The Washington Post’s Ian Shapira says that while Apple may frown on “jailbreaking,” some are making a legitimate business out of it. How about making an extra $50,000 a year from this simple process?
Tag Archives | jailbreaking
Sony Tries to Scrub PS3 Jailbreaks From the Web
After four years of solid security, Sony’s Playstation 3 hacking defenses have fallen, and all the company can do now is try to snuff the hackers themselves.
Sony has filed a restraining order (and filed a lawsuit — see update below) against three named hackers — including George Hotz of iPhone jailbreak fame — along with two pseudonyms and numerous John and Jane Does, all of whom were involved in the latest jailbreak for PS3 firmware 3.55. It’s not a proper lawsuit yet, but Sony’s trying to get all information related to the PS3 jailbreak removed from the Web.
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iPhone 4 Unlocked
Just two days after it had brought back Jailbreakme.com from the dead, the iPhone Dev Team said Wednesday that it had completed an unlock that is compatible with the iPhone 4. As before, the phone must be jailbroken before it is able to be unlocked.
The unlock, called “ultrasn0w,” works with iPhone 4 baseband 01.59 and iPhone 3G/3GS basebands 04.26.08, 05.11.07, 05.12.01 and 05.13.04. The download is now available in the Cydia app store which is installed upon jailbreaking the phone.
Specifics of how the Dev Team unlocked the iPhone 4 were not given, unlike the Jailbreakme.com hack on Monday. That flaw, which has to do with how the iPhone displays PDF files, has triggered Apple to look into the problem although its unknown at this time whether or not the company plans to act.
I’d guess they probably will, considering this is how hackers are able to jailbreak the device, something which is now legal according to the US government, but still frowned upon by Apple.
So now that it’s unlocked, I’m curious: does it work on T-Mobile US’ 3G network? Maybe that’s our first clue that the rumors might be true!
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The Case for (Not) Jailbreaking Your iPhone
The simplest and most expansive iDevice jailbreak was released last night. In the past, and prior to Spirit, most jailbreak solutions required a computer intermediary running software locally to get the job done. It wasn’t difficult, but it did require research and could be somewhat intimidating to the uninitiated. Whereas the new jailbreakme.com website offers jailbreaking to anyone who can simply navigate to a URL. But I wonder how big the need or interest in jailbreaking is these days.
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Buy.com Selling Officially Unlocked iPhones
Who needs a jailbreak? In a fairly shocking move considering AT&T’s stranglehold on the iPhone market here in the US, Buy.com has begun selling unlocked iPhone 3G 16GB for $799, a $500 premium on the carrier price. These phones are not jailbroken: they were merely never locked to a carrier.
Apple will warranty these phones just the same way as they do the locked models. They will never lock: iTunes will update the phone normally. The only negative to Buy.com’s phones is the fact that instructions may come in a foreign language since they were likely made for overseas use.
So why the change of heart from Apple? It’s not too out of the question to think that the company is probably clearing out inventory ahead of a new iPhone release. Then again, it didn’t do this for the first-generation model, so thats something to consider as well.
Maybe, just maybe, Apple may have a change of heart on one-party rule in the US, but we all can dream, no?
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iPhone 2.2 Update Delivers Modest Fixes
Late Thursday night Apple iPhone users were treated to a firmware update that addresses an assortment of bugs and adds new features to Google Maps. However, some long-anticipated features are still glaringly missing in action. iPod Touch customers also received an update.
Version 2.2 of the firmwares are available through iTunes. The updates squash bugs that affect the devices’ scheduling for e-mail fetching and improves the stability and performance of the Safari browser.
Both devices are now capable of downloading podcasts over the air using a 3G network or Wi-Fi access, and iTunes will sync the files to users’ computers. Minor usability updates make it possible to turn off auto-correction on the virtual keyboard, and pressing the home button now returns users back to the first home screen.
Notably, Apple tweaked the sound quality of saved voice mail messages for the iPhone and troubleshooted its code to reduce incidents of dropped calls.
I’m a telecommuter and work two jobs from my apartment in Manhattan. Network coverage in my area is exceptional, but I still have to contend with frequently dropped calls. Given how I do not possess a land line, dropped calls affect my ability to work, and any improvement is welcomed.
Some other new features for the iPhone include Street View in Google Maps, as well as walking directions and information about public transportation (where available). Those capabilities were not provided for iPod Touch users, and GPS turn-by-turn directions remain unavailable for either device.
Apple still has not added voice-dialing to the iPhone, both editions of its software still lack fundamental copy and pasting, and iPhone users will have to wait a little while longer for MMS. RIM’s Blackberry Storm has those capabilities.
The latter two shortcomings go hand-in-hand: I received a notification that contains a log-in and password for AT&T’s Web site to retrieve MMS messages, and it is cumbersome to view messages unless I’m at my computer. (So late night photos of drunken friends in compromising situations remain unseen)
The iPhone Dev Team, a group of developers that is working to unlock the phone to additional providers, recommends that iPhone owners that have ‘jailbroken’ their devices hold off on installing the 2.2 update from Apple.