Rockbox is a free and open-source software replacement for the OEM firmware in various forms of digital audio players (DAPs) with an original kernel. It offers an alternative to the player's operating system, in many cases without removing the original firmware, which provides a plug-in architecture for adding various enhancements and functions. Enhancements include personal digital assistant (PDA) functions, applications, utilities, and games. Rockbox can also retrofit video playback functions on players first released in mid-2000. Rockbox includes a voice-driven user-interface suitable for operation by visually impaired users.
An iPod Nano showing a grayscale "Do Not Disconnect" screen from the iPod Mini series with a new screen on the iPod Classic, although it is bundled with the Rockbox package.
In computing, firmware is software that provides low-level control of computing device hardware.
For a relatively simple device, firmware may perform all control, monitoring and data manipulation functionality.
For a more complex device, firmware may provide relatively low-level control as well as hardware abstraction services to higher-level software such as an operating system.
Firmware is commonly stored in an EEPROM, which makes use of an I/O protocol such as SPI.
ROM BIOS firmware on a Baby AT motherboard
Updating the firmware of a Fuji Instax camera
