Hacker Gary Oder Nicht recently demonstrated the ability to run custom firmware on the Alarmo device in a video posted to Mastodon and their X account. In the demonstration, the functionality of the device was altered by interacting with the mushroom-shaped control on top to navigate and using other buttons to perform actions such as shooting or opening doors.
Oder Nicht stated that it’s feasible to load a shareware version of Doom entirely from a USB drive without altering the Alarmo in any physical way. The necessary software and instructions have been made available on GitHub, enabling knowledgeable and determined Alarmo owners to replicate the process without the need to open the device.
The method was detailed in a blog post by Oder Nicht, explaining that after another individual, Spinda, hacked the Alarmo by using a Flipper Zero device and extracted the firmware from its memory, Oder Nicht developed a technique involving a USB mode. This technique enables the Alarmo to reference custom external firmware via its USB-C port.
Given the apparent ease of replicating this approach, it’s likely that Alarmo software modifications will extend beyond just Doom. However, the extent of community efforts to transform the Alarmo into an unconventional game console may hinge on Nintendo’s stance, considering the company’s recent proactive measures regarding copyright disputes.
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