Blacksn0w Unlocks iPhone for All Carriers
With Blackra1n, you can use an iPhone on Verizon, T-Mobile, or whatever wireless carrier you want.
BGR is reporting that iPhone OS hacker geohot (George Hotz) has successfully created an iPhone baseband unlock for the device's OS 3.1.2 and the standard 05.11.07 cellular modem firmware. Called Blacksn0w, the exploit hack jailbreaks the iPhone so it can not only run unapproved applications, but also be used on non-Apple sanctioned carriers. This takes his Blackra1n jailbreaking exploit one step further, which only unlocks the device to allow non-Apple apps.
To prove that it works, geohot uploaded this video to YouTube, showing Blackra1n/Blacksn0w resetting the iPhone to connect to T-Mobile's network. According to geohot's website, Blacksn0w will be released on November 4, and will cost consumers absolutely nothing. However, apparently geohot was offered $10,000 for the Blackea1n and Blacksn0w software, and wasn't exactly ecstatic despite the generous amount.
"First off, Jody Sanders, I am declining your $10,000," he wrote. "Why? Because you, and the rest of the iPhone unlock sites out there are scum. You make money selling freeware; that's not cool, and I am in no way going to legitimize it."
Currently Blacksn0w can be installed through Blackra1n (RC2), however it will be incorporated into the next Blackra1n update set to hit geohot's website at a later date. Blackra1n works with all iPhone and iPod Touch models except for the 8 GB iPhone 3G.
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Opensource FTW!
So how can it be used on Verizon. Did they throw in a cdma chip on purpose. Or are they all on the same silicon now days.
it won't work with verizon and sprint. Just tmobile and other non cdma networks.
So how can it be used on Verizon. Did they throw in a cdma chip on purpose. Or are they all on the same silicon now days.
That was certainly an oversight, unless by some freak of nature there happened to be a CDMA radio hiding out on the phone. And that's just to get phone calls through, if you want high speed data there's another radio you need, and that's not even common on phones that DO advertise themselves as "global/quad band".
The standard iPhone contain both a GSM and CDMA radio?
Wow. This software hack also adds a CDMA radio? That is some powerful software.
Nice job reporting... .... ... NOT.
-Borat.
I love this guy!! As long as there are guys like this working away, Apple will never win.
Uh oh, Apple and AT&T are gonna start frothing at the mouth. Especially AT&T because history tells us that any shadow of opposition or competition throws them overboard in a panic.
Kevin Parish is an idiot, adding in your two bits from a story you copied and pasted, do your research man. The current line up of iphones DOES NOT AND WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO RUN ON A CMDA NETWORK LIKE VERIZON, SPRINT, ALLTEL, ECT.... that is hardware based not software based.
IDIOTS!!!
if it was legal, it would be worth millions. while i'm generally not a fan of open source - when its one or a group of arrogant programmers with spare time aiming to completely undercut and destroy a valid market - there definitely is a few times and places for it, and one particular place is when the software is of questionable legality. another is counteracting massive DICK moves by retards like Apple! (why should I have to pay more to have my device work like it should!)
Verizon owns and operates several smaller regional GSM carriers. Apperently due to customer resistance they plan on keeping those networks operational.
I wish Apple would just stop with their silly updates that block the jailbreaking, resistance is futile. Btw, nice choice of picture Mr. Parrish.
Good for him to stand up to money crazed people. As for $10,000....he could make that in a day if he sold it at $.99 per download.
Separately; would it be nice if Apple opened up development and networking for free? Yes, but I'm not going to complain that much, I'm pretty much satisfied with my iTouch 2G 8GB, non jailbroken.
When Apple keeps updating their "anti-jailbreaking" security, someone out there ends up breaking it within a few days. It's futile, like someone above stated. I'm a fan of the open source movement and I'm also a fan of giving Apple and AT&T a gut check.
apple should focus on real security instead of a pointless dictatiorship aka anti-jailbreaking
He should make an app for that.
Other than that, wow, great guy!
The iPhone doesn't support CDMA at all.... what are you guys talking about. I wish US did what the rest of the world did, go with GSM and stop confusing people (Marketing BS).
@brendano257
Yeah true he could make $10k if he sold it at .99 cents per download
@buwish
AT&T is the real company who is actually demanding Apple to block jailbreaks. Apple isn't really trying to stop jailbreaking they are forced too. Why? there are apps that open EDGE/3G connection with WiFi-only apps and also other apps that well I'm not sure but interfere with AT&T and such.
Notice Apple hasn't disabled Shift-Clicking Restore. There latest iTunes never really interfere with downgrading at all. iTunes downgrades iPhones to 3.0 at request (through DFU Mode) but Apple doesn't sign them but still it's downgraded already.
Steve Jobs might even be using dev-teams and geohots solutions and jailbreaking his iPhones lol!
When did their updates block jailbreaking?.... mostly their updates only block unlocking cause AT&T forces them too
this guy is a hero in my eyes. open source FTW
look - if apple disabled that, then why backup iphones at all? it would make a very key feature a moot point, THAT'S why apple doesn't disable it. it would make them go back on a very important feature, and would leave them NO breathing room, and actually would screw tons of legitimate users, rather than jailbreakers/unlockers.
if it was legal, it would be worth millions. while i'm generally not a fan of open source - when its one or a group of arrogant programmers with spare time aiming to completely undercut and destroy a valid market - there definitely is a few times and places for it, and one particular place is when the software is of questionable legality. another is counteracting massive DICK moves by retards like Apple! (why should I have to pay more to have my device work like it should!)
How do open source programmers undercut and destroy a "valid" market? I don't see Ubuntu knocking out Microsoft anytime soon and and I'd say some of the best programmers are open source providers. Its like a charitable organization. Is goodwill or the red-cross undercutting wallmart and medical insurance companies? Or how about the salvation Army or local food pantries "undercutting" Meijer or other major stores? Is it not okay to provide a service without charging for it? Does that mean you would turn down free gas for your car or someone helping you out?
I think this is great for everyone except for ATT. I think exclusive rights for devices is pathetic and un-constitutonal( illegal ). So when i see stuff like this happen i giggle first and then fart, i am sick and tired of Apple and Att playing their little jack whack game. Go Jailbreakers, the H_ll with ATT and Apple.
It literally blows my mind *boom* that people who clearly know absolutely NOTHING about the iPhone, unlocking, or cellular technology in general have blogs that actually make the headlines in google news. As many have commented before, NO - the iPhone, a GSM phone will NEVER EVER EVER work on a CDMA network - EVER, unless the hardware is modified - this is one of the most basic realities of cellular technology. How does this filth get on google news? With misinformation like this, did Fox somehow buy google behind the scenes? STOP WRITING, KEVIN PARRISH! PLEASE STOP WRITING. And get a new SEO guy, because whoever is getting your posts to the top of the news rankings is wasting his or her brilliance, hard.
wasnt there an article about the iphone a few months ago that said it was unhackable? lol
cool !
iPhone has a TDMA radio only and not a CDMA/TDMA radio. You might be confusing this with the new Android phone on Verizon, which has the Android 2.0 OS that now includes CDMA within the stack.
You might want to check on that. I happen to be using an 8gb iPhone 3G that I jailbroke with blackra1n.
iPhone has a TDMA radio only and not a CDMA/TDMA radio. You might be confusing this with the new Android phone on Verizon, which has the Android 2.0 OS that now includes CDMA within the stack.
Actually Verizon does support GSM, but only overseas through Vodafone.
Kevin Parish is an idiot, adding in your two bits from a story you copied and pasted, do your research man. The current line up of iphones DOES NOT AND WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO RUN ON A CMDA NETWORK LIKE VERIZON, SPRINT, ALLTEL, ECT.... that is hardware based not software based.IDIOTS!!!
When I was in West Yellowstone, Montana a few months ago I was able to roam on Verizon's network with my iPhone 3G. Verizon is the one and only cell phone carrier in that area. I had full internet access and perfect voice call quality just like I get on AT&T's network.
Not a big fan of the iPhone but I love how the unbreakable iPhone was cracked. Nice job!
blackra1n does work on the 8gb 3g, he updated rc2 to for it..
yes, I would take free gas, and so would everyone else, and then all the gas stations would go out of buissness, which is the thing I don't agree with.
you are right that many projects do coexist in the market nicely though. linux, open office ect. providing practical if slightly inferior products that keep the paid apps in the game, as well as providing valuable competition.
on the other hand, all you have to do is look at the iphone app store to see it not doing so well, driving down the price of everything, and in most cases taking quality with it.