Hasta La Gadget!

This article was written on June 18, 2009 by CyberNet.

When Apple announced that the iPhone would be capable of tethering a computer to the Internet a lot of customers in the U.S. shrugged their shoulders because AT&T wasn’t on the list of carriers who were ready to roll the service out. So even though the iPhone 3.0 software (released yesterday) supports tethering all AT&T customers won’t be able to take advantage of it, well, not in a legit way that is.

AT&T has pretty much just shot themselves in the foot because now this has started to make people look for a way to utilize the functionality without needing to Jailbreak their device. And they have done it. 9to5Mac has already posted instructions for an extremely simple 3-step process that will fully enable tethering on the iPhone 3G (and presumably the iPhone 3GS?). Plus you can choose whether you want to tether via Bluetooth or through the USB cable where your iPhone will be charged at the same time.

Sounds great, huh? There are a few things you should know before trying this out:

1. You’ll need a Mac in order to get your iPhone ready for tethering. BUT once your iPhone has been setup this will also work on any Windows machine as long as you have iTunes installed. I tested it out on a Windows XP computer, and there were absolutely no problems accessing the Internet. If you do some searching you might find instructions on how to prep your iPhone using a Windows machine.
2. You’ll likely have problems accessing your visual voicemail after applying the changes, and I eventually found that downloading the ICC file from here and using that instead fixed both. So I recommend using that file instead of the one from 9to5Mac. Reading through the comments on 9to5Mac will also tell you how to revert the changes if you want to go back to how it was.
3. There’s no confirmation whether AT&T can recognize that you’re tethering, which means there is a possibility you’ll be charged extra.

I gave this a whirl despite the risk of seeing extra fees on my phone bill next month, and the results were rather spectacular. When stationary at my house I could get download speeds of about 2.3Mbps, and while rapidly moving on a train I consistently got between 0.9Mbps and 1.2Mbps.

There’s a very good chance that once AT&T finally lets people tether their devices that there will also be a hefty fee associated with it. I only tether a few times each month, and there’s no way that I’d ever pay for tethering if it was more than $10 a month since it’s not something I see as vital. So hopefully this “hack” will remain in working order, and any charges will stay clear of my bill. If that’s the case this trick is perfect for me.

If you don’t mind the risk of getting charged for tethering, and you have access to a Mac, check out the instructions.

P.S. I took the screenshot above to show you what the iPhone displays when you’re tethered.

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Go figure, right? You get a relatively hot phone out onto more carriers, and just like that, sales increase. It ain’t rocket science, buster. As AT&T grins happily while enjoying a death grip on Apple’s cash cow here in the States, things are a lot more wide open for consumers across the pond. In both France and the UK, the iPhone has been given the all-clear to be sold on multiple carriers, and according to research from Bernstein, the “widening of the distribution has boosted Apple’s value market share to 32 percent in the latest quarter from 21 percent just three months earlier.” The notes also mention that Apple’s increase is coming at the expense of RIM, with over 600,000 iPhone handsets being sold during Q3 2009 in France alone. The point to all this madness? Oh, not much — just to tell Sir Jobs that he can count on quite a bit more dough should he decide to sell this elusive “iPhone” device on Verizon in the US of A.

The end of exclusivity leading to big iPhone sales in Europe originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jailbreaking an iPhone certainly brings many benefits, but it’s also fraught with some peril, as amply demonstrated by a Dutch hacker who decided to go snooping around for vulnerable jailbroken iPhones in the Netherlands. While he apparently didn’t actually swipe personal information or cause any damage, he was able to find some jailbroken iPhones with SSH running, which allowed him to display a message saying “Your iPhone’s been hacked because it’s really insecure! Please visit doiop.com/iHacked and secure your iPhone right now!” A noble gesture of a white hat hacker? Not exactly, ’cause that site demands €5 for the “fix” to let folks go back to using their phone securely — or it did until the hacker apparently had a change of heart and posted the instructions for free, along with an apology for his misguided moneymaking scheme.

[Via TUAW]

Filed under: Cellphones

Dutch hacker seeks out jailbroken iPhones for fame and fortune originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re just about a week away from the Orange iPhone launch, and if you folks across the pond were wondering what the deal was going to cost you, you now have your answer thanks to a dizzying but thoroughly helpful series of tables that lay out the costs of the phones, plans, and the various accoutrement to be included. Those willing to sign up for 24 months can get an 8GB iPhone 3G for free for a minimum of £29.36 ($48) per month, but step up to the £122.34 ($200) monthly plan with unlimited everything and you’ll get a 32GB 3GS gratis. Meanwhile, on a pay as you go plan that same 8GB 3G will cost you £343 ($561), while the 32GB 3GS is a rather more painful £539 ($881 — haven’t you figured out the conversion rate yet?). You know what that means: contract ahoy.

Filed under: Cellphones

Orange UK’s iPhone contract & pay as you go pricing plans detailed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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American TomTom loyalists, we know what you’ve been thinking: how dare those fine folks across the pond get first dibs to pick up the iPhone car kit? Well, steam to yourself no longer, it’s now for sale online via Apple’s US store for the previously-disclosed price of $119.95. Alas, no software’s included, but you’ve had enough time to cope with that. Also, it’s iPhone 3G and 3GS only — iPod touch need not apply.

[Via App Advice]

Filed under: Cellphones, GPS

TomTom iPhone kit now being sold through US Apple Store originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 17:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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