Everything You Need to Know About Jailbreaking And Unlocking Your New iPhone

If you just got a new iPhone for Christmas, then congratulations, you are going to love it. Next step now is to jailbreak your iPhone in order to release the full potential of it. If you’re not sure what jailbreaking is, I suggest you read a bit more about it. As you will see, there are many reasons to jailbreak your iPhone.

Now if someone offered you an iPhone and you don’t want to use it on an official carrier (like AT&T in the US), then you will have to unlock your iPhone. Unlocking is fairly easy, even for non techy people and there are very few risks of doing any damage.

Brand new to this whole jailbreaking and unlocking thing? I understand it might be a little confusing. I wrote an article about the difference between jailbreaking and unlocking that might help you understand both better, so feel free to check it out if want to learn more about it.

Let’s get into it now. This article aims at giving a quick overview of possibilities for jailbreaking and unlocking the iPhone. For both jailbreaking and unlocking, the method used depends on what iPhone model you have and what software (firmware) is currently installed on it. At this time, I will assume that your iPhone comes with firmware 3.1.2 preinstalled on it.

First things first. Before unlocking an iPhone, you first have to jailbreak it.

Jailbreak iPhone 3.1.2

Note that I strongly recommend using PwnageTool to jailbreak your iPhone, that is if you have a Mac as it doesn’t work on PCs. PwnageTool is a much “cleaner” and trouble-free jailbreak.

I am not a big fan of BlackRa1n as many have reported issues with it (many have had great success too). Besides, if you have an iPhone 3GS, it’s important to note that BlackRa1n is a tethered jailbreak, which means that everytime you reboot your iPhone, you will have to plug it to your computer and launch BlackRa1n. Not so convenient but it does the job.

Jailbreak iPhone 3GS

• Jailbreak iPhone 3GS 3.1.2 with PwnageTool
• Jailbreak iPhone 3GS 3.1.2 with BlackRa1n
• Jailbreak iPhone 3GS 3.1.2 with BlackRa1n RC2
• Jailbreak iPhone 3GS 3.1.2 with BlackRa1n RC3

Jailbreak iPhone 3G

• Jailbreak iPhone 3G 3.1.2 with PwnageTool
• Jailbreak iPhone 3G 3.1.2 with BlackRa1n
• Jailbreak iPhone 3G 3.1.2 with BlackRa1n RC2
• Jailbreak iPhone 3G 3.1.2 with BlackRa1n RC3

Jailbreak iPhone 2G

• Jailbreak iPhone 2G 3.1.2 with PwnageTool
• Jailbreak iPhone 2G 3.1.2 with BlackRa1n
• Jailbreak iPhone 2G 3.1.2 with BlackRa1n RC2
• Jailbreak iPhone 2G 3.1.2 with BlackRa1n RC3

Unlock iPhone 3.1.2

Unlock iPhone 3GS

• How to unlock iPhone 3GS
• Unlock iPhone 3GS with BlackSn0w tutorial

Unlock iPhone 3G

• How to unlock iPhone 3G
• Unlock iPhone 3G with BlackSn0w tutorial

Unlock iPhone 2G

• Unlock iPhone 2G with PwnageTool

Latest iPhone 3G S Jailbreaking Tool

Yesterday the iPhone Dev Team released their lastest iPhone and iPod Touch jailbreaking tool Redsn0w 0.8. Im sure most of you are wondering whats new, since the 0.7 version of redsn0w was released not to long ago… Whats new? This release is now able to jailbreak the new iPhone 3GS. I haven’t been able to confirm it but i’ve been hear the dev team also updated ultrasn0w, the iPhone OS 3.0 unlocking to work with the 3GS.

While this isn’t the first jailbreak for the 3GS, it is said to be more stable and safer than the other method. Windows, Mac, and Linux versions are below.

Here’s a lowdown on the Jailbreakable iPhones… practically all of them

10 Gadgets To Make Your Life A Little Easier

Have you ever looked at an aspect of your life and thought that it could be made so much easier with a gadget of some sort? I would venture a guess that most of us have done so at one point in our lives. How about luggage that rolls itself when your traveling? How about an iPhone 3G S with an app for nearly everything you can think of. I am sure some of the 10 gadgets listed here might just help you make your life a little easier too.

1. iPhone 3GS (and all the Apps)
   The iPhone 3GS is the ultimate gadget to make your life easier. Along with the versatility of the phone itself, there is a vast amount of applications that can easily be downloaded and installed on the phone. Ranging from applications to manage your spending to allowing you to keep track of your daily tasks, there are new applications being released every day on the Apple App store. Want a chance to win an iPhone 3gs? Check out this post for details!
2. Self Propelled Suitcase
   For the traveler, a self propelled suitcase can be a life saver. It is designed to give you a little help when you need a little boost when you are rolling along, towing it behind you. While it’s not going to power up and start moving on its own, it will certainly give your back a break when the wheels kick in and start moving. The assistance kicks in when the suitcase is in motion, the handle is pulled out, and it is tilted. Although most people will not have an issue with packing enough weight into the suitcase, it requires at least 15 lbs for it to operate and holds up to 70.5lbs.
3. USB Vacuum
   If you are like me, you like to eat at your desk. And that means sometimes the chips or cookies that you eat over your desk can get crumbs all over the place. When that happens, you can just plug the handy dandy USB Vacuum into one of your available USB ports and clean up after yourself on the fly.
4. Kwikset SmartScan Keyless Locks
   
   Ever wanted to reduce the amount of keys you have to keep track of? The Kwikset SmartScan eliminates another key on your ring. This gadget scans the subdermal, and is a lot more accurate than simply scanning your finger print. Upon a successful scan, the deadbolt slides open. The scanner gives you full and complete control over who can enter your home, rather than trying to figure out who you gave your spare key to. Any device that takes a key off of my key chain definitely makes my life easier.
5. Husqvarna Panthera Leo Concept mower
   With everything today focusing on becoming more environmentally friendly, it is logical that lawn mowers would inevitably face changes as well. Husqvarna is betting on this with their new concept. The Panthera Leo begins its life from recycled materials and five electric motors drives the machine. Not only will it reduce your carbon footprint, but it can also allow you to reduce the amount of noise pollution as well. Your neighbors would thank you profusely. It uses batteries capable of remaining on for up to 2 hours and an LCD screen gives you status updates such as battery life, speed, and other necessary lawn mower functions. While the current iteration is merely a concept, it should be in production within a few years.
6. Beanzawave USB-Powered Microwave
   Now you don’t have to leave your desk to have a warm meal. Thanks to Heinz, you can heat up a small single serving item without even leaving the comfort of your desk. Using what amounts to be a combination of cell phone and radio frequencies, it has the ability to warm up your lunch within minutes. It doesn’t require power, instead it plugs into an available USB port on your computer. Gameaholics everywhere are squealing in blissful joy at this invention, though what this device can potentially do to your computer remains to be seen.
7. Stainless Steel 8GB Video Watch
   Standing in those long lines is no longer an issue with a video watch with 8GB of internal flash memory. A beautiful 1.8” color screen keeps you entertained with the latest episodes of whatever you wish to watch. That free digital copy of Batman you got when you bought the DVD can keep you entertained while you stand in line at Disneyland. This watch also has integrated audio for listening without headphones and an audio out jack so you don’t disturb your neighbors while listening to your favorite Transformers episodes. Supported video modes include AVI, MP4, WMV, ASF, MPG, MPEG, DAT, RM, and MOV. It will also play audio files like MP3, WMA, and WAV.
8. Bluetooth Virtual Keyboard
   The device is about the size of a small cell phone, and projects a full size laser keyboard. Operated by Bluetooth, it is capable of operating on just about any flat surface. The virtual keyboard has settings to “click” when you “press” a key and has auto time out to conserve your batteries when you go away from the keyboard. The device basically uses a laser projection to map out a keyboard and reads finger movements to capture keystrokes. For the super geek or space starved person, this gadget is a life saver.
9. Remote Controlled LED Light Bulb from Sharp
   Sharp is introducing an all new concept; a remote controlled LED light bulb that allows a person to change the color of the light coming from it. Seven different shades of white are available for your light changing pleasure. The remote control of the bulb is actually an industry first, and the concept is an interesting one to be sure. Lifespan of this handy light bulb is estimated at 40,000 hours. Unfortunately, at this time this item is currently slated to be introduced in Japan.
10. The SmartShopperNo list would be complete without a gadget to make Mom’s life a little easier. Press record and speak into the device to add grocerys or tasks to your list. When you’re ready to go out for the day, it conveniently prints out an categorized list for everything that you have stored previously. Instead of sitting down to write down a massive list to take to the grocery store, family members can add things to the list during the week. It saves money and time by helping to prevent return trips to the store. Now if only you could take it with you and have it speak to you as you’re shopping…you’d never forget anything again!

iPhone Overheating: Apple Blames The Weather

Reports about the new Apple iPhone 3GS overheating have been circulating over the internet last week. The phone, released on June 19th, would get warm during use and some have reported that it would get too hot to handle. There have even been reports that the heat would cause the screen to become discolored.

After almost a week of silence on this problem, Apple has posted a warning on one of their support sites. Apparently they point the blame to “the weather” according to a British newspaper.

From The UK Telegraph:

In its message, Apple says that the iPhone has a safety feature which warns users that the device is becoming too hot. As well as leaving the handset in a car, it says that the phone may overheat when left in direct sunlight for prolonged periods, when GPS tracking is used in a car on a hot day or when its iPod function is used in direct sunlight. [...]

iPhone 3GS users on Mac forums complain, however, that the handset becomes hot when it is not being used in a car. In a posting on the macrumors.com forum, one user complained that using the new device’s video recording feature had caused it to overheat while another complained that after carrying his phone in a backpack, it got so hot that the plastic case became distorted with tiny bumps.

Apple admits to iPhone 3GS heliophobia

Apple has finally admitted that the iPhone 3GS can suffer from heatstroke, kind of.

In a support document on the its website, Apple has urged customers to use the iPhone 3GS “in a place where the temperature is between 0°C and 35°C”. It can be stored anywhere the temperature doesn’t stray out of the -20°C and 45°C range.

Lower or higher temperatures may, Apple said, shorten the phone’s battery life or cause it to temporarily stop working.

The same rules apply to the iPhone 3G, Apple warned.

Power down now – or else…

Earlier this week, Register Hardware reported how numerous iPhone 3GS owners had started complaining about scorch marks on the phone’s rear plastic panel. It’s been claimed these appear after the phone becomes hot to the touch.

But Apple hasn’t made reference to any such problems on its support page.

The company did add, though, that both iPhone 3G models may stop charging, suffer dimmed displays or weakened network signals “if the interior temperature of the device exceeds normal operating temperatures”.

To avoid this, make sure you don’t leave “the device in a car on a hot day” or “in direct sunlight for extended amounts of time”, Apple suggested.

“Using certain applications in hot conditions or direct sunlight for long periods of time, such as GPS tracking in a car on a sunny day or listening to music while in direct sunlight,” it added.

Apple said the iPhone complies with key safety standards in the US, Europe and Down Under. ®

Tethering With Your iPhone 3GS

It turns out that even though AT&T does not allow tethering that there is still a way around that. To unlock the feature and use your iPhone as a wireless modem for your laptop just check out this post at 9 to 5 Mac.

There are a few easy steps:

1. Download the file at 9 to 5 Mac

2. Open the file with iTunes

3. Connect your iPhone and option click the restore button in iTunes and select the open file

4. Go to settings/general/network/internet tethering on your iPhone and turn it on

This will allow you to connect by USB or by Bluetooth; I have tested both and it did not seem to make a difference in speed. What have you found to be faster when tethering? Just remember that if you tether too much AT&T may catch you and can suspend your account or charge you hefty fees. Good luck and happy tethering!

iPhone 3GS spurs 400% increase in mobile video uploads to YouTube

If there was any doubt that that the video recording and upload capabilities of Apple’s new iPhone 3GS would signal a new chapter in mobile video sharing, the first statistics quantifying its impact are in, and they’re impressive!

Google said Thursday that in the first five days since the new Apple handset hit the market, its YouTube video sharing website saw a 400% increase in the number of video uploads coming from mobile handsets. This compares to 1700% percent growth in YouTube uploads in general over the past six months.

The iPhone 3GS is the first iPhone to support video capture and allows users to easily trim and then upload their recordings to YouTube or Apple’s MobileMe video sharing websites. Uploads are supported over both WiFi and 3G wireless connections.

Although the fourfold increase in mobile uploads to YouTube may stem early adopters familiarizing themselves with their new handsets, the iPhone 3GS remains in its infancy, having sold roughly a million units in its first week.

Analysts like Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster forecast the company to sell over 16 million more iPhones during the duration of the current calendar year, the largest majority of which are expected to be 3GS models.

Additionally, persistent rumors have Apple equipping its next-generation iPods with similar camera capabilities, suggesting the growth witnessed by YouTube in mobile video usage over the past several days is only the tip of the iceberg.

Show Battery Percentages on iPhone 3GS

Pick up one of those new-fangled iPhones over the weekend? You might want to activate one of the most helpful features you can have on the “Slide to Unlock” screen: an actual percentage indicator for your battery, rather than a somewhat relative cannister filled with green power. To enable it, head to Settings, General, and then Usage to toggle “Battery Percentage” to On. For whatever reasons, this only works with the new hardware handsets, not on software upgrades of “older” iPhones, but it’s handy little tweak.

Got the iPhone 3GS? Don’t Use Magnetic Cases

The iPhone 3GS has a few new features that the older models lack. One of those features is the compass, which is pretty useful in mapping apps. Compasses use magnets to point out where the heck north is and it only makes sense that cases with magnetic closures might cause trouble. Word of such trouble is beginning to appear so buyer beware.

Encompassing Tech?

Gearlog is reporting that when using a case with a magnetic flap, their iPhone 3GS has to have the compass recalibrated every single time they try to use it. Using a case with Velcro closures produces no problems, it’s only those pesky magnetic ones. I have used numerous phones with magnetic cases with no problems, but then they didn’t have that little magnetic compass feature so this is only logical.

Now regarding critics, i think the new software is just what the iPhone needed, so a minor defect in the compass application is just something we can let go for now.

iPhone 3G S sales surpass 1m units

iPhone 3G S

Apple has announced that over 1m iPhone 3G S units have been sold since the handset was launched last week.

The firm’s keeping specific 3G S sales figures for individual countries close to its chest, but O2 today confirmed to Register Hardware that the figure does include its own UK sales tally.

The iPhone 3G S was released in Blighty on 19 June – exactly one year after Apple’s earlier model arrived in the UK.

And just hours after the 3G S’ UK launch, O2 announced that it had already sold more 3G S units than it sold iPhone 3Gs on launch day 2008. But, again, specific numbers were not released.

Roughly 6m iPhone owners have also already downloaded that latest version of iPhone firmware – version 3.0 – since 17 June, Apple added. ®

The new iPhone 3gs – Features and specifications

iPhone 3G S

The new iPhone has a mix of new features, including;

• A faster, more powerful CPU (There are no exact details, however in the official specifications “twice as fast” is clearly mentioned
• Spotlight search – make a search through the contents of your phone
• Has an improved 3MP camera which now has autofocus and auto white balance.
• Camera can now also record video at 30fps – with on device video editing capabilities
• Voice dialing and voice music controls
• MMS Capability to send and receive images and video
• Copy and paste features (about time!!)
• 7.2Mbps HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• Water and oil resistant surface
• Integrated magnetic compass
• Improved battery life

The design of the phone was left unchanged and looks exactly the same as the iPhone 3G. Still goes for Flash support. This is not yet available!

Vodafone to sell the iPhone 3G S for the hefty 619/719 euro

16 June, 2009

A leaked internal Vodafone Italy price list interestingly lists the price of the upcoming iPhone 3G S at the old continent. If you are not willing to enter into contract with Vodafone, you’d have to go for some quite steep contract-free prices to get one.

The iPhone 3G S 16GB will set you back 619 euro, while the iPhone 3G S 32GB will cost you 719 euro.

Leaked Vodafone Italy pricelist

Interestingly, the same pricelist lists the iPhone 3G with unchanged prices meaning there will be price deduction if you opt for the now year-old model. An unlocked iPhone 3G 8GB costs 499 euro, while the 16GB version trades for 569 euro.

Again those price are commitment-free, we guess the carrier will subsidize the contract prices heavily. We really hope they don’t pump up the iPhone monthly plans as well.

June is a hectic month for the industry this year and you can find some of the trend-setting mobiles hitting the stores these weeks.

Both the Samsung Omnia HD and the Nokia N97 retail for about 550 euro, for instance, while the Sony Ericsson W995 Hikaru can be found for 400 euro. Nokia N86 8MP (450 euro) and the LG GC900 Viewty Smart (380 euro) are also shipping.