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Ultrasn0w Unlock for 3G and 3GS “This Week”

Posted by Trey Trawick at 3:22 pm

Along with the great jailbreak news, the Dev-Team has given a reassuring status update regarding the long-awaited ultrasn0w unlock:

ultrasn0w unlock: After redsn0w is officially released with the new Cydia and kernel patches, we’ll be able to assess the unlock situation. It’s already looking very promising though, so expect the unlock for the 3G and 3GS to be coming this week. The i4 unlock is taking more effort though, and no further concrete info is available about that yet.

The iPhone 3G and 3GS are on track to be unlocked within the week, but the iPhone 4 is proving to be a tough nut to crack, and may take quite a bit longer to unlock.

As always, backup everything. And don’t bug the devs.

Developers of Bootlace Bringing Froyo to iPhone 4, iPad

Posted by Jonathan Kizer at 6:51 pm

Android, that OS that everyone loves, will now be on some of the best hardware Apple has to offer.

Android on iPad

The creators of Bootlace, the Cydia app that installs Android on an iPhone 3G, 2G, and the 1st generation iPod touch, are now porting their app and Android 2.2 ‘Froyo’ to the iPhone 4 and, perhaps a little more surprisingly, the iPad.

Due to the larger screen size, the iPad would theoretically present scaling or resolution problems within Android; the only Google-blessed tablet to date, the Samsung Galaxy Tab, has a seven-inch screen.

Though not officially mentioned or shown, support for the iPod touch G4 may be coming soon as well. Either way, iPhone 4 and iPad owners looking to leave the walled garden of iOS might have just found a very enticing reason to jailbreak their devices in the near future.

This all comes after hexxeh made OpeniBoot compatible with all of Apple’s latest iDevices, the open source implementation of iBoot that allows unsigned code to be booted up onto an iDevice.

Look for a video at the source link of OpeniBoot in action on Apple’s iPad!

[Redmond Pie]

Sn0wbreeze 2.1 Released

Posted by Trey Trawick at 3:40 am

iH8sn0w has put the finishing touches on the latest version of sn0wbreeze, which allows users to roll a custom ISPW on Windows to jailbreak their iDevice (similar to PwnageTool). It is untethered, and works across every make and model imaginable.

via @iH8sn0w

sn0wbreeze 2.1 (Works on 3.2.2/4.1 [All Devices/Bootroms/Models]) — http://ih8sn0w.com

iPhone 3G/3G[S]/4

iPod Touch 2G/3G/4

iPad

Apple TV 2

It doesn’t work on iOS 4.2 yet, but iH8sn0w plans to support it after the official release drops.

iOS 4.2 to Drop on Friday?

Posted by Trey Trawick at 11:02 pm

According to numerous sources, Apple will be releasing iTunes 10.1 on Wednesday, the 10th and iOS 4.2 on Friday, the 12th. Apparently, 4.2 was delayed due to a problem with displaying Japanese characters correctly, but this issue has since been fixed.

This update will have many improvements and fixes, including support for multitasking (and other 4.x features) on the iPad, wireless printing, AirPlay, and a fix for the lock-screen bug that allows anyone to bypass the phone’s passcode, as well as the DST bug that caused quite a few people to sleep in.

This version is also said to remedy the slowdown that is currently plaguing iPhone 3G users, but this has yet to be officially confirmed.

Also, remember to backup your SHSH blobs, since a jailbreak for 4.2 will probably be released soon.

[Mac Stories]

iOS 4.2 to Fix Lag on iPhone 3G

Posted by Trey Trawick at 12:27 pm

One of the major complaints of iOS 4.0 was the massive slowdown it caused on older devices. The issue was (and still is) quite bad, and even inspired a popular parody video mocking Apple. When asked about the problem, Jobs sent an email claiming that a software update was “coming soon”, but iOS 4.1 came and went, and users didn’t see much improvement. Now, beta testers are claiming that the next iteration of iOS (which should be released very soon) actually improves the iPhone 3G’s speed significantly.

If any Touch Fans have had a chance to try out the latest release of 4.2—which is the final version—let us know how it performs on aging hardware in the comments.

[TiPb]

Oct

PwnageTool 4.1 Released

Posted by Trey Trawick at 9:10 am

The Dev-Team has just released PwnageTool 4.1, which jailbreaks most iDevices (including the Apple TV). It has a ton of handy features, such as the ability to pre-install cydia packages, and maintain the current baseband (for use with ultrasn0w). Hit the source for the full feature list.

We’re pleased to release PwnageTool 4.1 for Mac OS X (free of charge, blog ads, and donation requests — as always!). Today’s big new addition to the jailbreak family is AppleTV 2G, which was first shown jailbroken in its release week!

Through a combination of the recently released geohot limera1n exploit , @comex’s recently released pf kernel exploit, and our original pwnage2 exploit, PwnageTool 4.1 works untethered on these devices at firmware 4.1:

AppleTV 2G

iPad (firmware 3.2.2)

iPod touch 4G

iPod touch 3G

iPhone4

iPhone 3GS

iPhone 3G

PwnageTool allows you to restore to a custom IPSW file. For instance, you can restore to a pre-jailbroken firmware while simultaneously maintaining your current baseband (and thus your ultrasn0w carrier unlock). You can also add whatever packages you want in the “Expert” mode of PwnageTool, if you wish to pre-install Cydia packages. iPhone 3G users get the additional benefit of selecting their own boot and recovery logos, and features like multitasking and battery charge percentage.

They are officially releasing it via BitTorrent, so the servers shouldn’t get too hammered, and there are a few additional mirrors listed on the site. Get it while it’s hot!

[Dev-Team]

Oct

Google Goggles Now in App Store, But Only for Certain Devices

Posted by Jonathan Kizer at 3:09 pm

Google Goggles is now available for download in the iTunes App Store, but you have to have the right device. The only two devices with hardware good enough to be accepted by Google are the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS. Why not iPod touch 4, iPhone 3G, and below you ask? Simple; the app requires an auto-focus camera.

Google Goggles is one of those features Android, Google’s very own smartphone OS, (previously) could claim exclusivity to. The app takes a photo of an object, and scans a vast internet database to find images that are similar. It then figures out what those images are labeled as, and then gives you as much relevant information as it can. For example, a picture of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France would be examined, searched, and then you would get background information, such as history, statistics and facts, and location.

All things considered, this is a very interesting move by Google, as the search juggernaut has advertised this app and its capabilities as being specific to Android in the past. If you are curious on how Google Goggles works, hit up this link to see a demonstration on various objects, landmarks, and products.

Google Goggles is available in the iTunes App Store for free, and is compatible with the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4.

Edit: To clear up some confusion, Google Goggles is available as an update to the Google Mobile app (link below). If you already have it, update the app via the App Store. If you don’t, download it via the link below.

[App Store]

Sep

ThinkGeek Flip-Out Keyboard for the iPhone

Posted by Trey Trawick at 5:54 pm

Despite the fact that the iPhone has arguably the best software keyboard on the market, many users still prefer a hardware one for the tactile feedback it provides. It was always possible to connect a 3rd party keyboard via bluetooth, but carrying around another gadget is a pain, and there really isn’t an ‘elegant’ solution available. Until now. ThinkGeek has come up with a promising accessory, dubbed the TK-421. (Which is an odd name, so I assume they are making an inside joke to the Stormtrooper in a A New Hope)

The keyboard clips on like a case, and flips out from the bottom of the phone when in use, so it will stay out of your way if you just want to use the software keyboard. It has a built-in rechargeable battery that can be charged via USB, and connects via bluetooth so it won’t hog your dock connector. It will be available late November for $49.99, but the current run of pre-orders is out of stock. (You can enter your email on the product page for availability updates.)

Product Features

Give your iPhone a real flip-out tactile keyboard

Keyboard flips out for use, then flips back in when done

Magnet based clasp keeps keyboard in position whether flipped in or out

Increased typing accuracy and speed

Works with any app such as e-mail, web browsing, notes, and calendar

Completely wireless Bluetooth™ connection does not use dock connector

Keyboard powered by built in rechargeable battery, recharges via included USB cable

Invented and designed here at ThinkGeek

Models available to fit iPhone 3Gs and iPhone 4

(Please note that the iPhone 3G will NOT work with this case. The OS does not support Bluetooth™ keyboards.)

[ThinkGeek]

Sep

iOS 4.1 & 4.2, What’s New

Posted by Trey Trawick at 12:06 pm

iOS 4.1 will be available next week as a free update, and will include:

Proximity sensor, Bluetooth, and iPhone 3G fixes

“High Dynamic Range Photos”, which take 3 pictures, one with highlights, shadows, and midranges, and merges them to produce an HDR photo.

HD video uploads over WiFi

TV Show Rentals for $.99

Game Center

iOS 4.2 will give the iPad all the features of 4.0, plus printing and AirPlay. It will be available for free on newer models of the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad in November.

Printing is pretty self-explanatory: you can print a document to any printer on a local network. AirPlay is a revamped version of AirTunes, and allows you to stream audio and video over WiFi to your iOS 4.2 device.