^{Photo by Noel Feans}

After being fed up with 4.0 on my 3G, I downgraded the firmware back to 3.1.3. iOS 4.0.1 was supposed to fix the performance issues on the 3G but I wasn't so sure. So, I waited until 4.2.1. Jailbreaking was easy using redsn0w (the part that I always forget to do it upgrade the firmware on my iPhone first then jailbreak). 

 Apparently SSH doesn't work on 4.2.1 yet (or something) which is a big pain in the ass. So, I grabbed afc2add from Cydia and got iFunBox running on my computer. It fills the gap until OpenSSH works with 4.2.1. BiteSMS constantly crashes my iPhone so I have to disable it to be the default SMS app. Everything else seems to work fine (Winterboard, fcsb, SBSettings, etc).

With my iPhone 3G jailbroken with iOS 4.0, lots of other users have been experienced cell phone reception trouble. I tried it myself and covered the left side and saw my signal bars drop by 4. I've read around the internet and its rumoured that 4.01 was supposed to drop today to fix the antenna issues. I'd assume before Friday, there's going to be a fix out there. I, myself, didn't have too much trouble with getting a signal. Where I was reading on Slashdot, it was said that even if the signal is 5% or 100%, you're going to get the same call quality.

I haven't got BiteSMS to work on 4.0 yet, nor five column springboard (fcsb) or Infinidock. A couple Winterboard themes don't work either, such as custom Wifi and signal bar icons. Cycorder doesn't work either. Hopefully, these'll be fixed soon so I can get 4.0 running like I had 3.1.3.

Also, I was thinking about rejailbreaking my iPhone to disable multitasking. Apparently, Backgrounder uses more resources than native multitasking (duh). If two apps are running at the same time and one requires more resources than the other, the one running in the background will be terminated leaving the foreground application with more memory.

So, after a long time of tinkering I finally got it working.

Get 4.0 (stock 8A293) on your iPhone
Run redsn0w 0.9.5b
Be patient!  - This took a bit for me. Once redsn0w says it's done, the screen on your iPhone will display what it's doing (flashing NOR) and a running pineapple(?).  
4.0 seems to run faster on my 3G than 3.1.3.

Tried to make this post quick as I'm off to bed!

 Seeing as blackra1n is only a tethered jailbreak, installing your own [custom] firmware is the way to go. But, (at least what happened to me) is that I constantly got 1604 errors while installing firmware of which I made using PwnageTool. As a short howto, here's what I did:

1. Get blackra1n and run it. It'll put your iPhone in recovery mode. iTunes should be closed.
2. Download or create custom firmware. If you are using PwnageTool, make sure to check off Activate so it is not activated. Just before it's done creating the firmware, click Yes to if your iPhone has been pwned before.
3. Start up iTunes, and restore using the firmware you just made. For Windows users hold shift and click on Restore. For Mac users hold option. Make sure your iPhone is in recovery mode not DFU mode. That's the part that I forgot.
4. iTunes should do it's thing and you'll be good to go.
5. After I put the firmware on, I had no service whatsoever so I ran blackra1n again and I had service. If you have the 5.11.07 baseband, be sure to install sn0w in blackra1n. You might need to fiddle around with things.

And that's about it. You now have a jailbroken iPhone 3G that's untethered. Also, here's how to install .ipa's:

1. Add the cydia.hackulo.us repo in Cydia.
2. Install AppSync and Installous. AppSync patches the MobileInstallation file while Installous lets you install .ipa's on the fly.
3. Either sync drag and drop the .ipa's to iTunes and sync OR download the Safari download plug-in (which allows you to download files), find .ipa's and install them. I put all the .ipa's I needed on a local server so I head over to the server address and install them right away. You can do that by using something like XAMPP.

^{Photo by ToniVC}

Finally got around to installing the 3.1.2 firmware on my iPod.

1. Get the 3.1.2 (or 3.0) firmware. 
2. Grab PwnageTool from TPB (you'll need a Mac for this :) )

Everything else is downhill from there. Open up PwnageTool, pick your model, find your firmware and that's about it (unless you want to change boot logo, etc.)

Then restore your iPod with the new [custom] firmware with iTunes. In iTunes, go to your iPod on the left hand side, hold shift and press restore. Find your firmware and that's it.

For those running Windows, you can always jailbreak using redsn0w. I'd say it was well worth the upgrade, there's huge improvements. Landscape mail, able to search your iPod, Bluetooth and numerous other things. When your iPod is playing music, it'll show the album art at the lockscreen. I also noticed it displayed the lyrics for the particular song I was listening to while in the music app.

I'm glad I built that Hackintosh when I did, or else I'd be using redsn0w to jailbreak. Friday it is, nocturnal night it is.

I added a Digg button module to the site, so incase you find something interesting you can Digg it! I'll also remove the Donate button from the site, makes me look desperate. I'll have to renew this domain or else it expires in 43 days.

I was sorta (meaning, not commited) to working on WorkSimple. Version 1.2.3 should be released soon, a minor release.
 

Yargh, me be loving me jailbroken iPod Touch! The Cydia store is pretty cool, it's going to be PayPal supported (or so I read) soon.

:)

Sitting on the couch, I came across a Lifehacker article about the 2G being jailbroken. I almost shit my pants, I got up off the couch and did some serious Googling. An hour later, I had mine jailbroken too. Anyways, I'd like to share some links with you guys (who ever is reading this) for those who have a 2G and know nothing about jailbreaking their iPod.

Heres the tool that I used: QuickFreedom
Follow the onscreen instuctions (which are easy as hell) and you're good to go. It should take just under an hour. Where you create your custom firmware, you can choose your own boot image (I tried a custom one, but it wouldn't build the firmware).
Once that is finished, where do you go now? Update Installer and some of the repos.

What about installing 'cracked apps' (which in most cases is illegal) ? Check this link out: http://tinyurl.com/cdql9y
In a nutshell, you update your "MobileInstallation" file, download & install any app from the AppStore and install any app of your choice via iTunes (by supplying the .ipa)

Here are some pics of my homescreen and various other screens:

Here's another way to jailbreak your iPod: http://tinyurl.com/bh6e3v
2.2.1 firmware: http://tinyurl.com/d5pkjz

Have you jailbroken your iPod yet?

Comments are apreciated.