Absinthe 2.0, the untethered jailbreak solution for iOS 5.1.1, has already been downloaded almost one million times. According to the Chronic Dev Team, 973,086 devices had been jailbroken as of Sunday evening, 211,401 of which were Apple’s newest iPad. The program, which was released to the public on Friday and runs on a computer connected to an iOS device, is compatible with A4 devices like the iPhone 4 and iPad as well as A5 and A5X-powered devices such as the iPhone 4S and the new iPad. It is not compatible, however, with iPad 2 models powered by Apple’s newer 32-nanometer chipset, though this updated iPad 2 only became quietly available a few months ago.

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iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users running the latest version of Apple’s iOS software now have access to full-featured untethered jailbreak software courtesy of iOS hackers Chronic Dev Team and pod2g. The software needed to perform the jailbreak, Greenpis0n Absinthe 2.0, is now available for download and is compatible with A4-powered devices like the original iPad and the iPhone 4, as well as newer A5-powered devices like the new iPad and iPhone 4S, JailbreakUntethered reports. The updated software allows users to jailbreak their newer A5-powered iOS devices without having to connect to a computer while booting, though it is not compatible with iPad 2 models powered by Apple’s newer 32-nanometer chipset. Download links for Greenpois0n Absinthe 2.0 and a how-to guide details each step of the jailbreaking process can be found through the read link below.

UPDATE: A large number of users are reporting problems with the new software and as such, users may want to wait for a subsequent release before attempting to jailbreak their devices.

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Note: For those asking, Typophone 4 is the name of the lock screen theme pictured above, and it is available for free in Cydia.

The man who counted to infinity twice is invading iPhone 4S handsets around the world thanks to an incredibly useless but fantastically amusing Siri tweak. iOS developer Wonderbread recently released an add-on dubbed “Chuck Norris Facts” for the AssistantExtensions platform that brings powerful new functionality to Apple’s voice-controlled virtual assistant, Siri. After installing AssistantExtensions and the Chuck Norris Facts add-on, the command “let’s chat” will activate AssistantExtensions’ chat-bot feature, and users who dare to speak his name can simply say “Chuck Norris” to hear Siri reply with one of countless faux factoids from the popular Chuck Norris facts meme. Chuck fans will need to jailbreak their iPhones in order to download and install the tweak from the Cydia app store, and caution is recommended when jailbreaking or when doing anything involving Chuck Norris — there used to be a street named after Chuck Norris, but it was changed because nobody crosses Chuck Norris and lives.

Earlier this month, Sparrow released its gorgeous email client for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Sparrow’s mobile app features a simple Facebook-like design that is light and responsive, with support for iCloud, Gmail, Yahoo, AOL and other IMAP services. Unfortunately, the app does not support POP accounts or push notifications, which are both big drawbacks for a number of users. A new jailbreak tweak called “SparrowPush” enables push notifications using IMAP idle, however, making Sparrow’s app a viable replacement for the stock mail client. SparrowPush is available now for free in the Cydia app store.

[Via TheVerge]

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Within hours of the new iPad’s release, iPhone hacker MuscleNerd had already managed to jailbreak the tablet. The hacker took to Twitter to announce his discovery, however he notes that it is “just a first step” and there is “still lots of work to do” with no estimated time frame for a public release available at this time. MuscleNerd uploaded two screenshots to confirm his claims, one displaying root access and the other showing the Cydia app store.

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It hadn’t even been 24 hours since Apple released iOS 5.1, and the hacking community has already let loose the first tethered jailbreaking tool for the updated OS. According to Redmond Pie, the iPhone Dev Team has updated Redsn0w to allow users to jailbreak their iOS 5.1 devices. The jailbreak is tethered, however, so users will be required to connect their devices to a computer each time they are powered on. The exploit works for all devices running iOS 5.1 with the exception of the iPhone 4S and iPad 2.

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Path caused quite a stir last week when it was discovered that the app secretly transmitted users’ entire contact lists to its servers. Without giving users the option to approve the transfer or even giving an indication that this data was being sent, Path was basically stealing personal data. The company’s CEO would later apologize and a recent update makes the process more transparent, but the damage has been done and the company’s image is tarnished. Apple is known for having strict guidelines by which iOS apps are judged before being allowed in the App Store, but apparently the theft of user data falls within those guidelines. Luckily for iPhone users, one developer decided to take matters into his own hands. Read on for more.

IOS developer Ryan Petrich has created a simple utility called ContactPrivacy that has just one function: notify users when an app is about to upload contacts to its servers. Path, of course, is just one of a number of apps that takes possession of your contact list following installation, and Petrich’s utility makes the process transparent when Apple and developers do not.

In the event an app installed on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch attempts to upload a user’s contact list, ContactPrivacy will block the transfer and pop up a warning. Users will then have the option to allow the app to transmit their contacts, or they can opt to block the transfer.

While ContactPrivacy is completely free to users, there is of course a catch. In order to be effective, this tweak must make use of OS functions that are off limits according to Apple’s developer guidelines — yes, developers can steal your private data but they can’t warn you when an app is about to do so. As a result, ContactPrivacy is only available to users who first jailbreak their devices. Thanks to the combined efforts of the iPhone Dev Team, the Chronic Dev Team and pod2g, every iOS device can now be jailbroken very easily.

ContactPrivacy is available for free and can be found by searching the name of the app in Cydia once a device has been jailbroken.

On Friday, the Chronic Dev Team and iPhone Dev Team joined forces and released “Absinthe A5,” an untethered jailbreak solution for the iPhone 4S and iPad 2. The two groups released the download figures on Monday and revealed that almost 1 million people jailbroke their devices during Absinthe’s first three days of availability. Using Cydia, the alternative App Store that comes with the exploit, the team was able to track the exact number of downloads. Specifically, the jailbreak was performed on 491,325 iPhone 4S handsets, 308,967 iPad 2 tablets and 152,940 iPad 2s that had been previously jailbroken on iOS 4.

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There are plenty of reasons for savvy iPhone users to jailbreak their handsets, the most obvious of which is access to applications that provide functionality beyond what is allowed by Apple. The third-party app store is packed with hundreds of terrific unsanctioned apps and now that the iPhone 4S has been jailbroken, there is a new wave of utilities we can look forward to: Siri tweaks. Two of the first apps to hit Cydia that extend the capabilities of Apple’s digital personal assistant are VoiceUtils and SiriToggles, and both apps add sought after new functionality that Apple hasn’t yet enabled. VoiceUtils is fairly basic for the time being, allowing users to launch apps, unlock or reboot their iPhones using Siri commands. SiriToggles offers the same features but adds the ability to adjust settings such as screen brightness or toggle things like airplane mode, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. We definitely can’t wait to see what new functionality developers bring to Siri and in the meantime, VoiceUtils and SiriToggles are both free in Cydia.

Savvy iPhone 4S and iPad 2 owners were elated last week when the new dream team of iOS hacking announced that a jailbreak tool was finally available for owners of A5-powered devices. But there was a catch: the initial release of the new jailbreak tool, dubbed Absinthe, was only available for Mac computers. Owners of Windows machines will be happy to learn that the new jailbreaker resulting from the combined efforts of the iPhone Dev Team, the Chronic Dev Team and pod2g is now available for Windows. Absinthe 0.2 can be downloaded directly from the Greenpois0n website and applying the jailbreak is simple enough. Standard disclaimers considered, Windows users with an iPhone 4S running iOS 5.0 or iOS 5.0.1 or an iPad 2 running iOS 5.0.1 can download the Windows build by following the read link below.

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Following news earlier on Friday that an untethered jailbreak for the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 was almost ready for public release, anew tool has been made available for download. The new build makes use of pod2g’s “corona” exploit and is the result of combined efforts from the iPhone Dev Team, the Chronic Dev team and iOS hacker pod2g. The tool that enables iOS devices with A5 processors to be jailbroken has been dubbed “Absinthe A5,” and users need to load the Greenpois0n website on their devices in order to trigger the jailbreak. Users having problems loading the site in Safari should simply go into Settings and enable VPN — after about a minute, the device will reboot and the jailbreak will be applied. iPhone 4S users running iOS 5.0 and iOS 5.0.1 and iPad 2 owners running iOS 5.0.1 can download Absinthe for OS X via the read link below to apply. Unfortunately, there is still no option for Windows users looking for an iPhone 4S or iPad 2 untethered jailbreak for the time being.

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The uncharacteristically long wait iPhone 4S and iPad 2 owners have been forced to endure before their devices can be jailbroken is almost over. In a blog post early Friday morning, the iPhone Dev Team stated that an untethered jailbreak solution for the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 is almost ready for a public release. The iOS hackers wrote that it has taken the combined efforts of pod2g, the Chronic Dev Team and their own group to develop the new jailbreak, and that all technical hurdles have now been overcome. The teams are now working on making the solution as bug-free as possible ahead of general release. Once available, the new jailbreak tool dubbed “corona” will support iPhone 4S handsets running iOS 5.0 and iOS 5.0.1 as well as iPad 2 tablets running iOS 5.0.1. Users hoping to jailbreak their devices should not update to newer versions of iOS in the event Apple pushes out any software updates ahead of corona’s release.

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On Monday, iOS hacker pod2g posted a video of a jailbroken iPhone 4S on his blog. The device is running iOS 5.0.1 and is able to reboot without connecting to a computer, also known as an “untethered” jailbreak. The hack was done by Chronic Dev Team member DHowett, with Pod2g indicating a release is coming soon. Last month, the Chronic Dev Team and iPhone Dev Team joined forces and released an untethered jailbreak solution for iOS5 and the iPhone 4. Hit the break for the video demonstration.

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News of a new untethered jailbreak solution for all iOS 5.0.1 devices other than Apple’s iPhone 4S and iPad 2 emerged this morning, and iOS users now have another reason to take advantage of the hack. IOS developer chpwn announced on his blog on Tuesday that a free Siri port dubbed “Spire” that does not violate any copyright laws is now available for jailbroken iOS 5 devices. This is not the first Siri port available for the iPhone 4 and other devices, but it is the first legal option and it also allows users to input their own proxy server since Apple’s servers cannot be used by devices other than the iPhone 4S. Spire is now available for the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad and third and fourth-generation iPod touch devices, and it can be downloaded from Cydia.

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Hackers on Tuesday released an untethered iOS 5.0.1 jailbreak solution for all iOS devices but the iPhone 4S and the iPad 2. In a post on his blog, iOS hacker pod2g announced that the Chronic Dev Team and the iPhone Dev Team have jointly released a tool that will allow iOS device owners to jailbreak their devices running iOS 5.0.1 without having to boot while tethered to a computer. The new version of “redsn0w” is compatible with the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad and third and fourth-generation iPod touch devices, and users currently running a tethered jailbreak can update to untethered using a utility called “Corona” now available in Cydia. An untethered jailbreak for Apple’s iPhone 4S and iPad 2 is not yet available. The new version of redsn0w is available for download immediately for both Windows and Mac computers.

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