized computer and all of a sudden dozens of crappy songs are downloaded to it... songs that no one wants to hear like
Freeze Frame by J Geils Band
or wannabe by the spice girls
or wake me up before you go go by wham
mmmbop by hanson
you know, horrible stuff like that --- i know if i were a thief the idea of horrible music would deter me
And then there was E
I'm sure the usefulness of this technology in other areas has been considered as well. Specifically, things like bricking a device because a subscription has run out, or disabling it because DRM rights have been violated. After all, once the hardware is in place, it can be used for other purposes by simple software "upgrades".
Dan East
Better known as 318230.
Hide it in a Zune.
"better ways of doing things eventually just replace the inferior things" - Linus Torvalds 09-08-07
Finally a digital device that will go on an energy hunger strike if it doesn't like its connectivity situation.
So, would this make the iPhone the Gandhi of portable devices?
I've recharged friends' iPods on my computer (which is obviously not authorized for that iPod). If that were to result in bricking the iPod, I'd be pissed.
Unbricking the iPod when it's connected to an authorized computer would mitigate, but not solve, the problem.
You can use any iPod with multiple computers. Just set it to manually manage music and it'll work fine with any machine you throw at it.
B
PRM...Physical Rights Management...
This may be marketed as a theft-deterrent, but it's also enabling Apple to exert more control over when and how you listen to your own music. This would also make it very easy for Apple to brick your iPod for doing something they don't approve of. Not that I'm saying they'd abuse that power that way, but it would be technically possible.
steampunk web design
I've already had hell with the ridiculous interface of iTunes and trying to sync my music across more than one machine (work + home + notebook).
Now, on top of everything, it's going to refuse to charge unless I show that I am the owner on all three? Or maybe, I can only charge it on one?
Either way, this is only making a bad problem worse.
Bad enough that iTunes has more than once destroyed my music backup because I tried added music from another machine. Now it's also going to not let me use my iPod?
Nice. And here I thought Apple was about usability.
I suppose it would be relatively easy to implement a password system, where you generate a password when you first plug in a new iPod, and then have to use it when you sync or charge. That would let you use the iPod on as many computers as you want, as long as you enter the password. If you forget the password, you can go back to the Apple store with your credit card or receipt, and since all iPods have unique identification, they could reset it for you, once you provide proof that it's your property. ... wouldn't work too well if you bought it on ebay though... ... but I suppose Apple would enjoy it if their products weren't able to be resold.
Wait, forget using it on multiple machines. Does this suggest that you need to plug your iPod into ANY machine to charge it? You can't just plug it into the wall?
If this is true, it seems like a really retarded idea to me. The times when I want an iPod the most -- when I'm on a trip -- are exactly the times when I'm not going to be near my machine and exactly the time when I'll need to charge it more.
Rockbox is a good open source solution that allows you to manage your iPod on any machine without using iTunes.
I've got an external USB charger I use when I'm traveling, would they decide my iPod needs to die if I used it?
All I want to be able to do is charge my friggin' iPod when I'm away from home. I don't think Apple should be deciding where I can charge my iPod -- what damage to them if I use a different machine to *charge* the damned thing.
I mean, it's not like you can extract songs from an iPod readily. (At least, not such that I've seen). This just sounds like really dumb functionality.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
I could see not letting iTunes do anything with it on an unauthorized computer, but charging? What bout all the other non-computer things that charge iPods now-a-days like car kits or plain old usb power adapters that go into wall sockets.
My girlfriend has a car charger, a wall charger, and an iHome which all charge her iPod.
uh oh, your PC stopped booting? congratulations, you iPod just did too.
...the thief only wanted my $250 iPod, but took my $3000 MacBook Pro to make it work.
Lots of people think so, because Apple stopped including wall chargers with iPods somewhere around Gen 4ish. You just get the USB to iPod cable.
They can be had for about $5US at Fry's.
"Sacrifice for the good of The State" - The State
What about the (old-fashioned!) method of charging via wall-outlet? Do I have to register my apartment with Apple now?
Something in this article seems fishy and I don't think we're getting the full story of Apple's intentions, because the whole thing makes zero sense to me.
why? forty-two.
I've learned that if you plug a USB socket into the Firewire plug on your motherboard, any subsequently connected USB iPod is then "secured" against further updates. Interesting noises are included as the internal protection circuit is established.
You can still charge it.
What happens when it's given as a gift? I don't expect the receiver to hold onto a piece of paper for very long... I don't like this idea. Unless you can definitely determine that someone else is using the ipod improperly- this seems like a bad idea. But if anyone can figure this out, it's apple.
How long till advertisements appear on ebay, offering to unlock iPods for half the price and no questions asked?
Anyone with a soldering iron and a little time on their hands would likely be able to bypass this. You've got to have a battery somewhere, and you've got to have leads to that battery.
Yeah, it means cracking open the device, but if you've stolen it, there's a good chance you're not going to care all that much about some pry marking on the case.
Ed R.Zahurak
You know, oblivion keeps looking better every day.
I fully expect Microsoft to counter this pansy-ass display of "user protection" with the PROPER way of doing it -- if someone plugs the Zune into an unauthorized computer, the Zune explodes. KABLAMO! It'll be like Blade's sword, only with less bad acting.
Anyway like a bunch of people have already said, this is probably going to anger a lot more people than it's going to make happy (as far as consumers go). I for one would rather *not* have my device have a feature like "if you hook this up to the "wrong" machine, it's forever forfeit."
Not to mention this won't act as a deterrent for thieves worth crap.
I like basketball!!1!
There are dozens of vendors like belkin selling simple chargers for iPods without using the USB ports. So they all wont be able to charge iPods? Apple can at best thwart iTunes/iPod link on devices reported to be stolen. But preventing charging? Nah.
sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
can you imagine the consumer outcry when thousands of iPod owners can't get their iPods to turn on simply because they didn't understand the concept of pairing their iPod with their machine?
Say I have my music library stored on a large hard drive in a desktop. But I go on vacation and take my laptop, and try to charge my ipod from the laptop via the USB cable because that's smaller than the wall-wart? Is my own laptop recognized as a different PC and does that lock me out of my own ipod? Maybe I'm at a friend's house and want to charge up my ipod before we go on a long bike ride or run together, and I left my own authorized laptop at home? He has a USB cable but not a wall wart. Does his computer lock me out of my own ipod even though I had no intention of even running itunes or transferring files, I just wanted some fresh electrons?
I hope they have a plan in mind to make sure people are not locked out of their own devices.
What a great way to stop people selling their iPods to someone else and instantly making 2nd hand market for iPods impossible!
1. The device is 'attached' to a particular person's computer(s)
2. The device and user is known to the manufacturer, eg via iTunes
3. As the iPod can be effectively rendered useless if someone else buys or uses it, you can't buy one 2nd hand, so you have to fork out for a new one.
4. Profit!
I suggest buying AAPL immediately!
So does Anonymous Coward have good karma?
that this is a patent, not an implementation.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
What's the ugliest part of your body? Some say your nose, some say your toes, but I think it's your mind. -Zappa
Otherwise should your charger break, you're screwed. There has to be some sort of unlock mechanism available for legitimate times when using another charger/computer is needed ("oops, I dropped my charger/laptop in the bath"). Of course that means there'd be a way around the lock mechanism. Which means it will be cracked. Which essentially renders it pointless to all but the Google-impaired.
option 1) the ipod requires you to enter a password to charge or access it on a "foreign" computer. Not sure why charging matters here however.
option 2) the ipod simply won't charge on a foreign computer IF you opt-in to that feature. One would make that default off. But if enough people used that aspect, it might become a theft deterrent. plus it's something that could be enabled later on, even if there's no great ipod crime wave right now, and thus no perceived need.
For example, one could do it like the firmware password protection all macs have but is off by default. Of course it's not very effective for hardware theft because it can be overridden by anyone with possession of the computer. It's mainly for highetened data protection from people with casual opportunistic access. But if one were to implement it so that it could not be overridden except by apple, then I could see this working on ipods. Since ipods are seldom as mission critical as laptops, having one get locked and have to be sent in for repair is not as great a burden as it would be for the laptop.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
Concider the failure modes of such a scheme. Apart from the ones where the thief gets to use the iPod, they all result in the legitimate user losing the use of their iPod.
Patent? Prior art. Heck, my Verizon Razr has been doing this since day one. I have to load a special driver to get it to charge from my laptop's USB port. Without it, the screen just says "Unauthorized Charger"... It rejects any charger it didn't come with, even other Motorola chargers. Forget 3rd party devices. Bastards...
Oh, yeah, Apple, um, good luck with that...
Slightly off topic, but once the new linux smartphone Neo1973 is available (and has python), i thought a nice security feature would be to upload an encrypted gps coordinate every hour or so, therefore if your phone gets lost or stolen, chances are it wont have been switched off before it gets back to someone's house. This is why python + mobile phones can only be a good idea :)
I'm not sure if this is going to go in as a reply to another topics or not, i could not find out how to make a fresh thread (first post)
If the device detects that it has been stolen, through any number of means such as plugging in to an unauthorized computer or by geographic location, the device disables its charging circuit so that it can't be charged from any changer.
It has nothing to do with the iPod only working with specific, Apple-branded, chargers. That would be stupid.
ENDUT! HOCH HECH!
If one could reasonably assert that those who would steal an iPod as opposed to buying one would be running windows, you could have an autorun file on the mass storage device that will check to see if it's your machine that it's connected to. If not, it will begin encrypting almost every important filetype that a user may have, followed by a prompt to the effect of "This is a stolen iPod. You have my iPod, I have all your files. If you ever want to see your data decrypted, I'll trade you the password for the safe return of my iPod. You may reach me at user@domain.com".
Although I don't know of the legality of such an action...
-jX
Don't you just love politics? It's like a comedy of errors.
I have a Creative Zen. It will not charge from any of the 4 USB chargers I have. These chargers all charge any of my other USB devices such as an IPOD, cell phone, bluetooth devices, etc.
I wonder if the reason I have to use the $30 Zen charger, or the included USB cable, is because they have this technology built into their chargers.
This smells as an entry towards DRM'ed chargers.
Ha! You really showed him. I'm willing to bet that soon, with more and more advanced technology, crime will be completely impossible!
You live and learn. At least, you live.
In England when you mobile phone gets stolen you can go to your phone company get some ID number and then tell the police who get the phone locked on all mobile networks (although more often than not your phone ends up in Nigeria where the lock won't work but anyway). If they did something like that where the user had to register his iPod stolen with Apple maybe through iTunes to have it stop working they wouldn't have so may problems with false positives on there system.