Sayam Aggarwal - page 2

Enhance Copy/Paste Features On Your iPhone [Jailbreak Superguide]

By

post-37613-image-6c0844decf92d655bed461f06b7b1ee0-jpg

The iPhone, as Steve Jobs pointed out in his 4.0 keynote, currently has the best implementation of Copy/Paste feature of all smartphone platforms. However, it still does lack some feature like a history of the clips you’ve copied,  web search for selected text, etc. If you add a Cydia app called Action Menu Plus Pack, which retails for $2.99, you can easily add those as well. Here’s Cult of Mac’s how-to guide for installing and using the app.

Multitask on Your iPhone or iPod Touch With Proswitcher [Jailbreak Superguide]

By

post-35188-image-282926d084e69d5a95be7180eee36a60-jpg

Thanks to iOS4, Apple now offers its own solution for switching between applications. If you’re using an older operating system, try this method for getting some multi-tasking on your Apple device using the handy ‘ProSwitcher’ app, which gets the job done using minimal memory to keep your device speedy as you pause that epic game to check out the weather.

UPDATED: Install Pirated AppStore Apps On Your iPhone [Jailbreak Superguide]

By

post-37532-image-2e3f0a41d67f9b6046b2f207be9800a2-jpg

UPDATE: I was initially a little surprised by the vociferous reaction to this post about installing Installous, an unofficial App Store for pirated apps. The instructions are a quick Google search away and we’re hardly the first to publish an Installous how-to.

I guess we raised a few red flags — like putting “How To Pirate Apps” in the headline and including a half-hearted disclaimer. The intent was for it to be part of a comprehensive Jailbreaking Superguide that deals with all the things people want to do when they jailbreak their devices, including playing around with Installous.

The intent for the Superguide is to be straightforward and frank — a one-stop shop for everything people want to know about jailbreaking. We don’t condone piracy, but it’s a fact that a lot of people jailbreak their devices to experiment with things like Installous. I find it dishonest and hypocritical when publications skirt around issues like this; like publishing BitTorrent guides and pretending that no one’s going to download a pirated movie.

However, it’s obviously disingenuous to say we condemn piracy in a post that shows readers how to pirate software. Personally, I’ve always believed publishing information is one thing and acting on that information is another. I’ve always liked publications that informed me about things we’re not supposed to do. I can then make my own moral decision whether to act on that information or not.

But while pirating is something people indisputably do when jailbreaking, it was a misstep for us to actually include a comprehensive DIY. Whatever our intentions, it teeters on advocacy, and was thoughtlessly disrespectful to the many app developers out there who make their livings off of programs we admire and think people should pay for.

As our readers have pointed out in comments and on Twitter, we crossed a line here. CultofMac.com isn’t some modern-day Anarchist Cookbook. We support developers and enjoy their many wonderful creations. Saying there are ways out there to install cracked apps is one thing, showing people how to do it is another.

So my apologies to readers for misjudging this, and to developers for being insensitive and opportunistic.

Also, please don’t attack the author, Sayam. This was my idea, not his. He’s a freelance writer and I commissioned him to write it, so please don’t be mean to him.

— Leander.

PS: The BitTorrent link to “pirate” copies of my Cult of Mac book posted in the comments is actually a publisher-sanctioned seed. No Starch Press turned it into an e-book and seeded it. So please help yourself, it’s free and legal.

See TorrentFreak: Publisher Posts Mac Books on The Pirate Bay

BREAKING: iPhone 4 Unlocked!

By

129253171

According to a recent tweet published by the DevTeam member planetbeing, he and MuscleNerd have finally managed to unlock iPhone 4 using the ultrasn0w tool by DevTeam, thus allowing it to be used on any GSM network worldwide.

My soft-unlocked iPhone 4 (in Canada). I’ll have video in a couple of hours once I can top-up the SIM https://twitpic.com/24ycdv

Although not a permanent unlocking solution, it’s still a big deal for all the iPhone 4 owners as not only does it mean freedom from AT&T and its outrageous international roaming charges but also the ability to use it in countries other than the five where it has been officially released.

With the upcoming spirit jailbreak for iOS 4, it will be much easier to unlock the new device. However, they are waiting for Apple to release a firmware update (4.0.1 or 4.1) but once it’s released, the unlock will be released too.

@planetbeing via Redmond Pie

How To Install iMovie on iPhone 3GS

By

post-49047-image-c174af8c6293e1023da588cd9b9956a2-jpg

The iPhone 3GS users who are not willing to upgrade or are waiting for Antenna issue to be fixed cannot use Apple’s latest iMovie suite on their device because of lack of backward compatibility, at least according to Apple. Some said that it was an issue with the smaller RAM on the device but that doesn’t seem to be the case as those who have already jailbroken their device will now be able to use it.

Extract SHSH Blobs For iOS4 Devices [How To]

By

SHSH-Blob-iOS4-10

If you’re going to jailbreak your iPhone or iPad, the first thing you MUST do is backup your device’s SHSH blobs.

With the release of iPhone 3GS and iPod Touch G3, Apple added an extra layer of security to prevent hacking, jailbreaking and unlocking. Apple is constantly closing the exploits used by jailbreak hackers by updating the firmware of its iPhone/iPt and iPad. If you accidentally upgrade your jailbroken device to Apple’s latest firmware, you can’t re-jailbreak it until hackers release new jailbreak software.

You can, however, downgrade your device to the previous firmware version which can be jailbroken — if you have your SHSH blobs on file.

You can extract these SHSH records and save them with the help of a utility called Umbrella. Here’s how:

These records are firmware specific and each time you update, you should repeat this process to save the records for the particular firmware version.

How To: Jailbreak iPhone 3G and iPod Touch G2 Using Redsn0w

By

redsnow-3.0

Warning: This method no longer works. To jailbreak the latest firmware, check out greenpois0n/limera1n/Pwnage Tool

Redsn0w by DevTeam allows you to jailbreak your device, to get complete control over it (see why you should jailbreak here). Currently, redsn0w version 0.9.5b5-3 allows you to jailbreak a device that has already been upgraded to firmware 4.0, without losing the jailbreak data. However, it will NOT unlock the device, enabling it to be used with different GSM carriers worldwide.

Please note that this tool will NOT work if you have ANY iPhone 3GS, newer iPod Touch G2 or the iPod Touch G3. (On the newer iPod Touch, serial number begins with ‘MC’.)

How To: Jailbreak iPhone 3G/3GS and iPod Touch G2 Using Pwnage Tool for Mac [Jailbreak Superguide]

By

post-29870-image-4a62c54587642421b5559c4b774336a6-jpg

Warning: This method no longer works. To jailbreak the latest firmware, check out greenpois0n/limera1n/Pwnage Tool

The Pwnage Tool by the DevTeam hacker group allows you to create custom iPhone firmwares for the purpose of jailbreaking, to get full control over your device (see why you should jailbreak here).

Currently, the Pwnage Tool version 4.0 allows you to update your previously jailbroken device to firmware 4.0, without losing the jailbreak data. However, it will NOT unlock the device, enabling it to be used with different GSM carriers worldwide.

Please note that this tool will NOT work if you have the iPhone 2G, newer iPhone 3GS, newer iPod Touch G2 or the iPod Touch G3. (On the newer 3GS, go to Settings –> General –> About, the fourth and fifth digit of the serial number should be greater than 40 and on the newer iPod Touch, serial number begins with ‘MC’.)

How To Enable & Manage Extensions In Safari 5

By

post-47341-image-9419d16a1d77363fb5f3d90da5333366-jpg

With the release of Safari 5, Apple introduced a much-requested feature — extensions.

Extensions are a better way to add those little missing features than the old and complex plug-in approach. Extensions have been available on Firefox and Chrome for a while and finally are available for Safari too.

However, Apple currently labels it as a developer feature, which needs to be enabled before extensions are available.

Dr Dre’s “Studio” Headphones Are Music To My Ears [Review]

By

DSC4-full1.jpg

It’s not easy to buy good headphones these days. There are so many companies that produce good stuff. Choosing is impossible. Especially when you are OCD and everything has to be perfect. Well, I’ve discovered the perfect headphones: The Beats By Dre ‘Studio’ Headphones, which cost $229. I previously owned a pair of plain old Apple earphones. But after listening to a friend’s Sennheisers one day, I couldn’t tolerate the crappy Apple earphones any more. I have been testing the Beats rigorously for the past three months, and now my friend’s Sennheisers sound like those Apple earphones. ;)

Pic of The Day: Adobe Uses Porn To Protest Lack of Flash on iPad

By

ipad_bang_bros

Adobe is so bothered by Apple excluding Flash from the iPad, it put porn up on its blog to prove the point.

Abobe’s official Flash Blog has a post entitled “The iPad provides the ultimate browsing experience?” which shows how several popular websites would look without Flash content. Right at the top is a screenshot of Bang Bros HD, a hardcore porn site.

As you can see, an iPad without Flash is going to be pretty much useless for HD porn.

“Millions of websites use Flash,” the blog post says. “Get used to the blue Legos.”

UPDATE: We checked, and there’s an MP4-based version of Bang Bros, which works fine on the iPad as is. So even Adobe’s most desperate tactic isn’t true.

No Multi-tasking or Better Home Screen Love For iPad?

By

ProSwitcher-10-1

It’s been 50 minutes into the event and There’s no sign of multi-tasking. To switch between apps, all they are doing is simply closing the current and opening a new – no ProSwitcher like card management. This is definitely going to be a deal breaker for the most who are planning to trade their netbook for this device.

Also, the screen’s got some good real-estate, seems like 2x the resolution of the iPhone. However,

Install0us, The Pirate Bay of iPhone Apps, Is Shutting Down

By

Install0us

Install0us is an iPhone app that is like the iPhone’s official App Store — except it’s connected to a treasure trove of pirated apps. Launched several months ago, Install0us is connected to a huge database of cracked iPhone apps, which are freely available for users to download.

Running on jailbroken iPhones and iPts, the Install0us application has so far been one of the easiest ways to install cracked applications. In a short time, it turned into a big community of pirates, and a headache for hardworking app developers.

But it is about to close, the app’s creator said on Monday, for legal reasons.

“What we do would be very hard to defend against in court,” wrote the anonymous “Admin” behind the app in a post on the Installous forums. “Call me a coward, but as I said, hiding under covers is not a life for me.”

As he explains in the post, the Install0us Admin was initially pretty confident the app was legal. “I thought we had something legal and legitimate to offer,” the Admin said. Install0us merely did what lots of other installer apps do: help users browse, download and install apps. Those apps had been cracked by other people, so Install0us was in the clear — or so the Admin thought. But he had nagging doubts, and for the last three months he’s been searching for a knowledgeable lawyer.

He found one, but their first conversation didn’t go well.

“Unfortunately our discussion left me sad and even feeling stupid to have invested so much effort into this, and involved people with me,” he wrote. “You see, after talking for more than an hour with him, I’m sorry but the conclusion is that what we do would be very hard to defend against in court.”

Duh!

Piracy rates for iPhone applications are very high, reportedly reaching 80% for some developers. Even though developers like Tapulous have devised ways of making money from pirates, many still haven’t and are suffering from significant lost revenues. With little help from Apple, the number of cracked applications have been increasing — thanks to sophisticated tools such as Install0us, which makes the whole process a breeze.

After taking advice from the lawyer, the anonymous creator of the app on Monday made the wise decision to avoid any future trouble by simply shutting down the whole thing.

The app’s forum is scheduled to be closed with all it’s repositories deleted in a few weeks. The Admin said he would be abandoning any future application releases. He was working on version 3, which promised several new features. Of course there will be other applications that will soon replace this one, but it is still somewhat relieving for the developers who put in all their hard work into the applications, just to make a living. Hopefully, Apple will soon realize the need to step in and bring these pirates down once and for all, but for now, they are not going anywhere.

Via Install0us.

How To Install Google’s Chrome OS On Mac using Parallels Desktop 5

By

post-22551-image-02041164c9bc0cd126053ffb382886fc-jpg
CC-licensed screencap from Wikipedia.

Google’s Chrome Operating System is a Google’s answer to Mac OS X or Windows 7  — a lightweight operating system designed for netbooks and other portable devices. It’s also designed for an always-on connection. The Net is as much a part of the system as the software installed on the computer.

It’s also lightweight, fast, and easy to use. Boot up in just a matter of few seconds, log in and get onto the internet instantly. No distractions at all. Moreover, everything remains in  the cloud so you never have to worry about running out of the disk space.

It’s also fun to play with. Here’s how to install it on a Mac using Parallels Desktop 5 virtualization software. Be aware that Chrome OS is currently in pre-alpha developmental stage. Install at your own risk!

Review: MacSpeech Dictate Is a Great Tool For Writers

By

post-24064-image-e26df65a4bb2c21ced661f74fea3050d-jpg

MacSpeech Dictate is dictation software for the Mac that helps you enhance your productivity by simply dictating rather than typing. It is based on Nuance’s Dragon NaturallySpeaking speech engine, which ensures highly accurate speech recognition capabilities. In fact, the company claims it to be about 95% accurate. Although the lack of a Beta version makes it hard to believe but surprisingly, it’s very true.

Recently, I had a chance to test version 1.5 of this for myself and from my experience, it works really well. It’s not just a simple application, but a full-fledged dictation solution for any Mac user, especially for a writer or a journalist.

4iThumbs iPhone Keyboard Overlay Adds Tactile Feedback

By

4ithumbs

4iThumbs is a $14.95 overlay for the iPhone screen that provides tactile feedback when using the on-screen keyboard. It has little bumpers placed right above the virtual keys that provides the feedback.

If you previously owned a Blackberry, typing on an iPhone might be a pain for you. Even though the on-screen keyboard is pretty responsive, it lacks the tactile feedback that you get on devices like BlackBerry Storm 2 etc. Now with 4iThumbs, you can fill that gap. The company boasts that the typing experience should become much better within just hours of use. As an extra feature, it also acts like an anti-glare screen protector.

However, it doesn’t look like an ergonomic option. The overlay is required just while typing and becomes a hindrance when doing other stuff like playing games. Thankfully it’s removable but taking it off and putting back on every single time is even worse. Also, carrying an extra screen every time in the pocket isn’t something that people like.

Currently, it’s the only option if you are looking for a way to have tactile feedback from your iPhone keyboard. Even though their commercial depicts just the portrait version, a landscape version is also available.

via Engadget

Malicious iPhone Malware Steals Private Data From Jailbroken iPhones

By

ikee_iphone_wallpaper

iPhone ‘worms’ haven’t been much of a threat till now. However, things have changed with a new malware, discovered by Mac security firm Intego. Identified as iPhone/Privacy.A, it is a major threat for the privacy of many jailbroken iPhone users who have installed and activated SSH. Note: Non-jailbroken phones are not affected by it.

This malware acts through the SSH just like the others. It infects through client software installed on an attacking Mac, PC or even iPhone, which scans for jailbroken iPhones nearby. If they are vulnerable, they are then injected with the malware using the default filesystem password.

Previous exploits like iKee just changed the lockscreen background but after injection, this new malware copies private data, such as contacts, e-mail, contacts, SMSs, calendars, photos, music files, videos, which it then sends back to the source machine. It is even possible to send it as a malware to a Mac or PC which will then scan and copy the information from nearby jailbroken iPhones or iPod Touch and then send back to the source.

Even though it is not widespread yet, the amount of information it steals is a great deal. Intego currently recommends it’s own solution, Virus Barrier X5, which detects and removes this malware from a Mac but as far as other platforms are concerned, there’s currently no solution. This means that there is a high chance you can be affected as well. Therefore, we recommend you to take a simple precautionary step by changing the filesystem password on your jailbroken iPhones with SSH installed or turning SSH off when not in use with the help of SBSettings available in Cydia.

You can also have a look at our guide on how to change the filesystem password.

How To: Change Your iPhone’s Default SSH Password

By

ikee_iphone_wallpaper

If you jailbreak your iPhone, the first thing you ABSOLUTELY MUST DO is change the default filesystem password.

When you jailbreak, the filesystem’s password is set to the common password “alpine.” As people usually don’t bother changing this password after performing a jailbreak, it’s really easy for hackers to get access to any jailbroken iPhone/iPod Touch on a public network.

EDIT: Just confirmed with GeoHot and it seems that at least blackra1n doesn’t install SSH by default, therefore this should not be a problem if you used blackra1n to jailbreak, unless you installed the OpenSSH package from Cydia.

An Australian hacker called Ashley Towns demonstrated this by circulating the first known iPhone worm, known as Ikee, which replaces your lockscreen wallpaper with an image of Rick Astley. Luckily Town’s Rickrolling is benign. He wrote the worm to demonstrate how easy it is to break into jailbroken iPhones.

Changing the password is quick and easy — after the jump is a tutorial showing how to change the SSH password.

Note: There is no need to follow this guide if you haven’t jailbroken your iPhone/iPod Touch.

Cult of Mac Favorite: MobileStacks Is the Best Reason To Jailbreak. Period.

By

post-18759-image-4fdda74c13b4e4c338802079935687ea-jpg

I really like Stacks on my Mac. Stacks makes it fast and easy to find files, folders and apps right from the Dock. It makes managing a Mac pretty slick with all sorts of little UI tricks. That’s why I recently gave MobileStack a go on my jailbroken iPhone.

I must say that it lives up to the challenge of making an interface that is intuitive and user friendly enough for the small iPhone screen. In fact, it’s definitely the best excuse to jailbreak.

How To: Jailbreak and Unlock Your iPhone / iPod Touch Using Blackra1n

By

post-20356-image-7a48ece87edd56d7d27facd9b593332e-jpg

Warning: This method no longer works. To jailbreak the latest firmware, check out greenpois0n/limera1n/Pwnage Tool

George Hotz a.k.a GeoHot has released blackra1n RC3, which is an update to a 1-click jailbreak that adds activation options and an add-on blacksn0w, which unlocks latest iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS baseband version 05.11.07. To use blacksn0w, make sure you have this new baseband (check under Settings –> General –> About –> Modem Firmware) and if not, then update to a stock 3.1.2 firmware.

It is pretty easy to use and worked perfectly with my iPhone 3G. Besides the tool, there’s a blackra1n application that gets automatically installed on the iPhone after jailbreak, which gives you option to install Cydia and some other alternatives like RockYourPhone and the ‘sn0w’ option to use blacksn0w unlock solution as well.

Please note that if you have an iPhone 2G, you can still jailbreak using blackra1n but blacksn0w will not unlock for you. You must use BootNeuter available in Cydia for that purpose. Also, if you purchased an iPhone 3GS or iPod Touch (any capacity) in October or later, there is a high probability that you have a new model. Blackra1n currently performs only a tethered jailbreak for these new devices, which means you need to use blackra1n every time you boot the device, otherwise all your jailbreak data gets wiped.

Here’s see how it works.

Blacksn0w Add-on For blackra1n Unlocks Any iPhone 3G / 3GS, Enables Tethering

By

blacksn0w2

GeoHot, creator of the famous blackra1n jailbreak tool has now released blacksn0w. Blacksn0w is a full fledged software unlock solution for iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS, having baseband version 05.11.07 found in firmware version 3.1.2. Unlocking the phone enables you to use it with any carrier in the world.

This means if you have older firmware, you can now upgrade to a stock 3.1.2 and still have the ability to remain unlocked. Blacksn0w also enables the tethering option on these iPhones for you to share the data connection with a laptop or desktop computer.

blackra1n_update

The blackra1n application for iPhone installed as a result of the blackra1n jailbreak process then allows you to run blacksn0w and finally unlock the phone. However, those who already have the old version of blackra1n application installed on the iPhone can upgrade to the latest version by selecting the new ‘ra1n’ option inside the application. After installing the updated version, tap ‘sn0w’ in the application to unlock. For those who used the DevTeam’s PwnageTool to jailbreak, blacksn0w will soon be available on Cydia.

To accompany blacksn0w, there is a new hacktivation feature added to blackra1n, which activates the iPhone to be used without the iPhone specific plans from carriers like AT&T, O2 etc. But, if you have an officially activated phone already, this won’t interfere. The update to blackra1n tool also makes it  a lot faster, enabling it to jailbreak the iPhone / iPod Touch in just 15 seconds. It also adds support for Mac OS X Tiger and PPC Macs along with the existing Windows and Intel Mac support.

Please note that if you have an iPhone 2G, you can still jailbreak using blackra1n but blacksn0w will not unlock for you. You must use BootNeuter available in Cydia for that purpose. Also, if you purchased an iPhone 3GS or iPod Touch (any capacity) in October or later, there is a high probability that you have a new model. Blackra1n currently performs only a tethered jailbreak for these new devices, which means you need to use blackra1n every time you boot the device, otherwise all your jailbreak data gets wiped.

The new version of blackra1n is available to download at blackra1n.com

Check out our guide on how to jailbreak and unlock using blackra1n and blacksn0w here.