jailbreak

What the iPhone-jailbreaking ruling means (FAQ)

To help answer some questions about this week's announcement by the Copyright Office, a unit of the Library of Congress, regarding the legality of so-called cell phone jailbreaking--that is, modifying the software that comes with iPhones and other handsets and that is designed not to be changed--we've compiled the following questions and answers.

What does the Copyright Office's ruling mean? The short answer is that jailbreaking your iPhone or other mobile device will no longer violate a controversial federal copyright law called the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, or DMCA. Bypassing a manufacturer's protection mechanisms to … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1277: You can hack DMCA. Legally. (podcast)

The U.S. copyright office now says that there are instances in which you may hack, fold, spindle, or mutilate copy protection, but just a few, and don't go breaking any other contracts while you're at it. Also, Microsoft wants its employees to build Windows 7 phone apps... for free!

Dev-Team inching closer to carrier unlock for iPhone 4

According to a recent tweet from Dev-Team member MuscleNerd, the carrier unlock solution is a step closer to completion for iPhone 4. The latest version of the carrier unlock requires Dev-Team to rewrite the entire baseband-unlocking code from scratch.… Read more

Dev-Team inching closer to carrier unlock for iPhone 4

As part of Apple's redesign for the fourth-generation iOS device, iPhone 4 has a completely new baseband. The previous three generations of iPhone all shared the same baseband, explaining the relative speed of success after the original iPhone baseband was first unlocked (dubbed ultrasn0w).

MuscleNerd's tweet reads: "Next step is to keep the task backgrounded like we did … Read more

Why pay for extra 3G service for your iPad when you can just tether it?

If you've already got an iPhone and you're thinking about whether or not to get the iPad with 3G, you may want to consider tethering your current phone instead. Apple's iPad with 3G option is an extra $130 plus a monthly service fee, costs you may be able to apply toward a larger internal hard drive capacity or a fancy case, if you're willing to do a little extra work to get 3G on your iPad.

Now, before you get started, you will need to know that there are a few downsides to enabling your iPhone … Read more

Apple rejects Wi-Fi sync app

To paraphrase the Soup Nazi: No Wi-Fi sync for you!

A couple of weeks ago we brought you the tantalizing news of an app called, simply enough, Wi-Fi Sync. Its promise: to wirelessly sync your iPhone, iPod, or iPad.

Late Thursday I received word from developer Greg Hughes on the app's sad (but not entirely unexpected) fate:

Wi-Fi Sync was rejected by Apple, and will therefore not appear on the official App Store. I'm obviously disappointed by their decision, but being a student I have neither the time nor the resources to pursue the matter further. It's … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1215: Law & Order: Lost Prototypes Unit (podcast)

Dun DUN! Police break down the door of a Gizmodo editor's house looking for evidence of some sort of crime involving the lost iPhone prototype ... meanwhile, Nokia has to kind of pathetically blog about how someone took a prototype of the Nokia N8 and they would really, really like it back. It's a weird world out there. Also, the "Boy Genius" has been outed, Samsung might make a Google TV, and we're storing your data for you in Unicorn Town.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) … Read more

Latest iPhone jailbreaks could work on iPad, too

Attention, jailbreak fans: two competing tools might be released in the next couple of days to jailbreak iPhones running 3.1.3--and they might also work on the iPad, which launches Saturday.

Jailbreaking is the practice of hacking an iPhone or iPod Touch to install non-Apple-approved programs and run system hacks. It allows for things like tethering, interface tweaks, and other changes Apple doesn't approve of. Many people don't like being locked in to the "ecosystem" Apple forces its iDevice users to inhabit, and jailbreaking is seen as the cure.

The hacks have been demonstrated and … Read more

Apple bans hackers from App Store

After a long battle with hackers who have been successful at jailbreaking the iPhone from one version of the OS to another, Apple is now taking a more personal approach to locking down the device. It's been reported that known iPhone jailbreaking/unlocking hackers have had their Apple IDs banned from Apple's App Store.

One of those hackers is Sherif Hashim, who recently found an exploit in the latest iPhone OS version 3.1.3 that could unlock the baseband version 05.12.01. Sherif now gets a message saying that his Apple ID is banned for "… Read more

PlayStation 3 finally 'jailbroken'

The genius who jailbroke (read: hacked) Apple's coveted iPhone has done it again. This time 'round, George Hotz, aka Geohot, set his sights on the PlayStation 3 and took a mere five weeks to "crack" the Sony gaming console.

This feat is remarkable due to the fact that the PS3 is the last remaining box that can't be modified for pirated games, unlike the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii. Geohot has remained tight-lipped on the sort of exploits he can achieve with his utterly disfigured PS3 pictured above, but we suspect loading unsanctioned programs to tap … Read more