File this under “Too good to be true”, but one commenter and two other people emailing me claim that AT&T salespeople unlocked their iPhones after canceling service. Sound credible to you? Me neither. But according to a user named RAJ…

2 OF MY FRIENDS HAD THE CONTRACT WITH AT&T. THEY TOOK IT ON 29 JUNE WHEN I-PHONE WAS LAUNCHED, TODAY ON 1ST AUG JUST AFTER ONE MONTH OF THEIR CONTRACT THEY SIMPLY CANCELED THE CONTRACT BY PAYING EARLY CONTRACT TERMINATION FEES OF 175 ( ALTHOUGH THE FEES WAS ALSO WAIVED OFF FOR THEM FOR SOME REASON). THEN THE AT&T HAD UNLOCKED THEIR I-PHONES BY PUTTING SOME CODES. NOW THEY SAID THAT THEY CAN USE THEIR I-PHONE WITH ANY OTHER CARRIER TOO….

Now, this has to be true because it was typed in All-caps. Anything typed completely in uppercase characters must be taken seriously.

So there you have it. Whether this is true or not I cannot verify, so don’t shoot me - I’m just the messenger.


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Apple's iPhone Update 1.0.1 may have fixed several security related issues, but it didn't stop there. Although Apple didn't officially announce it, the update also includes enhancements to some of the iPhone's built-in applications.

iPhone users posting to Apple's forums noted that the update also added a new BCC option to Mail that sends a copy of your outgoing emails to you.

The Passcode Lock feature now offers several time intervals up to one hour before automatically locking the phone. Previously, users could choose from Immediately and After 1 Minute.

In a separate forum thread, users reported that the update also added the ability to cancel slow or unresponsive VPN connections, and in some cases they feel the volume level has been improved, and that Safari is more stable.


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Well, I spent the week with some friends who loved playing with my iPhone. Thankfully, they had their fill by the time it froze up. I’m not sure exactly what happened, but it may have been due to the fact that I was plugging it into an iPod AC adapter instead of the iPhone AC adapter. It worked the night before . . . so I’m not 100% convinced that was what caused the problem.

At any rate, I tried pressing this button and that - but the screen stayed black. I plugged it into my computer and the computer recognized it so at least I knew the inner workings were still functioning. So, when all else fails, I go to the Apple website and this is what I learned.

1. If you see a screen that says “charging” let it continue until it is fully charged. Don’t try to charge it through your keyboard USB port.

2. Try restarting the iPhone. There are 2 ways to do this. You can either hold down the sleep/wake button until you see the red slider to turn it off. Go ahead and slide your finger across. Wait a couple of seconds. Then turn it back on. The second way to restart your iPhone is by holding down the Home button for 6 seconds. Then try restarting it again.

3. If neither of these solutions work, hold down the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button at the same time for several seconds until you see the Apple logo appear. (This was the solution that worked for me!)

4. If it is still not working, some of the content you are trying to download may be causing the problem. Sort through your contacts, calendar, photos etc. and remove some of the content. Then try to sync again.

5. It may also help to reset all of your settings . Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset all settings.

6. A final solution is to restore your iPhone using iTunes. Go to the summary page and click on Restore. This will remove everything currently on your iPhone.

Good luck - I hope you find your solution works as easily as mine did. If all else fails - call Apple or go to an Apple store.


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You can tell when it crashes......
Hey PC fanboys, now you can use this shot of a Windows XP display at an AT&T store when those smug Mac worshipers tell you about how such-and-such Zune commercial was made on a Mac, and how "all media types and artists" use Macs. Windows runs the world, baby. (Thanks, Paul!)

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Let me begin with this is wild speculation. However, grounded in a keen understanding of what is possible with the iPhone.

With the recent release of Microsoft releases Remote Desktop for Mac 2.0 beta
Microsoft's Macintosh Business Unit has announced an update to its Remote Desktop Connection client today... in beta form. RDC 2.0 for Mac (beta 1) has been a long time coming, and finally brings RDC up to Universal Binary status. But that's just the beginning of the listed features.
The features are listed below, but more importantly, as hackers work feverishly to unlock, hack, and reprogram the iPhone, it is only a matter of time before you will be able to Remote Desktop your Windows computer from an iPhone. With the iPhone’s large screen this would be a welcome addition to its capabilities. It might also be the catalyst that contributes to iPhones larger acceptance by the business and IT community.
According to Microsoft's download site, here are some features you can expect to see in the new beta:
• Universal Binary
Runs natively on both Intel-based and PowerPC-based Macs.
• Remote Desktop Protocol 6.0
Provides better compatibility with Windows Vista, improved security features, and many other improvements.
• Multiple Sessions
Lets you connect to multiple Windows-based computers at the same time.
• Improved User Experience
Provides a true Mac experience and improved usability.
• Improved Customization Options
Lets you change application preferences, including keyboard shortcuts, while you are running a session. Changes take effect the next time that you connect.
• Dynamic Screen Resizing ( great for use on the iPhone )
Lets you resize your session window or switch to full-screen mode during a session.
• Improved Printing Support
Supports all configured printers on your Mac. No longer limited to PostScript printers.



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Hackers trying to unlock the iPhone must now come to grips with the impact of Apple's security update.

A security update for Apple's iPhone does more than just fix critical flaws in the handset. It also looks for and wipes out any modifications that users make to the firmware on their phones, according to hackers looking to unlock the phone.

But the security update does not break any of the tools that hackers have so far developed to modify the iPhone's firmware, they said.

The iPhone v1.0.1 update primarily addresses a security flaw uncovered in the handset's Safari browser that was to be detailed Thursday at the Black Hat 2007 conference in Las Vegas. That vulnerability, uncovered by researchers at Independent Security Evaluators (ISE), allows an attacker to access data and applications on the phone from a Wi-Fi access point or a malicious Web site.

When the update installs itself using iTunes, it also checks for changes that have been made to the phone's firmware, the hackers said. When changes are detected in the old firmware, the update wipes the phone and then reinstalls the updated firmware, erasing any modifications that a user made.

On Wednesday, hackers involved with efforts to unlock the iPhone at the #iphone Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channel were still coming to grips with the impact of Apple's security update, looking to test whether tools they developed continue to work. (Hackers have asked journalists not to publish links to their site, iPhone Dev Wiki, saying it's not able to handle heavy volumes of traffic.)

Initially, the Apple security update appeared to block the ability to write files on the iPhone using the Jailbreak feature of the iActivation tool developed by the hackers, meaning the tool could no longer be used to add personalized ringtones to the phone.

However, the 1.0 version of Jailbreak continues to work fine, according to an update on iPhone Dev Wiki.


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AT&T today rolled out eMusic Mobile , one of the first cellphone music stores to drop copy protection from its songs. As with eMusic's normal computer-only store and supporting previous leaks, songs are purchased in the unrestricted MP3 format rather than locked-down WMA or store-specific files. The freedom lets owners copy songs off the phone to other devices, including iPods and other portable media players; customers also get rights to download a second copy on their computer regardless of what will be with the mobile tracks. Opening the store also gives AT&T the largest mobile music catalog in the US at more than 2.7 million songs, according to the carrier.
The service currently requires a custom program that lets users browse, preview, and download songs. Phones that can run the software to date are the Samsung A717 and A727; the Nokia N75 and Samsung Sync also have updates available to support the online store. AT&T's service contrasts with the regular eMusic store in focusing on purchasing small blocks of songs and charges $7.49 per month for five downloads, with further downloads available in additional packs of five for the same price.

The service is the first direct-download music store from AT&T and notably omits the iPhone , which includes neither the support for third-party software nor the 3G wireless access used to speed downloads on the supported phones. Apple has so far announced no plans for a mobile iTunes service and is only compatible with eMusic through computer downloads, which must first be imported into iTunes.


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Thomas Robinson has started a really cool project that enables XBOX 360 owners to use their iPhone as an XBOX Media Center Remote, controlled via WiFi. A simple menu-driven interface allows you to play music, video, DVDs, photo slideshows, and more. I love it!

The project is fully open source and can be downloaded free from Thomas’s website.

Features:

-Transport controls, including pause/play, next/previous track in playlist, and volume controls.

-Automatic switching between file browsing mode and transport controls mode via iPhone's built in tilt sensor (file browsing in portrait, transport controls in landscape).

-Viewing information on the currently playing media, including title, ID3 tags, album artwork, and much more.

-Browsing of audio, video, photo, and file shares.

-Playing audio, videos, and slideshows.

-Managment of the audio, video, and slideshow playlists,
including adding/removing media and playing of playlists.

-Launching of scripts within the Scripts directory.

-Restart, shutdown, eject, mute and various other controls,


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Brando is now offering a fully user-replaceable battery kit, available for the low price of just $20. The kit includes one battery, a screwdriver, spacer, and instruction manual. Be warned, replacing the battery on your own is not for the faint of heart. It requires lots of patience and practice.

Boy Genius recently bricked his beloved iPhone while trying to swap out back covers. An act that he came to regret.

Someone better inform Trujillo , if he already doesn't know
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YouTube junkies looking for an easy way to transfer and view Flash video to your iPhone, in place of Apple’s ill-equipped streaming client, can now breath a sigh of relief. TubeTV makes saving and converting any Flash video content to iPhone/iPod format quick and easy, just the way we like it.

Download this free application now so you watch all those wonderful videos of cats wearing hats and sweater vests.

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If AT&T ran the highway system, things would be different. Only AT&T-approved cars would be allowed on the roads, all of which would be toll roads.

Drivers would have to prepay their tolls, based on the estimated number of miles they expected to drive. Those who drove fewer miles than estimated would get no refund; those who drove more would be charged for the overage at a higher rate.


The AT&T-approved Apple iCar would be limited to a top speed of 30 mph. Sales people in AT&T car showrooms would have no idea how the iCar operated.



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Chapura has added a new application to its product lineup, called FolderMirror . What this application does is enable iPhone users to connect with Outlook Calendar and Contacts folders right from their device, by mirroring data created on a PC running Microsoft Outlook. A host PC is required, with Outlook running at all times, in order for this process to work. FoldedMirror doesn’t come cheap, however. A single user license will set you back $49.95. Ouch!

I haven’t yet put this software to the test since I already use a hosted Exchange account but it looks very promising. You can read the full press release here .

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Earthcomber is an interesting location-based service that bills itself as a “personal radar”, providing an organized list of events and entertainment in relation to where you are. Just type mobile.earthcomber.com on your iPhone (Earthcomber will work with ANY web capable mobile phone) and Earthcomber’s server will detect your locale. From there you are provided with category-based list of services such as Food, Music, Movies, Recreation & Sports, Adult Entertainment, etc.

The service works really well, based on my own testing. Not only did it correctly identify various entertainment venues in my area, I was even provided with basic mapping and driving instructions as well.

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PopCap Games launches the first iPhone game.

Gaming on the iPhone was never a matter of "if," only "when." While Apple's entry into the mobile landscape still has no official game shop like the gaming section of the iTunes store, its internet functionality is allowing game makers to prep online-ready editions their casual hits. This morning, PopCap Games (Seattle) announced that Bejeweled -- one of the most popular casual games of all time -- is coming to the iPhone for free. The game can be launched from the official PopCap website simply by surfing to it via the Safari browser in the iPhone.

It's an interesting model -- FREE is a good way to get eyeballs and get those eyeballs used to coming back. Until the iPhone launches an official mobile gaming shop (and it will, that DS-esque touch screen is begging for games), other publishers may want to follow PopCap's lead and start staking out their place in the arena.

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Texterity Inc., a provider of digital publishing solutions, has launched a beta version of the first digital magazine interface and portal designed for the Apple iPhone . This is the first time users will see a publisher’s complete magazine, as originally published, on the iPhone.

Texterity and a select group of publishers will offer free digital editions, designed for the iPhone’s Safari browser, of over 20 different magazines for iPhone users to read and enjoy through Texterity’s new digital magazine iPhone portal .

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Have people been telling you that they always go directly to your iPhone’s voicemail box? You probably have been using the unlimited EDGE data a little too much and need to lay off it a bit.

The problem is that iPhone can’t always receive incoming calls while it’s transferring data over the EDGE network and EDGE can’t be accessed while on a voice call–depending on which network you’re on that is.

Apple Knowledge Base article #305711 states :

While iPhone is actively transferring data over EDGE—downloading a webpage, for example—you may not be able to receive calls. Incoming calls may go to voicemail.

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IPsmarx Technology Inc., a leading provider of full-featured, turnkey Voice Over IP (VoIP) solutions to Internet Telephony Service Providers (ITSPs), entrepreneurs, VoIP Calling Card Operators and ISPs, today announces that its clients, especially service providers who own an IPsmarx softswitch solution, can now offer VoIP-based services to users of the popular iPhone.

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You can now hear Howard Stern live on your iphone!
You need the following:










1) http://www.millardsoftware.com/usirius (this runs on your local PC and connects over the internet to Sirius using your Sirius account).

The setup is pretty straight forward - just enter your Sirius account info and it will do everything else. Click on URLs to get the URLs for each Sirius channel you want.

2) Sign up with http://orb.com/ and install the local client on the same PC that you installed uSirius.

3) Set up Internet Radio Favorites on mycast.orb.com (cut/paste the URLs from usirius for Howard 100, 101) for each Sirius channel you want.

4) Login to mycast.orb.com from Safari on your iphone and select the favorite that you created. Listen away!

It works well over Wifi.
Note there seems to be a bug, on the first connect from Safari, it will crash, just try again and it will stream quite well for a long time.

OH BTW live365 Internet channels also work in the same manner (Get the URL from itunes get info after trying on your PC). Iphone also works well as a remote control for your SqueezeBox.

Thanx Adrian
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The busy beavers of the #iphone IRC channel, whose collective efforts have built the first unauthorized iPhone GUI application (in true hacker fashion, it displays "Hello World" and does nothing else), have released the source for the demo app, buildable with the community-built toolchain and UIKit. There's also a compiled binary version of the app being hosted here .

Our collective hat is off to the dedicated hackers who are building a development environment for the iPhone from bits of string and folded-up tinfoil. It's an impressive achievement.

Thanks #iphone and Erica
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iPhone tweaker Justin Schwalbe has managed to work over a few tricks we've published and create something actually useful: a one-click wallpaper changer for the iPhone , no iTunes sync or other tethering needed: just load up the image in Safari on the iPhone and you're rolling.

Now, of course, it's not all that simple: first you need SSH and curl running on your iPhone, and you've got to swap out the instance of DemoApp on your phone with Justin's script. Nevertheless, if you're a frequent wallpaper switcher, it might be worth checking out the rundown on Justin's blog and giving it a go.

Thanks Erica & Justin
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