iOS

iOS 5 beta jailbroken in less than 24 hours

The next major version of Apple's iOS has been exploited less than a day after its beta release to developers.

A member of the iPhone Dev Team--a group of hackers that targets Apple devices and is not to be confused with Apple's group that designs the iOS software--announced through a tweet last night that the developer beta release of iOS 5 was susceptible to limera1n, an exploit that targets a vulnerability in the iOS boot software.

As a result, iPhone Dev Team member "MuscleNerd" said that it was possible to install third-party application installer Cydia, which lets users download applications not offered through Apple's App Store. The device used was a fourth-generation iPod Touch running the beta of iOS 5, software Apple offered up to developers following yesterday's WWDC keynote address and iOS 5 unveiling.

For proof, MuscleNerd has posted two photos of the jailbreak, one of which includes the iPod's home screen, which prominently feature the Cydia logo. Another is a screenshot from the third-party SSH iOS application, iSSH, which shows that root level access to the iPod's file system has been obtained. … Read more

Apple's WWDC: iCloud, iOS 5, Lion, and more (roundup)

The new iCloud storage service headlines the company's Worldwide Developers Conference, which also delivers the lowdown on version 5 of iOS and the Lion version of Mac OS X.

iOS 5 beta jailbroken in less than 24 hours A group of hackers jailbreak the beta version of iOS 5 that Apple released to developers just yesterday. Apple plans to release a full version to customers this fall. • A brief tour of iOS 5 • iOS 5 code points to two iPad 3 models (Posted in Apple Talk by Josh Lowensohn) June 7, 2011 2:28 PM PDT

Apple releases iTunes 10.3 with iCloud beta … Read more

Financial Times Web app skirts subscriptions fracas

The Financial Times has opted to put its resources into developing a Web app over a native software client to deliver written content to readers on tablets and other devices. The news comes two months after the publication said that it was negotiating with Apple over the terms of the tech giant's now four-month old subscription program.

The timing is of special interest given yesterday's announcement by Apple of "Newsstand," an app that's been built into its upcoming iOS 5 software for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad that will put newspapers and magazines into … Read more

Which iOS 5 feature excites you the most? (poll)

Unless you were sleeping under rock a yesterday, you heard that iOS 5 is official and coming to an iDevice near you this fall. (Here's a brief tour of what's inside.)

Although CNET's Kent German thinks Apple took only "baby steps" with the new OS, I think there's a lot to like. In fact, at the risk of sounding like a gushing fanboy, I'd say iOS 5 offers an embarrassment of riches.

I mean, Wi-Fi syncing? There's nothing babylike about cutting the cord (hmmm--OK, bad analogy) that has long tethered the device … Read more

Verizon iPhone not yet ready for iCloud

The beta version of Apple's new iCloud is out now, with the official release set for this fall. But to try it you'll need the latest version of iOS, which leaves Verizon iPhone owners out of luck.

Apple yesterday officially announced its new iCloud cloud-storage service, which promises to store all your iTunes content online so you can access it from any device without having to sync with your computer.

Available as part of the new iTunes 10.3, a limited beta version of iCloud will let you sync content among your different devices and download past purchases. The beta will support a variety of devices, including iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, the iPad (original and iPad 2), and the third- and fourth-generation iPod Touch.

The catch is that the devices require iOS 4.3.3 to try the iCloud beta, but Verizon iPhone owners are still stuck at iOS 4.2.8.

Apple's next major version, iOS 5, is slated to launch in the fall.

Since its launch earlier this year, the Verizon iPhone has been several OS releases behind the AT&T iPhone. And it's not clear why, according to an article in CNN Money.

The two phones are virtually the same except that Verizon's iPhone runs over the carrier's CDMA network, while the AT&T edition uses GSM. Verizon's model uses a Qualcomm chipset, CNN Money points out. However, the Verizon iPad, which also uses a Qualcomm chipset, qualified for the update to iOS 4.3.

Requests to Apple and Verizon Wireless for further details were not immediately returned.… Read more

How well does iOS 5 run on iPhone 3GS?

Update 10/13: We've been running iOS5 on a iPhone 3GS for the last 24 hours and have had no problems with it. It runs smoothly and the experience doesn't seem noticeably different from running iOS4. We'll let you know if we encounter any bugs as they come along, but for now it seems safe to say iOS5 works fine on the 3GS. To be safe, backup your iPhone (sync) on your computer and save any photos you have on your device to iPhoto before downloading and installing the update to iOS5.

Just a few weeks ago, … Read more

Apple WWDC rumor scorecard: 2011 edition

The dust from Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference has settled and now we know all about iCloud, iOS 5, and Mac OS X Lion. We also know which rumors from ahead of the show turned out to be true, and which ones didn't.

To Apple's credit, there were very few leaks ahead of this year's show. While a few iOS 5 features came out, as well as functionality that would appear in iCloud, there was a fair bit that was unknown going into it. The one exception being OS X Lion, which Apple had taken most of … Read more

A brief tour of Apple's iOS 5

Apple's WWDC keynote is now behind us and if they're not at E3, tech journalists around the blogsphere are taking a rest. We didn't get a new iPhone or any new hardware, but Apple rolled out the company's new iCloud service, its Lion OS, and iOS 5, the latest version of its mobile operating system.

We've detailed the full list of changes in our iOS 5 first take--and frankly, they aren't terribly extensive--but we also downloaded the developers version of the update for a test drive. Keep in mind that the final consumer … Read more

iCloud casts shadow over other cloud services

The upcoming launch of Apple's full-on cloud service, iCloud, is both a validation that "the cloud" is where consumer media and apps are moving, and a shot across the bow of cloud service companies. Here's how existing cloud-enabled apps are likely to fare.

Music Amazon's Cloud Player and Google Music both let you store your music in the cloud, but only Apple bypasses the lengthy upload process for tracks you already have by allowing you to send just fingerprints of prepurchased music. Also, Apple's iTunes neatly synchronizes your music with all your iTunes-equipped devices. … Read more