December 4: The top secret iPod
It was an iPod that looks and functions like a regular iPod, but with added hardware that could secretly record data.
Source: Tidbits
Published: August 2020
The top secret iPod
In 2005, Apple engineer David Shayer got a special task from the Director of iPod Software: help two engineers from a contractor for the Department of Energy (DOE) create an iPod that looks and functions like a regular iPod, but with added hardware that could secretly record data.
While Shayer still doesn’t know exactly what data the DOE was trying to record and store, his theory is that the engineers were creating a device to covertly test radiation levels: a tiny, disguised Geiger counter.Â
Shayer figures that the secret Geiger counter would help the DOE detect radiation that could reveal stolen uranium, unlawful bomb development programs, or hotspots that could be dangerous to the public.
After helping the DOE engineers, he never heard about the project again.
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