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Dev-Team shows jailbreak for 2nd-gen Apple TV

Shatter exploit allows the Apple TV to run non-Apple-certified apps, and the exploit might be hard for Apple to patch.

Matt Hickey
With more than 15 years experience testing hardware (and being obsessed with it), Crave freelance writer Matt Hickey can tell the good gadgets from the great. He also has a keen eye for future technology trends. Matt has blogged for publications including TechCrunch, CrunchGear, and most recently, Gizmodo. Matt is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CBS Interactive. E-mail Matt.
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Matt Hickey

"It's this easy! If you have the exploit. And you're a hacker. And have an Apple TV."
(Credit:Dev-Team Blog)

The iPhone Dev-Team has been using a tool called Shatter to jailbreak iPhones and iPod Touches running iOS 4.1. It's not in userland yet--meaning, no, it's not ready for you to download and try--but it's a very promising jailbreak. It uses an exploit at a very low level of iOS that they say Apple might not be able to patch easily.

Shatter isn't just for iPhones and iPod Touches, it seems. A video recently posted on the Dev-Team's blog shows the exploit being applied to the new Apple TV. Right now, it doesn't do much; there aren't any apps written for the Apple TV yet.

But that's right now. The fact that (at least at launch) the Apple TV can be jailbroken is exciting for some (like me). It's a platform ripe for apps, and Apple may have that planned for the device, but Shatter, when released to the public, gives us the ability today.

Yes, I want Twitter in my living room. Don't judge.