Jesse Vincent has managed to get Linux running on his Amazon Kindle 2. He hacked the Kindle 2 using a Ubuntu 9.04 port to ARM running in a chrooted environment.
How the Hack Was Achieved
What you see there is a Kindle 2 with the Ubuntu 9.04 port to ARM running in a chrooted environment. On the screen you see xdaliclock in front of an xterm with the remains of a “top” command and a few mildly embarrassing typos.
To open up the Kindle, I used the USB networking debug mode Amazon left hanging around when they first shipped the Kindle 2, a statically linked telnetd and a cross-compiler to bootstrap myself. From there, I built a daemon that can convert DRM-free PDFs and ePubs into something Amazon’s reader on the Kindle can deal with.
After that, I started to get curious about what else might be possible. It only took a few evenings to get a moderately usable Ubuntu environment running.
Mostly, the Kindle is a lovely little Linux box. Getting X working took a bit of hacking, but everything else “just works” with very little configuration.
Implications and Potential Uses
The successful installation of Linux on the Kindle 2 opens up a world of possibilities for tech enthusiasts and developers. By transforming the Kindle into a fully functional Linux machine, users can leverage its e-ink display for various applications beyond reading eBooks. For instance, the Kindle could be used as a low-power, portable terminal for coding, system monitoring, or even as a unique digital clock display, as demonstrated by the xdaliclock running on Jesse’s device.
Moreover, this hack demonstrates the flexibility and potential of e-ink devices. While traditionally limited to eBook reading, the Kindle’s hardware can support a broader range of software applications, making it a versatile tool for those willing to experiment. This could inspire further development and customization within the tech community, potentially leading to new uses for e-ink technology in other devices.
Very cool!
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