The iPhone Serial Port Hack

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Posted by CmdrTaco on Thursday October 28, 2010 @05:22AM from the totally-top-secret dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The iPhone's little known secret, a hidden serial port, is revealed. 'The real benefit in all of this is that there are so many console packages for iPhone in Cydia now that you can have a fully functional computer, as useful as a Linux box, but without carrying around a laptop.'"

8 of 217 comments (clear)

Computer-Phone=Serial port? by Kenja · 2010-10-28 05:30 · Score: 4, Funny

Could have sworn there was more to these computer things then that.

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"Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
1. Re:Computer-Phone=Serial port? by $RANDOMLUSER · 2010-10-28 05:58 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Reminds me of the story from The Zen of Programming:
  
  A novice went into the master's cubicle and saw a new computer sitting upon the master's desk. "What is that computer?" asked the novice. The master placed his hand upon a small box that was connected to the computer by a wire. "Behold," said the master, "This device controls what we see on the screen. The screen simulates a desk. For example, here is a filing cabinet and a trash depository. Here also is a typewriter and a calculator." "This is a wonderful invention," whispered the novice in awe. "It is not as wonderful as it seems," said the master. "Can you see the two desks?" The novice nodded. "One is on the floor, the other is on the screen," he remarked. "Just so. Now, is there something missing on one of the two desks?" The novice pondered for a moment. "One of the desks does not have a computer on it," he said. The master shook his head. "Neither of the desks has a computer on it."
  
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  No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
2. Re:Computer-Phone=Serial port? by hardie · 2010-10-28 07:14 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Even more existentially, one of the desks has windows on it.
Re:Fully functional computer? by idontgno · 2010-10-28 05:37 · Score: 4, Funny

How are you going to attach the tape reader/punch for the program tape without a serial port?

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Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
Re:yet another appleboy article... by jiteo · 2010-10-28 06:06 · Score: 4, Funny

What next? They'll discover a hidden parallel port and what? It's supposed to stop world hunger?
Damn right, it'll feed people cereal in parallel.
Re:ipad by CannonballHead · 2010-10-28 06:55 · Score: 5, Funny

You're plugging it in wrong.
Re:Vagina by opus7600 · 2010-10-28 06:56 · Score: 4, Funny

Love how you classed that right up by adding a smiley.
Re:ipad by shutdown+-p+now · 2010-10-28 11:49 · Score: 4, Funny

You're plugging it in wrong.
To be more specific, you forgot to plug a Mac to the other end of the cable.