QRP & CW - Latest Gadget News

Energizer AP1201 iphone 4 Modification

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 20:54:00 +0000

Energizer AP1201 Modification

Problem: Let’s say an AP1201 and an iphone 4 are both 100% charged and combined together immediately after disconnected from the power. The AP1201 will start charging the phone immediately no matter how much battery left in the phone – even though it’s 100% charged! In 2 hours the AP1201 goes completely discharged while the phone is still full in charge, being able to do nothing once the battery REALLY drops to 20%.

Solution: Add a switch to control the on and off of charging! Only turn on the AP1201 when the phone battery amount is low. In this case no energy will be wasted on running through the circuits and no dissipation in air – get TRUELY 80% extra time.

Step 1: Check the space under the battery cover.

Step 2: select the micro switch that can be fit in the space

Step 3: Disconnect the positive side of the battery

Step 4: connect the switch between battery and circuit

Step 5: Relocated battery, release enough space to place switch

Step 6: Measure position on the battery cover for micro switch

Step 7: Make a hole on the battery cover

Step 8: glue the switch

How to make a magic USB cable -- BEST USB HACK EVER

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 21:19:00 +0000

How to make a Magic USB Cable

Greenpois0n untethered jailbreak for iOS 4.2.1 comes to Windows

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 08:28:00 +0000

It's been a painful two days, hasn't it? If you're a Windows user looking for an untethered jailbreak for your iDevice, the answer is most certainly "yes." The Chronic Dev Team has just let loose thegreenpois0n untethered jailbreak for iOS 4.2.1, but unlike the build released 48 hours ago, this one's meant for Wintel boxes. The team's site seems to be down at the moment (shocker!), but there's a download mirror linked below if you just can't wait to get going. As always, we'd caution you to back up your iPad, iPod touch or iPhone before doing the deed, and since it's the first of its kind (for this version of iOS, anyway), we'd be ready to see a few bugs along the way. Minor details, we know.

download here

Dev Team Releases Redsn0w 0.9.7b4 For iOS 4.2.1 Untethered Jailbreak

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 04:48:00 +0000

The iPhone Dev Team recently released the Redsn0w untethered jailbreak tool for the iOS 4.2.1 in beta formand since then it has had several updates. The newest update; RedSn0w 0.9.7b4 released today to untether your iOS 4.2.1 jailbreak without the need for a separate program for usbmuxd. This untether is currently a "backup plan" from the iPhone Dev Team. Keep in mind it requires access to the iOS 4.2b3 firmware and your iOS 4.2b3 SHSH blobs saved (to learn how to save your SHSH blobs check TinyUmbrella here and the the second half of this tutorial for SAM here.) Currently the untether is Mac only but the next update will bring Windows support.

The Dev-Team is workign overtime to fix all the issues to get it ready for the general public. They have already gotten Redsn0w 0.9.7b2 to fix native app crashes and RedSn0w 0.9.7b3 to fix bugs related to non-GUI programs such as FaceTime, Winterboard themes, and embedded videos in iTunes. The devs have also updated their blog post to provdie more details about their new beta version:

The fourth beta is now available (testers ONLY please!). Starting with this version, redsn0w no longer requires you to install and run a separate program for the usbmux (this was a non-trivial procedure for many). It's okay to keep that program running if you normally use it for ssh anyway. We also think we've fixed a race condition in the GUI that was causing redsn0w to crash during the "Preparing JB Monte Files" step. Nothing at all has changed on the iPhone side (where the main issues are still just Bluetooth and Skype).

We would just like to reiterate that RedSn0w 0.9.7 beta is still not meant for the general public, so we'd recommend steering clear of the jailbreak tool if you are new to the jailbreak scene. The new RedSn0w is currently meant for those interested in beta testing and is only available for Mac users, Windows users will have to wait for the public release of RedSn0w 0.9.7. If you plan to beta test it, then download RedSn0w 0.9.7b4 for Mac using the download link posted below (Dev Team has advised beta testers to test it after a fresh restore). You can find instructions on how to untether using RedSn0w by following our step-by-step guide here.

Just as a reminder though, there is an easier jailbreak method – JailbreakMe 3.0 – which was said to be released on December 30th by @Comex. No further information has currently been released regarding it's status but as soon as info comes in, we'll be sure to fill you in on it.

Download Redsn0w 0.9.7b4 for Mac OS
Download redsn0w 0.9.7b4 for Mac OS X [Mirror 1] [Mirror 2]

Redsn0w 0.9.7b4 will Include USBMuxd and Beta 5 with Windows Version

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 19:06:00 +0000

Just a quick heads up! Redsn0w 0.9.7 beta was out yesterday to bring untethered jailbreak foriOS 4.2.1 but some of our readers has reported that usbmuxd process is not working with them. Also Windows users were left behind and couldn't convert their devices to untethered jailbreak.

Though, the iPhone Dev Team is working hard on releasing new betas so in a new tweet todayconfirming that Redsn0w 0.9.7b4 will incorporates usbmuxd so you shouldn't worry anymore. In the same tweet, the iPhone Dev Team has confirmed that after finishing this task, the next version (Redsn0w 0.9.7b5) will include the Windows version.

This indicates that we may very soon see the public release of Redsn0w 0.9.7. More updates as they come ! Stay tuned !

HOW TO : iOS 4.2.1 Untethered Jailbreak with Redsn0w 0.9.7b1

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 17:22:00 +0000

As promised, the iPhone Dev Team has released the necessary jailbreak tools which can untether the latestiOS 4.2.1 jailbreak on iPhone 4, iPod touch 4G, and iPad. Old-generation iOS devices already have untethered jailbreak on iOS 4.2.1.

For those who don't know, Apple has already patched the untethered patch in iOS 4.2.1 update so it becomes tethered jailbreak on new-generation devices mentioned above. Being tethered jailbroken means that once your iPhone is successfully jailbroken, you'll need to connect your iPhone to your computer if you ever need to reboot your iPhone or your iPhone loses battery charge. The updates Redsn0w 0.9.7b1 brings untethered jailbreak for those devices on iOS 4.2.1.

Below is the full step-by-step guide to jailbreak your iOS device using Redsn0w 0.9.7b1 and get untethered jailbreak immediately.

STEP 1: First of all, you have to jailbreak your iOS 4.2.1 device using Redsn0w by following the step by step instructions posted here.

STEP 2: Once jailbroken, tap on Cydia and check if your 4.2b3 SHSH blobs saved or not. You should see "SHSH: 4.2b3" in the status as shown in the screenshot below:

STEP 3: Now download Redsn0w 0.9.7b1 from the links given below and connect your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad.

STEP 4: Since this is a beta release, you must have usbmuxd that can be download from here. Now start terminal in python-client directory then type in the following commands:

chmod +x tcprelay.py

./tcprelay.py -t 22:2222

STEP 5: Now start Redsn0w 0.9.7b1 and point it to the official iOS 4.2.1 .IPSW file.

STEP 6: In the next page, check on Jailbreak Monte which untethers your iOS 4.2.1 jailbreak then point it to iOS 4.2 beta 3 firmware (Google it if you don't have a developer account).

STEP 7: Final step is to put your iOS device in DFU Mode using Redsn0w instructions on the screen.

Finally, sit back and let Redsn0w go in bunch of steps and you'll finally get untethered jailbreak on your new-generation iOS device.

Please note that this is a beta release, and upcoming versions will bring support for Windows users and will have built-in usbmuxd for easy process.

Download Redsn0w 0.9.7b1 for Mac OS X
Download iOS 4.2.1 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch
Download iTunes 10.1.1 for Windows / Mac OS X

Cydia Now Saving iOS 4.2.1 SHSH Blobs for Untethered Jailbreak Today !

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 17:20:00 +0000

Earlier today, Cydia started saving SHSH blobs of iOS 4.2.1 on new-generation devices only since I couldn't see the SHSH blobs on my iPhone 3G but it's been saved on iPhone 4. This happens because you'll get theuntethered jailbreak after few hours !

This may be useful to get the untethered jailbreak. To save SHSH blobs of iOS 4.2.1, just tap on Cydia from your new-generation iOS device and hit on the Make my life easier button to save your blobs immediately.

For those who don't know, the iPhone Dev Team will release untethered Redsn0w 0.9.6b7 jailbreak for iOS 4.2.1 or what's known by the backup plan today. We'll of course be posting this as soon as it's available for download and will be back

iriver Story Touch edition reader shows up on fan site

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:33:00 +0000

It's been a while since we've heard anything from iriver on the e-reader front, so this one isn't a huge surprise. It looks like the Story is getting a nice, compact Touch edition, and while we don't have full specs yet, we do have plenty of photos, and we also know it's going to boast a 6-inch, touchscreen display (which appears to be some type of e-ink), 2GB of internal storage, with SDHC expansion up to 32GB. This one's going to be for the Korean market only, so we don't expect to get our hands on one anytime soon, but we can always dream. Another photo is below, hit the source link for more.

iriver fans

NPD: Android is now top-selling OS in American smartphones

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:32:00 +0000

Step aside, BlackBerrys and iPhones, the American consumer has voted with his wallet and picked Android as his favorite flavor in the quarter just gone. NPD's number crunchers have just announced their findings for Q2 2010, concluding that 33 percent of phones sold during the period had Android on board. This marks the first time in eons (Q4 2007, to be more precise) that RIM has not held the crown of most purchased smartphone OS on US soil, with its BlackBerrys accounting for 28% of the market and Apple's iPhone occupying third spot with 22%. Motorola and HTC are the key suspects fingered for Android's continuing ascent, with the "large screen allure" of their handsets playing well with the buying public. Skip after the break for a more detailed breakdown.

Jailbreak your Apple iphone 4 !

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:22:00 +0000

It's finally here, after being declared completely legal to jailbreak your iPhone,JailbreakMe 2.0 is released.

Now, any and all iDevices can be jailbroken by simply visiting the URL above; however, before you start your devious adventure in the land of apps not approved by big brother Apple, there are a few issues.

The webpage is being slammed at the moment so you'll have to wait. There is a chance the jailbreak will not work, and you could brick your phone. MMS and Facetime are having complications after jailbreaking. And finally, carrier unlock still needs to be done with ultrasn0w.

But beyond those small stepping stones, jailbreaking is just a touch away.

AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile Team Up on Smartphone Payment System

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:19:00 +0000

System aims directly for Visa and MasterCard

There are four major wireless carriers in the U.S. today: Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, andAT&T. The four carriers battle fiercely to land exclusive handsets and customers in the mobile market. Getting three of those four major carriers to work together on one plan seems unlikely.

The only thing that could drive AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile to work together is money – the three carriers are reportedly working together on a new system that could replace credit cards with payments using a smartphone. Bloomberg reports that the carriers are working on the idea for a system that could rival MasterCard and Visa.

Payments on the system according to Bloomberg sources close to the deal would be made through Discover and Barclays, two of the four major credit card payment-processing firms. Credit cards are a huge business with MasterCard alone handling $2.45 trillion of credit cardspending last year.

The system will be trialed at test stores in Atlanta, Georgia and stores in three other cities in America. The system would allow the user to pay for purchases at the register using a contactless system on their smartphones.

Analyst Richard Crone of Crone consulting LLC said, "This is definitely a game-changer." He continued saying, "[Wireless carriers] are the biggest recurring billers in every market. They are experts at processing payments."

There are similar services already in use in other countries with payments being processed using smartphones in Japan, Turkey, and in the UK. AT&T and Verizon are reportedly equal partners in the venture with T-Mobile having a smaller stake. Retailers are welcoming of a new processing system in hopes that the fees on purchased made using the system will be less than the 1% to 2% that credit card firms typically charge on each transaction today.

However, none of the sources that Bloomberg cites were able to give an indication of how much the processing fees would be or when the trials of the new payment system would start in test cities. Fees on credit and debit card purchases are a $40 billion per year industry.

Windows Phone 7 coming to Europe in October, US in November, according to Microsoft COO

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:16:00 +0000

Here's something that seems to have slipped the net from Kevin Turner's recent presentation on Windows Phone 7 devices. While discussing the move to Microsoft's next great hope in the mobile space, the Redmond COO told the world that the transition is expected to happen in the October timeframe across Europe, and in the November timeframe in the US. This is the most explicit anyone from Microsoft has been about the likely launch date for Windows Phone 7, and sets up the intriguing potentiality of Europeans getting to savor the goodness of the brand new OS ahead of their US brethren. See Kevin dishing the info on video after the break.

Amazon's third-generation Kindle 'temporarily sold out,' bookworms curse the universe

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:14:00 +0000

Gone so soon, Kindle? Due to what we can only assume is unprecedented demand or a terrible shortfall in supply, Amazon's third-generation Kindle (you know, the one with 3G and WiFi) is already sold out. Just days after being pushed into the world, the $189 e-reader is now hoisting a "temporarily sold out" sign, with Bezos and Company urging prospective consumers to place their order now in order to "reserve a place in line." So, what'll it be? Reserve now, or throw a temper tantrum? Tough call, we know.

homemade $1,500 IMSI catcher, Hacker intercepts phone calls, claims GSM is beyond repair

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 17:01:00 +0000

In 2009, Chris Paget showed the world the vulnerabilities of RFID by downloading the contents of US passports from the safety of his automobile. This year, he's doing the same for mobile phones. Demonstrating at DefCon 2010, the white hat hacker fooled 17 nearby GSM phones into believing his $1,500 kit (including a laptop and two RF antennas) was a legitimate cell phone base station, and proceeded to intercept and record audience calls. "As far as your cell phones are concerned, I'm now indistinguishable from AT&T," he told the crowd. The purpose of the demonstration was highlight a major flaw in the 2G GSM system, which directs phones to connect to the tower with the strongest signal regardless of origin -- in this case, Paget's phony tower.

The hacker did caveat that his system could only intercept outbound calls, and that caller ID could tip off the owner of a handset to what's what, but he says professional IMSI catchers used by law enforcement don't suffer from such flaws and amateur parity would only be a matter of time. "GSM is broken," Paget said, "The primary solution is to turn it off altogether." That's a tall order for a world still very dependent on the technology for mobile connectivity, but we suppose AT&T and T-Mobile could show the way. Then again, we imagine much of that same world is still using WEP and WPA1 to "secure" their WiFi.

Wired, AP, MobileBeat, Forbes, IDG

Mario Kart toys Remote Control??

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 16:59:00 +0000

To win at Mario Kart on a console you must master two things: drifting and power-ups. Half of that is replicated in these R/C Mario Kart toys, which we saw standing still last month but now can finally see in action motoring around what looks to be either Corporate Carpet Raceway or CDR Castle. The controller emits that familiar jingling item select sound when you've snagged a virtual power-up, and you can see how mushrooms boost your speed while banana peels cause your opponents' cars to freak out. Sadly there is no drifting to be found in this version of the game, but we're wondering if a little tape on the rear wheels wouldn't help address that shortcoming.

WD TV Live Plus gets reviewed, lauded for value

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:32:00 +0000

After being announced in early June, Anandtech recently put the Western Digital WD TV Live Plus through its paces and discovered the Netflix enhancement works as advertised. Like many Netflix-enabled devices though, the TV Live comes up short compared to the full PC experience since access is limited to only the Instant Queue. Its presence also sacrifices firmware hackability -- a quality which previously made up for the WD TV Live's lack of versatility as an HTPC. The ability to move, copy, and manage locally stored media files via the interface, on the other hand, was praised as a unique advantage over competing models -- exciting, we know. Sadly, video quality was docked as being "significantly less than the HTPC counterparts they've seen so far." However, it's possible this could be improved in the future via firmware updates, since its Sigma Designs processor features noise reduction and deinterlacing algorithms that strangely aren't currently enabled. File format-wise, DVD ISOs worked flawlessly, while Blu-ray ISO and some WMV video formats experienced issues that users may want to read up on before buying. Gripes aside though, Anandtech was still willing to place it "around the top of the list" for media player devices, thanks to its wide file compatibility and robust features. For more details, hit the review source link.

Anandtech

Google Earth gives you snow and rain

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:15:00 +0000

Google has updated their renowned Google Earth with new 5.2, but commoners like us might not really appreciate this new update. This is because the update includes current weather condition imaging, such as rain and snow cover in the radar layer, with the cloud cover view on. Totally your weather report on your rig, minus the sexy weather lady (or weather man for some).

Weather maps are cool, to some geek heads, but as much as they (the idea) sound fascinating, I totally have no idea what that green snug means. Sad thing for me. Thought that I could know how's today's weather courtesy of the mighty Google, but my puny brain just can't comprehend it. Anyway, if you're from the States, or some parts of Europe, head over and try that cool feature out. Maybe you'll learn a thing or two about the weather today!

SOURCE Google Lat Long Blog

PS3 firmware 3.41 said to be causing hard drive upgrade problems

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:08:00 +0000

The recently released PS3 firmware 3.41 seemed to just be a minor update that added a new "You May Like" section to the PlayStation Store, but it looks like it's been causing nothing but headaches for anyone trying to upgrade the hard drive in their console. As a 30-page strong thread on the official PlayStation forums reveals, folks upgrading their hard drive have been getting a "no applicable data" error after trying to install the update, which has left them with a non-working PS3 and, in some cases, a corrupted original drive. According to CVG, the issue may have something to do with a newly discovered feature of the 3.41 update that allows for more incremental patches, which might also explain why the problem only seems to be affecting PS3s where the firmware is stored in on the hard drive instead of the system's memory. As for Sony, it hasn't offered an official explanation just yet, but all indications are that it's a bug and not an intentional blocking of hard drive upgrades -- at least we hope it is. Head on past the break for a video of the problem.

PlayStation Forums

AT&T's next Android phone? Motorola Sage?

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 04:36:00 +0000

We tend to go into full-on conjecture mode when we see an interesting FCC filing, but our instinctshaven't let us down in the past, so allow us to throw something out on the table. A new Motorola just hit the feds with 7.2Mbps HSDPA and 2Mbps HSUPA on the 850 and 1900MHz bands, quadband EDGE, WiFi, Bluetooth, AGPS, and a digital compass. In other words, this is definitely an Android set, and it could definitely work on AT&T. The Backflip's already looking plenty long in the tooth, and we wouldn't be surprised to see Moto fire its second Google-powered volley on AT&T before too long -- it's certainly been doing its duties on Verizon (and to a lesser extent, T-Mobile) after all. Any thoughts on what wild form factor this one might be?

FCC

Wi-Fi Coming to New York City Subways

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:55:00 +0000

Good news for any New Yorker who hates interacting with others during their daily commute (read: all New Yorkers): Wi-Fi and mobile service are coming to a subway near you. Yup, now even the Mole People won't be able to escape the outside world.

According to Bloomberg, after three years of stalled progress, Transit Wireless LLC — a conglomerate of wireless and construction companies that was awarded a contract to undergo this project with New York Transit — has finally found the money to move forward. Broadcast Australia has footed the bill, which will bring NYC up to speed with Singapore, Berlin and Tokyo — all of which currently have Wi-Fi in the tubes.

Back in 2007, Transit Wireless LLC had promised to get the job done in 10 years, now it has two years to outfit six stations near New York's Union Square, and then four more years for the other 271 platforms. The Wi-Fi comes in the form of smoke detector-size antennas, and will afford passengers access on platforms, mezzanines and in sections of the tunnels (not the whole tunnel). Overall, the whole deal will cost $200 million dollars — which begs the question: If the city's willing to go to the trouble to go wireless, why do I have to take a shuttle nine weekends out of 10 because they're "doing repairs on the tracks"? But I digress…

Pretty soon, it seems, a goodly portion of NYC will be Wi-Fi ready; AT&T outfitted Times Square with free wireless two months ago and ubiquitous coffee chain Starbucks offers pro bono access as well. Just think, that whole "I was stuck in a tunnel" excuse is never going to be the same…

Motorola Droid getting Android 2.2 next week

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:22:00 +0000

We've just been dropped a brief note from Verizon that the original Droid will be getting the full Froyotreatment at some point next week. More on this as we get it!

Samsung's Q3-bound tablet to boast 7-inch display, Android OS

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:21:00 +0000

Slowly but surely, Samsung's future as a tablet PC provider is taking shape. Details on the outfit's foray into the world of the slate has been trickling out over the past few months, and shortly after learning that a so-called Galaxy Tab would be out and about in Q3, now we're finding out two more critical details: screen size and operating system. According to the company, the Q3-bound device (assumed to be the aforesaid Galaxy Tab) will boast a smaller-than-average 7-inch screen, and rather than humming along on Bada or Windows 7, Google's Android will be at the helm. We're being forced to wait for further information, but given the proximity to Q3, all should be crystal clear in the not-too-distant future.

Reuters

Stealth Computer debuts paperback-sized LPC-100 mini PC

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:40:00 +0000

Stealth Computer is certainly no stranger to tiny PCs, but it's now produced its smallest one to date in the form of the LPC-100. Measuring roughly the same size as a thick paperback novel, this one weighs in at just 1.2 pounds, and packs your choice of Core 2 Duo or Dual Core Celeron processors, an Intel GM45 mobile chipset with integrated graphics, up to 4GB of DDR3 memory, a max 500GB hard drive, and a rugged aluminum chassis that should hold up to life beyond the desktop. Unfortunately, all that doesn't exactly come cheap -- look for configurations to start at $995. Full press release after the break.

Stealth Computer

Best Buy partners with Clearwire, will Connect customers to 4G

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:34:00 +0000

When we first heard through the grapevine that Best Buy was launching its own branded wireless data service,Connect, rumor had it that 4G was going to be baked right in there. We'd later learn that was just wishful thinking, but today's announcement of a partnership with Clearwiremakes it instead simply look premature. Starting sometime next year, Best Buy Connect will offer 4G wireless data over Clearwire's WiMAX network -- and that's all the two are saying about this partnership right now. We're hoping prices for these next-gen data plans stay with their current levels, $30 monthly for 250MB up to $60 for 5GB, but all that extra bandwidth might just make those caps feel even tighter.

Clearwire

Tethering the Samsung Vibrant without rooting

noreply@blogger.com (Carson Wang) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:42:00 +0000

If you’ve got a Samsung Vibrant and want to take advantage of that unlimted 3G account you can tether without rooting the phone. This method uses a USB cable to provide internet access to Windows XP and Windows 7 computers. Samsung’s own Kies software handles the tethering, as long as you have the magic number to get connected on T-Mobile USA networks; ‘epc.tmobile.com’ for the APN name and ‘*99#’ as the phone number. [Zedomax] made the video after the break which takes you through the tethering ritual.