An iPod is an iPod is an iPod -- until you hack it

We are all hackers now. At least, we can be.

Americans have built our lives on a foundation of silicon and software, with computers in millions of homes and digital music players in millions of shirt pockets. They're our gadgets. Why shouldn't we hack them?

Before the word ''hacker" was applied to sleazy computer vandals, it had a far more honorable meaning among engineers and computer jockeys. A hacker was someone who'd mastered the powers and abilities of a technology, and used that knowledge to make it do amazing things.

Few of us can become master hackers, but anyone can acquire some measure of hacking skill.

Rael Dornfest, chief technology officer of computer book publisher O'Reilly Media Inc., said that it's mainly a question of attitude. ''The difference between a hacker and a civilian is a civilian sits in front of his TiVo" digital video recorder and says, 'Gee, I wish I could do that,' " Dornfest said. ''A hacker says, 'Hey, I've got an hour and some spare time. What the hell.' "

Dornfest edits the Hacks series, a popular line of books that show how to unleash the hidden potential contained in software like Microsoft Corp.'s Windows XP and hardware like the iPod. Readers can also learn to hack popular websites like Google and Yahoo.

Many of the hacks have a fairly high geek quotient, requiring skill with a soldering iron or a knowledge of programming languages. But about one-third of each book features hacking tips that can be applied by anyone with a little spare time.

''The idea is to teach them a different way of thinking that's prevalent among the geek or hacker community," Dornfest said.

We've collected a few of our favorite tricks from the Hacks books and other sources. They're all perfectly legal, and more than a little cool.

Note: Most of the Web addresses listed below were too long to retype into a web browser, so we ran them through tinyurl.com, a service that creates short Web addresses to replace long ones.

Make it talk

The Windows XP operating system has a built-in speech engine that can read the contents of a browser window. It's a handy feature for people with vision problems, or web surfers with eyestrain. And it's easy to activate. Nearly all Windows computer keyboards have a key with a window emblem. Press this key and the letter U to fire up the speech system. You'll also get access to a magnifier program that makes it easier to read small type.

A fresh start
Tired of waiting for Windows XP to launch a lot of little utility programs every time you boot up? There's an easy way to skip all that. Click Start, then Run, and type the command msconfig. Up pops the System Configuration Utility. Click the Startup tab. There you'll see the programs that will start up when you boot up. You can tell the computer to skip any or all of them, thus making the occasional reboot a little quicker.

A new look
Maybe you'd like to install a new graphic background on your iPod screen or put in more attractive text fonts. It's easily done with a free program called iPodWizard, available for downloading at ipodwizard.net. Install the software on a Windows PC (there's no Mac version), plug in your iPod and get creative.

You've got mail
You can't send e-mail from an iPod, but you can download your mail to it and read your messages on the subway. Windows users can download a free program called K-Pod that'll collect your mail and transfer them to the iPod; PodMail does the same thing on Macintosh computers. K-Pod is available at tinyurl.com/88doz, while PodMail is at tinyurl.com/9dnh9.

Tuning in
If your favorite Internet radio shows aren't available as downloadable podcasts, perhaps you can create your own. With a Macintosh program called Radio Recorder or a Windows program called Streamripper, you can capture many Internet radio streams and record them onto the hard drive as MP3 files. Then just download them to the iPod and enjoy. Both programs are free. Find Streamripper at streamripper.sourceforge.net; Radio Recorder is at tinyurl.com/a4stw.

Recalled to life
Even when it's switched off, a Mac is a pretty smart machine. Smart enough, in fact, to start itself at a preset time every day. All you need is a free program called ResurrXtion, available at tinyurl.com/bofnu.

Let Mac do it
Some computing jobs require you to do the same tedious task over and over. Newer versions of the Mac OS X operating system include Automator, a feature that lets the user create little computer programs that perform a series of repetitive tasks, like resizing a bunch of digital photos or renaming dozens of files. You don't have to be a programmer to use Automator; you just choose from a set of preprogrammed actions, drag them into the desired order, press the start button, and stand back.

Power grab
Your Internet browser is more versatile than you realize. It can automatically display the latest weather and news headlines, protect your privacy, and even identify the best online shopping bargains. It's just a matter of adding special programs, many of them free, which add these new features to standard browsers. Microsoft lists enhancements for its Internet Explorer browser at tinyurl.com/6v8k5; Firefox add-ons are available at tinyurl.com/3vseb.

Keeping tabs
One of the coolest features of the Firefox browser are ''tabbed" screens that let you open multiple Web pages in a single window. This lets you visit a new website without losing your current page. And there's a handy gimmick to make tabs even easier. Use the center scroll wheel of your mouse to click links, instead of the left mouse button, and the link opens in a new tab.

Cutting it short
Good writers rarely use exclamation points -- unless they're searching for something on Yahoo. Their Open Shortcuts feature lets you go directly to a favorite Internet resource by typing an exclamation point, followed by a word. Say you want to search for power tools on eBay. Just type ''!ebay power tools" and you'll be dumped directly into eBay's collection of miter saws and nail guns. Yahoo's created a bunch of these Open Shortcuts, and users can create their own. To find out more, go to tinyurl.com/amwk3.

Digital widgets
Users of Apple's Macintosh computers like to boast about Dashboard, a clever feature that lets them run ''widgets," handy little pop-up programs that display news headlines, the weather, or a calculator. Yahoo offers free software that'll run equally appealing widgets on Windows PCs. Just download Yahoo's Widget Engine, and then choose from hundreds of handy little programs. Interested? Go to tinyurl.com/bbwgs.

Share your web
Want to take your Internet bookmarks with you, no matter what computer you're using? Sign up for Yahoo's My Web service. You'll get a custom Web page where you can post links to all your favorite sites. In addition, users can share their links with each other.

Wireless Web
Maybe you just bought the Sony PSP for playing videogames; maybe you bought it to watch movies. But with its built-in WiFi wireless networking system, you can also use it to surf the Web, whenever you're in an area with wireless access. All you need is a good browser. Newer versions of the PSP include browser software. If you've got an older model, go to a wireless access point and run the Network Update feature. The PSP will download all the latest upgrades, including your new browser.

Data dump
Who needs one of those keychain-sized thumb drives when you've got a PSP? Plug in a USB adapter cord, and you can connect the device to any desktop computer. Then you can copy information onto the flash memory card that comes with the PSP. Each unit has a measly 32 megabyte memory card, but you can upgrade to a 1 gigabyte card -- the same capacity as the new iPod nano -- for about $60. And Sony plans to introduce 4- and 8-gig cards later this year.

Secret brew
You don't have to go to the software store to find PSP games. People have cobbled together a bunch of free ''homebrew" titles available over the Internet. If you'd like to sample a few, you'll need special homebrew software from the PSP, available for the downloading at tinyurl.com/7vh2e.

Free ring tonesThe music industry is making millions from sales of phone ring tones. But you may not have to pay for music you already own. Instead, go to Mobile17, an Internet service that lets you submit your own iTunes or MP3 songs. Mobile17 will automatically compress the music into a ring tone that'll work on most wireless phones. And it's free. You'll find Mobile17 at tinyurl.com/da2hd.

You've got mail
If you've got an account on Google's Gmail service, you can have your messages routed to your cellphone as SMS text messages. Just have the messages forwarded using an SMS e-mail address. Gmail provides a list of these addresses for the major wireless phone providers. Punch the address into the forwarding window, and Gmail will route the mail to your phone. Remember -- SMS stands for Short Message Service. Longer e-mails will get cut short.

Sorry -- can't hear you
Want to hang up on the other fellow, but can't bear to be rude? TV comedians make hissing sounds or pretend they're driving into a tunnel. The less talented among us can use CallCheater, a $10 software program that works only on Nokia phones, alas. A trial version of the software can be had at tinyurl.com/cg23m. At the touch of a button, CallCheater will generate all manner of phony phone sounds, including auto traffic or jets taking off. What's that you say? Huh? You're breaking up . . .

Hiawatha Bray can be reached at bray@globe.com.