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JailbreakCon Conference to be held September 29 in San Francisco
The World Wide Jailbreak Convention announced on Friday that it'll hold its JailbreakCon 2012 conference on Saturday, September 29 in San Francisco. The conference will be held in California at the South San Francisco Conference Center. Early bird tickets start at US$65 and are on sale now through Eventbrite. You can find out more about the conference at the World Wide Jailbreak Convention's website. [Via iMore]
iOS 5.1 gets a tethered jailbreak for non-A5 iPads, iPhones and iPods
The iPhone Dev Team has updated redsn0w to support a tethered 5.1 jailbreak for non-A5 devices. This means it'll only work with the original iPad and the iPhone 4 and older devices. The tethered jailbreak also apparently breaks iBooks, a bug which will be fixed in a future version of redsn0w. You can download the jailbreak tool from the iPhone Dev Team's website. There's detailed information on the jailbreak and instructions on how to keep your carrier unlock. The Dev Team also has a stern warning to iPhone 4S and iPad 2 owners -- if you want to keep your current jailbreak, "DO NOT UPDATE TO 5.1." [Via MuscleNerd]
Gevey Ultra S SIM brings freedom to iPhone 4S, unlockers rejoice (video)
Fancy yourself a world traveler but steadfastly refuse to pay a premium for an unlocked variant of Apple's 4S? Or perhaps it's just not up for grabs on that beloved carrier of yours. Well, a solution to all of your iPhone's freedom problems may be on the way -- and no, it doesn't involve jailbreaking. That is, if you're on iOS 5.0 or 5.0.1 and your Baseband digits are within the 1.0.11, 1.0.13, 1.0.14 boundaries. Unfortunately, those of you lingering on 04.11.08 are out of luck for now. The Gevey Ultra S, as it's so cleverly dubbed, is set to start shipping on March 3rd for $55. We've yet to come across anyone we know who's put it to the test, thus you'll be taking the dive at your own risk. Meanwhile, you can jump past the break to catch the Ultra S in some self-promoting action.
aTV Flash update adds automatic backups, new playback options to jailbroken Apple TVs
The FireCore team has been busy updating its pay-to-play ($30) aTV Flash software package for jailbroken Apple TVs and just rolled out the latest bundle of updates in version 1.3. Now it can automatically perform backups, speaks more languages, supports more remote commands, reads more subtitles and the list goes on. You can check after the break for the full changelog, or just hit the Maintenance section if you're already running it to download the update. Take a peek at what it can do and let us know if this is a worthwhile alternative to XBMC, or any of the other media streaming platforms out there.
EFF petitions to extend legal iPhone jailbreaking
In 2010, the Copyright Office said jailbreaking a handset did not violate the DMCA and the jailbreak community breathed a sigh of relief. What many people didn't realize was that the exemption covering jailbreaking will expire later this year. When it expires, companies can go after jailbreak developers like the iPhone Dev Team using the DMCA. They could face jail time and monetary penalties for their involvement in creating jailbreaking tools. Needless to say, this would put a halt to most, if not all, jailbreaking. To prevent this from happening, the EFF created a webpage that tells you how to contact the Copyright Office and ask them to extend this exemption. The advocacy group also wants to extend this protection to tablets and video game consoles. They have instructions on where to send your comments and a guideline about what to say in your communication with the government agency. Comments are due by February 10 at 5 PM Eastern Time. If this is a cause you believe in, head over the EFF and take some time to help keep jailbreaking alive. [Electronista]
Lingual adds Siri language translation to jailbroken iPhones
Now that we can jailbreak the iPhone 4S, jailbreak developers can finally use Siri in their tweaks. One such tweak is Lingual which adds language translation to our favorite voice assistant. The tweak, available from the Big Boss repository in Cydia, lets you say "Siri, What is how are you in Spanish" and Siri will respond with "Cómo estás." The tweak uses the Bing API to handle all the translation requests and, as a result, can support more than 30 languages. It's based on the AssistantExtensions platform and will install that tweak along with Lingual. AssistantExtensions is an architecture that makes it easy to create Siri extensions like Lingual. It's free and has both tutorials and templates to get you started. If you have a jailbroken iPhone 4S and give Lingual a try, let us know what you think in the comments. I played around with Lingual and it works reasonably well. It's accuracy is based on Bing so the translation sometimes is hit or miss, but the tweak itself is stable. [Via The Verge and iDownloadBlog]
Jailbreaking exemption to DMCA is about to expire, EFF would rather it didn't
Back in 2010, the US Copyright Office added a set of anti-circumvention exemptions to the DMCA, effectively making it legal for smartphone users to jailbreak and/or root their devices. These exemptions, however, were never made permanent and now, they're about to expire. The EFF doesn't want this to happen, which is why it's decided to launch a campaign dedicated to the jailbreaking cause. With this initiative, the EFF is hoping to convince the Copyright Office to renew its exemptions and expand them to a wider range of devices, including tablets and videogame consoles. To achieve this, the organization is calling upon programmers and other jailbreaking enthusiasts to contact the Copyright Office directly, explaining why the ability to freely modify software is so vital to their lives or livelihoods. As the EFF argues, "Concrete examples will help show the Copyright Office why they should renew and expand the exemptions for jailbreaking." If you're interested in getting involved, you can contact the Copyright Office at the coverage link below, though all comments are due by February 5th. Hit up the source link for more details on the EFF's involvement.
Belfry brings Stocks and Weather, other native iPhone apps to jailbroken iPads
Rounding out the honeymoon period with that freshly jailbroken iPad 2? Well now we have some new apps for you to play with, and you may already be acquainted. iOS hacker Ryan Petrich's most recent project, dubbed Belfry, lets you install stock iPhone apps that are otherwise absent from both versions of Apple's tablet including Clock, Voice Memos, Stocks, Calculator, Compass and Weather. As to why these aren't included already is beyond our knowledge, but at least there's an alternative. Users can install Belfry directly within Cydia for free from the BigBoss repository. If you're looking for proof to seal the deal, you can catch the bashful Belfry and his silent film antics after the break.
Living la vita hacker: PS3 firmware exploit expands Vita Remote Play options
Those gosh-darned hackers just refuse to get off Sony's lawn, serving up yet another exploit for the outfit's latest baby, the PlayStation Vita. Well, sort of -- the Vita's own code hasn't been breached, but it sure plays nice with PlayStation 3 custom firmware 3.55. The PS3 tweak apparently recognizes the Vita as a mobile phone, which somehow allows it to Remote Play a wider assortment of PS3 games than normal. It's not all unicorns and double rainbows, however, as input lag appears to be an issue -- but it should help tide over enterprising Vita owners until Sony officially expands its list of Remote Play-compatible titles. In the meantime, those on the straight and narrow can console themselves with the Vita's recently updated 3G data plan. Hit the break to see the trick cram Battlefield 3 onto the small screen.
VoiceUtils makes your iPhone 4S wish into a Siri command (video)
In the event you haven't tired of Siri hacks, here comes yet another unintended use of the ole robo-handmaiden. This time, however, her jailbroken powers of automation are strictly for vanilla iOS purposes, so you won't find any demonstrations of car stereo or TV channel changing here. Instead, recently liberated iPhone 4S owners can look forward to a software package called VoiceUtils, available through Cydia, that allows Cupertino's best gal to open first- and third-party apps, unlock your phone (barring password protection) and even reboot. See? It's not exactly the most exciting exploit of Apple's much-touted software, but it is resoundingly practical. If you haven't taken a swig of greenpois0n's Absinthe just yet and are keen to extend your iDevice's voice recognition functionality, now might be the time to drink deeply.
Absinthe A5 Jailbreaker for iPhone 4S / iPad 2 now available for Windows
When the Absinthe A5 untethered jailbreak solution hit yesterday it opened Apple's iPhone 4S and iPad 2 for more creative uses by their owners -- as long as they were on OS X. Now the team has returned with a version of the tool built for Windows users who enjoy iLife mixing and matching. All the usual restrictions, warnings and directives apply, but you know what you're here for -- hit the source link below to download a ZIP file straight from greenpois0n's servers and get going, or check the other links for more information on the exact steps to follow.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Untethered jailbreak for iPhone 4S, iPad 2 available
After months of work, Pod2g, the iPhone Dev Team and the Chronic Dev Team released the untethered jailbreak for the iPad 2 and the iPhone 4S. The jailbreak tool, Absinthe, is compatible with the iPhone 4S running iOS 5.0 or 5.0.1 (9A405 and 9A406) and the iPad 2 Wifi/GSM/CDMA running iOS 5.0.1. The jailbreak tool is available for Mac owners and can be downloaded from greenpois0n's website. A Windows version is in the works. Once you have Absinthe, the jailbreak process should take about 15-20 minutes, but it could take longer as greenpois0n is swamped. If you have any problems, you can hop onto IRC ad connect with the experts at #greenpois0n on http://irc.chronic-dev.org.
Absinthe A5 jailbreak released for iPhone 4S, hacker Dream Team makes untethered dreams come true
Been waiting with bated breath to liberate that dual-core A5 within your shiny, white (we presume) Jony Ive-designed device? Well, you can exhale now, as a "Dream Team" of iOS hackers have just released Absinthe A5: an untethered solution for the iPhone 4S and iPad 2. For the uninitiated, this particular hack will not only free your handset or tablet from Apple's controlling grasp, it'll also retain the jailbreak upon reboot. But don't just thank this hacker collective for the successful effort, you can direct some of that applause to yourselves, as over ten million users submitted crash reports which led to the discovery of the exploit. But enough of the backstory -- head on over to the source to get your download started.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Whited00r lets you install iOS 5 look-alike on old-gen iPhones and iPod Touches
If you're still rockin' an ancient iPhone or iPod Touch and are fed up with friends teasing you at every chance with their new-style multitasking and reminder features, we've got some good news for you. A new software, dubbed Whited00r, will let you install portions of iOS 5 on the first two generations of the iPod Touch, iPhone 3G and even your O.G. iPhone. Whited00r accomplishes this by simply acting as a custom firmware -- à la CyanogenMod 9 on Android handsets. There are, however, a few traits that devs haven't been able to mimic, which include core services like the App Store (though, you can install apps via iTunes on your home machine), Notification Center and iCloud. So, for those of you clinging to your outdated hardware while you wait for the "next big thing," you can at least freshen up its features (at your own risk) with a coat of whitewash at the source below.
iPhone 4S jailbreak demonstration video
The A5 jailbreak for the iPhone 4S is making excellent progress. Chronic dev team member @DHowett posted a video to YouTube that shows an iPhone 4S with an untethered jailbreak for iOS 5.0.1. The short video shows Cydia running on the handset and the phone resetting without the need to connect it to a computer. Pod2g, who's working on the jailbreak along with @planetbeing, @MuscleNerd and@p0sixninja, confirmed the video is the real deal and hinted that the jailbreak will be released soon. [Via The Verge]
Apple reportedly cracking down on App Store pirates
According to a post this morning on Ars Technica, Apple is taking legal measures to make it more difficult for pirated copies of App Store apps to make their way to the hands of iOS device owners. The company is sending takedown notices to Apptrackr, a site that commonly directs users to cracked versions of popular apps. The takedown notices are being sent under the auspices of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which is the US implementation of two treaties of the World Intellectual Property Organization. Apptrackr developer "Dissident" says that Apple has scraped links from Apptrackr, and then sent takedown notices in an attempt to cut off access to the cracked apps. To combat Apple's anti-piracy efforts, Apptrackr has moved to servers outside of the US, and -- according to Ars -- is "using a form of redirection to avoid 'direct' links to infringing content." Some developers have reported that piracy rates for their apps are as high as 80 percent, which would result in losses in the millions of dollars for individual developers and possibly billions of dollars to Apple. Apptrackr defends their activities by saying that their "service" is "for application trials, and nothing else." On the Apptracker site "About Us" page, Dissident claims that "pirates who do not choose to purchase the applications they install are not lost sales. They were very, very likely never potential customers in the first place. Piracy's conversion rate is absurdly low, and developers know that." Regardless of how you personally feel about software piracy, it's fascinating to see that Apple is coming to the defense of App Store developers by attacking Apptrackr with takedown notices.
RIM puts BlackBerry Playbook on massive sale; Android Market shoehorned onto rooted units
Research in Motion may not have found itself in a coveted spot as 2011 ended, but if it's learned anything from HP, there's a surefire way to rid itself of remaining BlackBerry PlayBook inventory: sell 'em for a loss. After the unloved slate went on sale in its native land, Americans can now save up to $400 on a PlayBook through February 4th. RIM's official webstore is offering the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB model for $299, leaving us to wonder who would ever choose the smaller two if all three remain in stock. In related news, those who take the company up on the offer can now gain access to the Android Market with a few choice moves. The fine folks over at CrackBerry have detailed the process, which requires a rooted PlayBook, WinSCP, the latest version of Cyanogen Google apps and a fair amount of patience. Naturally, not all Android apps will actually work on the device, but it's a lovely hack for a sure-to-be-sluggish week in your workshop. Hit the links below to learn more.
Proof of concept: iOS apps on jailbroken Apple TV
If you're eager for the possibilities for a fully app-enabled Apple TV, the jailbreak hacker geniuses are right there with you. Last week saw some proof of concept demonstrations from Steve Troughton-Smith and @TheMudkip, featuring native applications running on the iOS-based settop device. The input mechanisms are a bit wonky at the present stage -- without a touchscreen, the devs need to use a combination of VNC, touchpad and keyboard inputs -- but remote support is on the way, they say. Troughton-Smith has released a UIKit library for other developers to play with, and the first third-party demo (a weather radar app) is apparently working now. Now there's a nice high-def video demo, seen below, via MacDaddyNews, that gives a better sense of the capabilities of this hack. While some apps may appear sluggish, that's an artifact of the control scheme; the final product should be nice and snappy. Jailbreaking the current version (4.4.4) of the Apple TV got easier last week, as the free jailbreak tool Seas0nPass was updated to allow an untethered jailbreak of the device. A jailbroken Apple TV can use third-party plugins such as XBMC, NitoTV or Plex.
iOS apps shown running on Apple TV at 720p in new video demo
We've seen a jailbroken Apple TV running iOS apps but admittedly, the last demo we were treated to was brief, dimly lit and light on commentary. Now, the developers behind the Apple TV MobileX project are back with a longer, more explanatory video, and this time you can see apps like Facebook, YouTube, Safari and Maps running at 720p resolution. As you can see, the hack generally runs smoothly, though the dev narrating the video is quick to admit that certain apps such as Safari are sluggish due to the fact that he's using VNC instead of a direct input method like a remote or mouse and keyboard. Curious? We've got video of the setup just past the break.
Seas0nPass untethered jailbreak for Apple TVs on 4.4.4 detailed, iOS apps coming soon? (Update: video!)
Now that pod2g has done the heavy lifting and released an untethered jailbreak for iOS5, the Seas0NPass tool has been updated for your untethered jailbreaking pleasure on Apple TVs running even the latest 4.4.4 update. Redmond Pie has a full walkthrough and how-to that should help you get things going, so that you no longer have to choose between extending your device's capabilities beyond Apple's restrictions (still no Plex support on 4.4.4 though Update: Plex Beta 4 has been released which is compatible with 4.4.4., thanks Christo & Tulio) and features like AirPlay mirroring. Even more interestingly however, a few hackers may be close to unlocking iOS apps for use on the Apple TV. There's nothing released yet but we'll be following @themudkip and @westbaer on Twitter for further updates as they're available. In the meantime, check out a couple shots of iOS apps running on the Apple TV after the break, courtesy of Steven Troughton-Smith. Update: Still images not enough to get you going? Check after the break or hit the YouTube link for a quick video demo of iOS apps running on Apple's TV box. Our friend STS hopes this may push the folks in Cupertino to open their doors to apps officially similar to the way things happened back in '07 on the iPhone -- for now we can only wait.
