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There never was an iPhone. Not yet, anyway. But I can fix that. The Motorola SLVR L7 is the closest thing to an iPod phone so far, and it's also eminently hackable. So I decided to see how far I could take it. Even if you don't have a SLVR, you can probably hack your phone's software to add features, its case to remove annoying labels, and its antenna to provide super-duper reception. Maybe you won't create an iPhone, but you'll create a youPhone—an expression of your personal tech taste as individual as the pocket you're keeping it in.

Hacking your phone can be a little risky, but it isn't illegal. It fits firmly into the category of things wireless carriers don't like yet can't forbid. Doesn't that make it fun? Just remember, you won't be able to run to your carrier's store for help, so make sure you move cautiously and back everything up as you go.

Cell phones aren't modular the way PCs are, so the first task was to figure out what I could hack. I picked the SLVR because Motorola phones are the most hackable models out there. A massive community of Motorola modders centered around Web sites such as MotoModders ( has developed tools to hack and edit the software on almost every Motor­ola phone.

What you can do to a phone's software depends on the model, but you'd be surprised at what you'll be capable of with many phones. You can remove Verizon's interface from a RAZR V3m, liberate Bluetooth features, or change a phone's volume with freely available tools. Phones such as the Samsung T809 for T-Mobile can get entire brain swaps: Replacing their existing firmware with that of a similar, foreign phone can remove carrier locks and restrictions on the applications you can use. Start at to find a phone-modding community for your model. You can also add free software: is full of free Java applications for most non-Verizon phones.

Hardware . . . well, that's harder. The SLVR is missing three key elements of an iPhone, and you can't add them. You can't replace the abysmal USB 1.1 connection, which makes uploading enough music to fill the phone a 45-minute chore, and there's no way to enable stereo Bluetooth ­audio. I did boost the SLVR's reception with an external antenna, remove Cingular's logo, change the interface, and even dress the phone up by ­replacing its dull black keypad with a shiny silver one. I thought about painting it white, which you can do with automotive paint, but heck—black ­iPods are the new white. For your own phone, you can often find alternative or replacement parts on eBay or from Cellular Nationwide Network (

Before you jump into the hacks you'll find here, please note that altering hardware or software may void a warranty or violate the terms of use policy. Be aware of the manufacturer's or service provider's policies whenever you make changes. Also note that we cannot guarantee that these hacks will not damage your products.