iRecord
Thanks to Hack-A-Day and Adam Curry for reminding me that I can put linux on my iPod. Normally, I would associate such ideas as nothing more than Slashdot karma whoring, but in this case it allows me to use the iPod hardware to record audio. Those of you who’ve heard my audio comments before know that my phone sucks, so I was hoping to turn things around here. It’s ridiculously simple to turn your 3G iPod into a hard drive based recorder.
1. Hook up your iPod.
2. Run the iPod-Linux Installer
3. Create a folder on the iPod called “Recordings”
4. Eject and reboot your iPod into linux (usually by holding the rewind button.)
5. Go to Extras->Recordings and start recording audio either with a microphone plugged in, or just shout into your headphones real loud. I’m not kidding, I did it, see below.
6. Remount iPod and edit your audio files in the “Recordings” directory you just made.
Listen to some very sad proof I recorded that this actually works. Be warned, though, I had to raise the volume in Audacity a bit. This works because basically microphones and speakers work on the same principle, magnets generating electricity by being vibrated, or magnets vibrating because of electricity passing by.