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iPhone Freed From AT&T, Twice

Posted by kdawson on from the everything-but-the-visual-voicemail dept.

A very large number of readers sent in stories about one or the other of the two new claims to have unlocked the iPhone for use on other GSM carriers. A New Jersey teenager, George Hotz, posted instructions for unlocking the iPhone using a soldering gun and a lot of patience. This is from coverage in a local NJ paper: "If someone handed him an iPhone new out of the box, he could modify it in 'about an hour,' he said. A person following his directions might take 'a good 12 hours,' the teen estimated." Hotz has put up a YouTube video substantiating his claim, and is conducting an eBay auction for one of his two hacked phones. The other hack is by a commercial outfit called iPhoneSIMfree.com, whose claim Engadget has verified. The company will be selling licenses to the hack, minimum quantity 500, at a price not yet announced. These hacks are much bigger news for those outside America. Expect to see an industry spring up to meet European (and Asian?) demand for freed iPhones.

6 of 357 comments (clear)

  1. twitter is gay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    twitter is gay

  2. Butt Crack... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Or Butt Smack...

    That is the question.

    (by the way, this *is* a drug reference)

  3. Re:More Like.... by Belial6 · · Score: -1, Troll

    The video game industry is a crappy model that relies on ignorance and short sightedness of the unwashed masses to support it.

  4. All this for a phone that sucks!? by erroneus · · Score: 0, Troll

    I think a hand-held video player that behaves like the iPhone is a worthy thing to want or have. I think a hand-held multi-media device that does 802.11 wireless access is DEFINITELY a worthy entertainment device to want or have. And yes, I realize the iPhone is all of that "and more."

    But as a phone, it sucks and simply isn't worth the effort or money based on the fact that the user/owner can't change his/her own batteries. I pray the iPhone die a quiet but memorable death.

    -1 troll me if you like, but there are other devices that are better and cheaper and for whatever limited set of features you want, there is probably a better alternative device that does those things better and cheaper. And let's face it... using AT&T's internet, it's SLOW. And I have yet to hear about an unlocked iPhone being used on any other carrier.

  5. Yeah but... by Butisol · · Score: -1, Troll

    The iPhone is a piece of shit, and so is your face.

    amirite?

  6. Oh, I'm suuuuure there's huge demand by SEE · · Score: 0, Troll

    These hacks are much bigger news for those outside America. Expect to see an industry spring up to meet European (and Asian?) demand for freed iPhones. I mean, hey, what European wouldn't want to pay northward of $600 for an obsolete (2.5 G) phone?