Can Apple Break iTunes Sync? 24
Wed, 10 Jun 2009 3:57 pm EDT 
Pardon us while we nerd-out for another minute or five here:
Ever since Palm revealed that the Pre would sync seamlessly with iTunes, apparently by masquerading as an iPod, the tech world has been abuzz with thoughts of how likely Apple would be to break Palm’s Media Sync, and what they could do to stop it. Forum member eodan found that the /resources/webOS/nova/usr/lib/storaged/diskmode-call.sh file is where the magic happens:
#!/bin/sh
if [ x$1 = xon ]; then
# set up sysfs entries
/usr/lib/storaged/diskmode.sh media init Apple iPod 1.62 /usr/share/storaged/SysInfoExtended
# on which this depends
/usr/lib/storaged/diskmode.sh media on
elif [ x$1 = xoff ]; then
/usr/lib/storaged/diskmode.sh media off
else
echo "unknown arg $1" >& 2
fi
Essentially, that’s the code that determines how the Pre identifies itself when Media Sync is activated. The interesting part, is that when on, the Pre tells the computer that it is a third generation iPod Nano. Eodan provided the response that such an iPod gives to a computer:
[ 1677.692000] usb-storage: device found at 7
[ 1677.692000] usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
[ 1682.692000] usb-storage: device scan complete
[ 1682.704000] scsi 4:0:0:0: Direct-Access Apple iPod 1.62 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
What this means for end users like you and me is that for Apple to attempt to block the Pre, they’re going to have to change iTunes sync protocols to do something more drastic, like query the device’s serial number and check that against Apple’s list. The reason is that -- as of right now -- it looks as though iTunes has no way to distinguish between a Pre and a 3rd generation iPod Nano. There has been a lot of talk about this and so the situation is unclear, though, but it appears that iTunes may still be able to see the IOUSB identification and therefore block the Pre.
Anyhow, if it's true, serial # checking would in turn open a whole new can of worms, not just for Pre owners, but for the millions of iPod owners out there as well. For all our sakes, let’s just hope that Apple just leaves it be.
Thanks to Ben for sending this in!
24 Comments
It still amazes me how there is so much Apple hatred here - jealously that turned to smugness once Palm raided half of Apple for talent and now you have a very good phone as a result. Yet there is hope that the Pre will still sync with iTunes. So many postings everywhere about how bloated iTunes is, how it forces you to do this and that. So, why use it at all? Go with another solution and stop bashing...I don't get it...
"...jealously that turned to smugness once Palm raided half of Apple for talent and now you have a very good phone as a result..."
From what I understand, the same could be said with the names Palm and Apple swapped. Apple poached many engineers from Palm, as well.
With respect, you are missing the point.
the iPod, and by extension the iPhone, are the gold standard of multimedia devices. What are there 50+ MILLION of them out there, if not more?
This is, pure and simple, a business decision and a marketing one at that. If he Pre shows that it can connect to iTunes, it shows it as a more capable device simply because of the people out there (the average joe who doesn't read this blog) who think that Apple is the only game in town.
It isn't an Apple hatred thing (on Palm's part anyway. Can't speak for the commenters here).
You have to remember the business angle. Everything is not philosphical... :-)
If Apple does happen to break away from allowing the Palm Pre sync with iTunes, there is always a great program called DoubleTwist! I would even recommend using doubletwist instead of iTunes.
Can I download movies straight from itunes on to my pre or do I have to convert using another program ?
Can I download movies straight from Itunes or do I have to download and use another program to convert the movies ?
I know video podcast of the Cranky Geeks worked on my Pre. The movies might not if they have DRM on them.
http://www.everythingpre.com/articles/2009/6/8/converting-dvd-to-palm-pre/
Sorry double posted.
If this is important to you, have a seperate login for the Pre using this version of iTunes on your pc. Another option would be to sync the Pre on another pc that you dont care about upgrading iTunes on.
If this is true, than appearing to be an ipod to itunes is a trivial shell script, and it would appear that if they break this for Pre's, they'd break it for ipods of this genre also. I suppose they could go for an ipod serial number *if* they set up this version of ipod's to return that... But even so, I'd guess over time this could all be hacked as well.
Not sure if it makes business sense to NOT allow other devices to buy from apple's store now that some of the exclusivity is wearing off. Song by song, this is likely where the "annuity" money is anyway, not in the hardware; why stop the $ flow?
I wonder how many other 3rd party MP3 device makers are now working to implement the same hack into their cheap MP3 players?
I mean if Palm can do it, why not put the same functionality into something like this
Yesterday I loaded 715 tunes from iTunes to my Palm Pre using the Palm Music Assistant. It took approx. 25 minutes and took up 2.45 GB. The sync works pretty much the same as if I was using my iPod. The only reason I use iTunes is because I own an iPod. Having said that, I would never buy music from Apple. All of the 715 tunes I loaded to my Pre were recorded off the internet....say sites like YouTube using music recorders....like, say...Replay
http://applian.com/replay-music/index.php
This is all perfectly legal...and you never, ever contract a virus. Some are free...Replay costs $19.95...and lets you record virtually "any" song in existence...for free. I just check the box for it to load the song(s) into iTunes...and it also stores a copy outside of iTunes in a file on my computer. If you want video...you can do the same thing...all free. All and all this application has saved me over $1,000 in music I might have purchased from Apple...or elsewhere. Frankly, why would anyone give Apple a dollar for a song?
http://it.anandtech.com/gadgets/showdoc.aspx?i=3579
New iPhone 3GS copies pre hardware.
damn i thought i posted this already but i guess it didn't stick
I don't think its in Apple's best interest to block the Pre from Itunes.. Why? Because 1. It would be really bad PR for apple, 2. Since apple is dominating with iTunes, the iPhone and the iPod, Some can look at blocking the Pre as Anti-Competitive and monopolistic.. And i don't think apple wants that.. Its no secret that apple already has a history of anti-competitive behavior with their computers but since market share is so low no one cares..
Anyway im not an apple basher (im on my mac right now)just stating the facts.. also i hope they dont because i lost my iPod last night now i have to use my pre to play my MP3s
I laughed and laughed and laughed when I scrolled down to see the image on top of the article! One of the first things I did once I got home with my Pre... hook it up to iTunes! It recognized it as a "iPod" - I giggled then too. Everything synced seamlessly. It made any buyers remorse I was feeling completely go away!
When I transferred my data from iTunes, it recognized & called my device a Palm Pre.
It recognizes it as an iPod, but it has a name of Palm Pre. Just like you can name your iPod and iTunes will show you whatever you named it. iTunes thinks that Palm Pre is the name of your iPod.
+1
I was thinking about the ghost possibility, glad it's the case.
I don't think Apple would want to block the Pre from itunes. Its more money for them if everyone uses itunes.
iTunes alternative that I use and is working well with my Pre (and nano)
http://www.mediamonkey.com/
If people and blogs and news sites keep making a big stink on how the pre works with itunes and exposing code and the like, Apple might just block it. So the Pre works with itunes, let it be and STOP making it more than what it is!
The more stink you make the more Apple is thinking about it.
I have no doubt that Apple is 100% aware of how Palm got it to work. Surely they bought a Pre (or several) on day one and have been busy dissecting it both physically and digitally.
Can I download movies straight from Itunes or do I have to download and use another program to convert the movies ?...............
if you use doubleTwist you can import videos directly from youtube either by a simple drag and drop or by copying and pasting the video's URL in the the youtube importer in the file menu. Pretty slick and simple. I drag/click and it's done.