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Posts with tag hack

Windows Marketplace's newest anti-piracy measures already thwarted

by Ross Miller Nov 12th 2009 @ 8:21PM

Yar, that was fast. Less than a day after Microsoft updated its Windows Marketplace for Mobile with new advanced anti-piracy measure, some apt xda-developers community member has managed to crack the new code -- in under two hours, according to Chainfire's posting. The hack itself won't be posted, but we're sure other astute programmers, many of more nefarious intention, will be able to have their way with it just as easy. Sad for developers who've been wanting something more secure -- better luck next update.

[Via WMPoweruser]

Google Navigation hacked onto T-Mobile G1 (updated)

by Thomas Ricker Nov 11th 2009 @ 2:01AM

It's always a good sign when a device-specific product release becomes the focal point of the XDA development community: it means you've got a winner on your hands. Not that anyone ever doubted the intense demand for Google's new turn-by-turn Navigation introduced exclusively on Motorola's DROID. No more. Brave souls have now tweaked the original code to run on the original Android device, the HTC G1 running on T-Mobile. Anecdotal reports suggest that it's working great -- a good sign that we'll see a cooked ROM unveiled just as soon as feverish fingers can package the new code.

Update: Photographic evidence has arrived. Enjoy.
Google Navigation hacked onto T-Mobile G1


[Thanks, Alex H.]

First iPhone worm rickrolls jailbroken phones

by Nilay Patel Nov 8th 2009 @ 10:48PM

We sort of knew this would happen as soon as we heard about that iPhone wallpaper hack in the Netherlands -- a hacker named ikex has created what's apparently the first iPhone worm, and it's currently infecting jailbroken iPhones across Australia. The "ikee" worm, as it's being called, takes advantage of the fact that jailbroken iPhones with SSH installed all have the same default root password of "alpine," and once in the system it changes your wallpaper to an image of Rick Astley and then tries to install itself on other jailbroken iPhones on the network. Sophos says it hasn't confirmed any infections outside of Oz, and to be clear, this worm can't get to stock iPhones or jailbreak owners who haven't installed SSH -- but if you're running a hacked phone we'd say you should change that root password just to be safe right away. Get to it, kids.

[Via PMP Today; thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Quigo ad placement

Dutch hacker seeks out jailbroken iPhones for fame and fortune

by Donald Melanson Nov 3rd 2009 @ 8:23PM

Jailbreaking an iPhone certainly brings many benefits, but it's also frought with some peril, as amply demonstrated by a Dutch hacker who decided to go snooping around for vulnerable jailbroken iPhones in the Netherlands. While he apparently didn't actually swipe personal information or cause any damage, he was able to find some jailbroken iPhones with SSH running, which allowed him to display a message saying "Your iPhone's been hacked because it's really insecure! Please visit doiop.com/iHacked and secure your iPhone right now!" A noble gesture of a white hat hacker? Not exactly, 'cause that site demands €5 for the "fix" to let folks go back to using their phone securely -- or it did until the hacker apparently had a change of heart and posted the instructions for free, along with an apology for his misguided moneymaking scheme.

[Via TUAW]

GSM Palm Pre unlocked with a little Rebel assistance

by Nilay Patel Nov 3rd 2009 @ 1:58PM

It's not exactly the native unlock we've been waiting for, but those of you in Europe dying for a Pre unshackled from O2 will be happy to know that the Rebel Simcard II is now compatible with Palm's first webOS device. The £10.99 / $17.95 accessory card slots in between your carrier's SIM and the Pre's SIM slot, bypassing the Pre's network locks and allowing full access to voice and data services including 3G. Sadly, the Pre doesn't have the radio support to make this work in the States on anything but EDGE, but at least it's a start, right? Video after the break.

[Thanks, Ji]

Continue reading GSM Palm Pre unlocked with a little Rebel assistance

Laziness on the move: robot plays Rock Band on the iPhone

by Paul Miller Oct 31st 2009 @ 7:36PM

Why confine your nerdy sloth to your living room, where large robots mime fake guitar and serve you sloppy mixed drinks? Take that zest for the sedentary life with you on the road by having one of your robot ninjas steal this iPhone Rock Band robot from its ingenious creator, Joe Bowers. The Arduino-based device uses ambient light sensors to detect the falling notes and then taps out the music with some conductive foam attached to some squeaky fake fingers. Joe did a fairly detailed write-up, and even uploaded his code, so there's presumably nothing stopping you from actually doing something with your life and building one of these with all that free time you've saved up by hacking your way through all the console-based guitar games. Video is after the break.

[Via Daily Mobile]

Continue reading Laziness on the move: robot plays Rock Band on the iPhone

Quigo ad placement

MMS for iPhone 2G and tethering on OS 3.1.2 explained, not for the faint of heart

by Ross Miller Oct 19th 2009 @ 9:49PM

Let's be clear upfront that this isn't for the casual iPhone jailbreaker, but if you feeling like living on the edge, you can give your original model an added boost of MMS capability, or any device with OS 3.1.2 the power to tether. Highlighted in a series of tweets today by iPhone dev team lead MuscleNerd, whiterat (for MMS) and two-bit (for tethering) will get the job done, but both require tinkering with the baseband, which is exponentially more advanced and brick-inducing than, say, installing Cydia. Venture forth with the instructions beyond the read links below.

[Via 9 to 5 Mac]

Read - iPhone 2G MMS
Read - OS 3.1.2 tethering

LG GD900 Crystal makes a very portable fish tank, PETA magnet

by Engadget staff Oct 17th 2009 @ 1:42AM

Remember the good old days with your virtual pets on your keyring? Well, how about an injection of life that actually roams around inside your phone? Some dude in China had this exact idea -- probably inspired by the waterproof LG GD900 Crystal in a fish tank -- and popped open the hollow keypad of his own Crystal, slapped in two unfortunate little neon tetras, squeezed in some water and snap! There's no mention on how long the poor things can survive in there for, but chances are PETA will be after your backside well before something goes wrong. We also went through the warranty paperwork, and honestly, we think this gentleman might be in a fishy area here. Video of the mod after the break, if you dare.

Continue reading LG GD900 Crystal makes a very portable fish tank, PETA magnet

How-to guide details PS/2 keyboard-to-iPhone mod, just for you

by Darren Murph Oct 15th 2009 @ 10:06AM


Oh sure, we've seen hacker after hacker brag about their success in connecting some sort of keyboard to Apple's iPhone, but have any of them bothered to take the time to explain the process behind the magic? Exactly. The man behind AwghBlog, however, is a kinder, gentler soul, and he's found the time to detail in quite specific terms how he connected a legacy PS/2 keyboard (you know, the one you're not using any longer) to Apple's cash-cow of a smartphone. Best of all, the guide actually explains how to build a PS/2 keyboard-to-iPhone converter, so you're not necessarily tied to a certain board. Hit the read link if you're down for a weekend project.

[Via MAKE]

Jailbroken iPhone gets Expose-like view, you retail users just keep on scrollin' (video)

by Tim Stevens Oct 15th 2009 @ 8:33AM

Jailbroken iPhone gets Expose-like view, you retail users just keep on scrollin' (video)
How many apps do you have on your iPhone? Yeah, we figured it was a lot. Being able to re-arrange items now is mighty helpful, but not so helpful as this little hack from Steve Troughton-Smith that adds Exposé-like functionality to the mix. Just press the Home button and up pops a view of all the application pages; tap one and you're taken straight there, as shown in the video after the break. Nice and simple -- and at this point not available even to jailbroken handsets. We're sure that'll change soon, but it's anybody's guess if or when Apple will add something like this to the official OS. Yet another reason to go ahead and roll your own.

Continue reading Jailbroken iPhone gets Expose-like view, you retail users just keep on scrollin' (video)

MOTOBLUR ported to the G1, unreleased CLIQ looks on in envy

by Paul Miller Oct 9th 2009 @ 5:09PM

It's unclear exactly how MOTOBLUR software might've leaked into the wild, but it's already been repurposed in the best sort of way into a G1-friendly ROM. Despite its beta status it's looking relatively snappy, but there are still some missing elements like WiFi and Bluetooth. If anything it's a testament to how portable and hackable Android is turning out to be so far, and we look forward to the ongoing improvements to Android by diverse manufacturers being disseminated far and wide -- though if Motorola had its way, it'd probably at least happen after the relevant device has hit the market. Video is after the break.

[Via OnlyGizmos; thanks Annkur]

Continue reading MOTOBLUR ported to the G1, unreleased CLIQ looks on in envy

N900 hacked to replace the innards of a Speak & Spell, can never bring back your childhood

by Paul Miller Sep 21st 2009 @ 3:22PM

Nokia has been handing out the N900 for selective "artsy" uses lately through its "Push" program, and the folks at Tinker it now! sure seem to have put their model to good use. They've paired the device with all matter of nostalgia, including a Rolodex, FM radio and a 3D Viewmaster. Our favorite by far, however, is the Speak & Spell hack, which puts the gargantuan Speak & Spell keyboard to good use in penning text messages for the N900 -- which displays them in the classic font and even articulates your words with a speech synthesis engine. It's all a testament to the flexibility of Linux, hacker ingenuity and of course liberal application of Arduino, but it's also a little advertorial-ey, so you might want to leave your gag reflex at home for this one.

[Via Nokia Conversations]

DIY cameraphone macro lens requires one old DVD player, zero tech savvy

by Joseph L. Flatley Aug 25th 2009 @ 6:05PM

You know, we wish we could say that there was more to this DIY cameraphone macro hack than tearing the lens out of an old DVD player and duct taping it over that of the cameraphone -- but there really isn't. And you know what? That's OK. Some of the best mods are simple -- so long as they work. And this one seems to work quite well, at least judging by the "before and after" shots after the break. And if you hit the read link, there's even more where those came from. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have an old optical disc drive to smash open.

[Via Make]

Continue reading DIY cameraphone macro lens requires one old DVD player, zero tech savvy

iPhone and Wiimote brought together by Bluetooth

by Donald Melanson Aug 5th 2009 @ 3:58PM


It's been a long time going, but it looks like the invisible divide between the iPhone and the Wii remote has finally been bridged through the magic of Bluetooth. That was apparently made possible thanks to the portable Bluetooth stack from the BTStack project, which got paired with some custom OpenGL-ES code to allow the Wiimote to control a virtual representation of itself on the iPhone. Practical? Of course not. But it's a Wiimote controlling an iPhone. Video after the break.

[Via MAKE]

Continue reading iPhone and Wiimote brought together by Bluetooth

iPhone OS 3.0.1 update released, fixes SMS vulnerability

by Nilay Patel Jul 31st 2009 @ 2:13PM


Looks like Apple pulled the trigger on patching that nasty iPhone SMS vulnerability a little earlier than we expected -- the iPhone OS 3.0.1 update just hit iTunes. It's not some lightweight, either: you're looking at 280MB of love here, so get downloading, friends.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]




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