One More Tap

True story: I finally did it and jailbroken one of my iOS devices. The victim happens to be my faithful first-generation iPad. I did it simply because I wanted to be able to do screencasting on my device.

You see, I have always been a fan of Street Fighter. I downloaded both Street Fighter IV and Street Fighter IV Volt the moment it was released. If you want a fighting game for your iOS device, the Street Fighter series is the one to get.

With the debut of Street Fighter IV Volt, online multiplayer became possible. I’ve spent countless hours before bed playing with people from all over the world. One thing I loved about the game is the ability to save replays of your favorite matches. Some of these replays were epic moments during game play. I hit the maximum amount of 20 replays quickly enough that I find it difficult to let go most of these replays.
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written by xcool \\ tags: Apple, display recorder, iOS, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Jailbreak, quicktime, screencasting, street fighter iv, street fighter iv volt

I thought I’d upgrade my iPhone 3GS (which was recently semi-retired, but has since found a new home in my wife’s handbag) with iOS 4.2.1, since that is the first version to ever support Find My iPhone. I wanted to be able to locate the phone (and thus, my wife) if required.

So, I went ahead and search for the direct download, knowing that Apple would not be offering the said firmware anymore from within iTunes, now that iOS 4.3.1 is out in the wild. I found a couple of sites, and managed to grab a copy. However, upon trying to perform the upgrade, I was greeted with Error 3194. Yes, the darned error code which basically means that you can’t install that particular version of iOS onto your device because Apple would not allow you to do so anymore.

The story behind this is, Apple would stop signing older firmwares whenever new ones are made available. Signing is a process that happens when you install new versions of iOS onto your device, whereby iTunes checks with Apple’s servers and ‘signs’ the installation. I’m not about to jailbreak my device, so I went ahead and installed the latest firmware, which is 4.3.1 (build 8G4).

Anyhow, since this post relates more to direct downloading the firmware from Apple’s website (Apple continues to offer older firmwares, although they wouldn’t sign it, I am not sure why), we’ll stay on topic and provide you with the locations. You are free to do whatever you please with the IPSW files that you download, which I know most of you will use it to jailbreak older devices.

iOS Firmware – Direct Download Links

written by xcool \\ tags: Direct Download, Firmware, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, IPSW, Software Update

Here’s a tool that I recently used to do some crazy stuff on my iPhone. Now when I say crazy stuff, this means things that Apple would usually not allow you to do, that is if your device is not jailbroken.

Before I continue, I’d like to say that I am not a jailbreak person and that I would never jailbreak my device. Okay, I actually jailbroke my original iPhone 2G so that I can use it outside of AT&T’s network, that’s all.

Apple designed the iPhone to be more interaction, less interruption. You interact more with the phone’s functions and apps that you download from the App Store – you don’t actually need to see what’s under the hood, or how the file system looks like.
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written by xcool \\ tags: file system, Hacks, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch

This is a mysterious one. Ever since I got myself an iPhone 4, my original iPhone 3GS has been sent to semi-retirement. I occassionally use it, especially when my iPhone 4 is plugged to the wall socket and charging.

During a two-weeks trip to Australia, I brought my iPhone 3GS in the luggage as backup. And in order to conserve battery power, I decided to turn the device off instead of having it drip battery juice by sleeping. I never needed the iPhone 3GS throughout the trip. So, when I came back home, I powered the device back on. It worked like normal. It’d even sync with iTunes like normal. However, one thing was wrong until I realize it later. The date and time has been reset back to 1970.

I noticed the very same issue with my iPod touch as well. It was reset back to the same date and time in 1970. I guess this warrants an investigation.

A simple search across the internet made me realize that the battery may possibly be failing. It may seem very true for the iPod touch, which is about 2 years old now. However, my iPhone 3GS just passed its one year old birthday about five months back. I guess it all depends a lot on your usage pattern. As I have outlined before in my post regarding how I took care of batteries across all my rechargeable devices, this shouldn’t have happened, at least for the iPhone 3GS.

I’m still puzzled, but I’d rest my case that the battery on both devices are really dying.

written by xcool \\ tags: 1970, Battery, iPhone, iPod touch, Reset

Chillingo has just sent us news of the release of Vampire Origins by Icehill Entertainment.

After his bride is murdered by a vampire, Vincent, (a dangerous hunter for a secret organization) sets out for revenge against the monster that killed his wife. Poisoned by hatred and driven by rage, Vincent wages war on the plague of vampires that has infested and destroyed all that was good in the world.

Game features:

• Take control of Vincent in the most intense survival horror ever to hit the iPhone and iPod touch.
• Dark gothic atmosphere with exquisite 3D environments.
• Detailed character models and gripping realism.
• Four weapons available to fend off the vampiric hordes.
• Thrilling boss fights based on actual sword fighting techniques.
• Multiple control methods: Dual-stick or touchscreen interface.
• Three stages of detailed story-driven gameplay, or try your luck in Survival Mode.
• Full Crystal integration including challenges, achievements leaderboards and social networking.

Check out Vampire Origins from the App Store, available now for only $6.99. Here’s a couple of screenshots and a trailer from the game to whet your appetite.

written by xcool \\ tags: Chillingo, Games, iPhone, iPod touch, Vampire Origins