Zune’s DRM, WiFi Opened By Swedish Teen?
- December 15th, 2006
- Read 1535 times
- 12 Comments
While we firmly believe that Zune hacking should first and foremost be confined to making the device work on all operating systems (OS X, Linux, Windows), we still like to see any kind of progress being made in this arena.
Nutzipper, some sort of clever hacker from Sweden, has claimed to have successfully hacked not only the DRM scheme of the Zune, but also its WiFi-based music sharing aspects. This one-two punch, called “Zukebox”, allows a Zune owner to browse and download any songs from any other WiFi-enabled Zune’s in a given area. It then strips the pilfered MP3s of their DRM shackles. It’s not like Bill Gates is even that fond of DRM, but you have to know that, if true, this is exactly what the RIAA was afraid of when it learned about the Zune’s planned music-sharing features.
This perhaps solves the DRM restrictions many users complained about, but it doesn’t solve the biggest problem Zune users face: finding other Zune users.
Or maybe it does?
If the ability to find and use any music from any other user does indeed exist, this might increase the value of the Zune in many buyer’s minds. After all, the ability to grab songs from others on the fly is the whole point of Zune, but the way in which it does it is not (to many) the fulfillment of the grand promise Microsoft has made: Sharing music is the future.
Swedish Teen Hacks Microsoft Zune’s DRM and WiFi (unconfirmed) [Zune Boards]
We knew it would happen sooner or later. If this does in fact turn out to be true, sales are going to go through the roof…
This is a running gag. Here is the disclaimer from the source:
In case you didn’t get it, none of the stories are real.
It’s all fake.
We made it all up.
It’s satire.
The people might be real but the quotes are not.
If it gets you mad, get a life.(see first amendment)
You can find links to both this diclaimer and the story at http://www.zunetard.com
under 12/14/06 News
Errm, the real source of the news is Unconfirmed Sources. This means we are talking about a fake post!
http://www.unconfirmedsources.com/?itemid=2055
I wouldn’t be surprised to see a firmware upgrade very soon to stop this “travesty”. good for the Swedes though.
Well it was just a joke. I have to admit that it would not have surprised me at all and I believe it will probably occur soon enough. I can’t wait for the firmware update!
Best wishes,
Kimmy
Even as a fake claim, how difficult (in theory) would it be to hack the Zune?
Talk about Counter-pwnage: http://zunecorps.com/?p=298
Of course it’s just a delay of the inevitable. It will be hacked, just a matter of when. I don’t plan to get a Zune, but it will be interesting to notice Microsoft’s reaction when it DOES happen.
–Jon Z | http://www.jzencovich.com
What some people do for traffic…
I’m with Jon,
Seems to me like the Zune with a good hack could be an excellent piece of hardware. I mean, lets all admit it, the real test of a new piece of hardware is of course Will it run Linux?
That’s interesting…I didn’t believe that the Zune’s DRM will be hacked/cracked so fast…
I wonder if someone will think of a new security method for both the iPods and new Zune…
I didnt beleive it the moment I heard “Swedish” teen, those people arent smart, they cant even use apostrophes, or spell correctly
Ah, one year too late, I wonder if anyone is that out of date