Archive for the Apple Stuff category

Apple Leopard Hacked – Install On A PC!

Sorry I haven’ been posting lately, a little busy. Here is a little something taken stright from dailyapps.

Well its been only a day since the Mac OSX Leopard was released officially by Apple and the hackers have managed to create a patched DVD that everyone like you and me can use to install Leopard on PC’s without having to buy a Mac. Please note the tutorial that I am going to post is still experimental and things might not work the right way simply because it is still early days in hacking Leopard to work on PC’s. Well if you don’t mind your PC getting screwed then go ahead and try out this tutorial.

Make sure you backup all important data before you proceed. Here are the things that you will need before Install Leopard on your PC…

  • The Patched DVD Image
  • The zip file containing the patch
  • One pen drive or USB Flash Drive formatted as FAT32

Well once you have all these you can go ahead and Install Leopard..

Step 1. Getting things ready

  • Burn the DVD Image onto a Single Layer DVD-R using a software like Nero.
  • Format the USB Flash Drive and the drive label should be “Patcher” without the quotes. Please note it has to be “Patcher” only and nothing else for the patch to work when we apply it later.
  • Extract the Zip file and put its contents into the USB Flash Drive.
  • Now your USB Drive should contain a folder called “files”, if it doesn’t then check to see where you have gone wrong.

Step 2. Installing Leopard

  • Now that you have the Patched DVD with you, you can now install Leopard. Pop in the DVD into the drive and boot into it by pressing F12 at the BIOS Prompt.
  • Boot into the DVD and the installer should now load. It take a while though, so be patient.
  • Select your Language and make sure you select Customize and you need to deselect all the packages that are displayed.
  • Leopard will now install. This can take a while, so go grab yourself a coffee.
  • It will ask you to Reboot, so go ahead and Reboot. Before rebooting make sure that USB Flash Drive is connected to the PC.

Step 3. Patching Leopard

  • Now that you have got Leopard installed, you need to patch it. Before we do that Boot into the Leopard DVD like the way you did before.
  • Wait for the Darwin Bootloader to load. Once it loads up press F8. You should now see a prompt. Type -s and hit enter. The DVD will now load in Verbose mode. Watch for any errors. It should load without a problem because you have already installed Leopard.
  • Once the setup is loaded select your Language. Once done you should now be seeing the Welcome Screen. Once there navigate to Utilities-Terminal.
  • Once the terminal loads up, you now need to browse to your USB Drive, so follow the steps below, typing it exactly as it appears below in the Terminal. In the command line type the following as they appear herecd ..
    cd ..
    cd Volumes
    cd Patcher
    cd files
    Notice the space between cd and the 2 dots.
  • Now its the time to run the patcher to make sure Leopard will work on your PC. Type the following into the Terminal. ./9a581PostPatch.sh
  • The Patch should now run. You can answer Yes while removing the ACPUPowerManagement.kext
  • After the Script is done, you should now be able to Boot into Leopard after you restart.

Step 4. Congratulations! You’ve done the Impossible!

Well that was it. Please note this has not been extensively tested, so most of your Hardware like Sound, Network may not work. If something goes wrong for you or you want to help us, then please join the discussion over at OSX86Scene. If you noticed I haven’t posted the links to the Torrent that contains the DVD image and the zip. Well I haven’t posted them because I am sure the lawyers over at Apple are going to sue the hell out of me. If you wondering where you can find them, then head over to Demonoid and search for it.

For help see this and this. Hopefully I will have time soon! :)

I’m Considering A Shiny New Apple MacBook

When Apple OS X 10.5 comes pre-installed with the shipped MacBooks — Will be the time I will purchase it with the Stony Brook University discount. Under the university discount, I’m able to get it for a small -$100. I hope by the time it, OS X 10.5 comes out pre-installed on MacBooks, the hardware would be upgraded as well. That means increased clock speeds on the Intel Duo Core CPU, more RAM or faster RAM, a larger hard drive and maybe a better integrated graphic chip. Anyhow Apple has always been good at surprises so I will keep my fingers crossed.

I’ve always wanted a Mac but never made that final decision because of software incompatibility issues but new features will make that problem non-existent. Some new features of OS X is the Time Machine feature which is similar to System Restore on Windows but would be much more user friendly. Another new feature would be BootCamp coming out of beta which allows you to install and dual boot with Windows on Intel based Mac’s. Improvements would be done to Spotlight, the system on-the-fly search tool.

This is a chart of improvements that I would like to see in the next MacBook.*

So if you’re ready for a Mac like me, get a discount through someones academic voucher. Save $100 and use it towards more RAM.

* Of course these specifications are just my hopeful predictions. :P

New iPhone Open Source Unlock Software Free

That’s right, too bad for the guys at iPhoneSimFree. They were the first to announce the software hack for the Apple iPhone which allows you to unlock the iPhone up to version 1.02. On their website, they sell it for $60 per license. But now a group of hackers announced a free open source version of the unlock software called iUnlock! Thank god for the open source community!

iphone hacked open source

Currently the open source packages are scattered around the net, if you want to hack your iPhone, you can figure out what packages to use but if you want to wait a little longer, someone will put together the complete package with detailed tutorials. iPhoneSimFree should not have waited this long to release their hack to the public, that wait cost them a lot of potential money because that was the only hack available at the time, now there is a free competition.

Free Open Source v.s Commercial: Open Source wins if it promises to do the same job. iPhoneSimFree doesn’t even guarantee that their software works for versions after 1.02. I’m sure if the open source hack gets popular, they will make it work for any version of Apple’s firmware. That’s why I love open source, they update each step of the way!

For information about the packages and actually do the hack see here!
BTW, there’s also a GUI hack too which is confirmed to work!

:: Update :: anySIM Download
Get anySIM free for download here!

iTouch An iPhone Without The Phone

Probably no one will read this because everyone is reading Engadget or something but I will post this anyway for those who frequent my blog. Rumors of Apple’s iTouch and the “Fatty” iPod Nano were true. They even reinvented the regular iPod and now calls it the iPod Classic. Three new designs for the iPod, the iTouch is exciting, Apple yet again continues to take the mp3 market by storm.

The “fatty” iPod mini was exactly what rumors predicted. Images were released last week on blog sites of the new iPod mini. Apple quickly took legal action to get them to take it down. That move by Apple directly confirmed that the ugly design was indeed the one that they manufactured. By the looks of that thing, it’s essentially a regular iPod that shrunk in height. In my opinion, it is pretty ugly, for those of you out there still looking for an iPod mini, buy yours today before they sell out. They are cheaper now and still better looking than the new.The iPod classic looks exactly the same as the 5th generation Apple iPod. One physical difference I noticed was that it has a bevel, unlike the 5th generation, the screen is now bulged up like the 4th generation. The music library interface has some improvements but no major change or new features were noted. Again, there is no real benefit in upgrading.

Now the iTouch is something to rave about! It features all the things on an iPhone without the phone. Yes, it does internet, yes it does YouTube and they do it at an affordable price of $299 for the 8GB model. Physically, it looks like an exact replica of the iPhone which is good. Something else that is new is that it has the ability to now wirelessly download music from iTunes, I think this feature will defiantly boost sales from the music store because it will be the only other way as of now to get music without a computer. I was really hoping that they allow it to share music like they have it with the Microsoft Zen and then have an option to also but it via iTunes if one likes. This product will sell because there are no contracts with AT&T involved or other fees.

I’m seriously considering getting one because it’s simply HOT! The only thing that is stopping me right now is that I just got a iPod about 2 months ago. I should have waited.

Other News: Apple’s iPhone is Unlocked!

iPhone Unlocked HackedWow, I haven’t used any of my time today to work on my project, SBUGuide because there are so many great discoveries today. The long awaited hack for the iPhone has been confirmed. You can soon unlock your Apple iPhone to work with other SIM carriers such as T-Mobile.

There are two methods I found today which are promising. One done by George Hotz 17, a hardware hack that allows the use of the iPhone for other carriers and a software hack by iPhoneSimFree, a team which Engadget confirmed that their software works. It will be distributed with a cost to the public soon.

Of course, this is all bad news for Apple and AT&T, looks like their exclusive partnership isn’t so exclusive anymore thanks to the l33t hacking community. WOOT WOOT! :)

The bad news for me is that I’m stuck on the stupid Verizon contract for another year and a half. One thing I dislike about Verizon’s Wireless service is that they install Verizon’s firmware on their phones usually crippling features such as simple OBEX or Bluetooth. Another is that the phones do not use SIM cards, hackers tend not to hack Verizon phones because of it.

You can find instructions of the hardware method on Hotz’s Blog.

Refurbished Apple iPhones Now On SALE (-$100)

apple iphoneWhat the heck? That was quick, a little more than a month and we’re already seeing refurbished Apple iPhones on sale at Apple’s clearance store. Hmm. So what’s wrong with it? Maybe nothing, maybe everything! :)

re·fur·bish (rē-fûr’bĭsh) – To make clean, bright, or fresh again; renovate.

That can only mean a few things, these iPhones were defective when the someone purchased it and returned it to Apple or AT&T. Or simply the fact that the owner did not like it therefore returned it. Maybe Apple is releasing a newer version of the iPhone and is trying to get rid of the older version. Whatever the reason is, it’s a steal! Go grab one if you are looking for a cheap but brand new iPhone.

  • 4GB iPhone – $399 ( New : $499 )
  • 8GB iPhone – $499 ( New : $599 )

iphone apple

My two cents on refurbished products: I’m a big fan of them, not only are they much cheaper than retail, they are practically brand new. If it was defective, then the manufacturer was told about this issue and had already fixed it, cleaned then repackaged. So in a way it offers the buyer more peace of mind. It almost guarantees that the product won’t be defective when it gets to you, because it was already defective and they fixed it.

Check it out, cheap refurbished iPhones here.

Apple iMac 2008 Edition Not Far From Mock-ups

New stylish sleek design, that’s the description from the visuals of the Apple iMac announced today. I have to say it’s not much different than the mock-ups that were recently rendered. I noticed that Apple is again moving the design away from it’s simple white polish and moving towards the brushed metal and black theme. This iMac almost looks like an iPhone, in fact it looks better than the iPhone. It also comes with an ultra thin keyboard that almost looks like a piece of metal cardboard (this is the new keyboards that have been rumored as well). The new thin keyboard now features a on/off button to it’s top right hand side which is very convenient.

The design is awesome (5 out of 5 stars) but the technology is just as impressive!

 

Intel Core 2 Duo Badge

Intel Core 2 Duo processor

All iMac models feature advanced dual-core Intel processors along with other improvements that pump up the performance. Learn more

Glossy Displays Icon

Glossy widescreen display

Your photos, movies, and games will come to life with richer, more vivid colors. Choose from 20- and 24-inch widescreen displays. Learn more

Wireless Icon

Built-in wireless

Banish the clutter. The latest 802.11 Wi-Fi networking and Bluetooth technologies come standard with every iMac. Learn more

ATI Radeon Icon

Advanced graphics

New ATI Radeon HD graphics deliver a stunning visual environment with more vivid, lifelike images. Learn more

iSight

Built-in iSight camera

The high-quality camera is so neatly integrated, you’ll hardly notice it’s there. Learn more

250GB+ Storage Badge

More storage and memory

Now you have more room for your video and photo collections. And iMac now supports up to 4GB of memory. Learn more

FireWire & USB Connections

Connections and ports

iMac has all the ports you need for your USB, FireWire 400, and FireWire 800 devices. Learn more

iMac Side View

SuperDrive

The slot-loading SuperDrive lets you play and burn your own CDs and DVDs. Learn more

Apple has really taken over the computing market in terms of sleekness and design. Damn I want this so bad. But if I’m going to get a Mac, I’d wait till after October so they can come pre-installed with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. Oh and other news, iLife 08 and iWorks 08 has also been announced and is shipping now! Apple fan boys haven’t always been good at guessing how unreleased products will look like, but this time it was pretty close. Take a look at this incredible mock-up!

Mock-up Video

More information about these 3 new products announced today, visit of course, Apple.com.

A Little Late But The Apple iPhone is Out

Just 3 days late to report the release of the iPhone. Going through Digg and other social networking sites, I’ve learned a lot about the news surrounding the release of the iPhone. Heard of some places being sold out but Apple did a good job with it’s stock supplies. Other AT&T retailers forcing buyers of the iPhone to also purchase at least two accessories or else no sale, what a gimmick! A report on Fox news about this lady who purchased her way to being first on line to buy the iPhone only to get there and learning that store policy is only one per customer. Her plan was to buy like a couple and make a profit on eBay. Stupid women! :)

Anyway, about the iPhone itself, I don’t think it’s that hot at all. I mean, it has many cool things such as the full HTML browsing, Google Maps, YouTube videos, and iPod features but it’s also lacking in other areas which a phone should have like full Bluetooth features and not just for the headset. I also saw the PCWorld Stress test for the iPhone and the unit is pretty sturdy, I was dropped a couple of times on the cement floor and it has a virtually scratch proof screen which is nice unlike the iPod predecessors.

This is iPhone version 1.0. Imagine the future iPhones. I mean look at the iPod 1st generation, and look at the 5th generation, this is history in the making right here!

Overall Average Good Rating From Apple. :D

Demo The Apple iPhone Ringtone

During Steve Jobs’s keynote at MacWorld in San Francisco last week, he featured the iPhone as we know. In his keynote he made the iPhone play it’s ring tone. How did it get out to the public? Well apparently someone attending the keynote had it recorded and went home and edited out the sound of the many hundreds who were yelling in amazement. So how the ring tone got out was a very difficult process, thanks to the Anonymous user at Gizmodo.

P.S: Steve Jobs, please don’t unleash your lawyers at me. Steve, your such an angel!

So without furtheradue, I present you the short iPhone ringtone:
[audio:http://litstudies.org/iphonering.mp3]

Apple iPhone Hype Is Over? Disappointing..

I’d say so, with all the good things that the iPhone does, other phones that already exists can do too! Japan had phones that could do a lot more a long time ago, so the United States are just catching up to them. TechCrunch reported a 10 million page hits on their iPhone article when it was initially posted the first day. Now, it’s pretty much old news. The bill with the iPhone will be high for sure, calculating to $1,900+ a year for service. That’s too much for what a regular cell phone can do today! Think about it, it’s not all that crazy!

Others weren’t too happy when Steve Jobs announced the release of JUST the iPhone and AppleTV at MacWorld 2007, many others were expecting a new MiniMac, new displays, new MacBook models, but none of those were even mentioned at MacWorld. Disappointing!

My three cents: LOL! :P
- Your gonna get robbed [[possibly beaten for it]] if you purchase it.
- Bill is too damn high. $1900+? Hell NO!
- Ehh, other phones can do what it can do.