iPhone jailbreaking (and all cell phone unlocking) made legal

Yahoo News ^ | Mon Jul 26, 3:08 pm | Christopher Null

[Mad Dawgg]

While the courts have been busy making decisions about digital rights, Washington has also been having its say on copyright law, at least as it relates to the iPhone and other handsets. Key new rules arrived Monday morning.

Most notably, the FCC has made the controversial practice of “jailbreaking” your iPhone — or any other cell phone — legal.

Jailbreaking — the practice of unlocking a phone (and particularly an iPhone) so it can be used on another network and/or run other applications than those approved by Apple — has technically been illegal for years. However, no one has been sued or prosecuted for the practice. (Apple does seriously frown on the practice, and jailbreaking your phone will still void your warranty.) It’s estimated that more than a million iPhone owners have jailbroken their handsets.

[Mad Dawgg]

Interesting...

[Mad Dawgg]

So does Apple let this stand or do they take action?

I'm betting Jobs won't stand for it!

[JustTheTruth]

They (Apple) can still cut off certain services.

[Swordmaker]

Yet another News article about this morning's Librarian of Congress decision to allow jailbreaking and unlocking of iPhones Under the DMCA. PNG!

Please!
No Flame Wars allowed!
Discuss hardware.
Don't attack people!

Apple iPhone and the DMCA Ping!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[big'ol_freeper]

I think Apple lets it stand. Use of non-authorized software invalidates the warranty so it is the consumer taking on the risk. Free market baby.

[Spktyr]

Apple has never stopped or attempted to stop people from jailbreaking their phones through legal or criminal action.

However, they also don’t provide any support when you brick your phone while doing so.

This is actually among the better reactions from companies out there - Motorola’s new Droid X will automatically brick itself if you even try, it’s got an internal ‘suicide switch’ to keep people from hacking their phones.

[rlmorel]

I agree. People should be able to do what they want with their iPhone, but Apple should be under no obligation to provide support.

Heck. This ruling doesn’t change anything...

[big'ol_freeper]

I agree. I have a Motorola Droid (piece of sh*t that it is) and software not purchased from the Android Market invalidates the warranty. Heck, I’d have to check, but I think they don’t even warranty software downloaded from the Android Market.

[OCC]

Note to self.. sell AT&T stock.

[SunkenCiv]

Google

[benjibrowder]

It’s almost impossible to brick an iPhone through jailbreaking. Putting the iPhone in DFU mode and restoring it erases all evidence of a jailbreak.

[Myrddin]

My Droid is looking pretty worn. Still no Froyo update. It's useful. I'm hoping it lasts the duration of the 2 year contract.

[big'ol_freeper]

I loved mine at first, but with all the hangups, freezes and hiccups I often just want to throw it on the ground and stomp on it.

[stripes1776]

Motorola’s new Droid X will automatically brick itself if you even try, it’s got an internal ‘suicide switch’ to keep people from hacking their phones.

Here is a recent article from ars technica that says someone has discovered a way to root the Droid X.
Droid X rooted, bootloader still locked

[Myrddin]

The only defects I've found happen after weeks without a reboot. The phone rings and I can't answer. A power off/reboot and I'm good for a few more weeks. My wife has a Droid as well. She recently updated an app and lost all of her contacts. She's not a happy camper. No backup. Mine is fully backed up. It is just too much work to have to re-enter that data.

[happinesswithoutpeace]

^__^

[alice_in_bubbaland]

I just hung up my old Voyager and moved over to an iphone. Here's hoping that AT&T has decent service. I had only minor problems with Verizon's service and was happy there. I just wanted the iphone.

[Cyman]

This plays directly into Jobs hands. He hates AT &T almost as much as he hates the guys responsible for making that decision. This is an easy (wink,wink) way around the final two years of his contract.

[utford]

Good luck with that - in most places I’ve been, Verizon’s coverage is much better - especially inside of buildings. I think it has to do with the difference in radio technology, but I have no RF background to explain it.

[Richard Kimball]

I loved mine at first, but with all the hangups, freezes and hiccups I often just want to throw it on the ground and stomp on it.

That'll void the warranty.

[Spktyr]

Still can’t load that and if you notice, it’s being done by a security hole, Patch the hole and that goes away.

And it still stands that Motorola cared enough to make the device suicide if you tried to tamper with it.

[Spktyr]

Why? You can’t put a 3G or 3GS or 4 on anyone else’s network anyway. :P (unless you want to limit yourself to 2G speed.)

[Myrddin]

If you only hang out in big cities, the iPhone will
probably be OK. I drive I-15 from San Diego to Pocatello.
Coverage is important. I also get sent all over the
US. Sometimes to “podunk” towns. Verizon hasn’t
failed to have the coverage I need.

[rlmorel]

I admit to ignorance on this particular form of illegality, but I suspect it was similar to tearing the label off of a mattress...

That one held people in terror for decades...

[big'ol_freeper]

RE: That’ll void the warranty.

Um, yeah it would, but I also bought the insurance that would replace it for me...but then again, why would I want the same piece of crap.

Would be like continuing to buy season tickets to the Cleveland Browns.

[stripes1776]

Still can’t load that and if you notice, it’s being done by a security hole, Patch the hole and that goes away.

It seems to me that gaining root is a rather large security hole. And accessing that hole doesn't turn the Droid into a brick, but rather a piece of clay.

When will the patch be available?

[Spktyr]

Don’t know, but holes like that make me not want to buy into the platform. :P