# 075 - Teleporting All Over The Timeline

- Show: [Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast)
- Published: 2025-08-02
- Length: 1h 34m
- Episode: 75
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2025-08-02-075-teleporting-all-over-the-timeline
- Listen: https://unnamedre.com/episode/75

## Summary

Nathan Emerick, creator of the open-source project DeskThing, explains how he reverse-engineered Spotify's discontinued CarThing hardware to keep it functional after Spotify bricked the device. He details the technical journey from discovering the Amlogic chip and ADB access to building a web-based flashing tool and a desktop app that turns the CarThing into a versatile desktop controller. Emerick also discusses the challenges of dealing with Spotify's MFi Bluetooth restrictions, the sudden viral growth of the project, and his current struggles in the software engineering job market.

## Chapters

- [0:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2025-08-02-075-teleporting-all-over-the-timeline#t=29) Introduction and CarThing History
- [5:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2025-08-02-075-teleporting-all-over-the-timeline#t=305) Reverse Engineering the CarThing Hardware
- [12:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2025-08-02-075-teleporting-all-over-the-timeline#t=771) The Flashing Process and Tooling
- [47:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2025-08-02-075-teleporting-all-over-the-timeline#t=2861) Building the DeskThing Software
- [54:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2025-08-02-075-teleporting-all-over-the-timeline#t=3247) Viral Growth and Development Challenges
- [1:06:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2025-08-02-075-teleporting-all-over-the-timeline#t=3989) Current Features and App Ecosystem
- [1:24:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2025-08-02-075-teleporting-all-over-the-timeline#t=5070) Job Market and AI in Hiring

## Topics

- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Spotify CarThing (product)
- DeskThing (product)
- Amlogic (chip)
- Zadig (tool)
- ADB (tool)
- VS Code (tool)
- Tailwind (tool)
- React (tool)
- TypeScript (tool)
- Chromecast (product)
- Thing Labs (company)
- I Fix It (company)
- Teardown Conference (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep 139: Furter Burner, Glowing Potato Peeler, Hacked Smartwatch, and The Last Atlas](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2021-10-08-ep-139-furter-burner-glowing-potato-peeler-hacked-smartwatch-and-the-last-atlas) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Cassette decks have browsers?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-05-24-cassette-decks-have-browsers) (The Amp Hour)
- [Ep 225: Leafy Meats, Wind to Heat, and a Machine That's Neat](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2023-06-30-ep-225-leafy-meats-wind-to-heat-and-a-machine-thats-neat) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Ep 378: C Coders, Ceramic Printers, and Shadow Archives](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-07-17-ep-378-c-coders-ceramic-printers-and-shadow-archives) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Ep 290: iPhone's Electric Glue, Winamp's Source Code, and Sonya's Beautiful Instructions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2024-09-27-ep-290-iphones-electric-glue-winamps-source-code-and-sonyas-beautiful-instructio) (Hackaday Podcast)

## Citing this page

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