TOS

Apple speaks on iPhone SIM swapping

Apple has posted a Knowledge Base article on swapping SIM cards in iPhones, which the company says may be required for "repair, warranty service, or if you own an authorized unlocked phone (Germany and France only) and want to use a different network provider's SIM."

The gist is that SIM cards can be swapped, but if they are, the user should reconnect the iPhone to iTunes subsequently in order to ensure proper operation. Apple says "If you do not connect iPhone to iTunes after changing or reinserting the SIM, iPhone may not work as expected." … Read more

Software-based unlock for iPhone 1.1.3, step-by-step instructions

George Hotz has released what is, as far as we know, the first software-based mechanism for unlocking the iPhones running software/firmware 1.1.3 for use on unauthorized wireless carriers. Hotz is the Glen Rock teen that delivered the first hardware-based iPhone unlock in August of last year.

The new unlock method is not for the faint of heart and requires modifying your iPhone's baseband -- a procedure that can genuinely brick the device, rendering it (at least temporarily) non-functional. We certainly don't recommend it. There are step-by-step instructions here, which are Windows-based but can be easily … Read more

Web-based iPhone ringtone delivery debuts

The history of iPhone ringtones has been tumultuous. First there were no custom ringtones whatsoever. Then a number of third-parties introduced methods for moving ringtones to the device with or without hacking. Apple then introduced a scheme for buying ringtones through iTunes, simultaneously thwarting some third-party efforts. Finally, built a routine into its GarageBand application for Mac OS X allowing custom ringtones to be sent directly to iTunes. See our guide "The many methods for using custom iPhone ringtones" for detailed instructions on all of these methods.

Now a company called Nakko, which offers a variety of free … Read more

FAQ: upgrading to the 16GB iPhone

With today's announcement of an 16GB iPhone, a number of users are interested in upgrading their 4GB or 8GB models. Here's the skinny on contracts, keeping your SIM card, returns and more:

Can I return my 8GB iPhone and get a 16GB model? If you bought your 8GB iPhone 14 or fewer days ago, you can return it an purchase a 16GB model for $100 more. If the iPhone has been opened, you will also be responsible for a 10 percent restocking fee.

Is the 16GB iPhone available in Europe? How much is it? The 16GB iPhone is … Read more

Listen to iPhone-stored music on your Mac

With iTunes 7.6, you can now manually manage music on your iPhone. You can't, however, listen to music stored on your iPhone on your computer. A new release of ecamm's iPhoneDrive makes that possible -- if you're on a Mac.

iPhoneDrive a tool created for storing files on the iPhone as if it were a removable drive, much like the iPod's disk mode function (which is missing, by default, from the iPhone). It can copy music and other media to or from the iPhone or iPod Touch.

Version 1.4 allows you to play music … Read more

Automatic, computer-less 1.1.3 jailbreak for 1.1.2 iPhone/iPod Touch released

If you have a jailbroken iPhone or iPod Touch running software/firmware 1.1.2, you now have an automatic, graphical method for upgrading to a jailbroken 1.1.3 device without any host computer interaction. This is not "iJailbreak," (another computer-less jailbreak method) but rather a solution developed and sanctioned by the iPhone dev team. "iJailbreak" uses the same process as now-defunct "Nate True" hack, meaning it breaks "Nikita" -- Apple's method for signing appications -- and hence may prevent installation of official third-party applications when they are authorized by … Read more

Official dev team iPhone/iPod Touch 1.1.3 jailbreak released; instructions

UPDATE: We have posted a complete guide to using this jailbreak on any iPhone revision for both Macs and PCs.

The iPhone dev team has released its sanctioned version of a jailbreak for iPhones running software/firmware 1.1.3.

To apply this method, you must already have an iPhone or iPod touch that is running software/firmware 1.1.2 and is jailbroken (see instructions here). It must also have BSD Subsystem 1.5 or later installed. This installer does not upgrade the baseband. It only creates a log directory.

If your iPhone/iPod Touch is alrady running software/… Read more

Current iPhone 1.1.3 jailbreak FAQ: fixes for problems, caveats

Nate True has posted an FAQ for the current iPhone 1.1.3 jailbreak method (Mac, Windows) that answers questions about problems you may be experiencing after attempting the jailbreak, its limitations, and how to recover an ostensibly bricked iPhone.

Among the caveats:

The Google Maps "Locate Me" function will not work as well after applying this jailbreak. That's because this method doesn't upgrade the iPhone's cell phone radio, meaning only Wi-Fi data will be used to estimate your current position. iTunes Store previews don't work with this method. A variety of issues can … Read more

iPhone 1.1.3 Jailbreak for Macs released -- how to make it work

Hot on the heels of a contentious jailbreak (allowing the installation of unofficial third-party applications on the iPhone) for Windows, Nate True has released a similar jailbreak method for Macs. The Mac method is ostensibly easier than the Windows method, requiring the download and use of a single file dubbed 1.1.3 package maker.

However, there is an important trick for making this file work -- once you download it and mount this disk image, move both the file "Run_This" and the folder "data" to the root level of your startup drive, then launch "… Read more