At some point after (don’t ask when!) the iPad 3G is actually in customers’ hands, the first “userland” jailbreak since firmware 1.x will be released by @comex. It’s called “Spirit” and was first demonstrated working on an iPad by @MuscleNerd within 24 hours of the iPad’s release on April 3.
Userland jailbreaks are more troublesome for Apple since they expose security weaknesses that exist even for non-jailbroken owners. As such, Apple is likely to close them soon after they’re made public. One recent example of this is the SMS vulnerability exposed at Blackhat last summer. Apple released new firmware to close that hole within a day.
The Spirit jailbreak is most useful for newer devices: iPhone 3GS, iPod Touch 3G, and the iPads. Unfortunately those devices are the same ones that Apple can prevent you from downgrading unless you’ve got a backup of your personalized SHSH blobs. Unless you’ve backed up your SHSH blobs for vulnerable firmware versions, you’ll lose the ability to use the current Spirit jailbreak if you accidentally upgrade.
Please take the steps now to backup your SHSH blobs. Use either Firmware Umbrella to create a local copy, or go through saurik’s server. If you are getting an iPad 3G, it’s safest to backup your blobs using Firmware Umbrella, in case saurik’s server gets bogged down with requests.
Other things about Spirit that are useful to know:
Please make sure you have your SHSH blobs backed up! While @comex has indicated he’s not going to release the very minute the iPad 3G is out, there’s no telling what Apple might do anyway.
blog.iphone-dev.org
aalias Create an alias •Commands marked • are bash built-in commands.
alloc List used and free memory
apropos Search the whatis database for strings
awk Find and Replace text within file(s)
b
basename Convert a full pathname to just a filename
bash Bourne-Again SHell
bg Send to background •
bind Display readline key and function bindings •
bless Set volume bootability and startup disk options.
break Exit from a For, While, Until or Select loop •
builtin Execute a shell builtin •
bzip Compress or decompress files
c
cal Display a calendar
caller Return the context of a subroutine call •
case Conditionally perform a command •
cat Display the contents of a file
cd Change Directory •
chflags Change a file or folder's flags
chgrp Change group ownership
chmod Change access permissions
chown Change file owner and group
chroot Run a command with a different root directory
cksum Print CRC checksum and byte counts
clear Clear terminal screen
cmp Compare two files
comm Compare two sorted files line by line
command Run a command (not a function) •
complete Edit a command completion [word/pattern/list] •
continue Resume the next iteration of a loop •
cp Copy one or more files to another location
cron Daemon to execute scheduled commands
crontab Schedule a command to run at a later date/time
cut Divide a file into several parts
d
date Display or change the date & time
dc Desk Calculator
dd Data Dump - Convert and copy a file
declare Declare variable & set attributes •
defaults Set preferences, show hidden files
df Display free disk space
diff Display the differences between two files
diff3 Show differences among three files
dig DNS lookup
dirname Convert a full pathname to just a path
dirs Display list of remembered directories •
diskutil Disk utilities - Format, Verify, Repair
disown Unbind a job from the current login session •
ditto Copy files and folders
dot_clean Remove dot-underscore files
drutil Interact with CD/DVD burners
dscacheutil Query or flush the Directory Service/DNS cache
dscl Directory Service command line utility
du Estimate file space usage
e
echo Display message on screen •
ed A line-oriented text editor (edlin)
enable Enable and disable builtin shell commands •
env Set environment and run a utility
eval Evaluate several commands/arguments •
exec Execute a command •
exit Exit the shell •
expand Convert tabs to spaces
expect Programmed dialogue with interactive programs
Also see AppleScript
export Set an environment variable •
expr Evaluate expressions
f
false Do nothing, unsuccessfully
fc Fix command (history)
fdisk Partition table manipulator for Darwin UFS/HFS/DOS
fg Send job to foreground •
file Determine file type
find Search for files that meet a desired criteria
fmt Reformat paragraph text
fold Wrap text to fit a specified width
for Loop command •
fsck Filesystem consistency check and repair
fsaclctl Filesystem enable/disable ACL support
fs_usage Filesystem usage (process/pathname)
ftp Internet file transfer program
g
GetFileInfo Get attributes of HFS+ files
getopt Parse positional parameters
getopts Parse positional parameters •
goto Jump to label and continue execution
grep Search file(s) for lines that match a given pattern
groups Print group names a user is in
gzip Compress or decompress files
h
hash Refresh the cached/remembered location of commands •
head Display the first lines of a file
hdiutil Manipulate iso disk images
history Command History •
hostname Print or set system name
i
id Print user and group names/id's
if Conditionally perform a command •
info Help info
install Copy files and set attributes
j
jobs List active jobs •
join Join lines on a common field
k
kextfind List kernel extensions
kickstart Configure Apple Remote Desktop
kill Stop a process from running
l
l List files in long format (ls -l)
last Indicate last logins of users and ttys
launchctl Load or unload daemons/agents
ll List files in long format, showing invisible files (ls -la)
less Display output one screen at a time
let Evaluate expression •
lipo Convert a universal binary
ln Make links between files (hard links, symbolic links)
local Set a local (function) variable •
locate Find files
logname Print current login name
login log into the computer
logout Exit a login shell (bye) •
lpr Print files
lprm Remove jobs from the print queue
lpstat Printer status information
ls List information about file(s)
lsregister Reset the Launch Services database
lsbom List a bill of materials file
lsof List open files
m
man Help manual
mdfind Spotlight search
mdutil Manage Spotlight metadata store
mkdir Create new folder(s)
mkfifo Make FIFOs (named pipes)
more Display output one screen at a time
mount Mount a file system
mv Move or rename files or directories
n
net Manage network resources
netstat Show network status
networksetup Network and System Preferences
nice Set the priority of a command
nohup Run a command immune to hangups
ntfs.util NTFS file system utility
o
onintr Control the action of a shell interrupt
open Open a file/folder/URL/Application
osacompile Compile Applescript
osascript Execute AppleScript
p
passwd Modify a user password
paste Merge lines of files
pbcopy Copy data to the clipboard
pbpaste Paste data from the Clipboard
pico Simple text editor
ping Test a network connection
pkgutil Query and manipulate installed packages
plutil Property list utility
pmset Power Management settings
popd Restore the previous value of the current directory •
pr Convert text files for printing
printenv Print environment variables
printf Format and print data •
ps Process status
pushd Save and then change the current directory
pwd Print Working Directory •
q
quota Display disk usage and limits
r
rcp Copy files between machines
read Read one line from standard input •
readonly Mark a variable or function as read-only •
reboot Stop and restart the system
return Exit a function •
rev Reverse lines of a file
rm Remove files
rmdir Remove folder(s)
rpm Remote Package Manager
rsync Remote file copy - Sync file tree (also RsyncX)
s
say Convert text to audible speech
screen Multiplex terminal, run remote shells via ssh
screencapture Capture screen image to file or disk
sdiff Merge two files interactively
security Administer Keychains, keys, certificates and the Security framework
sed Stream Editor
select Generate a list of items •
set Set a shell variable = value •
setfile Set attributes of HFS+ files
shift Shift positional parameters •
shopt Set shell options •
shutdown Shutdown or restart OS X
sleep Delay for a specified time
softwareupdate System software update tool
sort Sort text files
source Execute commands from a file •
split Split a file into fixed-size pieces
stop Stop a job or process
su Substitute user identity
sudo Execute a command as another user
sum Print a checksum for a file
suspend Suspend execution of this shell •
sw_vers Print Mac OS X operating system version
system_profiler Report system configuration
systemsetup Computer and display system settings
t
tail Output the last part of files
tar Tape ARchiver
tee Redirect output to multiple files
test Condition evaluation •
textutil Manipulate text files in various formats (Doc,html,rtf)
time Measure Program Resource Use
times Print shell & shell process times •
touch Change file timestamps
tr Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters
trap Execute a command when the shell receives a signal •
traceroute Trace Route to Host
true Do nothing, successfully
tty Print filename of terminal on stdin
type Describe a command •
u
ufs.util Mount/unmount UFS file system
ulimit limit the use of system-wide resources •
umask Users file creation mask
umount Unmount a device
unalias Remove an alias •
uname Print system information
unexpand Convert spaces to tabs
uniq Uniquify files
units Convert units from one scale to another
unset Remove variable or function names •
until Loop command •
users Print login names of users currently logged in
uuencode Encode a binary file
uudecode Decode a file created by uuencode
uuidgen Generate a Unique ID (UUID/GUID)
uucp Unix to Unix copy
v
vi Text Editor
w
wait Wait for a process to complete •
wc Print byte, word, and line counts
whatis Search the whatis database for complete words
where Report all known instances of a command
which Locate a program file in the user's path
while Loop command •
who Print all usernames currently logged on
whoami Print the current user id and name (`id -un')
write Send a message to another user
x
xargs Execute utility - passing arguments
yes Print a string until interrupted
RIM has confirmed BlackBerry OS 6.0 will be out later this year. During an analyst call yesterday, RIM CEO Mike Lazaridis confirmed the new OS was on its way, arriving sometime in the third quarter—between July and September, basically. Leaked screengrabs have already shown it'll have a new homescreen with customizable icons, a brand new browser with tab support, and a redesigned media player.• Homescreen: A new design with smaller wallpaper real estate, the customizable icons will be arranged any which way you want. Pages will work similar to how the various screens of Android already do, with media-centric icons grouped together and so on.
• Browser: It'll support multitouch (kiss goodbye to the little magnifying glass), new favorites, and tabs. Judging by the leaked screengrabs we've seen, changing tabs will be similar to on an iPhone or Android—with the ability to open new tabs by pressing on a + sign.
• Media player: supports multitouch, with a finger swipe needed for browsing album covers, and again, it's very iPhone-like. Better start ensuring you've Google imaged and added all the album artwork to make the search functionality work well.
• Multitouch: It'll be included natively in all sorts of programs, including emails.
• Messaging: It'll stay roughly the same, which is a good call for RIM, considering they're famed for having the best messaging system available for phones. There'll be a few small additions, such as larger thumbnails to determine the type of message, and integrated RSS feeds—which could be a bit too much work and hassle.
• Commands: Instead of constantly pressing menu, touchscreen models will support pop-up commands. Sending an email, you could click and hold the email and choose send from the pop-up box, as opposed to hitting menu and send from there. It's not revolutionary, but may be better designed and intuitive.
• Media: Photos will appear all at once, instead of loading one by one—which irritates the heck out of me.
At first glance, the electronic contact area is no different to that of a conventional SIM, you know, the type that's small enough to fit into a tiny phone never mind the hulking iPad.
As it turns out traditional SIMs measure 15 x 25mm and have that angled corner. The new micro-SIM is officially 12 x 15mm. That's effectively the size of just the normal SIM contact area.
Apple was just wanting to be clever or it just wanted everyone to be forced to buy new SIMs, either way it's a touch annoying, but with our mighty scissors we can cut them down to size and so can you. SIMples.
How to do it:
Future Publishing Limited provides the information for this project in good faith and makes no representations as to its completeness or accuracy. Individuals carrying out the instructions in this project do so at their own risk.
1. Here's a traditional SIM and its measurements, the only working area is the metal contacts.
2. This is the same SIM with the micro-SIM specifications overlaid. You can use this to trim yours down to size.
3. Here we are cutting our SIM down to size...
4. ...and now it's ready to activate in our shiny new iPad.
techradar.com (well, nice trick, good one..)
This subterranean life-size army of thousands of terracotta warriors has silently stood guard over the soul of China’s first emperor for over two millennia. Either Qin Shi Huang was terrified of the vanquished spirits awaiting him in the afterlife, or, as most archaeologists believe, he expected his rule to continue in death as it had in life (and needed terracotta muscle). Visit the aircraft hangar-sized Pit 1: it contains 6000 warriors and horses, all facing east and ready for battle.
Feel the anticipation as you walk the Siq, the long, dramatic chasm that links the ancient city of Petra with the outside world. Your magical introduction to the site comes with a glimpse of the Treasury, and it’s here that most visitors fall in love with the Rose-red City. As the sun makes its daily passage over the site, the colours glow from the facades of Petra’s great temples and tombs, carved out of rose-coloured rock. If you have the time, don’t miss the candle-lit night tour.
If the past is indeed a foreign country, please let its capital be Rome. Merely the name Rome conjures up 2700 years of Western civilisation, iconic from the perfect dome topping the Pantheon to the crumbling might of the bloodstained Colosseum, by way of the ruinous Roman Forum or the catacombs of Via Appia Antica. And we can’t heap enough praise on a city that gives us la dolce vita to revel in after bringing such history lessons to life.
Named in honour of the Roman emperor who ordered it built, Hadrian’s Wall was constructed over 117km of northern England to keep the Romans (ie, subdued Brits) in, and the hairy Pictish barbarian louts from Scotland out. Close to 2000 years after the first stone was laid (in AD 122), the still-standing sections are a testament to the Roman knack for building things that last. If you fancy an epic walk in the footsteps of the legions, the weeklong Hadrian’s Wall Walk offers enough ramparts, towers and fortlets to wear your sandals out.
People arrive at Stonehenge hoping to tap into the site’s spooky mysticism and/or marvel at the ancient engineering system that brought these huge, 4-ton blocks from a Welsh quarry up to 5000 years ago. Who built this compelling ring of rock, how, and above all, why? Theories abound – the huge upright slabs and dramatic triliths (two vertical stones topped by a horizontal one) could constitute an ancient celestial timepiece or place of sacrificial worship. Despite the noisy nearby traffic and hordes of would-be druids, it retains its monolithic power.
The best retreat into the ancient past from the nearby modern urban jungle of Mexico City is the stunning complex of Teotihuacán. This site, set amid what was once the greatest metropolis in Mesoamerica, is known for its two vast pyramids: Pirámide del Sol (the world’s third largest pyramid, built around AD 100 and painted bright red in its heyday) and Pirámide de la Luna (smaller and more gracefully proportioned than its sunny counterpart). Urban planners, take note: the city’s grid plan was plotted in the early parts of the 1st century AD.
Although former residents might not think so, the Mt Vesuvius explosion in AD 79 was one of the best things that ever happened to Roman archaeology. On 24 August, the world’s most famous volcano erupted, leaving behind fascinating ruins that provide insight into the daily life of ancient Romans, perfectly preserved under 6m of ash. On Pompeii’s ancient streets, the excavated ruins are a profound and pitiful mix of the monumental and the mundane.
At the extraordinary Kakadu National Park, in Australia’s Top End, you can explore thundering waterfalls and crocodile-filled billabongs, but don’t overdose on natural highs before you stop by some of the country’s most significant rock-art sites. At Ubirr, a spectacular escarpment perfect for sunset-watching, you can admire ancient Aboriginal art, some of it 20,000 years old. In the main galleries formed out of the natural rock, check out the X-ray-style wallabies, possums, goannas, tortoises and fish on the walls, and the culture-defining Rainbow Serpent painting.
Athens exists because of the Acropolis, perhaps the most important ancient monument in the Western world. Still standing sentinel over Athens, it’s visible from almost everywhere in the city. Its crown jewel, the Parthenon is unsurpassed in grace and harmony. From near or far, the rows of columns gleam white in the midday sun, softening to a honey hue as the sun sinks, then becoming floodlit at night, centre stage and shining in the spotlight of a city fuelled by history.
lonelyplanet.com
A couple of weeks ago, we published our list of hot destinations for 2010.
You sure had a lot to say! From heartfelt agreement to outrage, your comments were insightful and savvy.
Some people were furious that we had recommended such ‘mainstream’ destinations as Germany and the USA, noting that they were looking for more off-the-beaten-track places. (To that we’ll respond by saying that it wasn’t our intention to discover ‘new’ countries for next year – it’s a list of destinations we believe will be particularly popular in 2010.)
Others were disappointed not to see such perennially popular nations as Italy and Vietnam.
We thought that the responses were so good that they warranted their own list. So we’re proud to reflect back to you the destinations YOU thought would be hot next year.
1. South Africa – our most glaring omission, according to several respondents, as it will host the football/soccer World Cup in 2010.
2. India – an ever-popular destination, vast and diverse.
3. Colombia – a still-undiscovered jewel of South America, according to a few.
4. Jordan – friendly, accessible and lots of fun.
5. Italy – lots of folks love this travel mainstay. (One of my favorite destination for now)
6. Panama – a rising star of Central America.
7. China – for the people, the geography, the beauty and the diversity.
8. Cuba – still an ‘alternative’ destination, partly because of the American embargo.
9. Costa Rica – an environmental paradise in the Americas.
10. Kyrgyzstan – the most underrated of the Central Asian nations.
lonelyplanet.com
Cash-flow issues? Global recession getting you down? No budget, no problem – in this extract from Lonely Planet’s 1000 Ultimate Experiences, we bring you the destinations that will blow your mind without blowing your budget.
India has been known as a cheap destination for ages. But what you might not realise is that there is a lot more to India than just Bollywood films, elephant rides and crazy traffic. Forget just checking out the Taj – what about a trip to the north? Go climbing in Ladakh, where the peaks are huge and the air is cool. Or what about surfing in Port Blair – it’s in the middle of the Bay of Bengal and still cheap as chips. This classic shoestring destination is still ripe for adventure.
The home of Mt Everest and the Sherpa people has long been on the radar of the budget traveller. After decades in the limelight Nepal still remains one of the best budget destinations around. The trekking is awesome and the fractional cost of being in the country means that the treks can go on and on. Many a seasoned traveller has Nepal at the top of their best-of list – and the best part is, it won’t cost a fortune to add it to yours.
Indonesia has had a bad run of terrible press over the past few years. Between bombings and other strife it’s fallen off the to-do lists of many tourists. Their loss is our gain: the pristine beaches are still the drawcard and you can experience the same dirt-cheap living that has always been on offer. If you’re keen to surf or lie on the beach you’re all set to have an adventure for peanuts. As long as you steer clear of tourist trap resorts, you’ll struggle to spend more than US$20 a day. Nourish your inner cheapskate and buy souvenirs away from the tourist areas; head to the central market in Denpasar or Ubud’s Pasar Sukowati.
Iran? The same Iran that’s in the ‘Axis of Evil’? Forget that propaganda and get stuck into a country that meets all the requirements. For a start it’s cheap: for US$25 a day you can live it up in a midrange hotel and eat your heart out. What you won’t find is a glut of other travellers and the hindrance of mass tourism. You’ll see the wonders of the ancient world without a tour group in sight. In fact this is a country that is crying out for visitors, and is deserving of them – the locals are unbelievably welcoming to travellers. Arrive in January for the ancient Persian midwinter festival of Sadeh, which celebrates the creation of fire.
Eastern Europe used to be dirt cheap back in the good old days of the Cold War. Now that peace has broken out, costs are on the up. Poland, though, is still at the inexpensive end: a daily budget of US$25 will easily get you around the country. Poland is a nation that’s been run over so many times by invading forces that it’s become bulletproof. Now this EU member is on the rise, so get in quick before the prices go up for good. Rural towns are picturesque and cheap to visit; tiny towns like Krasnystaw in the Lubelskie region are a miser’s wonderland.
Southeast Asia is the promised land of cheap travel – for years Thailand was the de facto destination for the cash poor but these days travellers are looking beyond the old standards for more intrepid el-cheapo places to check out. Enter Laos. It may not have the beaches of Thailand or the notoriety of Vietnam but it’s got what counts. For just US$15 a day you will get all you need, leaving you free to get out among the untouched river valleys and chilled-out microvillages along the Mekong River. The cheapest way to get there is to enter via boat from Chiang Khong, Thailand. The boat ride costs around US$0.50; the visa, payable in Laos, should be around US$30. The best things in life really are free – such as the utterly gorgeous limestone waterfalls at Tat Sae in Laos.
It’s hard to get to, hard to get into and hard to wrap your head around. Sudan is in the news for all the wrong reasons – what people should know about is the locals’ pride in welcoming guests and the amazing things that can be seen around the country. In the north you’ll be treated to pyramids and other marvels of the ancient world, and odds are you’ll have them to yourself. And a falafel will cost less than US$1 and a bed for the night will be less than US$10.
If you’re looking for a scuba-diving destination where you can put your entire budget into going under, Honduras is the place to be. With sleeping budgets as low as US$10 a night and meals available for even less you can really stretch out the funds. Sitting pretty next door to the Caribbean Sea, you’ll have plenty of time to count your pennies as you sun yourself on the golden beaches. The developers haven’t invaded quite yet, but you’d better get in quick, before the good old days slip into the past. After snorkelling and kayaking around Roatan’s West Beach, splurge on a visit to the Unesco-listed Archaeological Park of Copán; entry is US$15.
‘Want to buy a carpet? Come this way, my brother has a shop.’ Yeah, yeah, Morocco is all about the hard sell. But you won’t need much convincing to check it out. It’s overflowing with a distinctive culture and is a great place to see your dollars stretch – it’ll cost around US$40 a day to get by, but the beach and the markets are free. The more local you get, the cheaper it’ll be. From Europe it’s a short hop, so for many even the flight won’t cost that much. Travel between the main cities by (cheap) train.
Most people only know one destination in Jordan – Petra. But what a destination to know. Made famous by the final sequence in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, it’s a Middle Eastern must-do. You don’t have to be an archaeologist to dig up the bargains: a bed for the night will run to a paltry US$5 and a meal will cost half that. It’s a seldom-visited pocket of the Middle East and is easily combined with another cheapie destination, Egypt. Just remember to bring your own fedora and bull whip. The necessary entry visas are issued at the Wadi Araba and Sheikh Hussein Bridge crossings; be aware that visas cannot be issued on arrival at the King Hussein Bridge.
lonelyplanet.com
