August 24, 200718 yr NEW YORK - A teenager in New Jersey has broken the lock that ties Apple's iPhone to AT&T's wireless network, freeing the most hyped cell phone ever for use on the networks of other carriers, including overseas ones.George Hotz, 17, confirmed Friday that he had unlocked an iPhone and was using it on T-Mobile's network, the only major U.S. carrier apart from AT&T that is compatible with the iPhone's cellular technology. While the possibility of switching from AT&T to T-Mobile may not be a major development for U.S. consumers, it opens up the iPhone for use on the networks of overseas carriers. "That's the big thing," said Hotz, in a phone interview from his home in Glen Rock.The phone, which combines an innovative touch-screen interface with the media-playing abilities of the iPod, is sold only in the U.S. Calls to AT&T and Apple for comment were not immediately returned. The hack, which Hotz posted Thursday to his blog, is complicated and requires skill with both soldering and software. It takes about two hours to perform. Since the details are public, it seems likely that a small industry may spring up to buy U.S. iPhones, unlock them and send them overseas. "That's exactly, like, what I don't want," Hotz said. "I don't want people making money off this." He said he wished he could make the instructions simpler, so users could modify the phones themselves. "But that's the simplest I could make them," Hotz said. The modification leaves the iPhone's many functions, including a built-in camera and the ability to access Wi-Fi networks, intact. The only thing that won't work is the "visual voicemail" feature, which shows voice messages as if they were incoming e-mail. Hotz collaborated online with four other people, two of them in Russia, to develop the unlocking process."Then there are two guys who I think are somewhere U.S.-side," Hotz said. He knows them only by their online handles. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20424880/ The process this kid used to unlock this thing is amazing. Check out his blog below for pictures etc... http://iphonejtag.blogspot.com/
August 25, 200718 yr The ebay auction is up to $99,999,999.00 and counting. Sucks how these things always end up being a farce on ebay.
August 25, 200718 yr lol ^ i was cracking up when i saw all the cans stacked up. pretty cool stuff that he did though.
August 27, 200718 yr I think what we all want to know is ... does he have a girlfriend? That's a rhetorical question right there.
August 28, 200718 yr He traded that single unlocked phone for a Nissan 350Z, 3 8GB iPhones and a paid consulting job with the company he traded the phone too. That is awesome as hell. Props to him. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070828/ap_on_...Hn5XUoOVems0NUE
August 28, 200718 yr nerd alert A couple of other nerds: Combined net worth of the two gentlemen in this picture? $110 BILLION. Can I be a nerd?
August 28, 200718 yr He traded that single unlocked phone for a Nissan 350Z, 3 8GB iPhones and a paid consulting job with the company he traded the phone too. That is awesome as hell. Props to him. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070828/ap_on_...Hn5XUoOVems0NUE Unfortunate that it wasn't a more stable company. I'd suspect CertiCell is now basically going to parlay the iPhone wunderkid as their future in the market, and as such, I'd have asked for more considerations than just a consulting role.
August 28, 200718 yr He traded that single unlocked phone for a Nissan 350Z, 3 8GB iPhones and a paid consulting job with the company he traded the phone too. That is awesome as hell. Props to him. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070828/ap_on_...Hn5XUoOVems0NUE A 350z!!! Lucky son of a gun... Nerds are cool....
August 28, 200718 yr He traded that single unlocked phone for a Nissan 350Z, 3 8GB iPhones and a paid consulting job with the company he traded the phone too. That is awesome as hell. Props to him. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070828/ap_on_...Hn5XUoOVems0NUE Unfortunate that it wasn't a more stable company. I'd suspect CertiCell is now basically going to parlay the iPhone wunderkid as their future in the market, and as such, I'd have asked for more considerations than just a consulting role. Or maybe he just wants to be 17 get a kick ass car, some phones he can hock on eBay or give as gifts and an easy job. He may have no interest in the field. We can't all be like you.
August 28, 200718 yr He traded that single unlocked phone for a Nissan 350Z, 3 8GB iPhones and a paid consulting job with the company he traded the phone too. That is awesome as hell. Props to him. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070828/ap_on_...Hn5XUoOVems0NUE Unfortunate that it wasn't a more stable company. I'd suspect CertiCell is now basically going to parlay the iPhone wunderkid as their future in the market, and as such, I'd have asked for more considerations than just a consulting role. Or maybe he just wants to be 17 get a kick ass car, some phones he can hock on eBay or give as gifts and an easy job. He may have no interest in the field. We can't all be like you. He's obviously intelligent. 800 hours of unprecedent invaluable work is worth more than a $30,000 car. After he pays taxes on the thing he gets about $24/hr. That doesn't sound all that different from the average "on call" tech guy. Just saying...
August 28, 200718 yr Good for him, especially considering he didn't want the secret lock to be marketed.
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