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iOS 8's silent war against jailbreaking
Apple isn't dumb. The company knows users jailbreak their devices, but more importantly than that, they know exactly why. There are those who jailbreak to use apps that simply would never be approved for sale on the App Store -- and that's a group that Apple has little chance of luring back to the "vanilla" side of iOS -- but there's also a huge segment of the jailbreaking community that voids their warranties for much more innocuous reasons. That's where iOS 8 comes in. Apple plugged some crucial jailbreak holes with iOS 7 and its updates, effectively shuttering widespread jailbreaking on devices updated to 7.1.0 or 7.1.1. Top jailbreakers have instead turned their attention to iOS 8, hoping to have better luck with the big annual update that everyone will be downloading. But along with taping off any remaining vulnerabilities that Apple's team might already know about, it's doing something even more crushing to the jailbreak movement: replicating the most popular jailbreak features and thereby giving many would-be jailbreakers no reason to even consider it. For starters, third party keyboards are a huge addition. I can't tell you the number of times I've heard people say that the only reason they jailbreak is because they can't stand the iPhone or iPad keyboard. But rather than just introducing its own variations on the theme, Apple is giving developers the chance to do whatever they want with the phone's text input. SwiftKey is already on board, and many more developers are sure to follow. Next are widgets, which Apple revealed will appear in the pull-down notification center. This is a feature many Android users tout as a reason to devote themselves to Google's OS, and one that jailbreakers have adored for a long time. No, the widgets won't appear directly on the home screen -- which may still be a sticking point for some -- but Apple embracing them at all is certainly a big win for anyone who has installed a jailbreak specifically for that feature. And there's plenty more: The new QuickReply feature makes jailbreak tweaks like Auki and Couria essentially obsolete, allowing you to instantly reply to messages from the notification without navigating to a specific app. Opening up Touch ID for third party apps means that jailbreak-only password fillers like iTouchSecure -- which autofills passwords based on Touch ID input -- are now dead in the water. Giving Siri the ability to keep an ear open for a command (when plugged in) without tapping the home button mimics the jailbreak-only OkSiri tweak. iOS 8's battery usage breakdown by app is a feature of many jailbreak tweaks, but will no longer require you to void your warranty. So is jailbreaking dead? Of course not! There will always be users looking to get just a little bit more out of their devices, whatever the cost, but those people aren't who Apple is targeting. iOS 8 is made to appeal to the portion of the iDevice population that has become dependent on one or two long-standing tweaks. Apple has long embraced features from outside its own walls, making no bones about appropriating great ideas from wherever it sees fit. The jailbreak community is a great place to draw from, since it's essentially a free testing ground to see what works and what doesn't. Now, by taking the most popular jailbreak tweaks and making them its own, Apple is silently fighting the jailbreak movement by using its own weapons against it. [Photo credit: David Bleasdale (locks)]
Mike Wehner06.03.2014
Google Play Music for iPad found lurking inside iPhone app
If you're a Google Play Music fan and have been limping along with the iPhone version on your iPad, you may already have the big-screen version without knowing it. That's because the iPad bits are already baked in to the iPhone app, according to 9to5 Mac. In fact, you can even activate it now just by changing a setting called "UIDeviceFamily" from 1 to 2, though your iPad will need to be jailbroken (which is currently impossible on iOS 7.1.x). Google Play Music has been a success since it launched on the iPhone in November -- likely helped by a month of free music -- so a pending app redesigned for the iPad's larger screen wouldn't be a surprise. In fact, when contacted by 9to5, a Google rep thought the app was already out, meaning it might just be awaiting the nod from Apple.
Steve Dent05.12.2014
The best Nintendo DS emulator on iOS doesn't require a jailbreak
Apple has a pretty strict stance on emulators in regards to the App Store, so unless you're willing to jailbreak your iPhone or iPad, the options for retro gaming are usually pretty slim. That is, unless the developers of said apps decide to ignore the App Store entirely -- that is the case with NDS4iOS, a Nintendo DS emulator from the same team that launched the jailbreak-free GBA emulator, GBA4iOS, to much acclaim. Much like its predecessor, NDS4iOS can be downloaded straight from the official website. After some finagling with the date, which is required since Apple predictably revoked the dev certificate, the app will load up and present an empty list for game ROMs. You can tweak settings like the opacity of the controller overlay as well as frame skips and other performance enhancements. When you're ready to play, you can seek out game ROMs (to games you already own, of course) via the built-in site links, which then download directly to the app or to a synced Dropbox account. Loading a game is instantaneous and the game provides save state functionality to resume previous play sessions automatically. Perhaps the best part about the app is that it features full touchscreen support for the "bottom screen" of DS games, offering a true DS experience without the system itself. I found that some games seem to suffer a bit in the transition, however, such as the unexpectedly laggy Mario Kart DS. Other games work splendidly, so it's really a bit of a crapshoot. If you're thirsty to relive your DS glory days, this is as good as it gets without dragging out your dusty Nintendo handheld and trying to remember where you left the charging cord.
Mike Wehner04.14.2014
Untethered jailbreak for second gen Apple TVs updated, puts XBMC next to HBO Go
The folks at Firecore are working on more than just the latest version of their Infuse media player, and just delivered an updated software package for jailbreaking second generation Apple TVs (the current third gen model has, so far, remained closed). Showing once again that jailbreaks aren't just for the iPhone and iPad, the new version of Seas0npass provides an untethered -- read: it still works after a reboot -- method for Apple TV players running the 5.3 software update that added access to channels like HBO Go and WatchESPN. That's still a step away from the most recent Apple TV 6.0 update that arrived this fall with iTunes Radio and AirPlay from iCloud features, but the team says it's made "some encouraging progress" there. The combination of Seas0npass and aTV Flash (black) lets your hockey puck play a number of new video/audio formats and run home theater software like Plex and XBMC, check out the site for instructions.
Richard Lawler01.04.2014
Daily Update for December 26, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get some of the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the player at the top of the page. The Daily Update has been moved to a new podcast host in the past few days. Current listeners should delete the old podcast subscription and subscribe to the new feed in the iTunes Store here.
Steve Sande12.26.2013
Cydia update courts iOS 7 jailbreakers with a new interface (video)
The availability of an iOS 7 jailbreak may have caught the Cydia team off-guard, but not for long. Jay Freeman and fellow developers have just updated their unofficial app platform to match Apple's minimalist look. It's more than just a cosmetic upgrade, too, as it includes iOS 7's swipe-based navigation and appears to run faster. Individual app writers will still have to update their code for everything to run smoothly, but jailbreak users who've just been waiting for an OS-native Cydia will want to check for the update today. [Image credit: iOS Hacker]
Jon Fingas12.24.2013
Morning news roundup for December 23, 2013
Here's a look at what's going on in the Apple world as of this morning, December 23. A new Mac Pro, an iffy iOS jailbreak and a doomed Opel Corsa are just a few highlights. Let's begin, shall we? fcp.co spends 24 hours with Apple's Mac Pro and Final Cut Pro 10.1. The notably quiet Mac Pro (the sound of an air conditioner drowns it out) feels "silky smooth" while editing 4K with Final Cut Pro 10.1. Just watch. Also note that there's no security slot in the Mac Pro, which is odd for such a small machine that could easily fit into a backpack. Tim Cook has sent an email to Apple's employees, thanking them for the work the company completed in 2013. The best bit for us customers comes at the end: "We have a lot to look forward to in 2014, including some big plans that we think customers are going to love." There's an untethered jailbreak for iOS 7, but it's not without problems. Cydia creator Jay Freeman noted the included version of Cydia is unofficial and untested. Also, this release included a Chinese App Store called Taig (only installed if the phone's default language is Chinese). Unfortunately, it was found to include pirated apps. The Evasi0n team responded quickly with a statement: "We are very upset that despite our agreement and review by their team, piracy was found in the store. It was not acceptable and they have been strenuously working to resolve the problem in good faith, and have removed all instances of it that we have brought to their attention." Meanwhile, in Berlin, some thieves tested the airbag deployment of an Opel Corsa by ramming it into a window of the Kurfürstendamm Apple Store. They got away with some display iPhones, iPads and Macs before fleeing the scene in two Audis (the poor Corsa was going nowhere). The poorly timed attack means that store is badly damaged just as the holiday shopping season wraps up.
Dave Caolo12.23.2013
iOS 7 gets its first complete jailbreak, with a big catch
You've mostly been out of luck if you've wanted to jailbreak iOS 7 so far; what options have existed have been incomplete at best. Cracking the code just got a lot easier, though, as evasi0n 7 has just arrived. The untethered jailbreak lets Mac and Windows users freely modify iOS 7 on any device that can run the software in the first place, including newer gadgets like the iPad Air and iPhone 5s. Just be prepared for a rough experience, at least with early versions. In addition to the usual risks associated with unofficial OS tweaks, Saurik (Jay Freeman) warns that he hasn't had a real chance to test Cydia's app distribution platform with the new evasi0n release; you're using it at your own risk. Still, those who just have to venture beyond Apple's prescribed boundaries can start downloading the jailbreak at the source link. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Jon Fingas12.22.2013
Deus Ex: The Fall patch restores missing gunplay
Deus Ex: The Fall is now playable, in full, on any iOS device, regardless of its jailbroken status. When The Fall launched earlier this month, it included a surprise feature that blocked all guns from firing on jailbroken devices. Square Enix never announced this feature beforehand, so some players were miffed (and out $7). Jailbreaking opens a phone up for customization not intended by the provider and it voids a device's warranty, but it's not illegal. Today's patch removes this feature and allows guns to fire on all devices, including jailbroken ones, as Square Enix promised. The patch also tweaks other parts of the game for everyone: It improves enemy AI, increases XP rewards and the amount of credits earned throughout the game, improves damage and accuracy of the Combat Rifle, increases Shotgun damage, and reduces some weapon costs, including the high-end Plasma Rifles and Rocket Launchers. Deus Ex: The Fall runs on iPad 3 or better, iPad Mini, iPhone 4S and above, and iPod Touch 5 and above. It's available in the App Store – before buying, give our review a look. We found The Fall to be enjoyable, yet hollow.
Jessica Conditt07.17.2013"Deus Ex: The Fall" to remove jailbreak restriction with upcoming update
On Friday we reported on how the makers of Deus Ex: The Fall, in an effort to combat piracy, implemented a scheme whereby users with jailbroken iOS devices can't fire guns in the game. While I wouldn't go so far as to call the move controversial, it does seem work to create a wide dragnet to the extent that it affects jailbroken users who did decide to pay the full $6.99 for the game. In the wake of some user outcry, Square Enix, which publishes the game, issued an apology for not being more upfront with users about the jailbreak restriction. In a statement sent to EuroGamer.net, Square Enix said: We have not been clear in our communication earlier this week when we launched Deus Ex: The Fall. We did not state clearly that the game would not support jailbroken devices and so we will be switching this off via an update, so that all the supported iOS devices will be able to play the game in the near future. We feel it's the right thing to do in this situation and apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused. No customer should be out of pocket when we were not clear from the start, so we'll get the game updated as soon as possible so that everyone who wants to play Deus Ex: The Fall can do regardless of whether their device is jailbroken or not. As soon as this update is live we will communicate this via the Eidos Montreal Community channels. There's no word yet as to when an update is to be expected, but we'll keep you posted as soon as we hear.
Yoni Heisler07.14.2013
Deus Ex: The Fall on jailbroken iOS devices won't fire guns
In a clever, and dare I say comical, effort to combat piracy, gamers with jailbroken iOS devices who play Deus Ex: The Fall can't fire any guns. Joystiq reports: Those playing Deus Ex: The Fall, which launched for iOS for $6.99, on jailbroken iDevices have found none of their guns work -- not even the tranquilizer gun. The limitation was first outed on Reddit, with many reviews in the App store describing the game's surprise "feature." The prompt above occurs right after the movement tutorial in the game, at the outset of the shooting tutorial. While this is certainly an interesting way to combat piracy, the problem is that not every user with a jailbroken device engages in piracy. What's more, the app is expensive, as far as mobile apps go, and any honest folks with jailbroken devices who purchased the app are effectively out US$6.99. Speaking of combating piracy, the funniest story that comes to mind is when Greenheart Games released Game Dev Tycoon and released a "pirated" version of the software title to see how rampant piracy would be. The rub, however, is that users with the pirated software who attempted to build their own virtual game development company ran into virtual piracy themselves. The cracked version is nearly identical to the real thing except for one detail... Initially we thought about telling them their copy is an illegal copy, but instead we didn't want to pass up the unique opportunity of holding a mirror in front of them and showing them what piracy can do to game developers. So, as players spend a few hours playing and growing their own game dev company, they will start to see the following message, styled like any other in-game message: "Boss, it seems that while many players play our new game, they steal it by downloading a cracked version rather than buying it legally. If players don't buy the games they like, we will sooner or later go bankrupt."
Yoni Heisler07.12.2013
Developers gain root access on Google Glass, not yet sure what to do with it
Access to Google's Glass headsets is still limited to a lucky few, but that's more than enough to include several curious coders. Some have had success identifying the hardware contained within, but others are focusing on the software. Cydia founder Jay Freeman posted the above image on Twitter this afternoon to show that he had gained root access on his unit, telling Forbes he relied upon a well-known Android 4.0.4 exploit to take control of its OS. The bad news? He hasn't been able to use it much yet, since the Explorer edition isn't quite ready for prescription glasses wearers. For now, the question of whether the same technique will work on eventual retail versions remains unanswered, as well as what it's actually going to be useful for. Steven Troughton-Smith suggests developers can use it to try out more complicated apps than Google currently allows, including always-on heads-up displays or camera apps. Overcoming any remote deactivation Google may try to enforce or loading your own unauthorized apps are also definite possibilities, though we're sure others will surface soon.
Richard Lawler04.26.2013
Famed jailbreaker and former Apple intern Comex set to join Google as an intern
Famed iPhone jailbreaker Comex, whose real name is Nicholas Allegra, tweeted on Tuesday that he will be joining Google as an intern in the coming weeks. Allegra originally made a name for himself when he released a jailbreak tool dubbed JailBreakMe. As the name implies, the tool enabled users to easily and quickly bypass Apple's iOS security measures. Allegra's work eventually caught the attention of Apple who decided to hire the Brown University student as an intern in August of 2011. Allegra lasted 14 months at Apple before being let go under somewhat murky circumstances in late 2012. As for what Allegra will be up to over in Mountain View, well that's anybody's guess. It doesn't appear, though, that he'll be working on any Android related matters. Allegra noted in a conversation on Twitter that he will not be involved with Android, adding that he never liked the mobile OS "enough to ever want to hack it."
Yoni Heisler04.25.2013
iPhone jailbreak hack puts Facebook Messenger all over iOS
The Verge is reporting that a new jailbreak tweak to the Facebook iOS app enables the chat heads feature to run on iOS the same way it does on Android. In other words, chat heads can now permeate the entire iOS UI if you simply can't get enough of Facebook messaging. The tweak was put together by 21-year-old Canadian Adam Bell who is planning to have it available for download this weekend on Cydia once he works out a few kinks. As for how Bell added his own enhancements to chat heads, The Verge reports: The trick, according to Bell, was isolating the Facebook app from the chat heads living inside it. Chat heads inhabit a separate layer inside the Facebook app, so it was just a matter of finding that layer and making the rest of the app transparent. "The hardest part was getting this all to render on top of everything else," Bell says, which means Facebook is always running on your phone. Apparently, Bell's tweak doesn't take much of a toll on battery life. Chat heads originally came to Facebook earlier this week when Facebook revamped their iOS app. As for a full Facebook Home experience arriving on iOS, don't expect that to happen anytime soon, or ever for that matter. Apple exerts strict control over its UI and wouldn't have much to gain in allowing Facebook to dominate the iPhone experience.
Yoni Heisler04.18.2013
Latest iOS update blocks Evasi0n jailbreak
Jailbreakers will take note that iOS 6.1.3, released yesterday, blocks the Evasi0n jailbreak. The Evasi0n jailbreak is the most popular one to date, according to Forbes, which reports that it has been used to jailbreak 18 million iOS devices in the six weeks since its launch. Ironically enough, even though iOS 6.1.3 blocks the Evasi0n jailbreak, Apple thanked the Evasi0n team in security notes accompanying the upgrade. The people behind Evasi0n say that they probably will not release another jailbreak until the next major release of iOS. What that means for potential jailbreakers is that if you want to jailbreak your iPhone you cannot upgrade past iOS 6.1.2. If you do you'll lose the ability to jailbreak your device until the next major release of iOS.
Michael Grothaus03.20.2013
Latest iOS 6.1.3 beta breaks the evasi0n jailbreak
It took a while, but it looks like Apple is finally cracking down on the untethered evasi0n jailbreak with some bug fixes set for inclusion in iOS 6.1.3. Forbes is reporting that David Wang, one of the jailbreak's developers, has tested iOS 6.1.3 Beta 2 and found that it fixes one of five bugs exploited by evasi0n, breaking it in the process. Wang believes that it may take Apple a month to release iOS 6.1.3 publicly, and says that evad3rs -- the group behind evasi0n -- has uncovered some additional exploits that may allow them to create a new jailbreak that will work on 6.1.3 and subsequent iOS releases. In the meantime, the more than 7 million users who've installed evasi0n since it launched earlier this month will need to put off updating to 6.1.3 when it hits if they want to stay jailbroken. [Via MacRumors]
Randy Nelson02.25.2013
evasi0n jailbreak tool updated to support iOS 6.1.2
iOS owners with a jailbroken device will be happy to know that the latest iOS 6.1.2 update is safe for them to install. iOS 6.1.2 may fix the Exchange calendar issue, but it does not close the exploit being used by the evasi0n jailbreak. Shortly after iOS 6.1.2 was released, the evad3rs team updated their evasi0n jailbreak tool to support this latest firmware. iOS owners that updated to 6.1.2 can download the jailbreak tool from the evasi0n.com website.
Kelly Hodgkins02.19.2013
Hack brings all iPhone notifications to Pebble watch
Pebble watch owners have a good reason to jailbreak their iOS device. A new jailbreak app from developer Conrad Kramer lets the smartwatch accept all incoming notifications, not just the ones from native iOS apps, like messages and phone calls. This hack is available to most iPhone owners now that the iPhone 6 and iOS 6.1 is jailbroken. Pebble owners with a jailbroken device can download the BTNotificationEnabler tweak for free from Cydia. [Via BGR]
Kelly Hodgkins02.14.2013
FireCore releases updated Apple TV jailbreak tool
Jailbreak provider FireCore announced yesterday that it has released an update to the Seas0nPass jailbreak tool and aTV Flash (black) Apple TV software. The update supports the 5.2 Apple TV software released by Apple on January 28, 2013, which is essentially iOS 6.1 for the little black box. So what does FireCore's work do for Apple TV jailbreakers? Well, Apple added support for Bluetooth keyboards in Apple TV 5.2, so now aTV Flash (black) 2.2 works with a keyboard as well. FireCore also made "minor improvements" to backups and DVD playback, and also cleared up some earlier bugs. FireCore warns that third-party plugins like Plex, Remote HD, Rowmote and XBMC still won't work with Apple TV software newer than version 5.1. To update your device, FireCore suggests that you back up settings through the Maintenance > Manage Backups menu, then run the latest version of Seas0nPass to update your Apple TV to 5.2. Next, download and install version 2.2 of aTV Flash (black), install desired items through Maintenance > Manage Extras, and then restore your saved settings from the Maintenance > Manage Backups menu. Unfortunately, there's no jailbreak available for the third-generation Apple TV (2012, 1080p version), but if you have a second generation (2010, 720p version) box you can definitely jailbreak your device. Once all that is accomplished, sit back with your favorite Bluetooth keyboard and enjoy some mind-numbing video entertainment. [via iMore]
Steve Sande02.14.2013
Pebble watch pulls all notifications from the iPhone, but only if you jailbreak
The Pebble already does a good job of pulling notifications from stock iOS apps to your wrist, including SMS, email previews and calendar appointments. But if you want a broader range of alerts from third-party apps -- say, Google+ -- then you're basically stuck. Unless, it seems, you're prepared to jailbreak your iPhone. Developer Conrad Kramer recently tweeted to say that his "BTNotificationEnabler" tool is available on Cydia, and that it allows every single arrival in your Notification Center to be sent to a Pebble or other compatible Bluetooth device. It's unlikely to induce many smartwatch owners to liberate their phones, even with the relatively easy and untethered evasi0n hack now available, but at least we'll have one more bullet point the next time someone asks "why jailbreak?".
Sharif Sakr02.14.2013