To catch some up on the download about to be discussed, blackSn0w is a free unlock for the latest iPhone 3G and 3GS. Blackra1n is the “super simple” jailbreak (for all 3.1.2 devices) used to install the unlock (blackSn0w). BlackSn0w will allow iPhone users to use practically any SIM card, and it removes the IPCC lock which prevented tethering.After an EXTENSIVE, yet humorous, disclaimer from MobileCrunch writer Greg Kumparak, he deems the process to be “drop dead simple, and should only take roughly 10 minutes”. Then, he gives the steps below for those who have not previously jailbroken their phone:
1. “Download BlackRa1n for either Mac or PC here.
2. Plug in your iPhone
3. Run BlackRa1n
4. Hit the “Make it rain” button to jailbreak your iPhone. Your iPhone 3GS will almost immediately reset, and will soon display a picture of iPhone hacker Geohot. The entire process should take about 45-60 seconds. Do not interrupt this process by unplugging the cable or tinkering with your iPhone.
5. Once your iPhone has fully booted: Congratulations! Your iPhone is now jailbroken.
6. Look for the Blackra1n icon on your iPhone’s homescreen. Open the Blackra1n app
7. Tap the label that reads “sn0w”, then hit the Install button in the upper right. This will unlock your phone for use on any SIM-compatible carrier, and reenable the IPCC hack required to enable tethering.. This part should take about 30 seconds.
8. Once the unlock is complete, open Safari. Navigate to:
http://m.peacefulinsanity.com/Tether.mobileconfig
9. Hit the “Install” button in the upper right. Confirm the resulting prompt, alerting you that the file has not been signed. Allow the IPCC file to install, which will take about 10 seconds.
10. Close Safari. Hold the sleep and home button until your iPhone resets. This reboot may take a bit longer than normal.
11. When your iPhone resets, go into Settings > General > Network > Internet Tethering. If you can successfully switch the “Internet Tethering” slider to “On”: Congratulations! Everything seems to have worked as expected.
From here, tethering is a matter of following the on-screen instructions. Enjoy your jailbroken, tetherable iPhone 3G/3GS on OS 3.1/3.1.2! If you’ve gotten this far, we’d recommend installing Cydia (just open up blackra1n and tap the Cydia label). You should also consider allowing Cydia to record the signature hashes of your device once installed; be it that Apple patches this exploit in the next release, you’ll most likely need those to get back to a jailbroken state.
Thanks, Greg, for letting us in on this “not-so-official” feature! Oh, but I believe I forgot to mention that TalkiPhone does not endorse hacking, tethering, jailbreaking, or data-unlocking of any kind.
