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Siri port now talking to Apple servers, avoiding Cydia
A little cajoling from a clever developer got Siri talking to the iPhone 4 and the iPad, but Apple's tight-lipped servers kept the conversation effectively one-sided. The last-gen port was still missing something, and developer Steven Troughton-Smith knew where to find it: a jailbroken iPhone 4S. In an interview with 9to5Mac, Troughton-Smith said that getting Siri to talk to Cupertino's data servers only took ten minutes after he had all of the pieces in place. Ready for your personal assistant port? Hold the phone, the process is a bit dodgy -- our hacking hero said that getting Siri on the older device is a 20-step process, and it requires files from the iPhone 4S that he says aren't his to distribute. When asked about distributing the hack over Cydia, Troughton-Smith said it was something he couldn't be a part of. On Twitter he suggested that a release would "anger the hive," but promised to post detailed notes on the hack after a iPhone 4S jailbreak drops.
Siri hacked to work on jailbroken iPhone 4 and iPod touch
iPhone experts Steven Troughton-Smith and chpwn seem to have just gotten the iPhone 4S-only Siri working on jailbroken iPhone 4 and current-gen iPod touch units this evening. This bypasses earlier authentication issues. They tweeted their success and posted a screen shot showing Siri working via Wi-Fi (the Airplane Mode icon just means that 3G is turned off, but it is possible to turn Wi-Fi back on even in AM; that's what they did.) Their success comes just weeks after the iPhone 4S debuted. Since Apple's back-end systems are checking for iPhone 4S devices before processing Siri queries, they managed to work around this limitation. The hack is based on moving compiled code components from a 4S to the older units. In an interview with 9to5Mac, Troughton-Smith recounts that the Siri transplant was about a 20-step process, and that it does require access to a jailbroken iPhone 4S to work. He has no intention of releasing the mod to the public; this is a proof-of-concept only.
iPhone 4S/iOS 5 preliminary jailbreak on the way, not yet ready for public consumption
OK, jailbreak fans. It's not complete, and it's definitely not widely available, but the first jailbreak for the iPhone 4S is starting to make the rounds. It's actually a jailbreak for iOS 5, and works not only on the iPhone 4S but also the iPad 2. iClarified reported that the iPhone Dev-Team is demoing a preliminary jailbreak. Notes from the team state that "huge missing pieces prevent public release. LOTS of work left" for the iPhone 4S jailbreak, similar to the comments made about the iPad2 "Just like iPhone4S, lots of hurdles remain, no ETAs." A video of the in-progress jailbreak working on the iPad 2 can be viewed below. Enjoy, and keep your browser pointed to TUAW for all of your up-to-the-minute jailbreak news.
Siri being tested in jailbroken iPad 1
It's been ten days since Siri hit the scene and the virtual assistant is in the process of being torn apart by the hacking community. Siri, as it exists on the iPhone 4S, has been ported to the iPhone 4 and now the iPad 1. Developer Steven Troughton-Smith, who worked on the iPhone 4 port, has shared his progress with @jackoplane who has successfully ported the app to the iPad 1. Several images of Siri running on the tablet device document this achievement. Unfortunately, neither the iPhone 4 nor the iPad port is fully functional at this point. Siri still needs to connect to Apple's servers to work and the servers are configured to accept requests only from the iPhone 4S. Potentially, these devices could be spoofed to look like an iPhone 4S which could open this functionality to jailbroken devices. Jailbreaking and porting may be the only solution for owners of older hardware who want Siri on their iOS devices. It's doubtful that Apple will bring Siri to the iPad 1 or the iPhone 3GS. Apple may not want to support this older hardware and these models may also lack the processing power required for the voice assistant. But as some of you pointed out in one of our latest "You're The Pundit" posts, Apple could decide to bring Siri to the iPhone 4 and the iPad 2 once it comes out of beta. [Via Jailbreakstory]
Siri ported to iPad, still getting silent treatment from Apple servers
Developers wasted no time bringing Siri to the iPhone 4, and nine days later, it's been brought to the iPad as well. This version, running on a first-generation jailbroken Apple tablet, suffers from a similar problem as past non-iPhone 4S ports: it's still not talking to Apple's data servers. This means that until devs manage to get voice commands recognized and initiated, the iPad's unofficial virtual assistant will remain effectively gagged.
Report: PS3 jailbreak, second edition, is now circulating in Indonesia
A team from Indonesia claims it has successfully jailbroken the PS3 with a new dongle it's calling "JB2." JB2 is supposedly based on the original jailbreak key produced by GeoHot and works on firmware version 3.55 consoles, but plays games up to the current version, 3.73, PS3Crunch reports (as of writing, the PS3Crunch website is down, whether from server overload or more purposeful action is unclear). The dongle will play titles burned onto Blu-ray discs via HDD, including FIFA 12, Driver: San Francisco, God of War: Origins Collection, Pro Evolution Soccer 2012, X-Men Destiny and Sniper Ghost Warrior, PS3Crunch says. The dongle is now circulating in Indonesia and will be sold globally for roughly $45, reports say. The above video supposedly shows the JB2 in action, booting up to a developer-build screen and expanded option set. Personally, finding and buying the JB2, getting BD-Rs and burning copies of new games seems like more work than we'd ever invest in an illegal, temporary piece of hardware. Maybe that's just us -- given, we're extremely smart, well-informed, good-looking and all-around cool people -- but again, that's just us.
Refresh Resource: week of October 10, 2011
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android updates Motorola Xoom owners who swapped in their devices for one with LTE capability may have found an OTA enhancement waiting for them when the tablet arrived. It included a few minor changes, such as updates to Android Market and some additional browser security measures. The full changelog can be found at the link. [AndroidCentral] The update to the Motorola Droid 2 Global was pulled last month due to an Exchange encryption issue, but we're hearing reports that it's once again resuming the rollout with that concern resolved. [Droid-Life] Motorola's Photon 4G on Sprint is on the receiving end of a minor bug fix update, which includes video chat capability for Google Talk. [PhoneArena] The good news for unlocked Dell Streak 7 users: the official update to Android 3.2 (Honeycomb) is now rolling out and you should see it over the course of the next couple weeks. the coming weeks. [Dell] The bad news for T-Mobile Dell Streak 7 users: Honeycomb isn't coming to your tablet, for unknown reasons. [Android Community] According to a tweet from LG, there's a small refresh in the works for the Optimus 7 which will finally enable WiFi tethering. [WPCentral] Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery A new piece of firmware for the AT&T Galaxy S II was leaked via RootzWiki, and includes a few bug fixes. Sadly, it adds some bugs as well. [Android Community] Samsung's officially released the kernel source for the Stratosphere, Transfix and Galaxy Y Pro. [Android Community] And now for the best news for TouchPad owners: after several weeks of progress, it appears that CM7 is now ready to roll on the HP TouchPad. As always, download and install at your own risk -- we have a feeling this may be a bit more involved than your typical Android custom ROM. [Redmond Pie] Other platforms Redsn0w 0.9.9b5 is here, giving you the go-ahead to jailbreak iOS5. Up for the task? Head to the link for all of the details on how to make it so. [Redmond Pie] Some Windows Phone users have noticed a few bugs popping into their updated devices ever since they received Mango. The main concerns seem to be found in the keyboard and live tiles, though the reported issues are much more numerous. Have you experienced any of these on the list at the link? [WMPowerUser] Refreshes we covered this week Motorola a bit slow boomerangin' back with LTE update iOS5 now available for download
Sprint explains iPhone 4S unlocking policy: phones will be unlocked, then locked, then unlocked again
Yeah, that makes just as much sense to us as it does to you. Following yesterday's PR debacle, the final word from Sprint appears to be as follows: "Sprint's policy is to have the iPhone 4S SIM locked to our network domestically and internationally. At launch, the International SIM will be unlocked. We do expect a SIM lock to be pushed to the devices shortly after launch. We will then allow existing customers in good standing to unlock the SIM for international use if needed in the future." So, if we're reading that correctly, the iPhone you purchase and activate will be unlocked. Then, a SIM lock will be "pushed" to your device. But, if you've been a good, policy-abiding customer, your iPhone can then be unlocked manually by Sprint. Who knows what'll happen if you buy your phone and flee to a non-extradition country before Sprint comes knocking at the door, shackles in hand. Will you be left to live in peace with your newly-acquired international Micro SIM? Will you need to plead your case before a tribunal of mobile carrier overlords? Only time will tell, we suppose, or perhaps further clarification from Sprint. Jump past the break for the complete announcement.
Sprint and Verizon confirm iPhone 4S Micro SIM unlock for international travel (update: Sprint remains locked?)
If you own an iPhone 4 on AT&T, using the device while traveling internationally means paying sky-high roaming fees, jailbreaking or limiting data use to when you're on a WiFi network, either with a public hotspot or through a service like Xcom Global. Verizon iPhone 4 owners, however, don't have the option of GSM roaming at all, and can only make calls and use cellular data in countries that support CDMA. All that changes with the iPhone 4S, however -- Macworld has confirmed that Sprint will sell its version of the device with the Micro SIM slot unlocked, with Verizon offering free unlocking to customers after the first 60 days of service. iPhone 4S owners will then be able to purchase a Micro SIM overseas, allowing them to access data and make calls at local rates, for a fraction of what it would cost to roam. AT&T iPhone 4S owners won't have this option, however, so if you make frequent trips overseas, this benefit alone may be enough to justify purchasing the phone through Sprint or Verizon, saving some users hundreds or thousands of dollars in international roaming fees. Update: A Sprint spokesperson has said that our source article was incorrect, telling us that its SIM will not be unlocked and adding that the card will not even be removable: "Our SIM does not come out of the device - I believe the same is true of Verizon's iPhone but you would need to confirm that with them. Customers can sign up for one of our international rate plans and use this phone all over the world. When traveling internationally, there is a setting that must be turned on within the device to connect to GSM. The phone will work with a SIM that is provided within the device out of the box. International voice and data charges are on a pay-as-you-go basis and vary based on the country where the customer is using their phone; a list of rates is available at www.sprint.com/international." Update 2: We heard from Sprint a second time, which redacted part of its previous statement. The carrier further explained "the SIM is removable and is not affixed to the device," which as you may notice directly contradicts the statement made earlier today. We've reached out to Apple twice and are awaiting further clarification. Update 3: A Verizon spokesperson has confirmed that the original version of the article is in fact correct: "The iPhone 4S works like all of our global phones. The phone comes in box with a SIM locked to our network and the network of our roaming partners including Vodafone, one of our parent companies. Customers sign up for a Verizon Wireless voice plan (beginning at $39.99 for 450 min.) and a data plan beginning at 2GB for $30. When they choose to go out of the country, they should call Verizon Wireless and sign up for a global plan. The customer can also request to have the SIM unlocked if they want to use a local service while out of the country. The request needs to be made prior to leaving the country, their bill must be current and the phone must be active on the account for 60 days before we will unlock the SIM." [Thanks, Julio]
Mobile Miscellany: week of September 19, 2011
This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of September 19, 2011: Opera Software, builder of the popular mobile browser, announced it was acquiring Handster, an app store platform that supports Android, WP7, BlackBerry, and Symbian. [TechCrunch] Samsung unveiled three new HSDPA feature phones destined for India: the Champ 3.5G (S3770), Primo (S5610) and Chat 527 (S5270). [UnwiredView and SammyHub] A leaked image indicates the HTC Hero S will be coming to US Cellular in the near future. The device appears to be the Kingdom, and is expected to feature a 1.2GHz single-core Qualcomm CPU, 768MB of RAM, a 4-inch qHD display and Gingerbread. [PocketNow] Speaking of US Cellular, the Motorola Electrify officially became available for purchase online this week (expected in stores on September 26th), and can be yours for $200 after a $100 mail-in rebate. [AndroidCentral] Wirefly accidentally outed press renders of the Samsung Stratosphere -- on the retailer's Pantech Breakout page. The images have since been removed. [OwenJohnston] A white version of the Samsung Galaxy S II is making the rounds in the UK, but we learned this week that Bell Canada will be launching it well before the holidays. Interestingly, the device in the image (seen above) has retained the international version's three-button layout. [MobileSyrup] Among the barrage of new phones Sprint's releasing on October 2nd is the BlackBerry Curve 9350, according to another leaked employee memo. The price will likely be $80 after a $50 mail-in rebate. [CrackBerry] T-Mobile MVNO Simple Mobile announced a new unlimited prepaid plan for BlackBerry devices for $60 / month, which includes access to T-Mo's HSPA+ network. [N4BB] Huawei appears to have outed press images of the Honor, which is said to have a 4-inch FWVGA LCD, Gingerbread, 1.4GHz CPU (no specifics known yet), and an 8MP rear camera accompanied by a front-facing cam (again, no details on the resolution here). [EuroDroid] A member of the iPhone Dev Team has released a new version of Redsn0w, its popular iOS jailbreaking software, known as 0.9.9b1. Check the link to get the full list of new features. [Technobolt]
Jailbroken iPhone mod mimics Mac OS X
Jailbreakers can bring some of OS X Lion to their iPhone and iPod touch. Lion Ultimatum is an advanced Dreamboard theme that includes Lion features like a file manager, dock, Launchpad, Mission Control and more to your iOS device. It's an ambitious project started by a college freshman. If youre interested, check out Ultimatum in the video below and point your browsers to ModMyi for the installation instructions. [Via Engadget]
Lion Ultimatum brings desktop-like functionality and file manager to jailbroken iOS (video)
Sure, OS X Lion borrowed many of its design cues from Apple's iOS platform, but now users of jailbroken iPhone and iPod Touch devices may bring much of the desktop Mac's functionality onto their handset with Lion Ultimatum. In essence, this beta project is a theme for Dreamboard (which is required software), but it's rather far-reaching, with a functional file manager and Finder menus, a scrollable dock and draggable windows, along with Stacks, Launchpad, Mission Control and Dashboard. There's also a customizable lock screen that provides access to the dialer, email and messages. Even the keyboard can be modified to resemble the design of MacBook Pro or the traditional Apple Keyboard, thanks to integration with ColorKeyboard. If you're thirsty for more, hop the break for an extended video preview, or just follow the source for the full install instructions. [Thanks, Adam]
Redsn0w 0.9.8b7 jailbreak tutorials available
Good news for jailbreakers running iOS 5 Beta 7, latest version of Redsn0w will let you jailbreak your newly updated iOS device. While Redsn0w 0.9.8b7 was released for iOS beta 6, it does suport beta 7. This jailbreak works with any iOS device, except the iPad 2. There's a few points to keep in mind when jailbreaking iOS 5 beta 7. First, it's a tethered jailbreak so you'll have to connect your iOS device to your computer every time you restart your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Secondly, the Redsn0w utility was released right before iOS 5 beta 7 and is off by a version. To jailbreak, iOS 5 beta 7, you'll have to point Redsn0w to the IPSW for beta 6 if you want it to work. Confused? Then check out some step-by-step directions at Smash iPhone or ModMyi.
Redsn0w 0.9.8b7 gets tutorial for jailbreaking iOS 5 beta 6, iOS 4.3.5 and 4.2.10
Just like the Sn0wbreeze project, redsn0w recently added support for a tethered jailbreak of iOS 5 beta 6. While support for the iPad 2 still isn't in the mix, the latest version -- 0.9.8b7 -- adds additional support for Apple's latest beta on the original iPad, and the folks at Smash iPhone have provided a tutorial for those who move to the beat of a different drum. While redsn0w supports a tether-free solution for iOS 4.3.3, if you want to partake in Cupertino's freshest fruits, you'll be required to connect your phone or tablet to your computer whenever you power up the device. Also, while download links for iOS 4.3.5 and 4.2.10 are in the tutorial, if you're not a developer, it'll be on you to scrounge up the latest beta. Best of luck with the foray.
JailbreakMe creator Comex joins Apple as an intern
Allow us to extend our congratulations to Nicholas Allegra. He's more popularly known as Comex, the party responsible for crafting the infamous JailbreakMe and Spirit tools that's given Apple so many headaches recently. Starting the week after next, he'll be officially wandering around 1 Infinite Loop as a bona fide intern. We're not terribly surprised, since the skill level needed to give iOS engineers a run for their money can be a highly valuable asset to the company; hiring someone with the know-how to spot vulnerabilities in Apple's OS would only serve to make the platform more secure. It wasn't mentioned how Allegra's talents will be utilized by Apple, but -- given the programmer's extensive history -- we can make a few educated guesses.
JailbreakMe's Comex goes to work for Apple
Nicholas Allegra, aka Comex, aka the young man behind JailbreakMe.com, has been offered an internship with Apple, according to his recent Twitter update. "It's been really, really fun, but it's also been a while and I've been getting bored. So, the week after next I will be starting an internship with Apple." JailbreakMe.com has been around for awhile, and it's long been one of the easier methods of jailbreaking iOS devices. Over the years the site has gone through various iterations to get around Apple's attempts to plug the holes it exploited, but now it appears Apple has employed the greatest jailbreaking deterrence it can: a job offer. After Comex was profiled in Forbes, we speculated it wouldn't be long before Apple offered him a position. It looks like congratulations are in order.
iOS 5 beta 6 gets a Sn0wbreeze for Windows jailbreak
Windows users can jailbreak their iPhone, iPad or iPod touch running iOS 5 beta 6. An updated version of Sn0wbreeze for Windows now supports the latest version of iOS 5 and can jailbreak your iPhone without compromising the baseband. The tethered jailbreak supports the iPhone 3GS (with new bootrom), iPhone 4 (GSM/CDMA), iPod touch (3G/4) and the first generation iPad. If you're a developer running iOS 5 beta 6 and want to keep you jailbreak intact, you can download Sn0wbreeze 2.8b6 here and follow the instructions from Redmond Pie here.
iOS 5 beta 6 gets a Sn0wbreeze jailbreak, iPad 2 still stuck behind bars
Apparently, the iOS hacking community is not working for the weekend, judging by the two days it took to crack Apple's latest beta wide open. Available as of this morning, the Sn0wbreeze 2.8 Beta 6 unlock tool can now give those of you with developer credentials jailbreak access to iOS 5 beta 6. From the looks of this release, the hack works on most iOS devices with the sole exception of the iPad 2. Already itching to get that custom firmware on your Ive-designed iSlabs? Then hit the source link below, and let us know how things turn out.
Verizon now cracking down on jailbreak tethering and apps
Verizon is now blocking customers from tethering for free on their data plan. For years, savvy smartphone owners have used hacks and software to connect their laptop or tablet to their phone's mobile broadband connection without paying the additional US$20 monthly charge for tethering. Until now, carriers have turned a blind eye to this free tethering and let it continue as long as data usage wasn't excessive. Verizon, similar to AT&T, has decided to put an end to this practice. The carrier is forwarding these free tethering customers to a Verizon webpage that lets them add the tethering option to their plan in just a few clicks. This move comes hot on the heels of Verizon's controversial decision to end its unlimited data plan last month.
iOS 5 beta 5 gets a jailbreak
iOS 5 isn't set to actually ship until Fall, but that's not keeping the Redsn0w team from keeping up with Apple and releasing a jailbreak of iOS 5 beta 5. Redsn0w 0.9.8b9 is a tethered jailbreak that works on just about any iOS device except for the iPad 2. It's not likely that an untethered jailbreak will be available soon since iOS 5 is still beta-ware, so you're going to need to plug your device into a Mac or PC running Redsn0w every time you power it up. Otherwise, it's not going to boot into a jailbroken condition and all of those unofficial apps will be worthless. To jailbreak your device using Redsn0w, you'll want to be a jailbreak app developer who has a legitimate Apple developer account. You need a copy of the iOS 5 beta 5 firmware file and iTunes 10.5 Beta 5 as well. Don't even think about trying this jailbreak unless you have other skills in your toolkit, such as being able to switch your iOS device into DFU mode and restoring it with iTunes. Potential jailbreakers should also remember that applying this jailbreak to your device will keep it from receiving OTA updates from Apple until you restore it to an original state. If you're still itchin' for a jailbreak, head on over to the Dev-Team Blog and download Redsn0w.
