The world of iPhone hacks was ripped a new one today as noted Mac writer and technology guru Andy Ihnatko has revised his well-received MacQuarium – a method of converting an all-in-one early Mac form factor into a fish tank – for the iPhone.
The iPhoneQuarium holds 10 cc of water (1/3 oz.) and can contain up to one million zooplankton, 500 brine shrimp, one flat worm, or a very irritated baby flounder.
Ihnatko has also published a companion pamphlet showing you how to use the iPhone’s SIM card slot to store one thin slice of maguro nigiri sushi.
The original MacQuarium held about two gallons of water.
“The touch screen on the iPhoneQuarium works just like a touch screen on a regular iPhone,” Ihnatko said, adjusting the brim of his hat several times. “When you touch the screen, you can ‘flick’ fish hither and fro just by tapping at the screen.
“Of course, that’s not some Core animation effect, it’s just the fish reacting to your finger. And, as everyone knows, you should never, never tap on a fish tank. No one knows why, it’s one of the great mysteries of life. I think maybe it voids the warranty on the fish or something.”
The iPhoneQuarium is portable, allowing one to view the tank’s denizens at will, as long as “you’re a sadistic bastard who thinks it’s funny to carry around living organisms, keeping them in the dark, constantly agitating them while you walk, and displaying them to others for your pleasure,” Ihnatko said. “It just depends how you roll.”
While the conversion requires a hardware hack involving disassembling the iPhone, Ihnatko said he’s working on a software-only implementation.
“I have no idea how I’m going to do that!” Ihnatko said. “I’m really looking forward to it.”