Filed under: iPhone, iPod touch, Jailbreak/pwnage
PwnageTool 3.1.4 for iPhone OS 3.1.2 now available
The ever-determined band at iPhone Dev have updated their "PwnageTool" to include the 3.1.2 release of the iPhone software for iPhone 2G/3G/3GS and iPod Touch 1G/2G (note that the iPod touch 3G is NOT supported).
Jailbreaking, which is different than "unlocking", allows different applications to be run other than the ones available at the App Store, and also allows for some additional functionality such as background process for third party applications. I assume that those who are interested in jailbreaking are already familiar with it enough to know what the 'dangers' are.
For the idly curious, I highly recommend that you check out the webpage and think about whether you really need the functionality it offers. Notably, this will not allow for things like internet tethering on a carrier that doesn't officially support it. The iPhone Dev folks suggest that you remain at 3.0 until a hack for that is developed.
While I haven't followed jailbreaking since the official App Store, I admire the persistence which the group of programmers attacks the closed iPhone system, finding their way in through various flaws that they are able to detect. I don't advocate jailbreaking and I don't dissuage people from it, assuming that they understand the risks. But as someone who knows a little about programming (emphasis on "a little"), I think it's interesting to watch.
This situation has been referred to as a "cat and mouse" game, where each release of the iPhone OS closes whatever hole the iPhone Dev team has used to get in, only to have subsequent holes found. One could even make the argument that the iPhone OS might be better off because of the iPhone Dev folks who work hard to discover these flaws which might otherwise go unreported. Do I ever imagine a day when the game ends? No. As long as there are restrictions on the iPhone, there will be people who look for a way around them. Apple could open up background processing for third party applications and approve every application submitting to the App Store and there would still be those who would want something else: full local access to the filesystem, for example.
Fortunately for me, I don't have any pressing "need" for jailbreaking. I wish that I could have access to the Google Voice applications which were yanked from the App Store, but overall I'm fairly content with what Apple offers. But for those who want more, the iPhone Dev team has spent a lot of hours to make this available. Happy jailbreaking.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
danielv said 7:24AM on 10-14-2009
somebody knows how can i downgrade modem 5.11.07 to lower version
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cowfodder said 7:41AM on 10-14-2009
You probably can't. Since you didn't specify model of phone we can't know for sure. There are a few 3g (not 3g [s]) that can be downgraded via fuzzyband, but since apple isn't signing any of the older firmware packages it's no good to even be able to downgrade te baseband unless you already registered the phone with Saurik's database.
jb510 said 12:07PM on 10-14-2009
You can't on a 3GS. You can using fuzzy band on a 3G, but it s a somewhat complicated procedure.... Google it.
mark said 12:11PM on 10-14-2009
No need to Google. Install Fuzzyband and run it. It will tell you your bootloader version. If it is 5.08 it will downgrade the modem firwmare. If not then you can't.
DerFlash said 7:46AM on 10-14-2009
Wow... TUAW's pretty fast with the news these weeks ... NOT ;-)
But it seems to get faster now again (only 1 day behind almost)
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jcemt72 said 7:55AM on 10-14-2009
I agree, TUAW used to be on the cutting edge of jailbreaking info. I updated to official 3.1 without SHSH and ECID backed up cause TUAW never reported on it. Maybe they should change their name to TAW
Joseph said 8:46AM on 10-14-2009
jcemt72: Sorry, you didn't upgrade to 3.1 because TUAW never reported on it. If you are in the unlock crowd, you've been warned many, many times against upgrading before the unlock and jailbreak are available as you could lock your phone out for the foreseeable future!
That was your personal choice (no one on TUAW told you that it was safe to do so. No news from TUAW should never have been mistaken for an endorsement of what is known to risk locking your phone (possibly irreversibly)). In fact, the iPhone Dev Team has been warning against updating to 3.1 since 3.1 was in Beta ( http://blog.iphone-dev.org/post/133277387/only-so-many-ways-to-say-it )!
I'm truly sorry you find yourself in your situation. I also updated to 3.1 before a month before considering a switch to T-mobile and I had to swap iPhones with someone who hadn't updated to do so (because I locked my phone with 3.1 and had a newer 3G where the baseband can not be downgraded). This is not TUAW's fault. It is my fault for updating and not knowing (researching) or caring at the time that it would potentially lock the phone for a long time until the newer basebands are hacked. I didn't even think I would want to switch but financial pressures on me pushed me away from my exorbitantly priced AT&T plan and onto a much more affordable T-Mobile plan.
As we all know the state of iPhone unlocking and jailbreaking is a cat and mouse game that changes constantly and has to be approached with caution if you want to stay in the game.
jb510 said 12:13PM on 10-14-2009
Things were different when Erica Sadun was writting here regularly... Much better and more frequent JB/Unlock related news.
However, jcemt27, blaming TUAW for your not knowing is ludicrous, take some personal responisblty and diversify your news sources.
Martin said 9:55AM on 10-14-2009
Plurality: priceless. Gimme my other boot.
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kiltbear64 said 10:23AM on 10-14-2009
As an aside: I think the word you wanted was dissuade (opposite of persuade). I don't think dissuage is a word.
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mark said 12:21PM on 10-14-2009
Why is it people who write for blogs refuse to use a spell checker? Can I have a job too?
iLikeMyiPhone said 10:37AM on 10-14-2009
Hello Windows users : Here are the custom firmware for 2G, 3G, 3GS users : http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Download+custom+firmware+3.1.2+ipsw
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Drew said 11:40AM on 10-14-2009
I used to think like you, TJ. One night on a whim I jailbroke, and I'll never look back. The iPhone is such a powerful phone...the jailbreaking community really prove it, as well as showing how much Apple is holding it back. With amazing apps like sbsettings, backgrounder, qtweeter, intelliscreen...the iPhone is hands down the best phone on the market.
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mark said 12:15PM on 10-14-2009
If Mac users need help with jailbreaking/unlocking the 2G, 3G or 3GS with PwnageTool I have the usual tutorials posted. I had no problem doing this again with my phones. http://hackthatphone.com
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jb510 said 12:18PM on 10-14-2009
Tethering IS made possible on AT&T by jailbreaking and install an app like pdanet. JB'Ing via the phone built in tethering however is not possible, just a minor point of correction to the article.
So when will TUAW report on the boot ROM changes last week that may render jailbreaking new phones impossible for quite some time.....
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Maxwell said 12:41PM on 10-14-2009
Yes, you are correct to say: "Jailbreaking, which is different than 'unlocking'". But - jailbreaking seems to be necessary for unlocking. I would be very happy to have an unlocked iPhone that is not jailbroken (that is, for less than the $800 or so buy.com and other sites charge).
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Tonei said 12:47PM on 10-14-2009
I jailbroke my iPod Touch last night just to be able to use GV Mobile again (Sean Kovacs' Google Voice app), because the official version that I had from the App Store pre-#applefail stopped accepting my login credentials. Certain other things, like MobileMusicPlayerFlip and SBSettings, make me wonder why I waited so long to come back.
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Red_iPhone said 12:51PM on 10-14-2009
This post gives a very negative impression of the JB community. I wonder why that is. While you may be happy with the App store offerings, I find it tough to see how you've made an informed decision on the necessity to JB if you haven't tried it. Iv been JB on and off for some time, just depending on my mood. I find the phone much more to my liking when it's free of it's 'shackles'. And the process is almost foolproof at this point. Just be sure to back things up b4 you do anything.
I used to get some pretty useful info from TUAW re the JB movement via Erica Sadun and a couple others. I must say that her insight is sorely missed. Was this a conscious decision on the part of TUAW to cover JB less. If so, I'd love to know why that is.
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p64 said 4:50PM on 10-14-2009
I Jailbroke (jailbruk?) my phone a while ago, then found it to get pretty sloppy, slow, and at times altogether unstable. This was before OS 3.0.
I've been considering, for some time now, going back in and doing the process all over again.
Would anybody know if, since the 2.x days, the process has been fixed, or these kinds of issues have been resolved? I know that I'm not the only one who noticed this, especially when legitimately downloading apps from the app store.
Like many, I'm not jailbreaking my phone to steal apps, but rather to be able to fine tune the inner workings of the phone itself. I'll still pay for apps, but if I can't download them, it gets kind of frustrating.
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Dan Woods said 7:11PM on 10-14-2009
This is what annoys me about Technology Bloggers who encourage people to Jailbreak their iPhones.
Back before the App Store, Jailbreaking was the only way to get enhanced functionality into an iPhone.
With iPhoneOS 2.x, someone could excuse Jailbreaking if they had a hardware accessory that they needed. This limited the amount of people who *had* to Jailbreak to a small subset of Hardware Hackers.
With iPhoneOS 3.x, the only people with a reason to Jailbreak are bleeding edge Hackers and Pirates. Bleeding Edge Hackers shouldn't need automated tools to Jailbreak.
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