iTunes Copying, a Hacker's Work

Apple's iPod is no longer the sole beneficiary of music downloaded via iTunes. Jon Lech Johansen, also known as DVD Jon, has created software that converts the restricted format into others, making it available for non-Apple devices. The famed Norwegian hacker was formerly involved with breaking copy-protection for DVDs (hence the nickname).

His company has released the doubleTwist software because the media landscape has "become a tower of Babel, alienating and frustrating consumers," as Web User reports. Truth be told, the Apple only restriction can become very infuriating at times, especially when, say, you have a song that you'd want your girlfriend to listen to but she's got something other than an iPod.

DVD Jon's company is also called double Twist, and its co-founder told the cited source that "When you receive an email, you can read it on your BlackBerry, webmail, or Outlook. Email just works. With digital media such as video from a friend's cell phone or your own iTunes playlists, it's a jungle out there." The man is preaching! I'm a big iPod fan myself ,but it's obvious he has a point there.

"It can be an hour-long exercise in futility to convert files to the correct format and transfer them to your Sony PSP or your phone. Our goal is to provide a simple and well-integrated solution that the average consumer can use to eliminate the headaches associated with their expanding digital universe," he continued.

Obviously, the removal of the protection and the conversion will start a spree of piracy, so to say. There'll be nothing left to keep average iPod Joe from sending all of his friends the entire slew of tracks bought on iTunes, and from there on it's going to be like an upside down pyramid game, only that instead of money there'll be songs and video.