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Filed under: Hardware, OS, Hacks, Snow Leopard

Perhaps Apple won't block Atom support after all

by Dave Caolo (RSS feed) on Nov 5th, 2009

There was a report this week that Mac OS X 10.6.2 will block Atom support, leaving Hackintosh owners stuck at 10.6.1. Intel's Atom processors have been used in netbooks by MSI, Dell and ASUS for their low cost and modest energy consumption. Hackintosh owners were disappointed.

Shortly after that report was published, Electronista noted that a newly-released build of 10.6.2 (10C535) brought it back. Of course, we're talking about "support" for hackintoshes in a developer build of the OS, so keep that in mind.

The moral of the story: Apple can kill this when ever they please, so have fun while you can.

[Via Engadget]

Tags: 10.6.2, hack, hackintosh, os, os x, OsX, snow leopard, SnowLeopard

Filed under: Hacks, iTunes, Apple

Apple's iTunes Affiliates site briefly subjected to image swaps

by Josh Carr (RSS feed) on Nov 3rd, 2009

Our friends over at OS X Daily passed along their story noting that Apple's site for iTunes Affiliates was vulnerable to a cross-site URL trick, letting you substitute your own images for the ones normally displayed on the page. Since the site is intended to let websites display a custom top banner, this was 'as designed' -- at least until jokesters began taking advantage.

The trick works (or at least, it did) by taking the default URL from the web browser and replacing a few things like the artist name, album name, album thumbnail source and the image link.

The Internet moves pretty fast, though. As I was typing this, Apple removed the top banner altogether, preventing the customized image display. No more pranks for us.

In any case, OS X Daily pointed out that the image issue could allow malicious folks to redirect would-be Apple visitors to malware sites or other bad destinations. Even an innocent image viewer that appears within an iframe on a branded page can cause problems; that's what the folks at Wired found out last January, when someone took advantage of their image tool to post a hoax "Steve Jobs had a heart attack" news story.

Props to Apple's web development team, though, for taking this down within the ten minutes it took me to finish the post.

Tags: apple.com, bug, hack, images, itunes, xss

Filed under: Hardware, Hacks, iPhone

Dutch hacker accesses jailbroken iPhones, requests €5

by Dave Caolo (RSS feed) on Nov 3rd, 2009

Running a jailbroken iPhone has its risks, as a Dutch hacker has demonstrated. Specifically, he used a bit of port scanning to find jailbroken phones with SSH running in his native Netherlands. From there, he sent unsuspecting users a message that reads, "Your iPhone's been hacked because it's really insecure! Please visit doiop.com/iHacked and secure your iPhone right now! Right now, I can access all your files."

The URL directs the users to Paypal and requests €5 in exchange for instructions that explain how to remove the hack. But how did he get in? By relying on users' forgetfulness. All iPhones have a default root password. Those who forget to change it are vulnerable to this very kind of attack.

Asking for money is kind of a bummer but much less obnoxious that other things he could have done. The moral of the story is pay attention and be thorough when jailbreaking your iPhone.

[Via Ars Technica]

Tags: hack, iphone, jailbreak, ssh, vulnerability

Filed under: Hardware, Hacks, Odds and ends, Macbook Pro

Hacking in a second hard drive in a MacBook Pro

by Tim Wasson (RSS feed) on Aug 24th, 2009

Need more hard drive space in your MacBook Pro? Well, if you're not scared to get your hands dirty with a little hacking, and not too attached to your DVD drive, you can hack your way to twice the hard drives.

This particular user faced a dilemma when purchasing his new MacBook Pro: get the faster SSD hard drive or the larger capacity rotational drive. Instead of settling on either of those options, he removed his DVD drive, hacked together an adapter to interface with the proprietary Apple connector, and installed a second hard drive. The result is a "best of both worlds" scenario for him; a faster boot time and responsiveness, and plenty of space available for movies and music.

He posted several pictures and instructions if you're ready to take the plunge into a dual-hard-drive notebook. There is some harsh language in the post, so you may not want to open this at work.

Any hacks like this should be performed only by skilled users. This will void your warranty, folks, so proceed at your own risk.

[via Hack A Day]

Tags: Hack, hard drive, HardDrive, MacBook Pro, MacbookPro, SSD, Upgrade

Filed under: Hacks, Bugs/Recalls, Software Update, Security, iPhone

Did we say Saturday? iPhone OS 3.0.1 out now to block SMS exploit

by Michael Rose (RSS feed) on Jul 31st, 2009



Maybe it's already Saturday in the UK, or close to it: Apple has released iPhone OS 3.0.1 for iPhone, iPhone 3G & 3GS, an update that patches the phone to prevent bad actors from taking it over or taking it down with the just-demoed SMS exploit.
The update weighs in at close to 300 MBabout 230 MB (like all iPhone updates, it's a full image of the OS), and as far as we can tell there are no other fixes or tweaks; just the privilege of continuing to use your iPhone in peace and security.

Update with care, and let us know in the comments how the update works for you!

14:30 ET: Apple's security mailing list just delivered the notes for 3.0.1, they are reproduced in the 2nd half of this post. Also worth noting that the SMS exploit is not endemic to the iPhone alone; both Android and Windows Mobile platforms can be attacked with similar techniques, although Google tells BW that the issue on Android phones is now fixed (presumably through carrier action on T-Mobile's side, not confirmed though).

Continue reading “Did we say Saturday? iPhone OS 3.0.1 out now to block SMS exploit”

Tags: 3.0.1, hack, iphone, patch, security, sms, update

Filed under: Accessories, Odds and ends

Earbud speakers from 4 business cards?

by Victor Agreda, Jr. (RSS feed) on Apr 8th, 2009



I happened to catch this interesting hack on core77 and tried it for myself. You take four business cards, cut them up to interlock, leaving enough space for your earbuds to nestle inside, pop it open a bit and voila -- instant speaker cones for the tiny music makers. My MacBook Pro's headphone port recently became stuck in the line-out mode (the Cylon light is glowing and yes, I've tried to slide the little switch), and until I can get it to a shop I'm using these as my "speakers." Obviously the primary use would be for iPods, or anything without a built-in speaker.

Does it work? Hey, it's better than nothing. But don't expect to hear much if the noise in your area is anything north of murmur. The decibel boost is negligible, and the amplification is somewhat directional. It works well if you have an ample belly to rest the speakers upon when lying on the couch, as I do. A neat exercise in creative thought, all the same. If anyone can figure out the exact pattern the designer used, post a link in the comments.

I snapped some pics of me trying to replicate the design. I wound up altering it a bit, although my final speaker cone locks the headphones in quite firmly and can stand up in a variety of ways. It is narrower than the original, which doesn't help amplification. Check the gallery for details. Oh, and be sure to check out the neat iPhone earbud winder made from paper.

Tags: core77, design, diy, earbuds, hack, how-to, impromptu, paper, speakers

Filed under: Accessories, Hacks, iPhone

iPhone external keyboard without jailbreaking

by Dave Caolo (RSS feed) on Mar 24th, 2009



Check this out, folks. Some enterprising young hackers have got an IR keyboard working with a non-jailbroken iPhone. With nothing more than $20US worth of parts and the iPhone 2.0 SDK, they built an adapter for the headphone port that talks with a modified version of the audio port modem microcontroller firmware.

Of course, this isn't a rig that my Aunt Ethel is going to run out and buy for her own iPhone, but it's the first time we've seen an external keyboard working with an intact iPhone. Back in the day, my Stowaway keyboard brought my Palm ///e to unknown heights of usefulness. I'd like to experience the same glee with my iPhone.

Tags: hack, iphone, sdk

Filed under: Hacks, Developer, iPhone

Dept. of "That Was Awfully Quick": eager devs enable tethering on iPhone 3.0

by Michael Rose (RSS feed) on Mar 19th, 2009

Update: We've heard from two separate developers (Ari Weinstein and Jake Marsh) that they've put together quick and easy methods for enabling tethering on 3.0 iPhones (an all-in-one tool and a full user guide, respectively). Check out the links for details.

When something so appealing as the possibility of wireless Internet access anywhere you go is dangled in front of you, is it any surprise when you reflexively reach for it? After developer Steven Troughton-Smith inadvertently turned on the tethering controls on his upgraded-to-3.0 iPhone, several people made a deliberate effort to enable the feature. Posts on personal blogs and at the MacRumors forums testify to the successful quest, and there's a specific walkthrough posted and a UK-specific IPCC file kicking around.

Of course, it goes without saying that tethering your phone, in the absence of a carrier contract that permits such connectivity, is the sort of thing that may get you in a spot of trouble. Examples of such potential hazards include extremely large data bills, summary termination of your account, or hair on your palms. While jailbroken phones have been tethering for some time with few issues, past performance is no guarantee of future outcomes.

Tags: hack, iphone 3.0, Iphone3.0, iphoneos, tethering

Filed under: Hardware, Hacks, iPhone

Apple Bluetooth keyboard paired with iPhone

by Dave Caolo (RSS feed) on Feb 23rd, 2009



There's a very cool video at Ralf Ackermann's blog showing an iPhone receiving input from an Apple Bluetooth keyboard. Of course, it requires a jailbroken phone, but Ralf claims that it works in all iPhone apps that make use of the keyboard.

This reminds me of the Stowaway Keyboard I used with my old Palm IIIe. I didn't mind Graffiti as much as some others did, but attaching that keyboard to my Palm increased its usefulness many times over.

Of course, I'd love to use a wireless keyboard with my iPhone. Since I won't be jailbreaking, here's hoping Apple (or someone else) will make this available to scaredy cats like me.

Tags: bluetooth, hack, iphone, jailbreak, keyboard

Filed under: Hacks, Found Footage, iPhone, iPod touch

Found Footage: First game demo for iPhone video-out

by Michael Rose (RSS feed) on Dec 5th, 2008



Around here, we used to call her "the unstoppable Erica Sadun" -- well, not to her face, but sometimes when she wasn't paying attention. The Queen of the iPhone Hackers has leveraged the undocumented video-out features in the iPhone 2.2 SDK, in cooperation with the clever folk at Freeverse Software, to produce the first playable demonstration of an iPhone game that displays on an external monitor. The one-off build of Moto Chaser plays best on a 2nd gen iPod touch (since it's got the fastest base hardware) and uses the device accelerometer for steering. On an HDTV, it outputs a respectable 20fps at 640x480.

Erica's post at Ars goes into the details of the work that Bruce Morrison and his team at Freeverse did to bring this custom build to rapid fruition, and it notes that this is in no way a product at this point; it's just a tech demo, although an impressive one. I had the opportunity to see this build in person earlier today at Freeverse's offices, and the surprising thing is how natural it seems to use the iPod touch as a game controller for big-screen play. With a less-intensive offering (a quiz or music guessing game would be ideal) and a design that takes advantage of the iPod's screen for simultaneous content display... well, I'd be game for that.

Video embedded in the 2nd half of the post. Check it out, and let us know what your dream game would be for a video-out setup from your iPhone or iPod touch.

Continue reading “Found Footage: First game demo for iPhone video-out”

Tags: 3d, demo, gaming, hack, iphone, ipod touch, IpodTouch, video

Filed under: Hardware, Peripherals, Hacks, Odds and ends, Internet, iPhone, iPod touch

Woof! An iPhone-controlled dog treat dispenser

by Steven Sande (RSS feed) on Dec 4th, 2008

While you're geeking out with your techie friends building battle bots or pumpkin cannons, why not give your dog a little love at the same time?

TUAW reader Stephen Myers sent us a link about a fun little project he worked on. He wants to be able to check on his dog's well-being and reward the dog with treats from anywhere he can use his iPhone. Stephen found out about ioBridge, a company that develops electronic monitoring and control modules that connect to any Ethernet network and can be controlled via an encrypted web front end.

Myers used an I/O module and servo smart board from ioBridge, a servo, an old CD spindle case, some cardboard and wood scraps, a large syringe plunger, and a webcam to build his device, and then used the ioBridge web interface to create a widget that controlled the device. No programming was required. The system generated javascript that was then embedded into a web page optimized for the iPhone screen, and now Myers can check up on Cooper, his dog, and give Cooper some treats.

Myers has many more details about the system in his blog entry, and he will be writing future posts about how he's using ioBridge and X10 controllers to turn lights on and off in his home -- from his iPhone.

Be sure to check out the YouTube video below!

Tags: automation, controller, hack, iphone, x10

Filed under: Hacks, iPhone, iPod touch

Hack your VW's budvase for the iPhone

by Dave Caolo (RSS feed) on Nov 14th, 2008

Perhaps you've seen a Volkswagen Beetle driving around with a flower in its dashboard bud vase. People put all sorts of things in there, but we say ditch the gerbera daisies and go for something more useful.

Bug owner Nathan Barry has hacked his bud vase to accommodate his iPhone. By sawing away one slot for his USB car charger's cable and another to steady the iPhone, he made a clever stand that's easy to see from the driver's seat.

Good job, Nathan! My iPhone can be found bouncing around the passenger seat when I'm in my wife's car. The audio jack in my car is hidden inside the arm rest, which is even less convenient. Yes, I've tried FM transmitters but decided that they're manufactured by Satan himself.

So, how do you listen to your iPhone (or iPod) in your car?

Tags: car, fmtransmitter, hack, iphone, ipod touch, IpodTouch

Filed under: Found Footage

Found Footage: Dream of iPhone external keyboard lives on

by Cory Bohon (RSS feed) on Nov 5th, 2008



Since the iPhone's introduction at Macworld in 2007, a large number of people have wanted a tactile keyboard. So far, Apple has not obliged. So, one iPhone owner took the initiate to make his own iPhone keyboard. Using a bit of Ruby code on a jailbroken iPhone, this user is able to connect a Palm keyboard via a 30-pin Dock Connector. The end result is an iPhone with a tactile keyboard. While we can't vouch for the validity of this video, it does look like a cool hack.


[via Engadget]

On an iPhone or iPod touch? Click here to watch this YouTube video.

Tags: Found Footage, FoundFootage, hack, iPhone, keyboard, video, YouTube

Filed under: Hardware, OS, Hacks

Mac OS X on a HP Touchsmart (kind of)

by Dave Caolo (RSS feed) on Nov 5th, 2008



Here's a video and setup instructions for getting Mac OS X to run on a HP TouchSmart. The machine's main feature, of course, is the touch screen. It kind of works with OS X in that elements respond to touch, but the calibration is way off and, as the guy in the video says, there's no way to adjust it. He does offer to test out any other aspect of OS X on the Touchsmart, so speak up.

The setup instructions were written for a HP TouchSmart IQ507 and do require you do "grab a torrent" as the kids say. It doesn't look too tricky, though. The author notes that audio, the wireless card, Bluetooth and the TV Tuner won't work under OS X.

Still, it could be a fun project for anyone who's got a spare Touchsmart lying around. Don't we all?

Tags: hack, hp touchsmart, HpTouchsmart, mac os x, MacOsX

Filed under: Hardware, Portables, Hacks, How-tos, Odds and ends, Leopard

The little Leopard laptop

by Steven Sande (RSS feed) on Oct 9th, 2008



I can always tell when I'm bored, because that's when I think up some challenge for myself. The initial spark for this challenge came when I wrote a post a few months ago about how Paul O'Brien at Modaco had successfully installed Leopard on a Windows-based "netbook". TUAW's Mike Schramm further fueled the fire with this post about an Eee PC running OS X.

Netbooks are tiny laptops with a mini price tag to match. Many netbooks sell for less than $500, with 1 GB of RAM, either a 16 - 20 GB solid state disk drive or 160 GB hard disk drive, Wi-Fi, and a built-in webcam. When you consider that these little machines also weigh about the same or less than a MacBook Air, they're a bargain. However, they usually run Windows XP or Ubuntu Netbook Remix, and frankly I'd rather have good old Leopard.

Asus has been making netbooks for a while under the Eee PC moniker, while MSI (Wind), Acer (Aspire One), and even HP have jumped into this growing market recently. It wasn't until I received a direct mail catalog from Dell featuring the new Inspiron Mini 9 that I started thinking seriously about trying to load Leopard on it.

Despite the fact that I'm sure that Apple will announce a low-cost netbook soon, I ended up buying a Dell Inspiron Mini 9 netbook to install Leopard onto. The rest of this post describes how I did it using instructions and files found at various Web sites.

Continue reading “The little Leopard laptop”

Tags: features, hack, leopard, netbook, os x 86, OsX86

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