Hacking The iPhone
The iPhone is an amazing device, don’t get me wrong. In saying that, there is still room for improvement. That is why we have hacks for this device. A “jailbroken” iPhone can do much more than its virgin self. These include unlocking, unofficial third party apps, background applications, accessing the file system and theme modifications. The main reason my iPhone is jailbroken is because it is illegitimately on Vodafone, which required an unlock to do so. All the other reasons are secondary, but do offer so much more over an unjailbroken iPhone. There are 2 major pieces of software that jailbreaks your iPhone, or iPod Touch, PwnageTool for Mac OS X and WinPwn for Windows XP/Vista.
After receiving a 1.1.4 jailbroken and unlocked iPhone, I quickly wanted to update and jailbreak to 2.0. After over a month of waiting. Eventually it did finally arrive and I could happily get iPhone software 2.0. This method required me to get the WinPwn software, the official 2.0 restore image. WinPwn then creates a custom software image, with the jailbreak and Cydia (unofficial third-part app loader.) It then pwnd iTunes to allow me to restore this custom firmware onto the iPhone. From here, it’s all up to iTunes for updating the device.
First you need to backup your iPhone. This is so you can later restore your settings, messages and such back onto the device. From here, you put your iPhone into DFU, which an unusual process that you can find instructions to on the internet. This will get iTunes to prompt you to restore your device. Then you hold down the shift key while clicking restore and then you can now select the custom software you built earlier. Then it pretty much does its job updating the software. After this lengthy wait, you will then want to restore your setting and sync your music, videos and such back over to your iPhone. This whole process took me about an hour.
After that, you are left with a nice, jailbroken iPhone, ready with Cydia to get your fix of unofficial third party apps, along with the new App Store for your official applications. You also should have all your settings and files back from before the restore. Thankfully, this process has been made much easier. Shortly after Apple released the first 2.0 bug-fix version, the team behind PwnageTool released another jailbreaking tool, QuickPwn. What this does is jailbreak your iPhone or iPod Touch without having to do the full, lengthy restore each time. I used this process to update to 2.0.1 right through to the most recent 2.1 software.
To do a QuickPwn, you first get the QuickPwn software, and the official iPhone software. You then use iTunes to update your software. This will get rid of all your jailbroken apps, but all your other files and setting will stay in tack. Because this isn’t a full on restore, it takes a fifth of the time to update. After you have your upgraded iPhone, you then launch the QuickPwn software and follow the instructions. It will get you to point to the official firmware and then instruct you on how to DFU the iPhone. Then after a few minutes, the process will be complete and you can now re-download your unofficial third party apps.
It is amazing how they managed to change the way you jailbreak your iPhone device. No longer are they days where you spend over an hour to restore you iPhone with the custom jailbroken firmware, we are now in the quick jailbreaking days where there are no restores or restoring backups. The process takes a short 15 minutes, or less. The jailbreaking process couldn’t be so easy and friendly to do.
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I remember when I first got my iPhone, I spent 8 hours jailbreaking and unlocking it. 2 days later the tiff exploit came out resulting in a 2 minute jailbreak and unlock.
>.<
So this is a 2G iPhone? Ive been pondering whether to get an iPhone or iPhone 3G but I would hardly use 3G browsing or GPS. I can now upgrade to 2.1.. what do you recommend?
Anthony: Yes, I have a 2G one. It depends on how cheap you can get a 2G one for, if you can find one. Since you don’t think you would use the 3G browsing or GPS, that’s what I would recommend. Although if the price you can get a 2G one for is not much cheaper, or more expensive than a 3G, you’d be better going for that one, which would make sense.
Just a note: 2G browsing is shockingly slow.
Hi – would you be interested in unlocking my iphone for a donation to your favourite charity? ( could be yourself ), thx Trevor
Trevor: Sure. I’d be happy to help you.
I just have a silly question… Could you possible tell me where I can download the Lockscreen you have in the picture? I think it says ‘Phone’ with a red banner across it but it looks super cool.
p.s. super amazing website!
Mal