# Your iPod's Next Life - This Week In Retro 291

An episode of [This Week in Retro](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1526487568), 24 Oct 2026, 52 min.

Audio: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/gysezpgha2kz4fdu/TWIR-Episode291.mp3

Throwback media players and long-lost silicon schematics lead our coverage this week. There are a variety of ways to breathe new life into an Apple iPod, including flash drive upgrades and the Sprout replacement motherboard project. Or if you think the software is the problem, Rockbox runs on most iPods and dozens of other players from rival vendors. ZX Spectrum preservation got a big boost when an eBay haul turned up the detailed blueprint for the system's essential ULA chip, and Chris runs with a discussion started on our subreddit. We also note some significant passings and the latest wave of surprise game ports. Visit https://www.simulant.media/ for your copy of Pixel Addict magazine. 00:00 - Show Opening 03:04 - iPod Rejuvenation Story Link: https://www.techspot.com/news/114210-new-mod-brings-apple-classic-ipods-2026-bluetooth.html Product Link: https://certainthings.studio/ Additional Link: rockbox.org 20:30 - ZX-pect The Unexpected Story Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiW3P1rJRMc 30:48 - Housekeeping - News links found below 36:13 - Do You Play Your Retro Games? Story Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/thisweekinretro/comments/1x51i0a/do_you_really_play_those_retro_games/ 46:39 - Community Question of the Week 🏆Your monthly support helps us keep the retro news flowing! https://www.patreon.com/thisweekinretro 🕸 TWiR Sub Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/thisweekinretro/ Follow your hosts! Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/davevelociraptor.bsky.social https://bsky.app/profile/jasoncompton.bsky.social Youtube: Chris - https://www.youtube.com/@005AGIMA Jason - https://www.youtube.com/@TheRetroAdventurers Audio Podcast: https://retroadventurers.podbean.com/ Subscribe to the audio version of the show! 📻 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-retro/id1526487568?uo=4 📻 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2OPQ3cADaB92E9SpRdTe5y 📻 Podbean: https://twir.podbean.com 📻 Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/en/show/5734337 📻 RSS: https://feed.podbean.com/TWIR/feed.xml 📻 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWeekinRetro This Week in Retro is a weekly roundup of the hottest stories from the world of retro gaming and computing, voted on by you, the listener! Hosted by Chris from 005 AGIMA, Jason from The Retro Adventurers and Dave. Edited by Duncan Styles. News In Brief Links Robert X. Cringely (Mark Stephens) obituary: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/mark-stephens-obituary?id=62687488 Recent Cringely work: https://www.cringely.com/ Sensible Soccer C64: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoxrNuXKyyg Original Donkey Kong art sale: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/a-former-nintendo-employee-is-auctioning-a-wealth-of-classic-items-including-the-original-donkey-kong-art/ Super Mario 64 on Atari Jaguar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBJxz8FlSfE Richard "Levelord" Gray obituary: https://bsky.app/profile/apogeeent.com/post/3mxrooxdr6k2v Dizzy Collection announcement: https://youtu.be/4UXs9b3AnQ4

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