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Classic Mac OS emulator for jailbroken iPhones

by Mat Lu Feb 22nd 2009 at 12:00AM


Since the App Store launched, there hasn't been much that has really tempted me to jailbreak my iPhone. I don't think Mini vMac for iPhone actually will either, but just that fact that it exists at all is a trip for the nostalgic Macheads out there. Mini vMac is an open source Mac Plus emulator that has now been ported to the iPhone (a regular OS X version exists as well).

It emulates a 4MB Mac Plus; as the video above shows, it allows you to scroll to show the full display and even load Mac OS disk images and run classic Mac software. It's safe to say that this will never make to the App Store because it violates Apple's rules against emulators.

Mini vMac for iPhone requires a jailbroken iPhone, and can be loaded by adding the namedfork.net repository to the Cydia installer as described on the main page. You'll also have to round up a Mac Plus ROM image and disk images of any applications you want to run.

[via Gizmodo]

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Since the App Store launched, there hasn't been much that has really tempted me to jailbreak my iPhone. I don't think Mini vMac for...
 

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robert

Can any of the mentioned emulated OSs ports run skype on the iphone?
at: http://minivmac.sourceforge.net/download.html

February 22 2009 at 3:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
timbck2

Copy & Paste? Where?!? What do I have to install to get copy & paste? My iPhone is already jailbroken...

February 22 2009 at 11:01 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to timbck2's comment
Marcos

Hey, you're right! At least inside vMac you can have copy/paste!

February 22 2009 at 11:25 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Aloysius Snuffleupagus

Clipppy. Just use Cydia to find and install it. Works great (with some limitations).

February 22 2009 at 11:40 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bob

"Since the App Store launched, there hasn't been much that has really tempted me to jailbreak my iPhone"

Wow. That is by far the most unbelievable part of this article.

February 22 2009 at 10:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Bob's comment
robogobo

seriously. Who the shit hasn't jailbreaked yet? I shake my head everytime I hear someone suggest they need a compelling reason to jailbreak, as if there's ANY reason NOT to. It's like living in a cage with the door locked, with the key in the lock, and complaining about someone not coming along to let you out. I'm completely contract and app-shackle free with a first gen iPhone, living in a world where I don't have to complain about restrictions or asking permission to put software on something I purchased. AND I have copy/paste, background apps, and a bunch of great features that will be "allowed" by Apple MAYBE in a few years. And I pay great developers for their work, not Apple.

February 22 2009 at 12:42 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Francesco Minciotti

"Since the App Store launched, there hasn't been much that has really tempted me to jailbreak my iPhone".

What about copy&paste BETWEEN applications, then?!

February 22 2009 at 4:12 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Francesco Minciotti's comment
Buck Bailey

A patient man, I spent many months thinking "eh, I can wait" for cut/paste... now that I have it, of course, I am loathe to live without it.

February 22 2009 at 9:59 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jeff

Thinking about this more broadly:

I am really surprised that there hasn't been more concern for the way access to applications on the iphone is highly regulated from Cupertino. If Apple tried to limit what programs we could and could not load on our desktop/laptop machines, we would all be up in arms. Why do few seem concerned about the fact that all application development (and, more importantly, use) has to be registered through the Apps store? I am worried not only about Apple "banning" about quasi legal emulating software, but also denying other applications because they are deemed "inappropriate" or in breach of iphone software terms of use.

I am as big a supporter of Apple as the next person, but this type of control over software development and use sets a dangerous precedent and raises serious ethical concerns that I have never seen addressed on this or other tech blogs.

February 22 2009 at 4:04 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Jeff's comment
Robert Nienburg

Jailbreak.

February 22 2009 at 12:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Cupra

I've attempted to do this, but I couldn't find any disk images for the software. If I find a source of software, I'll try this.

February 22 2009 at 3:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Hugo

It might also not make the app store as I would guess it requires an illegal copy of the mac plus ROMs to work. It'd be kinda cheeky to get apple to actually *host* something that infringes on their own copyright, no?

On the other hand, maybe the fact that the ROMs would then be coming direct from apple makes them authorized and hence legal? :)

February 22 2009 at 2:50 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jash Sayani

Ok.. So you can run Mac OS on the iPhone... How about developing a OX X Leopard emulator ??

February 22 2009 at 2:15 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
4 replies to Jash Sayani's comment
jim

That page doesn't make it clear - the repo address to add is: http://apt.namedfork.net/iphone

February 22 2009 at 12:55 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mark

Wish the repo was working. namedfork.net is not working for me.

February 22 2009 at 12:46 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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