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iOSOpenDev Offers Xcode Templates For Developing Jailbreak Apps/Tweaks, v1.0.1 Now Available For Download

Paul Morris — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:32:01 +0000

At the end of January we brought you quite an exciting article which focused on a new project called iOSOpenDev which aimed to make the process of creating ‘open’ iOS tweaks for jailbroken devices significantly easier. The idea alone of a project such as iOSOpenDev should be enough to make the world stand up and take notice that the art of jailbreaking an iDevice isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, but the actual release of the initial version is surely enough to prove that the community means business.

It seems that every Tom, Dick and Harry who has created a developer account with Apple and downloaded the Xcode IDE like to call themselves an iOS developer. The internet is full of development tutorials and code samples pertaining to iOS development, and if you take the time to look through the official App Store and have a look at the some of the laughable applications which exist, it doesn’t come as a surprise a large number of people just regurgitate these examples found on the net without any familiarity or understanding of what they are actually doing.

The development community which created tweaks and software to be uploaded to Cydia have enjoyed a state of elitism in the last few years. With the ‘open’ side of development being a lot tougher to get into, and only a small number of guides existing on the net, it has been largely only the experienced and talented developers that have managed to release tweaks which have a profound effect on iOS. With the release of iOSOpenDev, it looks like its all about to change, due to the fact that this new installer offers Xcode templates which allow developing for jailbroken devices in a full, familiar development environment.

iOSOpenDev version 1.0 had its first public release yesterday, and featured the following Xcode templates:

Action Menu plugin.
Activator Listener.
Assistant Extension.
Command-line tool.
Dynamic Library.
Notification Center Widget.
SBSettings Toggle.
Substrate Tweak.

A second release, version 1.0.1 has been pushed and made available for download which has the following change log, which can be found in full here:

Installers dependency tools option amended.
Set up latest iOS SDK option will fail if dpkg-deb is not found.
Dump SDK header files is not selected by default.
Important information read me added to installer.
Language amendments in all scripts in the hope it rectifies grep issues.

Version 1.0.1 of the iOSOpenDev installer is available to download and install now. For those interested, the ‘dpkg-deb’ tool ‘must’ be installed before attempting to install iOSOpenDev. If your machine has MacPorts installed, then open up Terminal and use the command ‘sudo port -f install dpkg‘ making sure to have your administrator password at hand. If MacPorts is not installed on your machine, then visit the MacPorts site to install, then use the previous Terminal command.

The community seems to have mixed opinions about whether or not iOSOpenDev represents a positive release, or simply a tool which will help inexperienced developers release mediocre software into Cydia. For me personally, iOSOpenDev offers an incredibly exciting opportunity not only for myself, but for other accomplished iOS developers who are tempted by the ‘dark’ side. I have previously dabbled with the creation of Cydia tweaks, but have found the whole process incredibly difficult and with the often snobbish attitude of some of the more well known developers; I think iOSOpenDev will be an incredibly powerful tool for a large number of people.

You can visit the iOSOpenDev homepage to view information about the project, the downloads page to grab the current installer and the growing wiki page for technical help.

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Research In Motion Handing Out Free PlayBook Tablets To Android Developers

Paul Morris — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:53:49 +0000

Believe it or not, the BlackBerry PlayBook was actually quite well-received from a technical point of view. The tablet device looked good, had decent and competitive specifications and aside from the glaring omission of native email handling, was a very accomplished device. So just what went wrong?

Well, one of the main reasons the PlayBook never really got off the ground, and probably one of the main reasons that BlackBerry smartphones are also taking a pummeling is the total lack of any third-party applications. The meteoric rise of the iTunes App Store and the Android Market show that the consumer need for third-party applications and additional software is at an all time high, but users of a BlackBerry device find themselves with very limited choice when it comes to that side of the market. Even the installations which do exist on the BB App World are limited and mediocre efforts at best.

It seems that changes are happening within RIM, with the recent changing of the company CEO and now the imminent arrival of the PlayBook operating system 2.0 which is expected to drop sometime in February. The 2.0 version of the PlayBook OS will include the much talked about Blackberry Runtime for Android applications, basically meaning that Android developers can simply repackage any existing Android application and push it into the paltry BlackBerry App World. I guess the benefits of this are self explanatory, from a developer point of view their software will now be available via two platforms meaning the possibility of increased sales and also the offer of a free BlackBerry PlayBook. From Research In Motions point of view, the BB App World should be bolstered significantly and will maybe offer consumers some real choice for PlayBook and BlackBerry 10 device owners when it comes to third party installations.

RIM have been quite shrewd in realizing that there is no better way to encourage a developer to migrate an application than to offer them some new hardware for free. The company have announced that all Android developers who head over to the Android tools site and repackage their application for sale on the BB App World will be given a free BlackBerry PlayBook as an incentive. It seems like a pretty sweet deal for anyone who currently enjoys the benefits that the Android Market provides and by simply repackaging an app for a new platform using the given tools, it seems like a no brainer.

If you are an Android dev, and interested in claiming your free PlayBook then you need to visit the BlackBerry Development Blog for full details, and remember, the deadline is February 13th.

iOS 5 Tech Talk World Tour 2011 To Begin In November

Ben Reid — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:44:48 +0000

Apple has, in years gone by, held various ‘Tech Talk World Tours’ aimed at giving its developers a more in-depth view on new technologies. iOS 5, the company’s latest mobile operating system, will be the next taken on an education spree from Berlin to Beijing, Seoul to Seattle.

First stop will be Germany on November 2nd, with the tour running all the way through to the new year before completing on January 23rd. Note that the talks will NOT be for beginners, nor those looking to maybe learn how to code some time in the future. Apple has stated that, with the help of experts, those with experience with the iOS SDK will gain valuable knowledge on advanced coding and design techniques beneficial for the ongoing development of App Store apps.

The agenda for proceedings begins with an iOS 5 "Tech Talk Kickoff", whereby introductions will be made, brief overviews, presumably accompanied by the usual spontaneous pleasantries. After the scene has been set, the talk will then head towards the iPhone and iPad user interface design.

Either side of lunch will be reserved for talk of iCloud and how developers can make the most of it. The mere fact that the Cupertino-based company has chopped the talk into two parts gives even more emphasis for its longing for a decent web venture. After the failures of the past, and the reported unsuccessful attempt to acquire Dropbox in ’09, one suspects that in-depth iCloud education will be top priority.

After the break, there will be three different seminars operating simultaneously, covering a wide range of the key sectors for any iOS developer. These include Airplay, turn-based gaming with Game Center, and adopting in-app purchases – another area whereby both Apple and its developers are keen to increase the margins.

After a day of vacuuming in all that information, attendees will be given an appropriate respite, with wine and cheese being served at the end.

All-in-all, nine cities will be covered. In ascending order, they will be Berlin, London, Rome, Beijing, Seoul & Sao Paolo; with the final three seminars occurring in the Stateside cities of New York City, and finally the Austin Convention Center, Texas.

Each and every event will be free to attend, so if you’re an iOS dev keen to improve your app(s), check out the concise list of the dates and locations of your local Tech Talk Tour stop below!

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Visual Studio 11 Developer Preview With .NET Framework 4.5 Now Available On MSDN: Download It Now!

Goncalo Ribeiro — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 22:28:45 +0000

Unless you’re without power and can’t get to the Internet or watch TV, you’re likely aware that Microsoft’s BUILD conference is currently taking place. Microsoft kicked it off yesterday by showing off the next major upgrade for Windows, known as Windows 8, and today it focused on development for the platform.

At the cornerstone of Microsoft’s strategy there has always been Visual Studio, the user-friendly IDE that manages to appeal to beginners and hardcore developers alike. Ever since 1995, the system has changed in the face of evolving Microsoft software, therefore it’s naturally being revved up once again as Windows 8 inches closer.

The result is Visual Studio 11, the new version of the IDE that makes effortless Windows development a reality. This new release includes .NET 4.5 Developer Preview, and support for many of Windows 8′s new features, including the ability to develop Metro-style apps, which are displayed on Windows 8′s new "Start Screen", support for HTML5, CSS3, enhancements for game development, Code Clone Analysis, Code Review Workflow with Team Explorer, Exploratory Testing and Enhanced Unit Testing.

More than just support for Microsoft’s newest platform, however, Visual Studio 11 makes the job of developing applications easier for developers, especially graphic intensive ones. For starters, there’s a new built-in image editor that supports alpha blending: gone are the days when you had to use a separate tools for your app’s graphical needs. There’s also a new debugging tool that allows developers to track down visual flaws in a 3D environment and diagnose the problem.

There’s more than just graphics, however. Following the current trend of transitioning offline services to the Internet, known as the ‘cloud’, Visual Studio 11 includes several features that make it easier to create apps that interact with an online back-end, as explained by Microsoft’s Server and Tools Business President Satya Nadella:

Developers have long been the cornerstone of Microsoft’s success, and that relationship is now more important than ever, In today’s world of connected devices and continuous services, we are focused on helping developers build the next generation of client applications that are tethered to a back-end cloud.

We could go on and on about what’s new in Microsoft’s new IDE, but why not try it out for yourself? If you own an MSDN subscription, you can download the Developer Preview of Visual Studio 11 today. Remaining users can download the 64-bit version Windows 8 Developer Preview, which was released yesterday and includes all Windows 8 development tools, or just wait for the standalone release which will come out this Friday, according to Microsoft.

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Comex Releases Source Code Of JailbreakMe 3.0 “Saffron”

Awais Imran — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:00:00 +0000

As promised previously, iOS hacker comex has released the source code of his jailbreaking tool JailbreakMe 3.0. The code allows capable people to look through it and understand how JBme casts it spell on unassuming iOS devices.

Comex is a hacker who is very well-known among the iPhone/iPad jailbreaking community. He is amongst the most accomplished of iOS hackers; especially known for his JailbreakMe series of jailbreaking tools. JailbreakMe’s first version worked on iOS 1.1.1 for iPhone/iPod touch. Its second version worked with iOS 4.0.1 on all iOS devices and its latest version, version 3, was released a couple of weeks ago.

The latest version which is codenamed Saffron works on all iOS devices running iOS 4.3.3. It makes use of a PDF-exploit found in Mobile Safari along with other magical techniques that make it the fastest jailbreaking tool ever. It was also the first tool to jailbreak the iPad 2.

Comex previously released the source code for JailbreakMe Star back in August and, as promised, he has also released the source code for Saffron. The code allows other able hackers to go through Comex’s code to create their own tools.

One must keep in mind that, in its current state, JBme doesn’t work on iOS 4.3.4. Apple updated iOS firmware to plug the hole which Comex used in JailbreakMe. The hole in question, as we talked about here, is a PDF-based Mobile Safari exploit. Apple not only plugged the PDF-exploit, but also i0n1c’s exploit which was used to perform untethered jailbreaks on iOS 4.3.x.

Jailbreaking enthusiasts are, of course, suggested to stay away from iOS 4.3.4, lest they want their untethered jailbreaking freedom taken away. For safety purposes, it is highly recommended you install PDF Patcher 2 which provides the same advantage as iOS 4.3.4 without being locked out of a untethered jailbreak.

The source code is available for everyone at GitHub. You may go though it here.

If you haven’t jailbroken yet, now’s the best time to do so. If you’re on iOS 4.3.3 and are toting any iOS device, the world of experience-enhancing tweaks is just a couple of taps away. Follow our guide for jailbreaking iPad 2 or iPhone/iPod touch, posted here.

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Apple Developer Center Site For iPhone & OS X Contains Vulnerability That Could Open Door For Phishing Attacks

Goncalo Ribeiro — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:00:57 +0000

According to YGN Ethical Hacker Group, a Myanmar-based white hat group, Apple’s developer site contains a vulnerability that could open the door for phishing attacks, allowing personal information to be stolen.

Apple’s developer site is used to distribute pre-release software and developer-related documentation to its subscribers, for a yearly $99 fee. This vulnerability, known as an "Open Redirect", allows hackers to redirect unsuspecting users to malicious sites by slightly modifying the URL, and that way obtain personal information:

By modifying the URL value to a malicious site, an attacker may successfully launch a phishing scam and steal user credentials. Because the server name in the modified link is identical to the original site, phishing attempts have a more trustworthy appearance.

The group didn’t reveal specific details on the vulnerability and has instead contacted Apple, hoping that the company will fix it. In a statement, the company stressed that security is one of its utmost priorities:

We take the report of a potential security issue very seriously.

As of yet, however, the company hasn’t yet fixed the vulnerability. The group has threatened to released detailed information to the public on the 3 holes that haven’t yet been fixed, unless the company fixes them quickly. That would be dangerous, since other hackers could easily exploit the disclosed vulnerabilities for their own benefit and put users at risks. Despite that, the hard truth is many companies are only swift at applying fixes when vulnerabilities are "in the wild".

The same happened this past March, when a vulnerability was found on the McAfee website, maker of security software (ironically). Over one month after the company was notified, the vulnerability wasn’t yet fixed, causing the group to release the full details online. Shortly after, the vulnerability was finally fixed.

According to US law, the practice of detecting vulnerabilities on third-party infrastructure is considered illegal, since it’s the result of an attempt to break into websites. While that might be the case, YGN Ethical Hacker Group believes very strongly that security breaches must be detected and reported before they’re used for evil.

Until Apple fixes this hole, be sure not to click on any link to Apple’s developer site from an email, unless you’re familiar with its source. In doubt, always head over to apple.com/developer.

(via Macworld)

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Download Kinect SDK For Windows And “Be Part Of The Movement”

Goncalo Ribeiro — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:00:33 +0000

Kinect, developed by Microsoft, is rather amazing. Thanks to a few cameras and sensors, this Xbox add-on can accurately detect body movements in real time. Thanks to the just-released SDK, which the Redmond company unveiled today, developers will be able to code their own applications for the device connected to Windows PCs, making good for more than just games.

SDK stands for "Software Development Kit": it’s a company-provided way for developers to create software that takes advantage of a particular technology. The Kinect SDK, currently in beta form, will do just that, as Microsoft explained in a press release:

The SDK is designed to empower a growing community of developers, academic researchers and enthusiasts to create new experiences that include depth sensing, human motion tracking, and voice and object recognition using Kinect technology on Windows 7.

This software development kit includes extensive documentation, Windows drivers and many tools that let developers take advantage of features exclusive to Kinect, such as visual and audio tracking. As with most, if not all, Microsoft SDK’s it works out of the box with the company’s own development environment, known as Visual Studio, in a variety of languages, namely C#, C++ and Visual Basic.

Microsoft held an event at its campus to celebrate this release, where developers discussed the many uses Kinect will have outside the gaming world that will now be unleashed:

Ever since Kinect became available in November last year, developers have already figured out ways to give it uses other than gaming. Shortly after the release, third-party open source drivers found their way onto the web. Using those drivers, many third-parties have developed applications that take advantage of Microsoft’s hardware, not only Windows but on Linux as well.

Aaron Gupta, a scientist at Microsoft Research, recognizes the benefit third-party development will bring to the table:

We can’t wait to see what this community will create as we work together to build more natural, intuitive computing experiences.

Microsoft didn’t approve of third-party development at first, but it’s clear it has now realized the true potential of Kinect. With legitimate drivers, and a real SDK, the open-source counterparts will likely come to an end, but the community will always take the credit for truly opening up the technology.

The beta version is available as a free download today from Microsoft’s website. The final version is expected to be available later this year, as a free download as well.

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Microsoft Releases iPhone to Windows Phone 7 App Porting Tool

Oliver Haslam — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 01:13:47 +0000

Things are starting to hot up in the mobile operating system wars, with Apple’s iOS and Android from Google battling it out for supremacy in the pockets of the world. While the two giants battle it out though, it’s always worth remembering they aren’t the only two boxers in this particular ring. Microsoft has high hopes for its Windows Phone 7 platform, though a lack of apps has held the OS back thus far. Now Microsoft is looking to rectify that by giving developers an easier way to port their iOS apps to WP7.

As WMPowerUser reports, Microsoft’s new porting tool tries to break down the barriers usually associated with taking an app from one platform and porting it to another by giving developers an easy way to take iOS API calls and map them straight to existing Windows Phone 7 APIS.

To help with the whole process Microsoft is also providing a hefty 90+ pages of documentation for developers to ponder, aptly named the ‘Windows Phone 7 guide for iPhone application developers". No mistaking what that does, then.

Microsoft isn’t playing around with WP7 and clearly recognizes that the key to a successful mobile operating system is a store full of good quality applications. With Apple’s App Store and Android’s Market streets ahead, Microsoft has some catching up to do and this new tool could well prove pivotal in the mobile OS wars.

Windows Phone API Mapping Tool can be downloaded from here.

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Dell: Developing Apps for Windows Phone 7 is Easier Than Android

Awais Imran — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 12:48:49 +0000

CEO of PC manufacturer Dell Michael Dell, while speaking at an event in Hong Kong, has said that it was easier to develop for Windows Phone 7 than it was for Google Android.

From Reuters:

Speaking at an event in Hong Kong, Michael Dell also said that he had received feedback from developers that it was easier to develop smartphone software using Microsoft’s Windows operating system than Google’s popular free Android system.

Thank you stating the obvious, Mr. Dell. Windows Phone 7 is easier to develop for. Fragmentation, especially of the OEM software variety (HTC Sense / Blur / Stock Android), is proving to be a serious headache for Android developers. And fragmentation is exactly what WP7 is tackling very efficiently.

There is a minimum hardware specs requirement that manufacturers have to meet if they want WP7 on their handset and this means that if a developer gets an app to run on those minimum specs, it will run on every other WP7 phone. iOS does this very effectively as well.

Droid doesn’t, though. And that’s precisely where Dell’s statement comes from. [news: via Reuters | image via: stshank]

Apple Relaxes iOS App Store Restrictions, Will Allow Third Party Development Tools

Awais Imran — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:36:04 +0000

Announced just today, and picked up first by Gizmodo, Apple will be relaxing all restrictions on the development tools used to create iOS apps. Also in a very surprising move, the company at One Infinite Loop, CA has also published App Store Review Guidelines for developers.

(image via Cristiano Betta)

Back in April, Apple disallowed all developers from using cross platform tools like Flash. The updated license forced devs to use Apple’s Objective C-based tools and there was no changing that, as Steve Jobs sternly replied to in an email.

But now, Apple has changed their decision:

We are continually trying to make the App Store even better. We have listened to our developers and taken much of their feedback to heart. Based on their input, today we are making some important changes to our iOS Developer Program license in sections 3.3.1, 3.3.2 and 3.3.9 to relax some restrictions we put in place earlier this year.

In particular, we are relaxing all restrictions on the development tools used to create iOS apps, as long as the resulting apps do not download any code. This should give developers the flexibility they want, while preserving the security we need.

So yes, cross platform tools like Adobe’s Flash, Unreal Game’s Unreal Engine, Unity etc are now allowed for devs to use to make apps for the App Store. And they are allowed so long as the apps they make do not download any code from the user’s iOS device.

Now onto the second bit; Apple has also published App Store Review Guidelines to help developers understand how their applications are reviewed and then allowed or rejected by Apple.

In addition, for the first time we are publishing the App Store Review Guidelines to help developers understand how we review submitted apps. We hope it will make us more transparent and help our developers create even more successful apps for the App Store.

Pornographic applications are still not allowed. So if you are continually horny and prefer porn on the small screen, try Google Android.

This means that developers of perfectly legal apps like GrooveShark will no longer feel that their app was unjustly reviewed.

Developers can now finally develop an application while keeping the Review Guidelines in mind and won’t face feelings of absolute cluelessness when they find that their app has been rejected.

Wrapping things up, Jesus Diaz of Gizmodo writes:

As for censorship, we have yet to see how the new public guidelines will affect the process. My fear is that, if the "law" is open to interpretation, we will keep seeing the same mistakes.

Will the new rules make the App Store a more open place? Only time will tell!

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Redmond Pie » Dev

iOSOpenDev Offers Xcode Templates For Developing Jailbreak Apps/Tweaks, v1.0.1 Now Available For Download

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