Jailbreak Success

Click thru to the Flickr page to see notes on each new app.

On my second attempt at getting everything installed and running to my liking I got the results I was looking for. The key it seems is to not touch anything other than manual re-order on the Customize app or else it fucks the whole springboard up. Best bet is to make a backup of the N45AP.plist before you start re-ordering, I guess I had better add that to my note on the process.

Now I have a proper multifunctional pmp. It has made me think that if this process can be repeated for the iPhone then it would be worth having. Some of these apps would be very cool to have if they worked over the edge network on an unlimited data account. VNC and mobile scrobbler I am looking at you here.

Jailbreaking

So, after more than a few temporary brickings I think its about time I documented my process for getting my iPod Touch to bend to my iron will.

1. Get hold of the 1.1.1 firmware from the apple download
   
2. Downgrade firmware using iTunes.
   
   1. Plug in the iPod
   2. Go to the sync screen in iTunes, alt (option) click on check for updates.
   3. browse to the downloaded firmware
   4. wait some time
3. Jailbreak it. Using mobile safari go to http://jailbreakme.com, scroll to the bottom and install the AppSnap.
4. Prepare it for a 1.1.2 update. In the newly aquired installer - Tweaks->OktoPrep
5. Grab the touchfree 1.1.2 jailbreak suite
   
6. open iTunes and update to 1.1.2
7. Time passes...
8. Close iTunes, leave the iPod connected
9. Run the jailbreak.jar from the touchfree suite. Check the install ssh box and set a new root password.

With that all done now add in the Maps.app and the Mail.app.

1. In the installer add "repo.us.to" to the sources.
2. Install the mapsPrep and mailPrep packages from the iPhone 1.1.2 directory, restart springboard by clicking home button.
3. Install the maps an mail packages.

Right now all I have to do is get the customize app working without it totally fucking up all the work so far. What I need is a way to easily back up an image of the working setup that I can restore to.

Techno Techno Techno Techno

Another Christmas another stinking cold, so far so rubbish. Except that this Christmas I got some very nice new toys that are keeping me busy and getting me back on the internerd.

Sadly my much loved IBM thinkpad has developed some kind of terminal disk problem that means it cannot be moved or else the disk just stops being recognised by the system. Thumping/pressing firmly on an area to the right of the trackpad makes it work for a while but its not a solution. I may well be able to get it fixed by IBM but would be without a computer for several weeks and for me that's several weeks too long.

At work I have been using an iMac for various bits and pieces and have completely fallen for Mac OS X. It truly is a wonderful operating system. I have fallen for it so much that when I saw that the apple online store had a 6 months interest free offer on macbooks I persuaded Jola that we needed a new macbook each for Christmas.

So far I am very pleased with it and after putting in 4G of Ram at little cost (thank you crucial) there is nothing that I have done with it yet that makes it think too hard or too long.

It is the bundled software that has really blown me away though. The video and DVD editing tools are very cool and easy to use, iPhoto - whilst not a Picassa killer for me yet - is super easy to use and much fun was had making a calendar with my nieces as part of their Christmas present. It was so easy to use that first time through with the added distractions of an attention span limited 7 and 5 year old we got a good looking calendar put together in no time complete with relations and pets birthdays all marked out.

Garage band is a revelation, it has more built in functionality than software and hardware setups that I had spent literally thousands of pounds building 8-10 years ago. It may even be enough to make me get back into writing electronically produced music again.

And yet there is more. After hearing me waffle on about it's interface of beauty Jola got me an iPod touch for Christmas. It really is a thing of beauty, the interface and every bit of its workings are a pleasure to use, so far no annoying bits on it. Whilst it is a lovely devie as is I am looking forward to dedicating some time over the holidays to research how to jailbreak it and see what I can make it do that it wasnt supposed to do out of the box.