Guide To Building a Cable That Improves iOS Exploits 184
mask.of.sanity writes "An Aussie network engineer has published a guide to building a serial cable connector that allows access to a secret kernel debugger hidden within Apple iOS. The debugger was a dormant iOS feature carried over from Apple OS, and seems to serves no function other than to allow hackers to build better exploits. The cable needs an external power source and a jailbroken device to access the debugger." We've mentioned Pollock's serial adapter kit before, modulo the kernel debugging abilities.
Having to jail break your own freaking phone (Score:2, Interesting)
It's amazing that Apple and Jobs in it are so shortsighted that they don't provide official tools that people want. Of-course they have contracts with AT&T and who knows what else, that's most likely why they don't want to let people use these devices as general purpose computers, so that normal apps could be executed (and then you can use Skype or whatever to go around long distance phone charges obviously). But still, this is just so screwed up that a company would not see that it is in its best interest to sell the phone with the maximum possible features in it. OK, have an official Apple utility to so called "jail break" the thing and enter another lucrative market of various adapters and gadgets that could be then used together with the phone.
These devices are general purpose computers with wireless access and an odd phone application installed on them. Let the people use them the way they want to.
Of-course the unwillingness of Apple to allow people to use their own freaking product the way they want to provides HUGE market for all the other types of phones (Android) to fill that gap. It's just the short-sightedness of Apple is amazing in this instance.
Re:Having to jail break your own freaking phone (Score:2, Interesting)
Yes, because the alternative is... no, wait, Android devices don't let you access root so easily either. Hang on, I'll come up with something...
Re:Having to jail break your own freaking phone (Score:4, Interesting)
He used the assertion that it outsells "individual" phones as proof that apple got their strategy right. I disputed the his proof and not the conclusion.
If you notice his second sentence was "People want" which is a stepping stone based on how they're purchasing iPhones more than any other individual phone.