Those wonderful guys over at Ambrosia Software have been working diligently to get iToner working with firmware 1.1.1. The build that works with 1.1.1 is not currently available to the public but should be very soon. I’m extremely excited about this because now I will be able to actually get ringtones on my phone without using iTunes 7.4.0 or adding the ringtone to iTunes twice to make it work (if you aren’t sure what I’m talking about go here). Ambrosia Software released a video on YouTube showing iToner working in action and you can watch it here:
Category: Hack
Who Wants an Unlocked 1.1.1 iPhone?
A better question is, who doesn’t?
Well now you can unlock your 1.1.1 iPhone with iPhoneSimFree.
I haven’t heard of anyone trying it yet but I would assume that it does work. After the last update, with all the bricking and all, I don’t really know of anyone who would try it.
Like the jailbreak (which iPhoneSimFree needs so that it can be installed) I am not telling you that you should and I don’t think anyone should unlock their phone, if you want an unlocked phone, buy a different phone.
But, if you love to hack things for the fun of it and have a lot of disposable income I guess you are going to try it anyway.
iPhone Jailbreak Guide Posted Online
Yup, that’s right, the jailbreak has been posted online you can check it out here. But, remember…
This is not like AppTapp, it isn’t quite as graceful. Once you gain file system access it is up to you to install the apps.
Apple will most likely fix this in a firmware update in the not so distant future.
Be careful, and don’t hold me responsible if you brick your phone, I’m not going to do it and I’m not telling you to I’m only letting you know that it is available.
Oh, and good freaking luck because unless you are ready to throw away your iPhone and buy a new one I don’t think I would try it.
UPDATE: After writing this I came across this tutorial showing you how to install AppTapp on the iPhone. I’m not sure how well the applications run on 1.1.1 but I’m assuming it will at least get you started, like I said above, I’m only letting you know about this not telling you that you should do it, I’m not going to do it because I don’t want to brick my phone.
Custom Ringtones with iPhone Firmware Version 1.1.1 (update)
Even newer version of these instructions available here.
Update – Steps for Ringtones with iPhone Firmware 1.1.2
First off you need iTunes 7.5 and iPhone Firmware 1.1.2
1. Encode your 40 seconds or less ringtone in AAC format.
2. Change the extension of the AAC file from .m4a to .m4r
3. Double click the .m4r file to add it to iTunes as a ringtone
4. Sync
5. Enjoy your custom ringtone
Steps for Ringtones with iPhone Firmware 1.1.1
Yea, that’s right, you can get custom ringtones with iPhone firmware version 1.1.1. This was the only thing that I didn’t like about firmware 1.1.1, I couldn’t have custom ringtones but a workaround has been found.
First off you need to be using a Mac, I’m sure there is a way to do the same thing on a PC but I’m not sure how to do it. Secondly you need to be using iTunes version 7.4.0, if you are using 7.4.2 don’t worry because you can downgrade. To downgrade drag the itunes app to your trash and install 7.4.0 using the installer found here. The third thing you will need is Rogue Amoeba’s MakeiPhoneRingtone application. The fourth and final thing you will need is, of course, your ringtone, but it needs to be encoded in AAC.
So let’s just jump right into the steps.
- Put the ringtone file on the desktop so that you know where it is.
- Right click on the ringtone and choose “Get Info,” underneath “Name & Extension” change the extension of the file to .m4r. Then double click the ringtone to have it open up in iTunes and automatically get added to the ringtone section.
- Sync your iPhone. You will now see that the ringtone is listed and can be chosen but does not play back, we will fix that in a second.
- The next step caused a lot of people to get confused so I’ll try to keep it clear, go back to the original ringtone, not the one in your iTunes library but the one on your desktop. Right click on it and choose “Get Info,” underneath “Name & Extension” change the extension back to .m4a. After the extension has been changed drag the ringtone into MakeiPhoneRingtone and it will be added into the ringtone section.
- Sync your iPhone and the ringtone should play.
The only problem with this hack is that the ringtones are a bit finicky (and it lists the ringtone twice in the ringtone section in iTunes) many people report this workaround as something that doesn’t work but it really does. The only way I could get it to work is to do the exact steps mentioned above.
Strangely enough when I tried to do this with a bunch (14) of ringtones at once a few of them didn’t work, and I’m not sure why. But, try it out with a few different ringtones and it is sure to work (it took me a few hours before I could get it to work but it was worth it when someone called me and I hear the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme song).
Note: I’m sure this workaround will work for quite sometime but Ambrosia software (the makers of iToner) are committed to making iToner work with firmware 1.1.1. They made a statement recently saying:
“Apple has recently released iPhone 1.1.1 OS update for the iPhone. Unfortunately this OS update breaks our custom ringtone product iToner.
We’re distressed about this turn of events, because we have labored long and hard to make iToner not just a great product, but also as compatible as possible.
I’d like to take a moment to explain the situation as we understand it currently.
This iPhone 1.1.1 OS update breaks not only iToner, but also every other piece of third party software for the iPhone. It appears that Apple has taken the route of encrypting and signing the contents of your iPhone in such a way that things like third party applications and ringtones are rejected outright.
We have not given up, however. No promises at this point, but we are working hard at solving this issue for our users. Thank you for your continued support & patience.” -Andrew Welch, el Presidente Ambrosia Software, Inc.
Here is a cleaner list of steps then the descriptive one above (I add this mostly because I wanted a simple list to glance at to make sure I was doing everything in order).
- Change the AAC encoded ringtone’s extension to .m4r
- Double click it to add it to iTunes
- Sync your iPhone
- Change the original ringtone’s extension back to .m4a
- Drag it into MakeiPhoneRingtone to add it to iTunes a second time
- Sync your iPhone again
Truphone Demos VOIP on the iPhone
This is the first demo of VOIP on the iPhone that I have ever seen, mostly because no one has done it before. This is amazing, I’m not sure what type of VOIP service that Truphone is using but I’m guessing that it isn’t Skype, in my honest opinion if it isn’t Skype then it isn’t really worth using.
Although it isn’t Skype it does show that the iPhone really is capable of some pretty amazing things, above and beyond what Apple ever wanted you to do.
Hack Your iPhone? Better Not Update It UPDATE
Apple released the following statement yesterday:
“Apple has discovered that many of the unauthorized iPhone unlocking programs available on the Internet cause irreparable damage to the iPhone’s software, which will likely result in the modified iPhone becoming permanently inoperable when a future Apple-supplied iPhone software update is installed. Apple plans to release the next iPhone software update, containing many new features including the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store (www.itunes.com), later this week. Apple strongly discourages users from installing unauthorized unlocking programs on their iPhones. Users who make unauthorized modifications to the software on their iPhone violate their iPhone software license agreement and void their warranty. The permanent inability to use an iPhone due to installing unlocking software is not covered under the iPhone’s warranty.”
This doesn’t surprise me at all, I figured Apple was going to do something about the hacking and apparently this is it. Now it seems that only SIM unlocked iPhones are affected but I’m assuming that no one really wants to take any chances so here is a guide from TUAW telling you how to “relock” your iPhone before the update comes.
Apple’s Phil Schiller was quoted by an Associated Press article saying:
”This has nothing to do with proactively disabling a phone that is unlocked or hacked,” Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, said in an interview. ”It’s unfortunate that some of these programs have caused damage to the iPhone software, but Apple cannot be responsible for … those consequences.”
At least we know that Apple wasn’t trying to make these hacked phones break, which is not at all what I was expecting. Before reading this my best guess was to say that there were many people proactively creating updates that would break hacks, it does make me happy that this is not true.
I guess for now all of you hackers will just have to restore your iPhone using the tutorial mentioned above, at least until after the firmware update comes out and a week or so goes by at which point solutions will most likely be made available to re-hack your phone.
UPDATE:
A spokesman from the iPhone Dev Team issued a statement about Apple’s recent Press release saying:
“Based on download numbers, the iPhone Dev Team believes that, worldwide, several hundred thousand people have unlocked their iPhones. That number continues growing every day. The removal of the lock, a bug, was a major step forward in the iPhone development. It made the iPhone free and useful to anyone, not only to those in certain countries.
Apple now announces that the next firmware update, expected later this week, will possibly break the handset of all of us free users in the World. It speaks of “damage” done to the firmware and “unauthorized access” to our own property, The removal of those firmware problems, which were built in in favor for AT&T, does not cause “damage” as they want to make us believe.
We will provide you with a tool in the next week which will be able to recover your nck counter and seczones and even enables you to restore your phone to a Factory-like state.
In the meantime we advise you not to update your free iPhone with the upcoming firmware. Wait for the next version to be fixed to work properly with your carrier and not break your phone.” –TUAW
This is a very bold statement but one that did have to be made, I do agree that it does seem a bit fishy that it would “damage” the phone’s software but at the same time I don’t think that Apple is really in the habit of lying to their customers. All I’m going to say is, I’m glad that I didn’t hack my phone and I’m very curious to see what features are added to the iPhone in the next firmware update (AND WHERE IS IT? I CAN’T WAIT ANY LONGER!).
How To Install 3rd Party Apps on the iPhone
I know, I know, there has been a lot iPhone/Apple news on this blog for way too long, but I just can’t help myself, not only because I have an iPhone and am interested in it but also because the iPhone is one of the most important gadgets of this year, if not this decade (well maybe not this decade but you get the idea).
Ever since 3rd party apps were first installed on the iPhone I have been curious about installing them myself (I don’t know what apps I would install, mostly because the iPhone does most of what I want it to do and I don’t want to have to deal with any apps breaking with firmware updates). This is the first video that I have seen that shows clear as day how to install apps on the iPhone.
iPhone Unlocked For All To Enjoy
It’s all over for AT&T (not really) the iPhone has officially been unlocked (for some time now) and now it is available for everyone to enjoy. At the time of writing this there is not a GUI version available but one should be coming soon. The iPhone Dev Team has obviously been working hard, and it has payed off.
“To pull this off you’ll need iUnlock + nor + the .fls file, which is available in ZIPs all over. Good list of links here, or try here, here, here, here, and here.” –Engadget
No one can give any guarantees that you won’t brick your phone and it isn’t exactly for the faint of heart but it does work. I’m not going to try it on my phone but for those with a little bit of gadget lust and who don’t live in the states or can’t get AT&T service this is for you (especially if you have $400 to throw around).
This also comes after Gearlog posts about how Apple doesn’t hate iPhone developers.
Here is their summary of the article:
“Apple will neither forbid nor support native code on the iPhone/Touch. They will not design software updates specifically to break native apps, but if the updates happen to break native apps or your native apps turn your iPhone into a rutabaga, don’t go crying to Apple, ’cause it ain’t their problem. Capiche?”
Here are a couple of guides to help you out:
Free iPhone Software Unlock Guide
Unlock the iPhone -a simple tutorial!
Have fun with your iPhones!
For all of the updates on development, Engadget has a great post where they are updating whenever something new happens check that out here.
iPhone Accelerometer Hack
Hackers have figured out how to make use of the iPhones accelerometer. This will bring in a whole new class of applications to the iPhone. My guess is that this means that simple games will be created but who knows what the possabilities will be when they start thinking of more practical applications for it. I really think you all should check this video out, especially the beginning, a Steve Jobs bobble head, how genius!
“The Worlds First Unlocked iPhone” UPDATE
The iPhone has officially been unlocked, as you can see in the video below. The hack is a hardware hack and how it is being done isn’t revealed yet. The group who conceived the hack aren’t going to reveal how it is done until next week when they hope to have a software workaround available.
This is pretty cool. Now I might be able to convince my sister to buy one (she has T-Mobile).
FULL HARDWARE UNLOCK OF IPHONE DONE [iPhone jtag]
Update: The iPhone hardware unlock tutorial has hit the internet, check it out here.
Wii Gets DVD Playback Using Mod Chip
The Nintendo Wii is capable of reading DVDs because every game made for the Wii is pressed on DVDs but the Nintendo Wii cannot play DVD movies. Well a few hackers have been able to unlock DVD playback on the Wii. Symbiote has released a software player for the Wii, which requires users to have a mod chip installed in the machine.
The hack includes burning the application to a disc with CloneCD and then running it in the modded Wii. The Wii recognizes it as a Gamecube game and then allows you to remove the application disc to replace it with a DVD. Nintendo does plan to release a DVD player application for the Wii but for now you will have to go the illegal route if you plan on doing it (I would suggest just spending $30 on a cheap DVD player though).
Unlocked iPhone Being Sold in Hong Kong
Some pictures showing a “fully unlocked” iPhone being sold in Hong Kong have surfaced online. According to NewLaunches for a fee the shop can load up the Chinese or Japanese interface and special fonts so the names of Chinese songs appear correctly. The unlocking supposedly uses the Turbo SIM method.Here is a video of the unlocked phone in action (it doesn’t prove anything to me).
