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Print 31 comment(s) - last by RMSe17.. on Jul 24 at 11:47 AM

iPhone now truly able to accept Cingular SIM
iPhone freed from contractual obligations

The iPhone is easily the most talked about piece of consumer electronics for 2007. For such a popular and mainstream product, the iPhone is surprisingly inaccessible with the requirement of a two-year activation contract with AT&T totalling more than $1,400. However, it would only be a matter of time before phone hackers would find a way around that.

The group iPhone Dev Wiki has discovered a way to partially unlock the device so that it will work with any AT&T or Cingular SIM card without the need for the exclusive new contract, details a post made on Gizmodo.

The iPhone hackers have apparently spent days disassembling firmware within the device in hopes of completely opening access. Although the iPhone may now run outside of the exclusive contract, the phone is still dependent on the AT&T network. What the hackers have accomplished is to allow the iPhone to run on any previous contract, including those on corporate accounts.

“Using iASign, you'll be able to activate existing AT&T and Cingular Sims without signing a new contract,” wrote the hackers on the Wiki page. The hackers added that they have confirmed the hack to also work with virtual operators such as 7-11 wireless.

“As a side note, we'd like to clarify that we are not even close on giving up the full unlocking, as reported on some websites. We're still up and running, but we won't comment on a possible time line. If the unlocking is possible we'll eventually find it, so stay tuned,” the Wiki page update concluded.

Detailed on HackTheiPhone.com are 18 steps in hacking the iPhone to accept other SIM cards. The process documented requires iTunes and an Intel-based Mac.

Earlier this month, the iPhone was hacked to expose full console access, allowing for file transfer. Other hacks include brute-forcing the iPhone's internal system passwords and the ability to activate parts of the iPhone without going through AT&T.

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Clever
By Griswold on 7/19/2007 9:21:13 AM , Rating: 2
The process documented requires iTunes and an Intel-based Mac.

I can already see people buying a mac only to unlock their iphone - I guess thats called a win-win situation for apple. :D




RE: Clever
By Brandon Hill (blog) on 7/19/2007 9:28:59 AM , Rating: 5
Or just find a friend with an Intel-based Mac?

Ah, I take that back. Probably better off just buying one :-)


RE: Clever
By Exodus220 on 7/19/2007 9:37:13 AM , Rating: 5
Haha, there is no possible way I could afford both an iPhone and a new Mac. Apple products cost way too much money for me...heck, I couldn't even afford just the iPhone. I will just stick with my low priced PC compatible products that do the same as the overpriced Apple products. That is a win-win situation for me. Haha, for the price of the iPhone I could buy a new PC and phone.


RE: Clever
By PAPutzback on 7/19/2007 9:40:29 AM , Rating: 5
Friends don't let friends by Macs


RE: Clever
By Etsp on 7/19/2007 10:06:53 AM , Rating: 5
You mean, you wouldn't even let your friends within 15 feet of a Mac or something? Wow... talk about over zealous.


RE: Clever
By GaryJohnson on 7/19/2007 9:34:34 PM , Rating: 4
They can be within 15 feet as long as they were a special 'Faraday Hat'.


RE: Clever
By JimFear on 7/20/2007 8:53:15 AM , Rating: 2
Someone beat me to it! :D


RE: Clever
By Gul Westfale on 7/19/2007 12:01:37 PM , Rating: 5
i don't associate with people that buy macs.


RE: Clever
By HrilL on 7/19/2007 1:22:44 PM , Rating: 3
Yeah, I don't know anyone with a intel mac and I work in IT =( lol they really must be rare.


RE: Clever
By Kuroyama on 7/20/2007 7:48:05 PM , Rating: 2
Go to a Theoretical CompSci conference and you should have no problem finding a few. Last one I went to perhaps 10% of the attendees were using them, which is probably about a quarter of the people who had laptops with them.


RE: Clever
By jeffery on 7/19/2007 10:00:33 AM , Rating: 3
"I can already see people buying a mac only to unlock their iphone"

Either that, or just downloading OSx86. :)


By Misty Dingos on 7/19/2007 9:22:22 AM , Rating: 5
I know that I am not the only one that has had enough of the Iphone. I don't own one and it is not likely that I will ever own one.

This is not that I don't think that some innovative things are being done with and to the Iphone. Most of what is covered is; Cool gadget! Cool features! Let's hack the beejeusus out of it!

I think what I am suffering from is media induced Iphone burnout. I just don't want to hear, see or read another article about the Iphone. It is after all just a cell phone. I know that the people that write tech articles have to write about something so I am asking you writers to think twice about the next Iphone piece. Just a little. Slow up the juggernaut that the Iphone media blitz this has become. Collectively can't we all just calm down a bit about this thing?

Now normally say something like let's all go outside and enjoy a summer day but it is going to be close to 100F here with high humidity (that is really freaking hot to you folks in C land) so let's go turn off our cell phones and watch a movie!




By A5 on 7/19/2007 9:28:17 AM , Rating: 2
If you don't care, don't read the articles - it's not that hard.


By NARC4457 on 7/19/2007 12:36:52 PM , Rating: 2
Not sure why people are -1 you. It seems like an easy concept to me. It's not like DT is shoving this article in anyone's face; don't read it if you are iPhone saturated.


By oTAL on 7/19/2007 10:12:08 AM , Rating: 2
If you dislike the iphone hype then visit this page:

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=ip...

Funny stuff. ;)

As for the hack, if they are bounded to the AT&T network it's probably because of the new network features the iphone uses. This means the hack may not be permanent and AT&T may find a way to block iPhone customers without an iPhone contract.


By TomZ on 7/19/2007 10:22:11 AM , Rating: 2
I agree, the iPhone is the most annoyingly overhyped thing of the year. +1


By Amaroque on 7/19/2007 12:41:49 PM , Rating: 3
I agree. Most new cell phones will all have the same features within a year anyway. They will also be practically given away with a new contract.


By afkrotch on 7/22/2007 10:26:58 PM , Rating: 2
I was going to say, what does the iPhone provide over other cellphones?

Touchscreen? Already been done in Japan. Granted, not to the same level, but I don't find the functionality of a cellphone touchscreen to be all that worthwhile.

I can tell you what the iPhone doesn't have, that my old cellphone did have. My old cellphone could be used as a credit card, train pass, and door key. I could use it as a remote control for my tv or dvd player. It had GPS functionality. Video calls anyone?

My old cellphone was a Panasonic P902iS for NTT Docomo. A $50 cellphone. It could play music and video also. It came with a MiniSD slot to upgrade the memory. No bluetooth, but that phone came out before bluetooth was popular. Course they have the P903iS phone that came out later that has bluetooth. Then there's the current P904i phones.

Now I have some crappy Samsung phone from TKS Mobile. God US and EU cellphones suck. So do their cellphone plans.


By exdeath on 7/24/2007 10:48:09 AM , Rating: 2
It's Tickle Me Elmo-PS3-Ipod-'Gotta have it just because everyone else has one even if I never take it out of the box just to include the box and price tag in every picture I post on the internet' *breath* syndrome.


By exdeath on 7/24/2007 10:53:22 AM , Rating: 2
No, not even 'gotta have it because everyone else HAS' more like 'gotta have it because everyone else simply WANTS'

The wannabe 733t crowd that buys rotating twisting dancing singling epilepsy inducing gadgets for the fashion statement alone. Disgusting indeed.

Man I laughed so hard out loud at someone ahead of me in line at a store when they tried to return 3 PS3s they waited in line for because they couldn't sell them on Ebay. They wouldn't accept the returns lol.


Always misleading headlines!
By Satisfied on 7/19/2007 10:02:04 AM , Rating: 2
The headlines here are always misleading!

PLEASE tell me what OTHER network's SIM cards now work with the iPhone?




RE: Always misleading headlines!
By h0kiez on 7/19/2007 10:09:25 AM , Rating: 2
Just reading to see if anyone else was thinking that. The title isn't misleading, it's a complete lie.


RE: Always misleading headlines!
By TomZ on 7/19/07, Rating: 0
RE: Always misleading headlines!
By Satisfied on 7/19/2007 10:22:40 AM , Rating: 3
I understand it, but when you look at the RSS feed headline you think "wow! They ALREADY hacked it for use on Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon.....AT&T is going to be pissed!"

Then you read the article and see what they mean!

Either way, its still written badly. It should read:

iPhone Hacked to Accept Any AT&T SIM Card

its real easy


RE: Always misleading headlines!
By TomZ on 7/19/2007 10:33:54 AM , Rating: 2
The iPhone wouldn't work on most of those other networks anyway, since the hardware is incompatible.


RE: Always misleading headlines!
By RMSe17 on 7/24/2007 11:47:12 AM , Rating: 2
Oh yea? How so?


RE: Always misleading headlines!
By hiscross on 7/19/07, Rating: -1
RE: Always misleading headlines!
By TomZ on 7/19/2007 1:54:48 PM , Rating: 2
Wow, you really glossed over all logic with that one. Care to explain how you figured out that "windows people" are anti-iPhone, and why you think that DT's choice of server technology (which I would guess is because AT uses the same) is somehow related to DT readers making comments criticizing iPhone?


RE: Always misleading headlines!
By kenji4life on 7/19/2007 3:20:43 PM , Rating: 3
quote:
Been wondering who slams the iPhone. Well windows people of course.


That's a statement without a shred of proof behind it.

The "average" windows user wants ease of use. I'd be willing to bet you large sums of money that more Windows users are attracted to the iphone than any other O/S user group, including Mac. Sure, among Mac users, a higher percentage, but overall generalizing Windows users at "people who slam the iphone" is stupid.

quote:
I check wity netcraft to see what dailytech is using and sure enough win2003. Well then, why doesn't dailywindowsnewsforwindowsuserwhothinktheyknowtechb utdon't just change their name.


I take it you're a 1337 |_| |\| 1 >< H4><0R? Doubtful. You're probably using a Mac. Good for you. Do us all a favor and vacate the premises, because if anyone is biased it's obviously you.

quote:
Also, for those people who keep saying the iphone is over priced, just don't buy one.


Okay.

quote:
It's your money, spend it as you see fit. Just don't act like allah (real name satan) and go after those who sent their own money on one.


What?

quote:
Or, you can just grown-up.


Yes, we will all grown-up and someone will learn us how to phorm a cent-ins.


RE: Always misleading headlines!
By JimFear on 7/20/2007 9:03:21 AM , Rating: 2
Oh snap! That's gotta hurt :)


By Kuroyama on 7/20/2007 7:52:07 PM , Rating: 2
So, if I get this right it sounds like I can now go to an AT&T or Apple store, sign a 2 year AT&T contract to get an iPhone for a total cost of $1400 when all costs are considered, then hack my iPhone to work with another network for which I'll have to fork out even more money? Sounds like a pretty pointless hack until it becomes possible to buy an iPhone without signing a contract.




"Paying an extra $500 for a computer in this environment -- same piece of hardware -- paying $500 more to get a logo on it? I think that's a more challenging proposition for the average person than it used to be." -- Steve Ballmer











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