Rockbox has started releasing working builds for most recent iPod variants. Using it is more geek-friendly than user-friendly, but certainly functional, at least on my Nano.

The best part is that I can now use the same Ogg Vorbis encoded files on my PCs, empeg, and a Nano that I got as a gift.

It's not as slick as the empeg code, file-tree based organization rather than a database, and transfers are all done as a USB drive, for example.

Not a bad way to be portable until somebody releases a decent Sigmatel based player.

--Nathan

Exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for. I was looking at the different players they have ported Roxkbox to over the past week since I'm in the market for a player.

At the moment it's looking like an iPod video but the Toshiba Gigabeat S model coming out looks pretty nice. The Gigabeat models are prime for hacking with a 300 or 400MHz ARM core and everything done in software. The processor and most chips are also quite well specified making it easier. The older ones (F and X models) run linux. I think the new S model is running some sort of Microsoft player though.

Wow, I never even knew about this. Could have been real useful but I've bought another Karma now.

I was travelling last weekend with the Rockbox'ed Nano. Worked as you would expect, battery life was short, but the only time the music skipped was when I was poking around with some of the plugins. I've encoded at Q6, which is about 192 to 224 kbps.

Rather pleased with it, and will likely have to get the very convient Apple Lanyard Headset because I can't find anyone else making such a combination.

--Nathan