How to Bypass the Lockcode Screen on iOS 6.1 and Use Anyone’s iPhone

Apple has had a few problems with its latest iPhone and iPad software update.

Released just last month, iOS 6.1 was meant to be a relatively significant update bringing enhanced Siri capabilities, LTE support to more countries, and more iTunes Match features.

But it seems as if the update is doing more harm than good.

The Verge reports that a new bug, "lets anyone bypass your iPhone password lock and access your phone app, view or modify contacts, check your voicemail, and look through your photos (by attempting to add a photo to a contact)."

The instructions are pretty simple. First you have to pretend to turn the phone off, then make an aborted emergency call, then a quick bit of off button and cancel pressing. That boots you into the full phone app where you can pretty much call or message anyone you like, or edit phone contacts.

Besides allowing anyone access to your phone, Apple's latest software update also drains your battery much faster than usual, and Microsoft recommended users not upgrade because of an Exchange bug, which causes iPhones to continuously loop when syncing a recurring calendar meeting invitation to Microsoft Exchange.

Apple has not issued a statement on this latest bug but here is a video of it in action:

Russian hacker exploit Mac apps on OS X, Everything is Free

Last week Russian developer Alexey Borodin hacked Apple's In-App Purchase program for all devices running iOS 3.0 or later, allowing iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users to circumvent the payment process and essentially steal in-app content. Apple today announced a temporary fix and that it would patch the holes with the release of iOS 6. While Cupertino was distracted, Borodin came in and pulled off the same scheme on the Mac.

That's right. Borodin's new hack allows Mac users to circumvent the payment process and essentially steal in-app content, just like his previous one did for iOS. The new "In-Appstore for OS X" service uses a similar method to fake transactions made to Apple's servers, according to "Getting started to receive your in-app for free on OS X."

To use this "trick" yourself, you need to perform the following steps (for the record, I do not recommend doing this, especially given that you have to hand over your login credentials):

• Install CA certificate and in-appstore.com certificate
• Change DNS record in Wi-Fi settings
• Running Grim Receiper application (to save your original AppStore receipts)

Until Apple stepped in, iOS developers had no way of protecting their apps, and this looks to be the same situation for Mac app developers. Using store receipts doesn't work as Borodin's service simply needed a single donated receipt, which it could then use to authenticate anyone's purchase requests. His circumvention technique relies on installing certificates (for a fake in-app purchase server and a custom DNS server), changing DNS settings to allow the authentication of "purchases," and finally emulating the receipt verification server.

The only difference this time around (apart from the different store), is that Borodin has developed an app called "Grim Receiper." It must be run on the local machine, and as far as I can tell its main purpose is to collect receipts for reuse. "That's the tool to keep your original receipts in safe place (locally, of course) during you are using in-appstore.com," says Borodin.

Affected iOS apps treated Borodin's server as an official communication because of how Apple authenticates a purchase. The same thing goes for Mac apps. The problem is that Apple does not tie a given purchase directly to a customer or device, meaning a single purchased receipt can be used again and again.

It's not yet clear if Cupertino is transmitting its customers' Apple IDs and passwords in clear text just like it was for iOS (Apple assumed it would only ever be communicating with its own server). If so, whoever operates in-appstore.com could easily be gathering everyone's iTunes login credentials (as well as unique device-identifying data) in the same type of man-in-the-middle attack that was used for iOS.

When Apple first tried (and failed) to stop Borodin, the company managed to disable his PayPal account. Borodin started taking donations via BitCoin, and for this Mac app hack he's doing the same: "Help the project by bitcoin 15GCBL7gHbf2p8bapozSrZhNaXdrKUWRFF. Thanks."

Apple’s in-app purchasing process circumvented by Russian hacker

Russian developer ZonD80 has figured out how to circumvent Apple's iOS In-App Purchase program, allowing iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users to grab digital game items, upgrade to full versions of apps, and purchase additional content for free. As first spotted by Russian blog i-ekb, the video above shows an "in-app proxy" (no jailbreak required!) that lets you make in-app purchases without actually making a purchase.

The hack reportedly works on all Apple devices running anything from iOS 3.0 to iOS 6.0 (the In-App Purchase program requires iOS 3.0 or later). That being said, certain in-app purchases do not work in specific regions around the world (possibly because the developers properly protected their apps). To use this "trick" yourself, you need to perform the following steps (for the record, I do not recommend doing this, especially given that you have to hand over your login credentials, and I do not condone it either, as it is stealing):

• Install two certificates: CA and in-appstore.com.
• Connect via Wi-Fi network and change the DNS to 62.76.189.117 (update: he's change it to 91.224.160.136).
• Press the Like button, enter your Apple ID and password.

Essentially, this circumvention technique relies on installing certificates for a fake in-app purchase server as well as a custom DNS server. The latter's IP address is then mapped to the former, which in turn allows all "purchases" to go through. What's really worrying, however, is that ZonD80 could easily be gathering everyone's iTunes login credentials (as well as unique device-identifying data) in a classic man-in-the-middle attack. In other words, this is not a good hack to try.

ZonD80 runs a website called In-AppStore.com where everything is hosted for the hack to work, and he is accepting donations to support the development of the project as well as keep the servers up and running, according to 9to5Mac. The webpage does not load for me, but it does for my colleagues. Given the nature of this news, the server may be under additional stress. Either way, if you can't access the site, you can't try this hack because it requires files from the server.

How to fix battery issues after upgrading to iOS 5.1.1

After Apple's iOS 5.1.1 update was released last two week, several users began reporting that their iOS devices had taken a significant battery life hit.

While the issues are not common to most users, it appears as though some iPhone and iPad owners found that the battery life they had come to expect was not apparent after updating to iOS 5.1.1 using Apple's over-the-air updating.

If you find your device is not getting the battery life it once was, a few troubleshooting tips provided by Apple Support Communities user sbaily4 could be of help.

First, be sure you have a good backup of your iPhone or iPad. Plug your device into your Mac or PC, open iTunes, and sync it.

Open Settings and tap to navigate to General > Reset. Tap "Reset All Settings" at the top of the screen. This option does not delete your content (music, videos, photos, or apps) so you won't lose anything important.

Your iPhone or iPad will then prompt you for basic setup information including reconnecting to your Wi-Fi network, as if you had just purchased the device. Now, use your device so that the battery drains completely to zero percent.

Now, plug your device into a power source (preferably a wall outlet) and let it charge, undisturbed, to a full 100 percent. If your battery percentage is not showing up, open Settings and navigate to General >Usage. Under battery usage, flip the switch to On.

This process should resolve any battery issues resulting from the iOS 5.1.1 update, especially if it was performed over the air. If you find that your battery life is still not up to par, plug your device into your Mac or PC, open iTunes, and perform a restore -- first from a backup and then, if that does not resolve the issue, as a new device.

Have you experienced any issues, battery life or otherwise, after upgrading to iOS 5.1.1? Let me know in the comments!

Apple iPhone 4S, A Comprehensive Review

Review Apple’s design language is easily recognisable: clear glass or plastic that’s spray-painted from the inside, a frequent use of aluminium, stainless steel and any colour so long as it’s white or black. But the new iPhone takes this familiarity further, by making the iPhone 4S almost identical to last year’s iPhone 4.

Apple's iPhone 4S: external tweaks are subtle, the main changes are internal

Of course, it’s not the first time this has happened – the 3G was followed by the matching 3GS. But for the millions who had been eagerly anticipating an iPhone 5 since, ooh, June this year, it came as a big disappointment. So, was that disappointment justified or should you upgrade without hesitation? Read on.

The cosmetic differences are few so you won’t need to hear much about the iPhone 4S’s design. It’s the same slim, solid and classy machine with components precision-tooled to the micron, not the millimetre, and the same buttons as every iPhone: a home button, volume, ringer and power buttons.

Some older cases might not fit due to a slight shift of the buttons

One change is the position of the black lines on the steel band that edges the phone. Those black lines are functional, and are indicative of a whole new antenna. This aims to address the dropped calls and spotty signal of last year’s model. Not everyone suffered from a poor signal but if you did, then you’ll be pleased to hear the new set-up works splendidly, giving the iPhone something which performs like one of the strongest antennas around.

So it reliably makes and receives calls – hurrah! Signal strength and battery life, the bare minimum for a phone, are both strong with clear voice quality. Daily charges are still recommended but it won’t need a lie-down by lunchtime, unlike some smarties. So what else is new?

The camera has been overhauled optically and captures stills at 8Mp

The only other cosmetic alteration is situation of the volume buttons and ringer switch. They’ve also moved just enough to mean that some cases, including early editions of Apple’s own bumper, won’t fit. The buttons match the positions on the Verizon iPhone 4 sold in the US and newer bumpers are designed for both versions. But if you’re planning to recycle last year’s case, depending on when you bought it, it may not fit.

Internal affairs

Other changes, and there are several, are all internal. First of all, there’s a new processor. Well, not quite new, it’s the A5 chip found in the iPad 2. Just as it made the second iPad much faster than the first, the peppy A5 ensures the iPhone fast and responsive. Though the iPhone 4 rarely kept you waiting for long, here applications launch in a trice and content is downloaded fast – though this may be partly due to the improved antenna, too.

The A5 CPU has yet to show its strengths with third party apps

The CPU is swift, but its potential has yet to be fully realised yet – Apple promises performance that’s twice as fast but graphics that are seven times better. We need to wait for the improved games apps – that developers are coming up with now – to really notice the difference. Since the iPhone continues to have the one of highest pixel density ratings of any mobile, these visual treats should be worth waiting for.

The camera has also had an upgrade. It’s now 8Mp, which is good but not exceptional. The differentiators come in other forms: where the iPhone 4 had an array of four lenses, the 4S has five, promising sharper detail. The aperture is wider (f2.4) and the sensor has its wiring hidden around the back instead of on the front, where it is on most sensors. Both these aim to suck more light in through the lens, improving picture quality.

Sample Shots

Wide mode – low resolution 

And the processor is no slouch here, either, speeding up autofocus and rapidly readying the snapper for the first shot with subsequent photos captured even more quickly. Features like face recognition, auto exposure and auto focus controlled by one setting are now available. Not all of these are firsts, but they work well.

The new operating system, iOS 5, helps you get snapping more quickly by including a shortcut to the camera from the lock screen. You’ll find a more detailed exploration of the new software, which is also available on the iPhones 4 and 3GS, here.

Vocal performance

Much has been made of Siri, the new key feature launched with the iPhone 4S. It’s not the first voice-recognition application but just as FaceTime was far from the first video calling application, Apple aims to provide the best voice interface. Siri was available in the US App Store already, but those servers no longer respond if you launch that app now. Apple liked the company so much, it bought it, as Victor Kiam used to say.

Siri originally appeared on the App Store until Apple acquired it

So does it work, and do you need it? Well, it mostly works pretty well. Its microphone does best in quiet environments and worst when it’s noisy or you’re trying to show it off to someone. Then it fails to understand what you’ve said.

In the UK, it’s limited for now because mapping and business data doesn’t extend beyond the States, though this will follow. So you can’t ask directions or distances between places as you can in America. Switching to US English and adopting your best accent works splendidly… but only if you’re in the US at the time.

Voice commands can be executed for any number of tasks

It can still do a lot. Say “Text my wife” and it will. First time, of course, you have to tell it which of your contacts is your wife – come on, it’s not psychic – but then it’ll remember. Then dictate your message and it’ll send it. Ask it to remind you to pick up the milk when you leave the office and it’ll use the phone’s location information from GPS and Wi-Fi to ping you a reminder as you walk out the door.

Siri is integrated throughout the phone’s features, and third parties can build functionality into their apps, so its potential may grow quickly. Sometimes it’s quicker to type a message, but for hands-free use when driving, say, it’s decidedly useful. Especially since you can talk to it very freely. Ask if it’s chilly tomorrow and it knows to seek out weather information and comment on whether tomorrow’s temperature qualifies as warm or cold.

The iPhone 5 could be some way off, so it's make your mind up time

Or ask it for share values and you can follow up asking it to compare two stocks. It’s highly sophisticated and though at times it seems to be a glorious, cool gimmick, this will change. One thing that hasn't changed though, is that the iPhone still doesn't offer an FM radio – something that appears on just about all competing smartphones.

Verdict

So should you buy an iPhone 4S? For 3GS users, the answer is an emphatic yes. It’s less clear-cut for iPhone 4 owners, especially if you have a contract to buy your way out of. But if you suffered from poor call quality before, the 4S will restore your faith in the iPhone. Even if you didn’t, the upgraded performance and coolness of Siri and the improved camera are pretty compelling.

If you’re wary of buying the 4S in the belief that a radically different iPhone is on the horizon, the fact is, beyond Infinite Loop, nobody knows – and really, don’t believe anyone who claims otherwise.

Apple's new talker looks the same on the outside, but its dual-core CPU delivers significant changes in capabilities.

Suggested Price: £499 (16GB), £599 (32GB), £699 (64GB)

More Info: Apple's iPhone 4S page

Google + App Ready for iPhone Users

Google+ is expanding its mobile reach with today’s debut of an iPhone app dedicated to the new social networking site.

Up until now, clever iPhone users could have added a link to their home screens, but that still would have gone straight to the browser window. (Anyone who did this was also likely already a diehard Google+ addict.)

But that isn’t the case anymore. Google has released, as expected, a free app that is available immediately for iOS 3.1 and higher. The technical requirements are that this app only works for the following devices: iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 4.

The mobile interface isn’t much different from the ultra-simple and clean desktop version. The app features focus on Circles for sharing particular items with the “right people,” the Huddle for group messaging, and the Stream, which is basically a news feed from all of a user’s Circles.

Naturally, there has already been a dedicated Android app for some time now, downloadable for free from the Android Market.

The Goog’s foray into social networking debuted a few weeks ago, and it is still in invite-only mode. Nevertheless, the Mountain View, Calif.-based company asserted that Google+ already retains 10 million active users.

UPDATE: There are already issues with the Google+ for the iPhone app. Apparently iTunes picked up a test version of the app first, which was available to consumers to download for at least one hour and 40 minutes.

The correct version is listed as 1.0.1.1809. So if you don’t have that one installed, you’ll have to uninstall the first copy and then download this new copy.

iPad: Coder cracks iPad 2 jailbreak block

iDevice owners, including folk with an iPad 2, can now jailbreak their phones'n'fondleslabs with a simple visit to a website.

The site, www.jailbreakme.com, is once again up and running - coder comex last had it live a year ago - to open up iPads, GSM iPhone 3GS and 4s, and 3G and 4G iPod Touches, all running iOS 4.3, 4.3.3 or anything in between.

CDMA iPhone 4s running iOS 4.2.8 can be jailbroken too.

This is the first jailbreak for the iPad 2, which has proved tricky to crack using techniques developed in the past.

The new jailbreak installs Cydia, the independent app store from which you can download software that hasn't been sanctioned by Apple.

iOS hackers the iPhone Dev Team recommend using Cydia to install a utility called PDF Patcher 2. It blocks a hole that's usually covered at a remove by Apple's software but exposed by the comex hack.

Report: Analysts Sees Apple Releasing two iPhones for Late September

For much of the spring, the reporters who cover Apple (AAPL) have been arguing among themselves about what to call the new iPhone they expect the company to introduce in September.

Some call it the iPhone 5, to match the iOS 5 operating system Apple unveiled to developers three weeks ago.

Some, anticipating that the new device will be a speeded-up iPhone 4 rather than a major re-design, have been calling it the iPhone 4S, echoing the nomenclature Apple used two years ago when it introduced the iPhone 3GS.

In a note issued early Monday, Deutsche Bank's Chris Whitmore is telling clients to expect both -- an iPhone 5 and an iPhone 4S.

"With Nokia and RIMM struggling," he writes, "the time is right for Apple to aggressively penetrate the mid range smart-phone market (i.e. $300-500 category) to dramatically expand its [total addressable market] and market share."

As Whitmore sees it, an iPhone 4S that is unlocked, priced around $349, and comes with a pre-paid voice plan would "drive significantly greater penetration" into an addressable market that has grown to include 1.5 billion potential customers in 98 countries, two thirds of whom prefer pre-paid plans.

In the U.S., most cellphones are subsidized by carriers with contracts that allow them to recoup the cost of the phone in monthly payments. But as the above chart shows, there are large swaths of the world -- especially in Africa, Asia and Latin America, where iPhone penetration is low -- where customers prefer to pay the full cost of the phone upfront.

Note that analysts for some time have been calling for Apple to release a lower cost, pre-paid iPhone, and that Whitmore does not cite any sources or claim any inside knowledge for his two-iPhone theory.

[The Loop's Jim Dalrymple, however, recalls that COO Tim Cook told Bernstein's Toni Sacconaghi earlier this year that Apple "understood price is big factor in the prepaid market," and though the pre-paid market may seem out of Apple's realm, Cook said that the company was "not ceding any market."]

In a separate note issued Sunday, Morgan Stanley's Katy Huberty, back from a week of meetings in Taiwan, reports that she expects iPhone and iPad production to "begin ramping up aggressively" from August through the end of the year.

If production for what Huberty sees as one new iPhone doesn't start until in mid to late August, the launch might not come until late September. In her unit sales spreadsheet, copied below, she's shifted 2 million iPhones from calendar Q3 to calendar Q4 (Apple's fiscal Q4 and Q1 2012). If the launch comes in early September, she says, she'll shift them back.

Skype for iPad Coming Soon

After plenty of success with the iPhone version of the Skype app, the company is finally releasing an official version for the iPad. Skype hasn't announced a date for release yet, but video of the app has leaked out online, and the app is expected to be approved soon. Skype VP of Consumer and Product Design Rick Osterloh said that the iPhone version of Skype burst out of the gate quickly, with a big launch and "a userbase that doubled in just a month's time." And he said the iPad version should "have a similar success," especially since it's basically the same in functionality: chatting, audio and video calling, and all of the other standard actions you can expect from Skype. The current app has been in testing for a few months now, and Osterloh is excited to unleash it on the public.

A few features in the full PC/Mac app didn't make it in, Osterloh says, perhaps most notably the ability to do file sharing. But that's obviously just because of the way the iPad deals with files. While the company was fine with simply having an iPhone app that was iPad compatible during the first release of the iPad, the camera in the iPad 2 was what made this app "super compelling."

When asked if Skype had ever butted heads with Apple over duplicating functionality on the iPhone in terms of FaceTime or simple audio calling, and he said no -- "they've been super supportive," and that Skype was invited onstage with Apple during the reveal of iOS 4.0. When also asked about a possible Twitter-style deal, where Skype might be included in the OS itself, and Osteroh said there weren't any plans for that yet, but "in general, we're always interested in deeper integration."

Skype for iPad shouldn't be too surprising a release -- ever since the iPad got a camera on it, it was likely that we'd see some version built especially for the bigger tablet. But according to Osteroh, it's a solid release for the company, and yet another step out onto mobile devices for one of the premiere communication networks online. We'll let you know as soon as we see the app live in the App Store -- it shouldn't be too long.

Facebook’s Secret iPhone Photo Sharing App

TechCrunch said Facebook's secret iPhone app "looks awesome" and "amazing," whereas most Android users would just be thankful for a Facebook app that actually works. Like some kind of amalgamation of Path, Instagram and Color, it does sound pretty hot.

Supposedly it's a standalone app at present, but Facebook might include it in the main iPhone app at a later date, and even roll the technology out into the browser-based Facebook too. As someone who regularly bangs her head against a brick wall every time she uploads a photo to Facebook, that'd do nicely, thanks.

TechCrunch is still sorting through the 50MB of data and photos that were leaked to them, so this one image is all we've got at the moment. But hopefully we'll be able to ascertain some more details about this groovy-sounding app once they upload some more, and figure out if Facebook's pulling out all the stops now that all these photo-sharing apps are trampling on its floor-space...or if it's a reaction to Apple baking Twitter so deeply into iOS 5. [TechCrunch]

Apple Sells Unlocked GSM iPhones for $650

Want an iPhone, but don’t want a contract? Apple will now sell you a black or white one in 16GB or 32GB flavors, for a subsidy-free $650 or $750.

The phone is unlocked, meaning that you can put in any micro SIM (or cut-down regular SIM), from anywhere in the world. You’ll even be able to use a T-Mobile SIM, but the 3G still won’t work with its wonky GSM network.

Why now? Speculation says that Apple is trying to shift as many iPhone 4s as it can before a new model is introduced, probably in September. It also opens up the iPhone to users of pre-pay cellphone plans, like me. Not all pre-pay users are drug dealers or paupers. Some of us just don’t use a phone enough to justify a full monthly plan, but would sure like to have a great internet-connected phone in our pockets.

On the other hand, if you’re going to be using the unlocked iPhone on AT&T (which you will be if you live in the U.S and want 3G coverage) then you’ll pay the exact same monthly fee whether you use an unlocked phone or not. That means you pay an extra $450 for pretty much nothing.

I guess if you do a lot of traveling you could pop in a foreign SIM card, but otherwise, why bother?

Use Apps to Stay Connected

In today's technological world, social interaction has transcended the boundaries of phone calls and desktop computing. Applications for smartphones allow anyone to share location data instantly, spread news or personal information among a multitude of contacts, and find destinations in the nearby area and explore with friends. The ability to manage social media while mobile has presented us with an amalgam of ways to stay connected. Access our picks by simply searching for them on your device's app catalog.

Sharing locations and exploring

Foursquare

The Foursquare app for all major smartphones collects location data from your phone and uses it to let you “check in” at local venues or establishments nearby. You can read tips left by previous visitors to the location, and leave your own if you’ve got something to say.

Broadcastr

Broadcastr for Android takes a unique approach to GPS exploration, letting you to listen to voice clips that users have left at your location. You can record or listen to clips up to three minutes in length, and you can also “follow” users whose clips you have heard if you want to listen to more clips by them.

Google Latitude

Google Latitude provides users with a map that displays the location of all of their contacts using the app. Once Google Latitude is opened on a mobile phone, a user can see which friends are nearby, making it easy to meet up. But be aware that signing on to use this service means your friends can also see your location any time you have your GPS function active, so make sure they're friends in the classical sense, not just the facebook sense.

Sharing news and information

Tweetdeck

Tweetdeck, a long-running Twitter client, has just debuted version 2.0 of its mobile release. Both Twitter and Facebook users can keep up-to-date with the people they follow in the form of a news feed. Twitter and Facebook feeds are merged into one, putting the news and status updates of any user’s friends all in the same place.

Listenr

Users of the social networking site Tumblr are now able to stream audio posts to their mobile phone using the Listenr app. Listenr lets Tumblr users log in and view audio posts from the contacts they follow, or add specific blogs manually to view all audio posts from one account at a time.

Spout

Separate from list-based feed streams, Spout offers a more visually pleasing way to access your followed sources. Facebook, Twitter, and Google Reader feeds are displayed in large, stylized text on your phone’s screen.

Finding local events

Patch

The mobile Patch app lets you access the same data from www.patch.com, but on your smartphone. It lists weather, events, and news from your area, all in the same place.

YP Mobile

Yellowpages.com recently acquired an event service named Zvents, making their mobile app a useful tool for finding local entertainment with your friends, along with other features like weather and a hotel finder.

Pulsd

The Android rendition of the local event site finds free and exclusive events in the largest cities in the United States, and offers all of the same accessibility as the full website version.

Social photography

Instagram

Instagram, a rapidly growing social app, allows friends to exchange pictures with a baked in sense of nostalgia by allowing the user to edit them with a variety of photo effects. It uses the iPhone’s camera to snap a picture and then instantly sends it to all of the user’s followers on the social networking sites they select.

PicPlz

PicPlz is Android’s answer to Instagram, and sports very similar features, including the ability to apply effect filters to your photos before you share them with friends.

TwitPic/YFrog

TwitPic and YFrog are both services that allow uploading and attaching pictures to tweets, so that followers are able to see a snapshot through a link within the tweet. However, TwitPic has recently been involved in a privacy issue concerning content agreements; TwitPic users currently must grant permission to TwitPic to use their photos however they would like in order to use the service.

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Apple Accused Of Swiping Student's Wi-Fi Sync App For iOS 5

Apple unveiled its new mobile operating system, iOS 5, this Monday at the Worldwide Developer's Conference  to much fanfare. But some are now saying that one of the OS's key new features, Wi-Fi Sync, which allows users to synchronize the contents of their music libraries without having to plug their devices into computers, was largely based on an app submitted to Apple months before.

Greg Hughes, a college student in the U.K., submitted an app called Wi-Fi Sync to the Apple Store in May 2010. The app let users access their iTunes libraries wirelessly, without docking a portable device to a computer, reports The Register. Sound familiar?

Hughes was rejected from the store, but not with a standard form email. Instead, an Apple rep personally called him to let him know that the app did not meet certain security standards and would not be allowed in. He also asked that Hughes send along a resume.

Undeterred, Hughes began to sell the app in the Cydia store, which peddles apps for jailbroken iPhones, at the price of $9.99 a pop. Since then, it's sold over 50,000 copies.

Apple's own Wi-Fi Sync feature, a part of the upcoming iOS 5 mobile system, not only performs the same function as Hughes' rejected app, but even has a strikingly similar logo (see here).

“Obviously I was fairly shocked,” Hughes told The Register. "I'd been selling my app with that name and icon for at least a year. Apple knew that, as I'd submitted it to them, so it was surprising to see that.”

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10 Useful Andriod Hacks and Tips

The web’s massed fanboy armies will debate the relative merits of iOS and Android until the apocalypse, but there’s no denying Google’s OS wins out when it comes to customisation – and, if you’ve taken the plunge and rooted your device, then a whole load more options will become available.

It sounds like a complex procedure but, for virtually all Android handsets, it’s surprisingly easy, but instructions for major handsets – such as the HTC Desire, Samsung Galaxy S and Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 are easy enough to find, although you’ll be taking your phone and, perhaps, your warranty, into your own hands if you proceed.

Still, that’s not to say that you need a rooted handset to take advantages of some of these tweaks – here are ten of our favourite Android hacks and tricks, rooted or not:

1) Replace your car’s satnav system

This will only work if you’ve got a phone that can connect over a TV-out cable – that’ll restrict you to a mere handful of handsets, including the Samsung Galaxy S, HTC EVO 4G and Droid Incredible, which is used in this video – and a car that’ll display the signal on its screen.

If you tick those boxes, though, you could be in for a money-saving treat. Why invest in a satnav, after all, when you could use Google’s own software? It’s got undoubted pedigree.

Satnav’s only the tip of the iceberg. Connect your phone to access your music collection, read your Twitter feed, check the latest headlines or perform any other function on your dashboard. While Android in cars has been mooted before, no concrete models have appeared, so this is the next best thing.

2) Run Android on your old iPhone

If you’ve still got an iPhone 2G or 3G gathering dust, it can be hard to know what to do with it – after all, you’ve likely replaced that older model with a snazzy new iPhone 4. If you’d like to experience the unrestricted pastures of Android, though – and perhaps try out apps that Steve Jobs has deemed unacceptable, such as the Wikileaks cables – then follow these steps, which begin with jailbreaking your phone.

You’re not restricted to installing Android on an old iPhone, either. Intrepid developers have busily ensured that a whole range of devices can be hacked to run Google’s OS: from the Windows Mobile-running HTC HD2 to an old netbook.

3) Overclock your handset

You’ll need to have rooted before trying this trick, but it’s worth it if your phone struggles when multi-tasking or running intensive applications.

Of course, as with a desktop PC, overclocking a phone comes with risks. The processor inside your handset’s been designed to run at a specific speed and, without any active cooling inside its chassis, running the chip at a faster pace will generate additional heat and use more power.

The versatility of these apps does mean that it’s possible to combat these symptoms by underclocking your phone’s processor, saving battery power and potentially prolonging the chip’s life in the process.

4) Play classic games

One potentially dubious benefit of Android’s open approach is that its market is full of software emulators for classic games consoles: a quick scan on AppBrain reveals software like SNesoid, GameBoid and Ataroid – apps that wear their retro allegiances firmly on their sleeves.

While these tools occupy some particularly murky legal ground, that hasn’t stopped several developers creating apps to download ROMs – the software needed to play classic games. Some have been even more imaginative, with one intrepid Dell Streak owner attaching a NES controller to his device for more realistic retro gaming action.

Install Ubuntu

Why settle for just only open-source OS on your device? We suspect that this particular trick won’t work if you own older and less powerful Android devices such as the HTC Hero, but owners of newer, faster handsets might want to take a gander at this guide.

It’s an impressive trick – just imagine pulling out your Nexus One at a (very, very geeky) party and booting into Ubuntu. As neat as it is, we’re struggling to think of practical uses for this trickery. After all, Ubuntu isn’t designed for touch interfaces and small smartphone screens could be problematic, too.

6) Change your look

Android is the most versatile mobile OS around. Don’t believe us? Take a look at the sheer number of apps, themes and graphics that are available for customising your phone. Numerous apps are designed to replace Android’s stock front-end or manufacturer-provided software, with tools such as LauncherPro, Home++ and HelixLauncher just three of many in the Market.

That’s just the start. Basic modifications like wallpaper changes can be livened up with animated backgrounds, and new icons can be downloaded if you don’t like the standard ones included with your home screen replacement. Tools such as Beautiful Widgets have their own communities churning out hundreds of stylish skins for its software.

It’s also worth taking a gander at some of the home screens posted on Reddit’s Android forum: with examples such as this, this and this regularly making the rounds, it’s no surprise that Google’s OS is doing so well for itself.

7) Install root-only apps

Rooting your phone opens it up to a whole new world of options, not least the chance to install apps that aren’t available in the regular Market. Plenty of these allow extra control over the behind-the-scenes operations of your phone: some provide quick booting options, others allow your system to access extra memory, and more permit developers to access and edit the SQL databases used by most standard apps.

Plenty of root apps prove themselves useful in other ways. Screenshot tools will prove invaluable if you’re used to the faff of getting screenshots from a stock Android phone, which involves installing the Android SDK and jumping through several dozen hoops. Backup tools, Wi-Fi tethering and battery-management and conservation utilities are all commonplace, too. Root apps tend to be on the geeky end of the spectrum, but they’re very useful.

8) Control your media centre

Having a smartphone means that your media collection needn’t be limited to your PC. Install an app like Gmote alongside its PC server software and you’ll see what we mean: by using Wi-Fi streaming it’ll grant access to your entire media collection.

Its slick interface makes navigating your media collection a doddle and a couple of options mean that you can choose to play files on your PC or on your phone. It’s also possible to switch to a touchpad-style interface that allows you to take control of your PC from your touchscreen.

9) Open your garage door

Yes, seriously. It’s the work of one imaginative Android owner, and it’s brilliant.

10) Get the latest Android versions, fast

Every Android user is familiar with the seemingly endless waiting that punctuates every OS update: while Google might announce that the latest version is available, handset owners still have to twiddle their thumbs while their manufacturer and phone network tweak the software and add plenty of crapware before releasing it to paying customers.

If you’ve rooted your phone, though, then you don’t have to go through any of that hassle; instead, merely wait for an eager developer to release a ROM of the latest Android build and you’re good to go. It certainly beats waiting months for HTC to release the 2.1 update for the Hero.

And if you have any tips or hacks to share with us please do with the comment box below.

Hacks To Upgrade Your iPhone To iOS 5, Without Any Developer Account

Mert Erdir has discovered how to upgrade to iOS 5 without developer accounts, using a simple backdoor. Everyone can do it following these extremely simple instructions:

The method exploits a security flaw in the activation screen, apparently related to the Voice Over system. Here's how to do it.
Warning: While this operation should be simple, we are not responsible for what you do to your iPhone. Once completed, you will not be able to connect to a carrier. Proceed at your own risk.

Download and install iOS 5

1. Download the iOS 5 IPSW file from the web (it's easy and readily available. Just Google it and torrent it down).
2. Update your iPhone using iTunes. To do this, connect your iPhone to your computer, click on the Check for Update button with the Option (Mac) or Shift (PC) key pressed. Select the iOS 5 IPSW file from the place you downloaded it to.
3. Wait until it upgrades. A new activation screen will appear.

Activate iOS 5

1. Triple click the home button. This will activate the Voice Over.
2. Triple click the home button and Emergency Call will appear.
3. Click on Emergency Call and, while it's switching, swipe with your three fingers down.
4. The Notification Center will appear!
5. Click on the Weather widget. The Weather app will load.
6. Click on the home button to exit to the iPhone's springboard.

That's it. Your iPhone is activated and fully operative. Enjoy and thank Mert Erdir for this clever link. He has this words to say:

My will is not to do something harmful to anyone, I just wanted to get the attention of Apple, the company I'm in love with; and maybe one day have a chance to talk to/meet Steve Jobs himself. You can reach me on Twitter for further questions.

I found this because I don't have much cash to get an IOS Developer account, so donations for a young developer will be appreciated. They can be made on my blog (not in english). You'll see the PayPal donate button on the right. Thanks!

So send the kid some dollars so he can become a pro developer. With his patience and creativity finding this iOS 5 backdoor, I'm sure he will do a great job.

Source: Gizmodo

Mobile Content Bits: Google Goggles; Layar; Mobile Twitter; Admob

—Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Goggles: Google has released a new version of its “visual-search” app that expands the kinds of content that the app can scan and search. The 1.3 app for Android can now scan barcodes on products and return reviews, comparative prices and in-store availability of an item (presumably the last of these, though, is only for participating merchants). Meanwhile, the new version for both iPhone and Android is now able to deliver search results based on any advertisement appearing in a “major” U.S. magazine or newspaper from August 2010 onwards. And for fun, the new app can now also play Sudoku, from a picture of the puzzle. (Blog post)

—Layar: More activity in the augmented reality space… Layar has released an updated version of its iPhone app. The 4.0 edition features support for the iPhone 4’s gyroscope, which helps objects move in “closer sync with your motions,” says the company. “This creates a much smoother experience and takes Augmented Reality another step towards the blending of the digital and real world.” The new app also includes enhanced functionality for the Camera View, as well as the ability to multi-task between Layar and other apps. (Blog post)

—Mobile Twitter: A stat that underscores how significant mobile is for Twitter’s business model: over 40 percent of all tweets are made from mobile devices, according to Twitter’s CEO Dick Costolo, speaking at the CES show last week. That’s an increase of 25 percent from a year ago. He added that the growth in traffic was down to new “official” Twitter apps that have been released for BlackBerry, iOS and Android smartphone platforms. (via MarketingWeek)

—Admob: Google’s mobile advertising network has reached a milestone: 2 billion requests per day. Admob says that represents a quadrupling of traffic over the last year. It also noted that 100 million unique Android and iOS devices requested an ad each month, a figure that nearly doubled over the last six months. (Blog post)

Skype updated to 3.0 for iPhone and adds video calling

In a move that's sure to make users stand up and say "Hallelujah," the latest update to the Skype app for iPhone finally adds video calling.

The newest version of the app will allow users to make video Skype to Skype calls from their iPhone via Wi-Fi and 3G, and also call Skype desktop users on both OS X and Windows (and we presume their sorely neglected Linux users), as well as those using Skype on their iPhones and iPads.

Naturally, if you're on an iPad, you won't get to send video back -- and you have to deal with the iPhone interface since there isn't a native Skype app for the iPad. But, iPad 2 could change that. If the new hardware is released with a camera, Skype will be ready for it, and hopefully with an iPad-optimized app as well.

So, have fun with video chatting via Skype and let us know what you think of it in the comments!

Source: Itunes