Let’s just say I like being unique, and I also love my iPod. A thing I do not really enjoy is the lack of uniqueness of the iPod. So I went on a quest so customize my iPod. So far every sentence ends with iPod. I would also like to say I am not responsible for voiding warranties or damaging your iPod during customization.

The most enjoyable way and custom way to customize the iPod is to edit the firmware. There a few options on what to do here. You can edit the Apple supplied firmware graphics and fonts, or you can run your iPod off of a Linux install. The choice is yours or do both.

Editing the Apple firmware –

First to start off you will need to get a copy of the latest iPod installer from here http://www.apple.com/ipod/download/

The next thing you need is the latest iPodwizard, this can be found here http://www.ipodwizard.net/showthread.php?t=4111

(Check the downloads dropdown on the forum to get the latest in the future)

Make sure your iPod is enabled for disk use.

Install the iPod software thing to somewhere you can find for later.

Once you install the iPod installer open up iPodwizard. You should see a screen similar to this:

Click the open updater button and select the updater file you installed earlier. Then from the Firmware dropdown select your iPod version. You can then select your iPod from the other dropdown list. Please note your iPod must be plugged in to work on the firmware and features.

After you have done this click the Load button (next to the Firmware Version selector dropdown.) and it should give you a splash screen that it is loading the stuff.

It should look like this:

A list of themes can be found here http://www.ipodwizard.net/forumdisplay.php?f=17

Download a few and decide which one you want to apply, you can always change it.

Click the load all button and a dialog box should appear then select the folder you extracted the theme to. Select that folder and press Ok. I recommend iEnhanced because it isn’t a very drastic change, just subtle upgrades to the original look of the iPod.

To apply the current theme, click the “Downgrade Firmware” button.

This is important. It should give you a dialog box with some numbers that tells you it was successful.

Then open the iPod updater you installed earlier. Click the update button and follow it’s instructions. After the iPod reboots you should see the new battery icon and all the other images you changed.

To change the font click the font tab. Then select the appropriate font from the index dropdown.

Here is a list of what generation uses which font.

iPod Mini (all minis) - 31 iPod Nano - 29 iPod Photo/Color Screen - 37 iPod 5th Generation (Video) - Unknown iPod 4th Generation - 28 iPod 3rd Generation - 13 iPod 1st Generation/2nd Generation – 15 After you select the appropriate font click make font. I suggest using Arial or some other font that you know has all the punctuation and is properly marked. When you click ok the fonts in the window should change and should be legible. If they look like gibberish choose a different font.

To apply the new changes with the font follow the same steps as to change the images.

Downgrade firmware, open updater, and update. (Do not restore, you will lose all your music from your iPod.)

iPod Linux-

This is a more advanced way to customize the look and feel of the iPod and should only be attempted by the tech savvy. A wealth of information can be found on the iPod Linux wiki here http://ipodlinux.org/Main_Page I won’t go in depth on how to install iPod Linux because it is more dangerous and I am not responsible for lost data or destroying our iPod.

Now when somebody is hating on your iPods lack of origionality you can bust out and be all well my iPod is more different from all other iPods ever before it.