Apple has come under much critisism for it’s unjustified rejection of apps from the App Store. A developer submitted an app called GV Mobile which allowed Google Voice users to use the service on their iPhone. This app was rejected by the Apple reviewers for a reason that was never disclosed to the public. The developer has since gone on to release the same application in Cydia for all jailbroken devices.
Apple has also come under fire for inconsistency in their reviewing of applications that are submitted. An application may be accepted into the App Store, while a very similar app may be rejected. The FCC got involved and questioned Apple about it’s reviewal process. Since then, things have been looking up.
Apple recently approved the Qik application, which allows users to view video on their phone (much like YouTube). Apple has also approved the iVideoRecorder application.
iVideoRecoder is available for download to all iPhone’s and can record video on all iPhones as well. The only downside is that the frame rate is extremely low (3 – 4 fps), but this application acceptance got me thinking. Could this mean Apple is no longer being quite frankly, petty with their decisions? Could applications like CyCorder be accepted into the App Store sometime soon? It’s all up to Apple.
written by blakei21
Myself, along with many others are experiencing an App Store bug occassionally that has only started very recently. If you have an application installed, you are notified when an update for that application becomes available. You can open the App Store, type in your iTunes password and download the update and install it directly on your device.
This is where some iPhone and iPod touch users are having problems. After the update is downloaded and installed, the App Store will continue to pester you to update the same application. This bug seems to be happening at random and as far as I know, there is no way to recreate it. It just happens.
Some possible causes for this:
The device is downloading and installing the correct update, but is not registering it as updated once the installation is complete.
The iTunes App Store servers are providing the wrong file for download, therefore the wrong version is being installed and a new one is still available.
No definite fix for this bug yet, but rebooting your device may work to solve the problem in the mean time. It looks like this problem is on the server side at Apple, so we just have to wait for Apple to do something about it. If you are experiencing this bug or something similar to it, comment on this post. Also tell us anything that you have done that appears to have solved the problem for you.
written by blakei21
02, the official iPhone carrier in the United Kingdom, is now unlocking customers iPhones for free. Customers that already have an iPhone contract with O2 can get their iPhones unlocked now, so the phone can be used on any GSM network in the world. Customers on the O2 network that wish to unlock their iPhone must still honour any remaining time in their iPhone contract.
iPhone unlock explained in detail:
iPhones contain a second computer, which is seperate from the main CPU. The second CPU (called the Baseband) handles access to the Internet over the cell network, calls and text messages. The baseband has its own firmware which restricts the phones use to certain carriers in the world, such as AT&T and Rogers Wireless. Since the iPhone was first released, there have been people that can’t stand being tied to one carrier in their country. To fix this iPhone unlocks were made.
Geohot, a 20 year old iPhone hacker, released the first iPhone unlock. This unlock was somewhat risky though, as it required the user to phisically open their iPhone. Since then, software unlocks have been used. Blacksn0w is geohot’s latest unlock.
Software unlocks are a lot easier for the end user, as opposed to hardware unlocks. But when a new firmware ships from apple, the unlock is broken. Hackers must find another way to acheive a software unlock.
written by blakei21
A hacker going by the name of iKee, has released what he called the first iPhone virus. The virus will change the users wallpaper to a picture of the 80’s pop star Rick Astley. Text will be displayed on the screen saying ‘ikee will never give you up’.
The worm is attacking iPhones that are jailbroken and have SSH installed with the default password still in place. Ikee only attacks iPhones in Australia, so if you don’t live upside down then don’t worry about getting it : ) I highly recommend that you change the default password. If you wish to do so, follow the steps at the very bottom of this post.
Details:
This worm infects an iPhone, and then scans specific IP address ranges on cell networks. Vulnerable iPhones are detected and infected with the worm. This whole process repeats again and again.
How to change the default password:
1. Install the MobileTerminal package from Cydia.
2. Open the terminal application from the homescreen, and type su. Then press enter.
3. Now type alpine and press enter.
4. Type passwd (yes, it is spelt correctly) and type in the password of your choice. The password will not be displayed.
5. Once the password is entered, press enter. You will be asked to enter the password again. Enter it and press enter again.
Done! Just remember to use this password when you log in to your iPhone with SSH.
written by blakei21
Since the iPhone has been released in China and distributed by China Unicom, only about 5,000 iPhone’s have actually been sold. From what I’ve been hearing, there are two main reasons for this.
1. The iPhone is way to expensive in China, and since it has only just been released it won’t have a price drop for quite a while unless China Unicom changes its mind (I suggest it does so, fast!).
2. The iPhone 3GS’s that are being shipped to China have had their WiFi capabilities disabled. Only 3G, EDGE or GPRS networks can be used to get internet and data to the phone.
I’m not sure why these units are shipping without WiFi, but there are already (even before the release) imported iPhone’s in China that still have the WiFi capabilities, and they are also probably cheaper than when they are sold by the carrier. To be specific, about 2 million unlocked/imported iPhone’s have been sold in China without carrier contracts, and before the release date.
If Apple wants to get the sales up, it should hurry. People might start just buying the imported iPhone’s instead.
written by blakei21
Adobe has gotten sick of Apple’s developer agreement that contains restrictions disallowing applications like Flash player. If Apple is ever to get things like Java and Flash working, it will have to remove these restrictions. Of course, they could work directly with the companies to develop a one off application that does violate the contract.
written by blakei21
ngmoco announced at the iPhone OS 3.0 event that they were developing two brand new games. Touch Pets, in which you look after a virtual pet, and Eliminate. Both of these applications are available now in the app store, so go check it out : )
Eliminate is a first person shooter. The game is played over a network connection with other players. The application is free to download, but there are in app purchases. In the game power cells can be purchased in packs to continue playing the game after you have used up your existing energy. Your player is given a certain amount of energy that will allow you to play for a certain amount of time. After the energy runs out you can either buy an energy pack, wait until the next day or just train. If you choose to train, you will not receive any points for playing. Screenshot at the bottom (tilt your head).
In Touch Pets, you look after a dog and can buy it items and have play dates with other players. Players are able to buy items like t shirts and collars for the dog to customize its look, and if a player decides to go on a play date the results will be broadcast over the social network made by ngmoco for the game.
I recommend you try out these games because they are both brilliant and have been long awaited.
written by blakei21
Orange has stated that it will start to sell iPhones in England. O2 is currently the only official carrier to support the iPhone in England, but that will change in early November. There are many other countries where the iPhone is not exclusive to one carrier, such as Germany. Many people in the U.S.A are hoping that AT&T’s contract to have sole selling rights of the iPhone will end some day, and other carriers will start to sell the phones. Right now, AT&T’s name hasn’t got such a good reputation. Things like no tetheing for the iPhone and delayed MMS support are amongth few things that are giving AT&T a bad name. Some people are already switching to different networks, with the help of software unlocks like Ultrasn0w from the iPhone Dev Team. Some are speculating that apple could start to sell iPhones to Verizon, the largest carrier in the U.S.A. For apple to do that and continue to support the networks it already has deals with, the phones radio would have to be changed because carriers like T-Mobile and Verizon use different frequencies to connect to mobile phones. Sprint also uses a different frequency.
AT&T has already stated that the iPhone exclusitivity will end, but they haven’t released when it will. Apple will eventually have to choose another carrier to support in America if AT&T continues to lower it’s reputation like this.
written by blakei21
Apple has released the iTunes 9.0.2 update. The update apparently stops Palm Pre users from syncing content to their devices, as past updates have. For all you jailbreakers out there, this update is safe to download and install. Musclenerd has tweeter that it will not affect jailbreaks or unlocks. I have also confirmed this. I updated my iTunes version and everything still works. This update is not necessary, because it only includes small bug fixes and things like that so you don’t have to update iTunes if you don’t want.
Blackra1n is still compatable with this update, so if for some reason you have to restore and rejailbreak it will work.
Lastly for the Palm Pre users: If you wish to continue syncing your device with iTunes, do not download or install this new update. Palm will probably find another way to integrate iTunes syncing again, but that time is not now. Palm has already had to fix the iTunes syncing a couple of times, and Apple is completely against it, so treat all new iTunes updates as if they will stop Palm Pre syncing.
written by blakei21
Pwnage Tool 3.1.4 has been released, and adds support for jailbreaking an iPhone or iPod touch running the 3.1.2 firmware. As always, Pwnage Tool is for Mac computers only because the iPhone Dev Team does not code their program for Windows – based computers.
Quote from the iPhone Dev Team Blog:
Here are some details on our latest version of PwnageTool 3.1.4 for Mac OS X which supports the 3.1.2 release of the iPhone software for iPhone 2G/3G/3GS and iPod Touch 1G/2G.
If you’re already jailbroken (by whatever means), you don’t need to mess around with DFU mode at all. Just create (or get from a friend) your custom IPSW and Option-Restore (Shift-Restore on Windows) to it via iTunes. Don’t enter DFU mode at all. Please make sure you are restoring to the custom IPSW, not the stock one from Apple! For best results, use the latest iTunes (9.0.1) — which includes a nice new application organizer.
This release allows your baseband to remain unlocked at 3.1.2, but it does not unlock a new baseband put there by restoring to official 3.1.x. It is super important that people who need the unlock to understand they can keep it only by starting at 3.0 (or earlier) and updating solely to custom IPSWs that don’t update the baseband. For those who have been onboard the “unlock train”, simply install ultrasn0w via Cydia once you’ve restored to your custom IPSW. Don’t forget to turn off the “3G” setting in Settings->General->Network if you use T-Mobile in the U.S.A.
Note for 3GS users not already jailbroken and stuck at 3.1.x: this version of PwnageTool has a side feature to jailbreak your 3GS. It uses a simple implementation of the usb control msg hole found by chronicdev, geohot, and our very own gray. Now that the hole is public and in use, we expect Apple to close it by the next major firmware update. That’s why 3GS users need to get their ECID hashes for 3.1.x now, and need to stay onboard the “jailbreak train” in all future updates.
For the early adopters who ran blackra1n and are having problems with mobilesubstrate, winterboard, diskaid, or ifunbox, you can install a custom .ipsw from PwnageTool to fix these issues. That’s because all jailbroken devices accept a custom .ipsw created by PwnageTool. (However, if you ran blackra1n on a 3G or 3GS that means you updated to stock 3.1.x, and the carrier unlock is now out of reach. We’ll continue to work on a carrier unlock for the latest basebands, but the timeframe for such an unlock is unknowable.)
Note: If you use internet tethering on a carrier that doesn’t officially support it, you’ll lose it by going to 3.1.x. Stay back at 3.0 until a hack for that is developed.
written by blakei21
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