Dev-Team Demos Untethered iOS 5 Jailbreak

Pod2g of the Chronic Dev-Team has posted a video on YouTube demonstrating an untethered jailbreak on iOS 5.0. A public release date for a jailbreaking tool is still unknown (and please don’t bug the devs for one), but the fact that pod2g has come out of hibernation is a sign that we won’t be waiting too much longer. Pod2g recommends to hang back on iOS 5.0 since 5.0.1 fixes Miller’s bug, and he plans to work on compatibility for non-A5 devices first, but support for the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 may come eventually.

Unlock iPhone 4S Without Modifying the Hardware or Software

Chronic has tweeted a loophole to unlock an AT&T iPhone 4S without a jailbreak or any sort of hardware modifications. It requires a cut-down T-Mobile SIM or microSIM, but other than that, the process seems simple enough.

Proceed at your own risk, we have not tested this ourselves. Initial reports are very mixed, so be wary. But, if it does work, make sure to let us know in the comments!
Insert original carrier AT&T SIM card
Dial 611 for AT&T customer service hotline and drop the call
Turn on Airplane Mode
Take out AT&T SIM card
Insert T-Mobile SIM card

Read on for the full instructions!


Make sure WiFi is off ( also tap on ‘Forget this Network” to make sure it doesn’t connect automatically later)
Switch off Airplane Mode and iPhone will search for network. This is followed by the Apple splash screen appearing.
Activation Required will be displayed on the screen
EDGE network will activate automatically – notice the ‘E’ on the top left corner of the screen
Wait for about 20-30 seconds and turn off the phone
Turn on iPhone and the same Activation Required screen will be displayed
When you see one signal bar, tap on Use Cellular Connection
Eject SIM card
Activation Required screen will be displayed the second time
Insert SIM card
Unlocked!

Apple Investigating iOS 5 Battery Life Issues

The Guardian reports that Apple is reaching out to customers to pin down the source of iOS 5′s poor battery performance. Since upgrading, many users have been experiencing a significant decrease in battery life, but apparently the issue is even befuddling Apple engineers.

Deleting and re-syncing your iCloud, Exchange, and Gmail account may help squeeze out some extra juice due to errors with a corrupted contact list, but we hope that Apple will to nail down the problem and issue a software update soon.

“I then got a call from a senior [Apple] engineer who said he had read my post and was ‘reaching out’ to users for data and admitted this was an issue (and that they aren’t close to finding a fix!) and asked lots of questions about my usage and then asked if he could install the file below and that he would call back the day after to retrieve the info. I extracted the file from my Mac after a sync and emailed it to him. He was incredibly helpful and apologetic in the typical Apple way!”



[The Guardian]

iOS 5 By the Pixels

Apple made a number of obvious user interface tweaks to iOS 5, but some of the most important changes are done pixel by pixel. Jobs always paid maniacal attention to detail, and that same perfectionism is ingrained down to Apple’s core. For example, the Home Screen icons in iOS 4 were slightly asymmetrical, but in iOS 5, the spacing has been altered ever so slightly to center them.

Check out the source for more examples of Apple’s teenager-like sense of self-consciousness.

[Design Archive]

WinterBoard Gains iOS 5 Compatibility

If you own a jailbroken device on iOS 5 then you’ll be happy to hear that Saurik’s theming app WinterBoard is now fully compatible with iOS 5. It took about a week of beta testing to reach this stage, but things should run smoothly now.

As always, WinterBoard is available in Cydia for free – so go download it today!


Update: Even though things seem to be running smoothly, one of our forum members is having an issue with the app. It seems to be respringing his device upon launch. While this may not occur on some devices, it is worth noting that there may be an issue with the app.

iPhone 4S Camera Almost Ready to Sit at the Adult Table

A side-by-side comparison of videos shot by both an iPhone 4S and a Canon 5D MKII shows that the 1080p camera on the pocket-sized device is able to stack up quite well against a high-end dedicated camera.

To the untrained eye, it’s surprisingly difficult to distinguish between the two, although professional cinematographers will obviously opt for the more versatile gear. Technology is advancing at a mind boggling rate, so it shouldn’t be long before the size of the gadget itself simply doesn’t matter.

Belkin is Holding a 50% Off Everything Sale Through Sep 30

  If you’re looking for a good deal on iPad, iPhone, and iPod accessories, you might want to check out Belkin’s half-off everything sale on their website. The only problem is that the accessory maker’s site continues to experience prolonged periods of downtime due to increased traffic. That’s probably because there are 100,000 more visitors to the website than usual because of Gizmodo’s erroneous report that the deal was only running today.

There is no minimum purchase required to take advantage of the 50% off sale, which in fact runs through Sep 30, and you must remember to type in the code “FB50″ at checkout to take advantage of the deal. Belkin also sells wireless routers, cables, and accessories for laptops and Android devices. Shipping is extra.

Hints at iPhone 5 Design with New Cases

 Considering the amount of attention that iPhone 5 rumors have been getting lately, this could just be a genius marketing ploy. But, we’ll share it anyways. Case-Mate has confidently posted images of their upcoming iPhone 5 cases, which reveal a metal backing and tapered MacBook-like edges. The front of the device is not shown, and while it’s unlikely that Case-Mate is privy to any insider information, case makers have been known to be surprisingly clairvoyant when it comes to mockups.






The next-gen iPhone is rumored to be thinner than the current design, but whether it will retain the current look or adopt something more durable is still unknown. The iPhone 5 is expected to be announced on October 15th.