If you bank through Citibank on your iPhone, you might want to update it now: the Wall Street Journal is reporting that there is a security vulnerability in the last version of the Citi Mobile app that saves personal account information in a hidden file.
This hidden file contains information about account numbers, security access codes and bill payment information. While it can’t be accessed remotely, it could conceivably be accessed through a Mac or PC upon being connected by USB cable… particularly if the device is jailbroken.
“We have no reason to believe that our customers’ personal information has been accessed or used inappropriately by anyone,” Citi has said, while simultaneously releasing an updated version of the app that fixes the problem.
Shares of DVR-manufacturer TiVo jumped about 5% yesterday after rumors swirled that the company’s next tech revision might get included on the next Apple TV.
It’s a pretty silly rumor. Apple has made it clear time and time again that they want to own the core technology of their devices. Unless Apple sees fit to buy TiVo, then, I don’t see it happening. In fact, why would Apple allow television recording on the AppleTV to begin with? If the AppleTV ever makes the leap from hobby device to serious initiative, it’ll be because Apple wants to give consumers a cheap, set-top box to conduct iTunes purchases.
I just don’t see it. The most compelling rumor right now is that the next AppleTV will run iOS and stream through the cloud. I don’t think TiVo is going to become an Apple partner with the next AppleTV: I think they’ll become even more of a competitor than they are now.
Your life is on your iPhone, so if you want to share it with friends, family and co-workers, what’s better than capturing what’s on your iPhone screen? ScreenRecorder for iPhone is a Cydia application that captures your iPhone screen — be it a tutorial, demo or demonstration — with the tap of a finger. Here’s Cult of Mac’s step-by-step guide of how this paid app works.
Although the iPhone does allow you to setup a lockscreen passcode, it doesn’t give much flexibility in choosing one, allowing you to set only a four-digit passcode. If that doesn’t pass your security test, here’s how to set passcode your ex won’t be able to guess. NB: If you haven’t upgraded to iOS4, this tutorial on setting up a lockscreen passcode is for you.
If you accidentally updated your jailbroken iPhone 3GS, you cannot simply downgrade it by restoring to an older version of the firmware (even in DFU mode) because of an added layer of security by Apple.
However, if you have a previously jailbroken iPhone 3GS, there’s a possibility that Cydia saved some files called SHSHs to help you bypass this added security. Cult of Mac’s how-to guide will help you do it.
The Backgrounder app makes running multiple apps on your iPhone easier than juggling your daily schedule. Do keep in mind that running too many apps will slow down your device and suck the life out of its battery a lot quicker.
Still, Backgrounder is a great gratis app we’re glad to have handy. Here’s Cult of Mac’s guide to how it works.
Unless you jailbreak your iPhone, the file system will remain off limits as Apple intended. Even so, many people who jailbreak their phones stop with Cydia. There are, however, a few reasons you might want access to the file system on your device. SSH allows you to do just that using a Wi-Fi connection and a suitable Mac or PC client.
It can come in handy should you need to install something that’s not directly available on Cydia, think beta apps, etc.
Here’s Cult of Mac’s how-to guide to get you started.
If you’re going to jailbreak your iPhone or iPad, before you get started, we highly recommend you 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.
If you haven’t upgraded to iOS4, this app will allow you to access multiple Microsoft Exchange accounts on your iPhone, keeping your work and personal email and calendar info etc. always at hand. Here’s Cult of Mac’s how-to guide to getting started using the AddExchange application which allows you to add multiple Exchange accounts available from Cydia.
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.
From the earliest iPhone and iPod Touch models, Apple opted to disable OBEX — aka Bluetooth file transfers on its devices for security reasons. Now, thanks to iBlueNova, a Cydia app well worth the $5.99 price tag, you can transfer files — music, pics, etc., — to and from your iDevices. Here’s Cult of Mac’s how-to guide to get you started.
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.
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.
Although the Cydia app offers an extensive soup-to-nuts package, every once in awhile you might find it useful to add a source to the ones already available. Here’s Cult of Mac’s guide on how to add a source to Cydia.
Unfortunately, because of the legal issues involved, the Apple spokeswoman would only provide me with the following statement on the record:
“Apple’s goal has always been to insure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone and we know that jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience. As we’ve said before, the vast majority of customers do not jailbreak their iPhones as this can violate the warranty and can cause the iPhone to become unstable and not work reliably.”
Got a spare $170,000 lying around? If so, UK jeweler Stuart Hughes will sell you an iPad covered in solid gold that weighs a hefty 5.5lbs.
The 64GB 3G iPad is covered in 2.5 kilograms of solid 24ct gold. “A magnificent combination of top of the industry technology and unrivalled craftsmanship was involved in creating this masterpiece,” the jeweler says. The iPad will be limited to 25 units.
Stuart Hughes sells a bunch of other blinged-up gizmos, including a $33,000 iPhone 4 covered in 150 grams of 24ct gold. It’s a 32GB model without a SIM lock. The gold doubles its weight to about 290 grams. It includes a hand-finished wallet made from Ostrich foot.
No word on whether the gold improves reception, but investing in gold has never been hotter.
Back in the day the entertainment industry tried to stop consumers from videotaping TV shows to watch at a later time. But the courts and Congress said taping TV shows is a non-infringing use of copyrighted works: it is “fair use.”
Now, the Copyright Office has determined that Apple locking the iPhone to prevent it running unapproved apps is an unfair restriction on consumers’ fair use rights.
Consumers should be allowed to jailbreak their iPhones and install whatever applications they like: not just those approved by Apple. Unlocking your iPhone to install non-approved apps is a legal exemption to the DMCA, the Copyright Office has just ruled.
To reach this conclusion, the Copyright Office applied the four famous “fair use factors” to the case:
Now that the US Copyright Office has ruled that jailbreaking your phone is not a violation of the DMCA, you can go ahead an tinker without crossing over to the wrong side of the law.
Tell us whether you will jailbreak your iPhone now or not and why in the comments.
We kick off another week of deals with a bargain on MacBooks. The Apple Store has a number of unibody MacBooks starting at $929 for a 2.26GHz unit. There is also an 8GB iPod touch for just $149. Lastly, to keep track of all those apps you are accumulating on your touch or iPhone is “App Chest” for the Mac, an application tracker and license managing software.
As usual, details on these and many other items (such as a USB adapter for your MacBook Air) can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.
Many of the most vocal critics of jailbreaking — a group which includes Apple itself — have been quick in the past to cite the fact that hacking your smartphone is a violation of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, and thus illegal.
It wasn’t a bad argument, all things considered, but if you’re used to relying on it, you’re going to have to ditch it: the Copyright Office has just issued a new set of exemptions to the DMCA, making jailbreaking and unlocking your iPhone officially legal.
Many of you waited about 5 hours in line just to get your hands on the latest and greatest installment of the Apple consumer electronics dominance: the iPhone 4. You also had to sign your life away for another 2 year contract with AT&T, unless you’ve got the big bucks and paid for one without the contract. Apple is nice enough to cover the iPhones for a fairly hassle-free 1 year manufacturer’s warranty, but we all know that a lot of issues come up in the year after that and AppleCare doesn’t cover your phone for accidental issues. A lot of you have probably ALREADY dropped your iPhone or spilled beer on it. SquareTrade is a quality third-party warranty company that offers extended warranties for just about every consumer electronic you can think of! We got your back when it comes to taking care of your precious iPhone, and SquareTrade has offered to give away 2 FREE Extended Warranty plans for the iPhone 4 to two of our lucky Cult of Mac readers! Each warranty retails at $99! SquareTrade is a legit independent warranty company. They’ve been around since 1999, and it’s the only warranty that’s consistently been rated 5 stars! They’ll cover your phone from drops, spills, and normal use defects for 2 years! Click here for more details about the warranty. Here’s how to be entered into the giveaway:
Follow us on Twitter! (This is essential, because if you aren’t following you, we can’t DM you to let you know that you’re a winner)
I love @CultofMac and @SquareTrade because they got my back with my new #iPhone4 #cultofmac
Make sure you include the #cultofmac hash tag or we won’t be able to see if you tweeted the special message. Good luck!
Giveaway Terms: You must be 18 years old to enter. Giveaway is only open to people living in the United States. No purchase is necessary to enter the giveaway. This giveaway is void where prohibited. Giveaway will end at 11:59pm PST tonight. We will not accept any entries after that time. Winners will be notified tomorrow, July 27th through Twitter.
The sad fact of the matter is we’re never going to see the release of the long fabled iControlPad iPhone case, which would allow you to add a D-Pad and physical buttons to your phone.
For us jailbroken retro-gamers with an affinity for emulation, that’s pretty sad, but maybe there’s hopes: the iPhone Game Pad has now come along, adding the same functionality to the iPhone.
Unfortunately, right now, it only works with the original iPhone, with 3G and 3GS support coming soon. Double unfortunate is that, as usual, this seemingly wonderful product isn’t in the shipping phase, with its creators now looking for a manufacturing partner.
Granted, it’s understandable why iPhone accessory manufacturers both wouldn’t and couldn’t sell an accessory that depends on jailbreaking, especially if they want to keep a good relationship with Apple. Still, I hope someday one of these iPhone control pad projects gets off the ground: there’s plenty of iPhone gamers out there who miss the tactility of physical buttons underneath our thumbs.
Harking back to a time when Lost‘s mysteries had not been explained away with the MacGuffin of a stupid magic light, the original Dharma Initiative Apple II Plus computer used in the Pearl Station to release electromagnetic radiation every 108 minutes way back in Season Two is soon to go on sale.
If you’re interested in picking up this bit of Apple-centric television history, it’ll be auctioned off on August 21st. If you win, don’t worry about typing in the numbers: like everything in Lost, failure to follow the rules set down by the show’s creators will ultimately have no consequence whatsoever.
Samsung isn’t the first smartphone maker to try to capitalize on the iPhone 4 antenna issues, but they are the only one who stand to directly benefit from Apple’s latest handset’s success.
That’s what makes a recent campaign by Samsung USA so curious. They have begun giving away free Samsung Galaxy S Series smartphones to Brit’s complaining about their iPhone 4 on Twitter.
What’s so odd here is that Samsung makes an estimated $2 billion a year supplying components to Apple for sale in the iPhone. In fact, as 9to5Mac notes, they make $50 for every 16GB iPhone sold, and $75 on every 32GB iPhone sold.
In other words, Samsung’s playing the strange game of competing against itself: stressing the iPhone 4 antenna issue in order to get some free publicity for its own series of handsets, even while profiting directly from every iPhone 4 sold. It’s hard to tell whether or not this is win-win or lose-lose.
