Hacker cracked iPod restrictions

A norwegian hacker cracked the iPod restrictions and now Apple plans to release it to all users. The cracker is the same guy who cracked the DVD copyprotection a few years ago. The hacker claims to have unlocked the playback restrictions of Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod and iTunes music products and plans to license his code to others.

The move by Jon Lech Johansen, also known as "DVD Jon," could pit the 22-year-old against Apple's lawyers, experts say, but if successful could free users from some restrictions Apple and its rivals place on digital music.

Today, songs purchased from Apple's online iTunes Music Store can't be played on portable devices made by other companies. Songs purchased from many other online music stores also won't work on iPods because they similarly use a form of copy-protection that Apple doesn't support.

More: http://edition.cnn.com/2006/TECH/ptech/10/24/ipod.code.ap/index.html