Ipodhacks142 |best| May 2026

“We’re not nostalgic for the limitations,” says Chen. “We’re nostalgic for the focus . No notifications. No ads. Just your music and a click wheel. That’s freedom.”

“I don’t want to beat Apple. I want to remind them what they lost,” Chen says. “The iPod wasn’t just a product. It was a promise: a thousand songs in your pocket, and zero distractions.” ipodhacks142

He pulls out his daily driver: an iPod with a laser‑etched backplate reading “Designed by iPodHacks142 in California. Assembled with parts from 12 countries.” It connects wirelessly to his AirPods Pro — a hybrid of two Apple eras, stitched together by a teenager in a dorm room. What’s next for iPodHacks142? A Kickstarter for a click‑wheel keyboard (for typing on a phone without looking). A collaboration with a small factory to produce new aftermarket click wheels (since original stock is running out). And maybe, someday, an original music player — designed from scratch — that feels like an iPod but runs on open hardware. “We’re not nostalgic for the limitations,” says Chen