Posted under Gadget Reviews
This post was written by Journalist on February 4, 2011
Video: AppleTV Already Jailbroken
IOS hacker extraordinaire MuscleNerd has successfully jailbroken the Apple TV, before many pre-orders have even been filled. This gives the user “root” access to the operating system, allowing them to install or tweak anything they like.
What MuscleNerd hasn’t figure out yet is how to actually get apps running on the AppleTV. Given that the set-top box has the same A4 processor found in the iPhone 4, iPad and iPod Touch, and is loaded with 8GB RAM, it shouldn’t be long before this is solved. Here’s a video showing MuscleNerd logging in to his AppleTV from a Mac via the terminal.
There is just one app installed on the AppleTV. Named Lowtide, it is the front-end you see when you use the device. Lowtide has already been loaded and run on the latest-gen iPod Touch
Where will this lead? Well, expect apps especially written for a jailbroken AppleTV to start popping up as soon as MuscleNerd and his colleagues work out how to run them. This could mean anything from Hulu+ to games. Imagine playing old Super Nintendo games on your big screen TV using your iPhone as a controller. Far-fetched? You can already do it on your iPad.
SHAttered AppleTV 2G [YouTube]
SHAttered iPod touch 4G (and AppleTV) [iPhone Dev Team Blog]
Follow us for real-time tech news: Charlie Sorrel and Gadget Lab on Twitter.
Source:wired.com
Posted under Gadget Reviews
This post was written by Journalist on October 1, 2010
AppleTV Runs iOS, Already Jailbroken
Soon, thanks to the tireless efforts of the iPhone Dev Team, you will be able to install apps on your AppleTV. An upcoming Jailbreak tool, called SHAtter, has already been used to unlock the new Apple TV’s firmware.
SHAtter was used to jailbreak the newest iPod Touch shortly after its launch, and thanks to its iOS roots, the AppleTV is also susceptible to its power. The hack was carried out on the firmware restore download just been posted by Apple. This file, which contains the entire OS of the Apple TV, is an IPSW file, the file-extension for iPhone and iPad OS files.
So what’s inside? According to the Dev Team member Will Strafach, “the new AppleTV OS seems to be a mashup of the old AppleTV OS and iOS.” This, he says, means that existing AppleTV hacks (or “frappliances”) may already work. Frappliances are the plugins that add functionality to the original AppleTV. Also, all of the iOS software frameworks are present, which could allow hacks to enable video-conferencing, for example (if you could figure out how to hook up a camera) or even let you install the iPad Hulu app.
I suspect that Apple will add apps to the AppleTV in the form of channels, just like the Netflix “channel” that is there already. A jailbroken AppleTV, though, could theoretically run anything that will run on the iPhone or iPad. A final word from Strafach: “The most interesting thing about the new AppleTV OS is that all binaries are marked iPad-compatible. I do wonder what Apple is planning…”
SHAttered iPod touch 4G (and Apple TV) [Dev Team Blog]
@willstraf [Twitter]
Illustration: Charlie Sorrel
Follow us for real-time tech news: Charlie Sorrel and Gadget Lab on Twitter.
Source:wired.com
Posted under Gadget Reviews
This post was written by Journalist on September 28, 2010
How to Do Everything on Your Kindle, Pt. 2: Jailbreak Edition!
Photo credit/permission courtesy Marco Arment at Marco.org
The Kindle 3 is a deceptively capable device, but Amazon doesn’t, by default, give you access to a lot of what’s going on under the hood. (The “Settings” menu only has three choices.) This is why some users pop that hood using jailbreaking tools — tools that work on the Kindle 3.
I haven’t taken this step with my new Kindle, but I have read in detail the MobileRead forum posts announcing that the Kindle 3 has been jailbroken and describing how (and why) to do it. Here is a short list of why Kindle users jailbreak their device:
- Installing custom fonts, including support for Asian-language scripts;
- Installing custom screensavers;
- USB networking, or tethering.
All of these hacks risk bricking your Kindle and violating Amazon’s terms of service, but only the last might really cause you problems. Amazon’s free 3G networking (assuming you’ve got a 3G-capable device) is intended to be used for Amazon’s services only, i.e., the Kindle store and the built-in web browser.
Again, read the forums carefully, and do some deep soul-searching and gut-checking before you try any of this out. For now, I’m still pretty happy that I’ve got an easier way to enter in numbers using the built-in keyboard: Press “Alt,” then a key on the top row (Q=1, W=2, etc.). See also this great list of Kindle tips and keyboard shortcuts, again courtesy A Kindle World’s Andrys Basten.
Source:wired.com
Posted under Gadget Reviews
This post was written by Journalist on September 23, 2010
Gadget Lab Podcast: iPods, Tablets, and Wireless Remedies
The Gadget Lab crew kicks off this week’s podcast with a look at Dylan Tweney’s ugly new kicks, a pair of surf shoes made of recycled soda bottles. They cost $70. Seriously.
runMobileCompatibilityScript(‘myExperience597207539001′, ‘anId’);brightcove.createExperiences();
Moving on from cheesy hippy apparel, Brian X. Chen shares the news of an upcoming Apple press conference, where we can expect new iPods, a major iTunes upgrade (streaming!) and maybe a do-over of the Apple TV.
Apple’s competitors haven’t been so quiet, either. A “leaked” video emerged this week demonstrating Samsung’s Galaxy Tab, a 7-inch, Android-powered touchscreen tablet that looks to be a worthy rival to Apple’s iPad.
Speaking of the iPad Tweney shares a hack for his iPad to gain 3G service at no additional cost with the help of his iPhone. If you jailbreak your iPhone at the site JailbreakMe.com, you can download an app called MyWi to turn the iPhone into a wireless hot spot. Select the hot spot on your iPad et voila 3G-surfing privileges on the tablet without any monthly bills. That’s sweet.
Still, it’s too bad 3G coverage in general is spotty at best (especially here in San Francisco). Dissatisfied customers are in luck: We’ve heard Sprint may give you a free femtocell to boost your service if it’s proving unreliable. Also, an unhappy AT&T customer on Wired.com staff complained loudly enough to score a free femtocell to fix the crappy reception on his iPhone. Who said whining doesn’t pay off?
Like the show? You can also get theGadget Lab video podcast via iTunes, or if you dont want to be distracted by our smiling faces, check out theGadget Lab audio podcast. Prefer RSS? You can subscribe to the Gadget Labvideo oraudio podcast feeds
Or listen to the audio here:
Gadget Lab audio podcast #86
Source:wired.com
Posted under Gadget Reviews
This post was written by Journalist on August 27, 2010
USB Dongle Claims to Deliver First Easy Hack for PS3
If it works as advertised, a USB dongle could soon break the PlayStation 3’s seemingly hackproof seal.
An obscure group called PS Jailbreak is selling a USB dongle that will supposedly modify the PS3 so users can dump backed up (aka pirated) games onto the system’s hard drive to play them just like legitimate copies.
We write this with such cautious language because hackers have hailed the PlayStation 3 as a console Everest. Sony baked extremely strong security into the system, and though the PS3 has been hacked by a few tinkerers (including George Hotz, the first person to unlock the iPhone), no tried-and-true mod has emerged.
Until we can get our hands on a one of these USB dongles, color us skeptical. (The fact that the “PS Jailbreak” website doesn’t seem to be working right now doesn’t give us much confidence.) Meanwhile, check out the video above claiming to demonstrate the mod running a backup copy of a game and let us know what you think.
PS Jailbreak via Engadget
Source:wired.com
Posted under Gadget Reviews
This post was written by Journalist on August 19, 2010
Apple closes JailbreakMe Security Hole
A pair of software updates from Apple have patched the rather dangerous security hole that allowed any website to run arbitrary code on the iPhone and iPad. The hole was exploited by hacker Comex to allow users to jailbreak their iOS devices just by visiting a website and tapping a link.
The hack actually used two exploits. One used a corrupted font in a PDF to allow any code to be run on your device. The second leap-frogged the first and allowed that code to get super-user, or root, privileges, letting it install anything, anywhere on the system.
Comex’ hack opened up your iPhone an allowed you to install non-App Store apps on it, but the security hole could have been used to do almost anything to your phone. To Apple users, used to the almost impregnable fortress that it Mac OS X, this is terrifying.
Two fixes are available: iOS 4.0.2 for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and iOS 3.2.2 for the iPad. Users who didn’t upgrade their iPhone’s to iOS 4 can rest easy. Your device is not affected. And what happens now when you visit JailbreakMe.com? You see the screen above, and the jailbreak will no longer work.
The update is available now via iTunes.
Source:wired.com
Posted under Gadget Reviews
This post was written by Journalist on August 12, 2010
Carrier Unlock for iPhone 4 Available
A full carrier-unlock is now available for the iPhone 4. The whole process, from virgin iPhone 4 to jailbroken, carrier-independent iPhone takes seconds. Even a video showing how to do the whole thing lasts less than a minute and a half.
You need to jailbreak your iPhone to allow support for non-approved applications. Currently this is a one-click (one one-slide) process done by visiting the site jailbreakme.com. Then head to the Cydia store (where you’ll find all these non-approved apps) and search for an app called Ultrasn0w.
Install that, and you’re done. Congratulations: You’re iPhone should now work on pretty much any GSM carrier in the world, although further configuration will be needed to get everything working properly. If you live outside the US, it’s likely that your iPhone 4 is actually sold unlocked (hint: if more than one carrier offers the phone in your country, it is probably not carrier-locked).
Grow, grow ultrasn0w! [Dev Team Blog]
Video [TechTechManTV/YouTube]
Follow us for real-time tech news: Charlie Sorrel and Gadget Lab on Twitter.
Source:wired.com
Posted under Gadget Reviews
This post was written by Journalist on August 4, 2010
FaceTime Over 3G on Jailbroken iPhone 4
Want a reason to jailbreak your iPhone 4? How about FaceTime calls over 3G?
If you’re comfortable jailbreaking your iPhone by letting a website execute unknown code on it via a browser exploit, then you too could make normally Wi-Fi-only FaceTime video calls over the 3G network. The video above comes from the fine folks at 9to5Mac, and shows the hack in action. As you can see, everything behaves just like a regular Wi-Fi call.
9to5Mac’s Mark Gurman writes that “[the caller] couldn’t tell the difference between the 3G FaceTime call and a WiFi FaceTime call; the quality is that good.” It certainly looks better than previous efforts to route calls over 3G using standalone MiFi routers, but given the state of the AT&T network in the US, and the fact that these high-res video-calls will burn through your precious 2GB data-allowance, it’s hard to see why you’d bother, except for quick chats.
To activate 3G FaceTime, you’ll need to pop into Cydia, the jailbreak app store that is installed when you hack your iPhone. Add a new repository (essentially, you add URL to a new app store section. In this case, the url is http://apt.modmyi.com) and install an app called My3G. After a quick setup, you’re done: just leave My3G running in the background and FaceTime should just work.
Due to briefly rendering my iPad unconscious yesterday in a failed jailbreak attempt, and not having an iPhone 4 with FaceTime, I haven’t tested any of this. If you do, be careful, and leave any tips in the comments.
FaceTime over 3G [9to5Mac]
Follow us for real-time tech news: Charlie Sorrel and Gadget Lab on Twitter.
Source:wired.com
Posted under Gadget Reviews
This post was written by Journalist on August 3, 2010
Motorola Droid X Gets Rooted
Hardcore Android fans have been leery of the Motorola Droid X because of the chip and bootloader combination in the device that could potentially brick it if custom versions of the Android operating system are loaded on it.
But now, they are a step closer to doing just that. The Droid X forum has posted step-by-step directions for rooting the Droid X–the Android equivalent of jailbreaking a device to get complete control. Rooting the device also lets users get rid of bloatware on their phones and tweak some of the features that they wouldn’t have access to otherwise.
The $200 Droid X (after a $100 rebate and with a Verizon wireless contract) hit retail shelves on July 15. The phone has a 4.3-inch screen and a 1 GHz processor. It launched with Android 2.1 operating system. It is expected to get an upgrade to Android 2.2 Froyo in the summer.
But last week, Android geeks found that Motorola has made it difficult for hackers to mod the Droid X by using a bootloader and chip combination that could potentially brick the phone if it is broken. The Droid X’ processor includes a feature called “eFuse” that’s intended to make it easier to tweak the chip’s power and memory after it is shipped.
However, eFuse only allows the device to start up when Motorola’s software is installed, squashing hackers hopes that they can quickly get custom ROMs on the device.
Rooting the Droid X is the first step towards being able to port a custom ROM on the phone. So far, based on the feedback in the forums, the Droid X root seems to work well. It will be interesting to see how soon the Android community can break the eFuse lock and port a custom ROM on the Droid X.
Photo: Droid X (Stefan Armijo/Wired.com)
Source:wired.com
Posted under Gadget Reviews
This post was written by Journalist on July 22, 2010
