Rather than stop being Apple fans, tech-savvy folks prefer to take matters into their own hands and craft out their own Apple-based solutions. However, the iPhone-and-Xbox 360-Chatpad-hack seems to stretch the concept a tad over the limit.

As some of you may know, Microsoft released a small keyboard suitable for messaging in September 2007, coinciding with the launch of Xbox Live Windows Live Messenger on Xbox 360. It ships with a wired headset as well. Despite the fact that Microsoft advertises the Chatpad as being compatible with "Windows-based PCs," it does not currently provide drivers to make the Chatpad work with a PC. There have been some attempts for a workaround, none of which proved very successful. Ironically, Microsoft's Chatpad goes hand in hand with Apple's iPhone OS (which is really a stripped down version of Leopard).

Dr. Ralf Ackermann has successfully paired an Apple iPhone with said Xbox 360 Chatpad using a low-power XBee 802.15.4 wireless module, which does the IEEE 802.15.4 networking protocol. The XBee's main features are fast 250 kbps RF data rate, 128-bit AES encryption, no configuration needed for out-of-the-box RF communications, DigiMesh 2.4 protocol available with firmware change, and now, the ability to connect a keyboard to the iPhone.

Many will agree the hack is more of a “it can be done” thing, rather than a practical solution of writing text on the iPhone. But it's what keeps us going, isn't it? A jailbroken iPhone is required for the hack to work, as also is some knowledge of which wire goes where.

Softpedia doesn't condone jailbreaking / unlocking your iPhone / iPod touch or any other device. Using hacks may render your device unusable or may considerably reduce the quality of your experience using the respective, hacked device.