pwnage
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Pwnage 2.0.2 released, for reals this time
Well, judging by the dozens of tips we just got, it's time to once again get your Pwnage on with version 2.0.2 (which was released to counter the, um, "fixes" in iPhone firmware 2.0.1). As usual, hit up the read link.Update: WinPwn 2.0.0.4 is out as well.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
PwnageTool 2.0.2 ready "in next few hours," jailbreakers prepare your engines
It's not the iPhone 3G unlock yet, but at least those of you who held-off from updating your iPhone to the 2.0.1 firmware are about to get a taste of improved stability and snappy keyboarding while early updaters will once again gain access to their jailbroken apps. Or so says the DevTeam who claim that PwnageTool 2.0.2 is "undergoing final checks and will be packaged, signed and should be uploaded within the next few hours, so count on it being released sometime on Thursday." The update will be provided via a direct link (which we'll pass along) and over the PwnageTool's software updater. So block out some time in your calendars, there's plenty of newbie hackery to be done later on today.Update: Delayed, clearly, here's why.
LiveChat: Pwnage and Beyond
This weekend, the iPhone Dev Team delivered an iPhone 2.0 jailbreak. Today, TUAW invites you to chat about the jailbreak, about the new Cydia installer, and about the future of iPhone jailbreak development and use. Follow the jump to join in our discussion.
Method devised for pwning first-gen iPhones running 2.0 via Windows
Feeling a little left out after yesterday's Mac-based Pwnage Tool festivities, Windows users? Fret not, because the ever-vigilant, ever-studious hacking community has managed to come up with a series of steps to get you back on your feet again with a fully pwned first-gen handset. The whole shebang isn't necessarily for the most casual jailbreakers -- let's just say it isn't quite as straightforward as the Mac procedure yet -- but it'll allegedly get you going if you're starting with an iPhone running 1.1.4 (there are additional steps if you jumped the gun on 2.0, you impatient son of a gun, you -- think of it as penance). As always, exercise extreme caution, understand that this could cause your iPhone to spontaneously combust into a useless pile of metal, plastic, and ash, and let us know how it goes in comments.[Thanks, Z-]
Pwnage 2.0 released
The iPhone Dev Team has just released PwnageTool 2.0, thus bringing jailbreak and non-App Store third-party application support to iPhones/iPod Touches running firmware 2.0. First-generation iPhones can also be unlocked. At this time, the iPhone 3G cannot be unlocked or used with BootNeuter.Erica will post more details later tonight or tomorrow, and the Dev Team promises a more detailed announcement soon.As always, be cautious if you decide to install PwnageTool 2.0 and make proper backups of all of your data before proceeding, understand that installing software like PwnageTool is unsupported by Apple, blah blah blah.Enjoy!Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
iPhone Dev Team unleashes Pwnage Tool 2.0
Sort of. Pwnage Tool 2.0 can't handle 3G iPhone SIM unlocks just yet, though jailbreaking should work just fine, and we're also faced with the teensy little problem of the Dev Team's server being totally destroyed by downloads already -- mirror please? -- but the friendly little jailbreak app has finally been unleashed upon the earth. We'd never suggest trying out software like this right out of the gate, but, um, let us know how it goes, yeah?[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Update: We're seeing mixed results so far in the comments, but no bricked phones to speak of. Always a good thing. Oh, and plenty of mirrors to be found in the comments, thanks guys!Update 2: Looks like 2.0.1 is already out with a few fixes!
iPhone Dev Team says Pwnage Tool won't unlock iPhone 3G (for now)
iPhone unlocking is a little more cash-intensive now that Apple and AT&T are all contract-happy with the 3G, but it looks like would-be unlockers will have a little more time to save up those pennies -- the erstwhile hackers on the iPhone Dev Team say that while a forthcoming version of the sadly-named Pwnage tool will activate and jailbreak the iPhone 3G, unlocking is taking a little longer than expected, and they don't want to release the code until it's exactly right. The tool still unlocks first-gen iPhones running 2.0 and allows jailbreak apps to co-exist with the App Store, so if you're desperate to unlock right away, we'd say a first-gen unit is your best bet.
Poachers Pilfer Pwnage
Looks like unscrupulous poachers are stealing free software. Word this morning is that UK-based iphoneunlockuk.com is selling the otherwise free Pwnage tool and for a hefty 29.99 ($60). Not a bad profit margin for software they neither built nor have the right to distribute.To quote the iPhone dev team, "We have all put in lots of time to bring you this application for FREE. We didn't license this application to them, we don't license it to anyone." Looks like the miscreants didn't do much to try to cover their tracks either. The application contains the original Pwnage credits and help file. In the words of the dev team, "Stop Thief!" Pwnage is a free jailbreaking and unlocking tool for the iPhone and iPod touch. Among other things it allows users to access the iPhone's Mac OS X command line and install and run third party applications.
Pwn your iPhone using Windows
Yes, you can has winpwn -- for beta values of "can has". Pwning an iPhone means preparing it to accept custom iPhone firmware bundles (ipsw files) in iTunes. Winpwn 99.1.8 Beta has been released for public testing (though keep in mind that this particular tool is for use with Windows). If you're wary of beta releases and not an early adopter, you'll probably want to keep waiting. There is no 2.0 support. You may run into LIBUSB errors (apparently fine, meaning you probably just don't have no ibooter). You must have 1.1.4 firmware loaded onto your unit in order to pwn it -- whether for Mac or Windows. The developers strongly request that any new users start with this tutorial. For more help, check out the #winpwn and @winpwn-devel channels on irc.osx86.hu IRC server.
Pwnage updated to 1.1
Are you an iPhone developer? Sick from missing the command line ever since you upgraded to 5A240d? Good news, everyone! PwnageTool just reached version 1.1. The new tool allows you to add custom packages, logos and fixes EDGE settings under 1.1.4. Either pop over to iPhone-dev.org or choose PwnageTool > Check for Updates (Command-U) directly from the app. Thanks, eddie m.
Liveblog with the iPhone Dev Team: iPwnage
Yep, iPwnage was released today by the iPhone Dev Team, allowing the installation and loading of arbitrary firmware onto the iPhone and iPod touch. Great, but what does that buy you? Let's take a few minutes to chat with iPwnage developers Pytey, NerveGas and more to get a sense of the possibilities and promise of iPwnage.If you'd like to replay the chat below, click the 'replay' button. Note that (ironically) the CoverItLive widget does not work on MobileSafari.
iPhone PwnageTool released!
Just a few hours after we brought you the exclusive hands-on video with the DevTeam's PwnageTool... it's out! Mac only for now, Windows on the way shortly.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Video: The iPhone Dev Team's Pwnage tool in action
Although the iPhone Dev Team totally punked us on April Fool's Day, they were still nice enough to give us an early hands-on (in person!) with a pre-release version of their new Pwnage tool. Pwnage lets you load in any firmware you want, including patched firmwares not signed by Apple -- which could lead to everything from custom software distributions to totally new OSs ported over (like, say, Android or Linux). We did what most people are probably going to do, however: we took a brand new 8GB iPhone, unlocked it, and upgraded to the 2.0 firmware, while keeping it active on T-Mobile. It's not exactly a one-click process, but it's not all that hard either -- although we kind of cheated and had Dev Team members talking us through it. Peep the vid after the break, and check the read links in few hours to get your hands on Windows and Mac versions of the tool.P.S. -Apologies for the blurry video for the first couple minutes, we didn't notice that our camera had gotten knocked out of macro mode. You're not missing much, trust us. Oh, and the only cuts are during loading bars and when we accidentally flashed a phone number and the iPhone's serial number -- we figured you didn't really want 20 minutes of listening to people sniffle during progress bars.Read - iphone-dev.org (Pwnage tool creators)Read - The iPhone Project (hosting the Pwnage tool)
iPhone Dev Team cancels pwnage, sells IP
This posting on iphone-dev.org states that the iPhone dev team has withdrawn their pwnage tool and sold all their intellectual property rights to an unnamed third party. No further details are available about the settlement and I'm assured this is real and not an April's Fools joke. Update: I am also assured by other parties that this is fake and is an April's Fools joke. Which is real? I have no idea.Thanks to everyone who sent this in.Update 2: Yeah, apparently just a April Fools joke. Apologies to all our readers.
iPhone Dev Team claims to be dismantled, Pwnage tool dead for good? Update: nope.
April Fool's day joke? Could be, but we're hearing it might be real: the long standing bastions of iPhone hacking, the iPhone Dev Team, posted a note to their site stating that "[today] the DevTeam was approached by an unnamed party to sell all of the intellectual property and related applications. After much consideration [What, hours? -Ed.] the offer was accepted and the [Dev Team] has ceased." Seems a bit outlandish. For those not in the know, the Dev Team is the same group that posted jailbreaks to 2.0 (before it was out), 1.1.3, 1.1.1, developed the AnySIM unlock, and are thiiiis close to releasing the Pwnage tool (which promised total unsigned firmware control of the iPhone). So yeah, it may well be a prank, we wouldn't put it past them. Funny thing about the hacker community though, one goes down and 10 more spring up. [Thanks Andrew, Erica]Update: Yep, it's an April Fool's joke. We're just going to go offline until April 2nd, peace.
iPhone pwnage tool delayed
I've been looking forward to the iPhone pwnage tool for some time now. When released, pwnage will allow you to load pre-customized iPhone firmware bundles via iTunes. This means that instead of jailbreaking your phone after updates, you can install already-jailbroken systems. Yesterday, the iPhone dev team announced that the pwnage release has been delayed for at least a week. The team is responding to possible legal issues about the "validity and legality of the contents of the tools". The team promises they will not release third-party copyright materials. When released, pwnage should work with 10.4, 10.5 and Windows. Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
Breakfast Topic: What does that mean?
The people who play WoW share a common set of experiences and they naturally tend to talk a lot about these things in shortened language, using terms that most everyone in the game learns pretty quickly. In addition, WoW players are denizens of this larger group of people who just use the Internet and have developed many special ways of talking about that as well.But we often forget that some people coming newly to the game (or even the Internet) may have no idea what we're talking about. Also a lot of us learn the meanings of words like "pwnage" and "noob" without ever actually learning where these words come from.Are there any specialized words in the WoW community that, to this day, don't make any sense to you? Are there some words that you think you understand a little but not very much? Which words do you understand completely but wonder about how they came to be used this way?
The absolute worst class duo
Our reader Josh wrote to us with an common and practical question, saying that he said that he and his girlfriend are looking forward to starting two new alts together and they would like to know what the best classes would be for leveling exclusively together, with no solo play in between. He said, and I quote: "what would the greatest, most face melting/ass kicking/uber pwnage duo in WoW look like?"Now, fortunately for Josh and his girlfriend, we've actually been asked this question before, and anyways this sort of topic comes up lots and lots and lots of times in one way or another. I'm happy to refer them, and all interested parties of two, back to those posts with comments from our insightful readers. Of course if you feel something has changed since those topics last came up and there's a new best duo in the game, feel free to let us know here!But in order to give this post some kind of interesting spin, how about we advice them what not to do! What would be the absolute worst class combination imaginable for two people to level with? It's not as easy as you think -- As our class encouragement breakfast topics have shown so far, each of the classes has their own form of face melting, ass-kicking uber pwnage, and they all seem to have abilities that complement each other, no matter who they're paired with. Still... there has to be a less-than-optimal combination in there somewhere, right?Ideologically, you'd think that paladins and warlocks just would not mix at all, but no, that's not true! Actually they work great together. From my own experience, I remember practicing as a 2vs2 arena team with a mage friend, who is an excellent player, but we still didn't do very well at all. I know it could be just because I may be a terrible druid, or my gear may not be good enough, but it's actually the only time in this game that I've ever paired up with a friend only to feel that maybe our class abilities didn't complement each other well. I thought that if I could level my rogue to join her we might be a lot more successful, but my friend thought that I just needed more practice. Maybe there is no worst class duo! What's your experience?[Check out the girlfriend's answer in the last panel of this great Penny Arcade comic above, and take it as a warning not to choose for your duo a new class that you like toooooo much, or else you might not be able to resist soloing with it when you have free time and your partner doesn't!]
Pornage or pwnage, dis or dat
Not getting enough out of your daily You Don't Know Jack's Dis or Dat daily challenge? Liquid Generation has a similar, but dirtier, game for you: Pornage or pwnage. The rules are similar to Dis or Dat, players just pick whether the sound they hear is from a game or a porn. Sadly, it all ends too quickly. Yeah, that's what she said.Speaking of You Don't Know Jack, it would be nice if Xbox Live Arcade, or one of the other consoles, would bring back the insane game show. If there were any series perfectly suited for microtransaction expansion, YDKJ is certainly it.
