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Mac OS 10.6.6 + Mac App Store Review

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 13:13:00 +0000

After a busy weekend, I decided to take a look to the recent updates Apple released during the last week, including the new Operating System Update Mac OS 10.6.6. and the Mac App Store.

The 10.6.6 release it's nothing but a patch that will install the App Store on your mac. Normally Mac updates gives the same as on iOS updates, improving battery life, improving graphics performance, among other basic stuff.

According to Apple, the Mac OS update includes:

Discover Mac apps: Browse featured apps, top charts, and categories, or search for something specific. Read detailed app descriptions and user reviews, and flip through screen shots.
Buy and install: Easily purchase apps with your iTunes account. Apps install in one step and are quickly available from the Dock.
App updates: The Mac App Store keeps track of all your purchased apps and notifies you when free updates are available.

The Mac App Store interface looks pretty much the same as the regular iTunes Store, except it runs separately.

The Mac App Store, same as iTunes, requires you to log in with your Apple ID. I noticed a little bug when attempting to log in to the Mac App Store, which keeps loading and never logs you in, unless you switch from the Purchases tab to any of the other tabs available while attempting to log in.

A cool feature I thumb up about the Mac App Store, is that you can actually purchase Apple software such as iLife components, among other third party (non-Apple) applications.

When the App Store through iTunes was released, I remember the first thing I did was checking on free apps. Nothing different I did with the new Mac App Store, one of the first free coolest apps, is the Twitter app for Mac.

This clearly means that applications running on iOS will soon be released for Mac. I also believe it will work amazing having the new Mac OS X Lion released. I remember once in a podcast where Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs discussed the upcoming technologies back in 2007.

Jobs and Gates were asked what did they believe the upcoming technology would most influence within the next few years (that was back in 2007). According to Jobs' prediction, technology would turn around based on upcoming gadgets.

He believed smartphones technology, and gadgets would rule above current (2007) computer technologies. In fact, we watched tablets, smartphones, and others developing technology that was not even being implemented on standard desktop computers, and laptops.

However, the investment on such gadgets and smartphones helped developing technology that is now being implemented on certain computers, retina display, odometer, etc.

If we look back at what Jobs said, standard users are now investing more on gadgets, and smartphones than on expensive and complex bad ass computers.

According to BlogsDNA, the Mac App Store has been cracked already. That means we will see hack members of known teams developing jailbreak software for Mac.

The Social Network Movie (2010)

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 23:45:00 +0000

After spending time watching Zuckerberg's life movie, I figured out that the story is nothing different from what Bill Gate's history movie is. If you once watched Pirates of Silicon Valley (1999), it's a film relating the beginnings of Apple, Inc. and Microsoft.

The movie relates a story on which Bill Gates allies with Jobs in order to obtain more ideas, and have them applied to its own company. I remember a phrase that pretty much related the 1999 movie to last year's movie, stating "Good artists copy, great artists steal".

In the "Facebook" movie, Mark Zuckerberg is shown as a Harvard student which is given an idea, had it improved, and became rich. Not saying that improving an idea is stealing, since MySpace, Hi5, and other social websites were already popular by the time Facebook started.

Mark Zuckerberg

However, we see the success in both main characters by getting the idea from someone else. If this was a natural rule life, we could think that originality is a cheap-obsolete concept these days.

In my personal opinion, The Social Network is a movie that could inspire thousands of developers by watching Zuckerberg's success on taking an existing idea, and transforming it into something useful for the life of millions.

iPhone - Carrier Settings Update

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 08:27:00 +0000

I have seen a couple of rumors around the web concerning a message that may come while connecting your iPhone to iTunes asking you to update your Carrier Settings. First of all let me tell you, that every carrier uses different settings. This meaning, that updating can either harm your connectivity settings, or benefit them.

Some rumors around the web states that updating will mess with your iPhone unlock. Unless there is an unlock that relies on the carrier settings on the iPhone as default, don't update. Otherwise, updating won't harm your phone if unlocked with the traditional Ultrasn0w method.

However, be aware that updating the carrier settings might take EDGE, GPRS or 3G connectivity out of your phone. For more information, I would recommend checking with your carrier to see if your phone is supported. Otherwise, you may fix the EDGE and some other connectivity issues if you Google it correctly.

Or in worst scenario, you can restore your phone which will allow you to get back to the default phone's settings.

iPhone 3Gs Stuck at Apple Logo after 6.15.00 Unlock w/ Ultrasn0w (Mac OS Only)

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 07:41:00 +0000

I recently posted a guide on how to fix your iPhone 3Gs if stuck at the Apple logo, Recovery or Connect to iTunes logo. This applies if it happened to you after running the 4.2.1 jailbreak, and tried to reboot your phone after running Ultrasn0w to unlock the 6.15.00 baseband.

Before you start, your iPhone 3Gs must be at the "Connect to iTunes" logo. If the phone is at another state, do the following:

1. Press and hold the power (lock) and hold button until the phone screen turns black.
2. Your USB cable should already be on the phone, but not to the computer. Press and hold the home button and connect the phone to the computer.
3. iTunes will default the Connect to iTunes screen on your phone and we're good to go.

You will also need the following software and tools:

a) Up to date iTunes version
b) 4.2.1. Custom iOS Firmware (linked file will be updated later)
c) An original carrier SIM card (AT&T for instance)
d) Internet connection (believe it or not, people have tried to restore when not connected to the internet)
e) Pwnage Tool 4.1.3. Unlock Edition (in case you don't have the Custom Firwmare yet)
f) Original iOS 4.2.1 Software for 3Gs
g) Redsn0w 0.9.6b5 or 0.9.6b6

After you have gotten your phone at that screen we will need to proceed with the re-jailbreak and unlock the phone once again. It's pretty simple actually. Here's the steps to follow:

1) Get your iPhone to DFU mode. While at the "Connect to iTunes" screen, press and hold both the power and home button for 10 seconds. Release the power button and keep holding the home button. (iTunes should come with a message saying "iTunes has detected an iPhone in recovery mode...").

2) Hold the ALT key and click on RESTORE. Select the Custom 4.2.1. iOS firmware* made with "Pwnage Tool 4.1.3 Unlock Edition".

3) iTunes should start processing the recovery, a bar should be displayed on your phone showing the actual process.

4) Once completed, insert the original carrier SIM card into your phone and wait for iTunes to complete the activation.

5) If you had any backup for your iPhone, run the backup now. It may reboot the device later, bringing it to the original "iBrick" state.

6) Once the back up is completed, open Redsn0w and run the Jailbreak once again. At this point your phone should already have the iPad baseband, so it won't be needed.

7) Once the jailbreak finishes, you'll need to boot in "tether mode" from Redsn0w. If you're not familiar with the process, just open Redsn0w and select "Just boot tethered mode right now".

8) Your iPhone will reboot, open Cydia and update everything that asks to update.

9) Again, it will ask you to reboot. Run the "Just boot tethered..." thing again.

10) Once back to the phone, open Cydia and install Ultrasn0w. When the installation completes it will ask to REBOOT DEVICE. Here's where you DO NOT need to reboot. Just press the home button and your iPhone should be good to go as long as you don't let the battery die or reboot the phone.

The dev-team is currently working on a method that allows you to either downgrade your baseband version back, or untether your iPhone. For now, just follow the instructions and precautions.

Remember iTunes will sign a firmware for a determined amount of time. If a newer than 4.2.1. version comes up, avoid using this method until further notice.

Issues with iPhone 3Gs Jailbreak iOS 4.2.1, Baseband 6.15.00

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 01:35:00 +0000

This concerns all of us, hackers, developers, users, and end-users. A few weeks back, we witnessed the release of the new Ultrasn0w package available through Cydia, on which you could actually "unlock" your iPhone 3Gs by having an iPad baseband installed through Redsn0w.

However, there has been several postings I have seen concerning users not being able to perform the so called "simple" task to jailbreak and unlock their iPhones 3Gs running 4.2.1. software.

First thing you want to know before updating your iPhone 3Gs, is that there were no chances of returning to an old baseband. Therefore, attempting to restore your iPhone for whatever reason (stuck, application bug, virus, whatever thing you could have messed it with, etc) would result in obtaining an error when attempting to restore.

As you can imagine, the iPhone 3Gs firmware was originally designed to work with an iPhone's baseband. If you attempted to recover your iPhone, iTunes would not sign the firmware as the build is not compatible.

I own a 3Gs myself, and decided to take chances giving what it takes (loosing carrier unlock) to determine what was going on.

The so called issues constantly being posted on several blogs are:

- iPhone Stuck at Boot After Installing Ultrasn0w

- iPhone Stuck at DFU Mode After Installing Ultrasn0w

- iPhone Stuck at Apple Logo After Installing Ultrasn0w

- iPhone Not Connecting or Receiving GPS

I'm the type of guy that goes with little less conversation and more action, so I started the jailbreak process as most of you guys know it. However, I did run Redsn0w without updating my 4.0.2 firmware. In result, I had a jailbroken phone with Cydia, iOS 4.0.2 and an iPad basband 6.15.00.

This caused me a lot of trouble, I installed Ultrasn0w and all that I've got was an iPhone stuck at the Apple screen (iBrick). I Googled' for a possible solution, however, none of them seemed to work or seems to work. I tried the following, if you want to know or avoid:

1. Using RecBoot, and all existing kick-out-of-recovery apps

2. Restore from original iPhone software

3. Re-Jailbreak

... among others.

After 14 hours and several attempts of having my iBrick fixed, I came along to the easiest solution ever found on the web. I know it will work for you, however, the results might differ considering I'm a boot camp user, meaning I'm using a Mac with both Operating Systems (Mac OS Snow Leopard, and Windows 7).

Most of the suggested solutions on the web do not emphasize on the DFU mode. I somehow managed to get all the points of desperation where I got stuck at DFU Mode, Recovery Mode (Connect to iTunes), and finally and the hardest one is the Apple Logo (not recognized by iTunes, or PC).

These above mentioned situations came after my several attempts to re-jailbreak and re-attempt to install the Ultrasn0w software. The way I did was as follows:

1. Had my iPhone stuck at recovery, boot, or any other vegetal status.

2. Whatever the status is, I needed it to be at (connect to iTunes) screen.

3. Ran Pwnage 4.1.3 for MacOS (I downloaded it from Dev-Team's Page) using the iPhone 3Gs bundle that is described on the Update 3 from their blog.

4. After having the custom-firmware on my desktop, I proceeded to bring my iPhone to DFU mode by using the Pwnage Tool. This only worked after bringing the iPhone into the "Connect to iTunes" screen, then it allowed me to proceed with the DFU mode using Pwnage. To get the "Connect to iTunes" screen, just unplug your iPhone (whatever mode or status is at), press and hold the power and home button for a few seconds until the screen turns black, release both buttons, reconnect by pressing and holding the home button.

5. Updated iTunes to the latest version (currently 10.1.1), and in DFU mode provided by the Pwnage tool, restored my iPhone 3Gs using the Custom-Firmware I created. (To run restore, press and hold shift and click on restore from iTunes, or press and hold alt from a Mac).

6. iTunes will run a full Recovery on your iPhone, no matter which firmware you had (remember I was running 4.0.2 with baseband 6.15.00). Wait for iTunes to restore your iPhone.

7. I used an AT&T SIM Card to activate the phone from iTunes, just to activate not to unlock it. Activation is a process on which iTunes allows you to use the phone features, not to use any carrier.

8. I ran the Jailbreak (without installing the baseband, since I had it already) using Redsn0w's Latest Version.

9. Once Cydia was installed, updated all basic resources and it asked me to reboot device.

10. Ran Redsn0w once again to boot thethering mode. If you're not familiar with the term, Google it.

11. I installed Ultrasn0w and waited for the installation to complete. (This is where it gets tricky). Since I was scared of rebooting my device knowing the previous consequences, I just pressed the Home Button when it asked me to reboot the device.

THE RESULT: My iPhone 3Gs is now unlocked, however, I can't take my chances and reboot my device unless I want to see it stuck again.

THE SOLUTION: Running my iPhone on 4.2.1, and Unlocked with another carrier, leaves me only one option, which is to wait for any upcoming updates. Check the Dev-Team's blog, they're planning on a downgrade method for all of us running the iPad baseband.

I've been doing this since the very first iPod touch, and it turns very amazing how they work on stuff for us. I hope you guys find this helpful. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments.

FYI: I'm using an iPhone 3Gs running a new boot, iOS 4.2.1, 6.15.00 baseband.

noreply@blogger.com (Vinny) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 00:57:00 +0000

Welcome to Developer and User's First Blog!

Even though it's nothing new, my main idea is to share the findings around technology's world at my perspective, share solutions and ideas that will help developers and users to achieve personal goals in matters of needs, and solutions.

Please share your feedback and I hope you enjoy the upcoming news.