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Newest version of ultrasn0w unlocks iPhone 4, 3GS on iOS 5.1.1, RedSn0w 0.9.12b1 also released
Are you one of those folks who depends heavily on an iPhone 4 / 3GS unlock, but made the unsafe trip toward iOS 5.1.1 territory? Worry no more, as the hard-working Dev-Team's come through yet again, delivering its newest version of ultrasn0w to help alleviate your carrier lockdown problems. Version 1.2.7 of the unlocking method is friendly with iPhone 4s (nope, not the 4S) on baseband 01.59.00, while the older 3G / 3GS slabs will have to be on 04.26.08, 05.11.07, 05.12.01, 05.13.04 or 06.15.00. To go along with the latest ultrasn0w release, the Dev-Team also outed a fresh copy of RedSn0w (0.9.12b1) for both Windows and Mac, making it easier for devices sporting Cupertino's A4 chip -- and other earlier ones -- to adopt and restore using an untethered solution. All in all, we'd say it's a pretty good day for the jailbreak scene. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Redsn0w 0.9.11b1 now allows post-iPad 2 devices to downgrade to an older firmware
Per usual, the Dev-Team whiz-kids have been hard at work trying to make your jailbroken iOS life a tad bit easier. This time around, MuscleNerd & Co. have outed their latest revision of RedSn0w (0.9.11b1), allowing folks using the new iPad, iPad 2 and iPhone 4S to downgrade to lower firmwares for jailbreaking purposes -- a feature others have been enjoying for some time now. As expected, you'd still need those saved SHSH blobs from the previous firmware in order to do so, and if your device depends on an unofficial unlock, it's recommended (with a few exceptions) to steer clear since this method will upgrade your baseband. Speaking of, the Dev-Team also notes you should stick with an earlier version of Redsn0w unless you must have the new tidbits. Those of you eager to give it a try can head over to the Dev-Tem Blog to grab yourself a copy.
iOS 5.1 gets tethered jailbreak for non-A5 iPads, iPhones and iPods
We've got good news for anyone intrigued by the new (largely incremental) features of Apple's latest mobile OS update. MuscleNerd, famed iOS meddler, has confirmed that iOS 5.1 can be jailbroken to the original iPad, iPhone 4 and 3rd and 4th generation iPod Touch devices. Unfortunately, it's still a tethered jailbreak which means you'll need to "just boot" the device using redsn0w whenever it powers down. However, we're sure those iOS hackers are already working on that minor niggle. Get the full instructions and those ever-important warnings over at Think iOS, which also links to the required iOS 5.1 files. [Thanks all]
iFaith v1.4 allows downgrade to iOS 5.0, jailbreaker's dream come true
In the game of Apple versus the jailbreakers, Cupertino threw the community a curveball with iOS 5's newly restricted downgrade system which blocks devices from restoring to old 5.x firmware. With the help of his noble steed iFaith (a custom Windows tool), hacker iH8sn0w has found a way around the firmware block, making it possible for dumped iOS 5 signature hash blobs (SHSH blobs) to permit unsigned restores. Why all the fuss about downgrading to prohibited firmware? Prominent iOS hackers MuscleNerd and pod2g have stated that the first untethered jailbreak will arrive on iOS 5.0 and, as such, may require iFaith's downgrade process to facilitate user restores. While the jailbreak is still under construction, iFaith should assure disheartened users in the community that all is not lost. Want to learn about blobs, blobs, and more blobs? Continue past the break to view iH8sn0w's informative video.
iOS 5 jailbroken already
iOS 5 has been jailbroken within 24 hours of its debut in the iOS dev center. According to iOS hacker MuscleNerd, the exploit uses limera1n and is a tethered boot on the iPod touch fourth generation at this time. Cydia installs fine and seems to work without issue. This achievement is good news for devs who are rocking iOS 5 and those looking forward to the release version of iOS which should land this fall. [Via Redmond Pie]
iOS 5 jailbroken
See those Cydia and iSSH icons? How about the Reminders and Newstand apps, see those? What you're looking at is the harmonious coexistence of hacks and Apple's virgin iOS 5 beta release running on a 4th generation iPod touch. In other words, MuscleNerd and Co are letting us know that iOS 5 presents few surprises so far when its comes to closing the existing holes exploited by the tethered limera1n jailbreak. Update: It's worth mentioning that limera1n is a bootrom exploit that Apple can't patch on the iPod touch through firmware alone. The real test of the Dev Team's wits will be an untethered jailbreak for the iPad 2.
Limera1n jailbreaks the iPhone and iPod touch running iOS 4.1, angers dev community and neuters one of our phones (video)
Looking for a jailbreak for your iPod touch or iPhone running iOS 4.1? Your chariot is named limera1n -- assuming you're willing to risk your device on a software developer showdown. The infamous Geohot just upstaged the iPhone Dev Team and Chronic Dev Team by releasing a reportedly buggy beta exploit of his own, which you can find at our download link immediately below. It only works on Windows at the moment, hacks only official releases and iPhone 3GS isn't supported right now, and it claims to be an unpatchable, untethered release for those of you who appreciate what those terms mean. As you can imagine, rival developers aren't terribly happy that Geohot's back in the limelight. MuscleNerd (of the iPhone Dev Team) claims that limera1n will re-lock iPhones that were unlocked by his team's ultrasn0w software, and recommends you skip limera1n, but the main reason the iOS hacking community is angry at Geohot is because if more than one exploit is released simultaneously, Apple can fix them both in one fell swoop. By releasing first, Geohot has allegedly forced other teams to decide between the good of iPhone users over the short term (by releasing a different, more stable exploit) or over the long term (by saving their exploit for future use) and so far it looks like both teams have chosen to prolong the fight -- the iPhone Dev Team is asking folks to withhold its Shatter exploit, and Chronic Dev Team says it will modify its greenpois0n jailbreak to use Geohot's hack instead. What a weird, wild world we live in. Update: How might this work on an iPad, given that beta versions of iOS (like 4.2) aren't currently supported? Good question. We've struck all references to iPad accordingly, until the powers that be figure it out. Update 2: Video after the break! Also, we're hearing that some folks have jailbroken their iPads successfully with limera1n, and we personally got it working quickly on a pair of iPhones with iOS 4.1... but one of the two was missing icons upon restart and didn't regain App Store, Maps, Game Center and Calendar even after a restore. Be careful, now! Sam Sheffer contributed to this report. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Official: iPhone 4 jailbreak hits from iPhone Dev Team (updated with video)
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/Official_iPhone_4_jailbreak_hits_from_iPhone_Dev_Team'; The Library of Congress made it legal, MuscleNerd showed us it was a go, and now Comex and company have delivered the long-awaited jailbreak to the fourth rendition of iPhone. According to their new page JailbreakMe, the hack works right on the iPhone 4 (or 3GS, or 3G, or iPad, or...) itself, using via the handset's Safari browser to reportedly break into most any iOS device. The servers are getting slammed pretty badly, and only a few Engadget editors have so much as seen the page pictured above so far, but rest assured we're testing this as we speak and will have more details up soon. Update: Sorry folks, we've tried repeatedly, but apparently the servers just can't handle the load -- Comex tweets that the purple screens we're seeing are evidence of server fail. Here's hoping for a Cydia celebration when the stampede is over. Update 2: Comex says you might want to reboot if you got stuck staring at that purple screen, and you could also try their backup server (click our second source link) to help the Dev Team divide the load. Update 3: We successfully got the jailbreak to start working, but it crashed Safari. Upon reboot of our phone we've got... nothing but the Apple logo. Take note, this can brick your phone, so proceed with caution! Video of the experience after the break. After a reset, our phone is giving us nothing but the Apple logo. (Update to the update, the phone has been restored). Update 4: Our intern Sam has successfully jailbroken his iPhone 4 according to this pic, so it can be done! Update 5: Comex reports that iPads running iOS 3.2.1 aren't presently working properly, and that MMS problems after jailbreak are a known issue. Update 6: Good news? Saurik (of Cydia fame) has pitched in to secure JailbreakMe some better hosting. Bad news? Reports indicate that FaceTime doesn't work after jailbreak, either. Update 7: Seven updates? You bet, because it's looking like there's already a fix for the missing FaceTime and MMS features. Head on over to Redmond Pie (in more coverage below) for instructions to install the Cydia package that brought video chat back to two of our iPhone 4 handsets. If you're just downloading JailbreakMe for the first time though, you shouldn't need to do a thing, as Comex claims both have been fixed in a new version of the hack that just went live.
hacksugar: iPhone 4 jailbreak accomplished but not ready for public release
When we talk about "jailbreaking" the iPhone, that means opening up the underlying file system on the phone for full read/write access; on a vanilla iPhone, only the 'userland' data is accessible to users and apps. The term is derived from Unix jargon, where a "chroot jail" is the limited section of the file system that an underprivileged app can access. A jailbreak allows third parties to install and run any software they want, rather than the subset of iPhone apps approved by Apple and distributed through the App Store. Before Apple's official SDK was released, jailbreak apps were the only native (non-web) apps on the platform aside from the built-in apps that shipped with the device. As TUAW has posted about in the past, the jailbreak software community is a hotbed of innovation and creativity. Many iPhone technologies debuted first in the hobbyist jailbreak community before ever appearing in official Apple firmware. Jailbreak-first features included copy and paste, spell checking, application folders, rotation inhibition, multitasking, find-my-iPhone, and more. In terms of iPhone possibility and expression, the jailbreak community has led the way. Over the weekend, Redmond Pie announced that the iPhone 4 was successfully jailbroken. This proof-of-concept jailbreak showed that the new iPhone model could be opened for general file access. It is not, however, a "production" jailbreak; because the proof-of-concept used proprietary Apple code, it will not be released to the public. There is no word yet as to when a more intellectual-property-friendly version will be finished, but one guesses "soon" -- with no rush for the all-volunteer development team. Screen shots of the new jailbreak follow in the gallery below, to provide you with a sneak peek at what's coming up. %Gallery-96477%
iPhone 4 gets preliminary 'userland' jailbreak, real freedom still forthcoming
The most Twitter-vocal iPhone Dev Team member, Mr. MuscleNerd himself, has just posted a screenshot from a jailbroken iPhone 4. Before you get too excited, however, you should know that this is just a preliminary "userland" jailbreak, which means it uses Apple software to happen, and it's not of a low enough level to really be worth releasing, since it's easy for Apple to patch. Instead it's an important step toward a real, low-level jailbreak that can actually be released. We'd feign pins and needles if this community wasn't so gosh darned amazing at hacking these phones: we're sure that real jailbreak will be along shortly. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
iPhone / iPad 'Spirit' jailbreak released to the world
We've been seeing the iPad / iPhone Spirit jailbreak demoed here and there for a few weeks now, and here we go -- the download is now available. The untethered jailbreak works on activated iPhone OS devices running 3.1.2, 3.1.3, and 3.2, although iPad owners are warned that "all this is still sort of beta" and might require you to restore if things break. That's not the worst thing in the world, we suppose -- anyone taking the plunge? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
iPad hacksugar: iPad 3G hacked to send native SMS
Here's a cool little find for a quiet Sunday. MuscleNerd of the iPhone dev team has managed to allow his jailbroken 3G iPad to send command-line SMS text messages. This hack only works with SIM cards that have already paid for an SMS plan, in this case a T-Mobile SIM that was downsized to microSIM dimensions. (More about using T-Mobile SIMs here.) The 3G iPad was jailbroken using Spirit. The hack works by communicating directly with the iPad baseband, using standard AT commands. As of yet, Apple's MobileSMS application, the SMS application that normally appears on iPhone home screens, has not worked on the iPad. Will standard phone call service be next? Using minutes from a downsized SIM? Wait and see. [via RedmondPie] Thanks, Steven Kappler.
iPad 3G works on T-Mobile, can be hacked to send text messages
Here's a pair of interesting iPad 3G hacks for your lazy Sunday -- first, Apple's tablet is apparently unlocked out of the factory, so trimming a T-Mobile SIM to micro SIM size will get you up and running on EDGE with no further hassle. Not terribly useful in the States, but good news for Europeans who'll have several carrier options right out the gate. Secondly, MuscleNerd of the Dev Team has discovered it's apparently possible to send text messages from a jailbroken 3G iPad using a T-Mobile or non-iPad AT&T SIM -- the stock AT&T SIM restricts SMS and calls, apparently. Check videos of both hacks after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
iPad 3G jailbroken on video: same as it ever was (on the WiFi model)
You may find yourself holding onto an iPad 3G. You may find yourself not able to stream ABC player. You may tell yourself, I think I need to break some rules. You may ask yourself, will I be able to use the same Spirit software that jailbreaks my WiFi model? You may ask yourself, well, did I backup my SHSH blobs? Download still not yet available -- time is holding us, time does hold you back. (There is video, at the bottom of the ocean after the break.)
iPhone OS 4 jailbreak released to developers, not you
Be clear on this: if you're not a jailbreak app developer then the redsn0w 0.9.5 beta release is not for you. The iPhone OS 4 jailbreak previously hinted at is for real and it's for devs only so that they can prep their wares for the summer update. Don't worry, it doesn't reveal anything new to Apple and no, it won't work on the iPad -- it's Mac OSX only, iPhone 3G only, and iPhone 4.0 beta 1 only for now. But hey, it's early days, at least you know it's out there and that people smarter than you are tending to things.
iPhone Dev Team's MuscleNerd shows off VNC on iPhone OS 4 beta, hints at jailbreak
We can't get a straight answer on the exact jailbroken status of iPhone OS 4, but MuscleNerd of the iPhone Dev Team (and recent iPad hacking fame) is sure hinting heavily. He's got Veency (a VNC server) and Cydia running on iPhone OS 4 on video, something he claims "you'll only find on JB 4.0." Of course, he also has the dev tools at his disposal and all the bugs and loopholes of an early beta, so we can't be exactly sure what's going on. There's also not much point to releasing an OS 4 beta jailbreak to the public, and MuscleNerd himself recommends not bothering with the betas, as they're "very buggy." Still, it's fun to see these tools alive and well on the newfangled multitasking OS. Check out the video after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
iPad 'Spirit' jailbreak demonstrated by MuscleNerd, now it really is magical (video)
You better believe it when notorious iPhone jailbreaker MuscleNerd -- a well-respected member of the iPhone Dev-Team -- declares root access on an iPad. According to this fella's tweets, this new hack is a port of Comex's "Spirit" jailbreak that exploits a bug found on both iPhone OS 3.1.3 and the iPad's 3.2. No downloads are offered right at this moment, but it shouldn't be long before we can throw in all sorts of wild apps and widgets as we wish. Video after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
MMS for iPhone 2G and tethering on OS 3.1.2 explained, not for the faint of heart
Let's be clear upfront that this isn't for the casual iPhone jailbreaker, but if you feeling like living on the edge, you can give your original model an added boost of MMS capability, or any device with OS 3.1.2 the power to tether. Highlighted in a series of tweets today by iPhone dev team lead MuscleNerd, whiterat (for MMS) and two-bit (for tethering) will get the job done, but both require tinkering with the baseband, which is exponentially more advanced and brick-inducing than, say, installing Cydia. Venture forth with the instructions beyond the read links below. [Via 9 to 5 Mac] Read - iPhone 2G MMS Read - OS 3.1.2 tethering
