So the iPhone has been out for a couple months now, and I’ve pretty much left mine alone—no hacking of any sort, beyond trying out Ambrosia’s new iToner. Then today, fellow Macworld staffer Chris Breen pointed me to Nullriver’s Installer.app beta. Using this program, “hacking” your iPhone to support third-party apps and tools is amazingly simple. Run the Installer.app on your Mac, then switch to your iPhone and use the new Installer icon on the home screen. From there, choose which packages you’d like to install, and you’re off and running.
So what’s available? Quite a lot, actually. First, there’s a screenshot app, which I used for the image you see here (click on it for a larger version). In the shot of the main screen, you’ll notice there’s a new row of icons on the phone; those were all added with the Installer.app program. Everything from hard-core Unix apps to games to productivity apps are available, and all can be installed (or removed) with a couple taps.
If something goes horribly wrong, you might have to use iTunes’ to restore your iPhone to its factory-new state, but at that point, it should work fine. I did this a couple times today (unnecessarily, as it turned out) and had no troubles. However, you are responsible for your own actions! In other words, if you brick your iPhone, it’s not my fault!
We’ll have a lot more to say about this topic in the near future, explaining everything involved in the process in great detail. But in a nutshell, modifying your iPhone is now about as easy as I think it can possibly be. Pretty impressive, given that it was a bunch of (very bright) volunteer hackers, and they’ve only had about 60 days to get to this point!
How do you use the screen capture app? Is there any documentation for these applications?
Hey,
How dow you select which apps go on the front screen and which are on Launcher.app? I
Wow, I'm impressed. Please note that the installer is a Universal application and it runs just fine on old Power-based Macs like my PowerBook G4. The installation went without a hitch.
Is this a security problem? The lack of support for installing applications means no Apple engineering time given to safeguarding the system against foreign apps. Is the installer app opening the door for viruses?
While iActivator has made early enterprise adoption & evaluation possible, having the ability to install foreign apps wirelessly will be an issue. I will need to develop a defense against to thwart the naysayers. It may do more ha than good without Apple's support.
Wm, I don't see how this can be a problem if you don't put Installer.app on your iPhone. And, it seems that it pulls down packages -- it's not a push over wifi to your phone. That would be a potential security risk.
Like any of these other hacks, clean as they may be, if you put stuff on your phone and it breaks, its only your phone that's broken. This kind of program doesn't suddenly put all iPhones out there at risk of being bricked, either accidentally or maliciously. (There may be ways to do that, but this isn't it.)
Gary:
"How do you use the screen capture app? Is there any documentation for these applications?"
There's minimal documentation for most of the apps (the cost of living just beyond the bleeding edge). For the screen capture app, you need to SSH into the phone (install OpenSSH to enable that) from another machine. Once connected, take the iPhone to the screen you want to capture, then just type snap2album and hit return. The picture will then show up in your iPhone's camera section, and you can transfer it as you would any other photo when you sync. (You can also grab files via Terminal or any SFTP app such as Transmit).
-rob.
Paolo:
"How dow you select which apps go on the front screen and which are on Launcher.app?"
The best answer is (as of today) install the new SummerBoard app installed. It makes the main screen scrollable, so you can have an infinite number of apps!
-rob.
Wm:
"Is this a security problem? The lack of support for installing applications means no Apple engineering time given to safeguarding the system against foreign apps. Is the installer app opening the door for viruses?"
As noted by woode, it's not really a security issue as such. It is, however, for those of us who have installed it. Nothing is installed on our iPhone's without our taking action, but that doesn't mean that some rogue developer couldn't sneak a piece of malware in the install list somehow. However, if they did so, I think the community would catch on quite quickly, and the fake would be revealed and removed.
So yes, there's risk for those who choose to do this -- anything from installing malware to maybe bricking the iPhone itself (though I think that risk is very minimal, given the availability of the Restore function in iTunes).
-rob.
I was wondering if you could use the installer app on an ipod touch as well as the iphone??
how do I run installer.app with windows
The problem is I installed a number of packages using the installer.app and now there is no installer icon on the frontscreen of the phone.... nor can I scroll the front screen...some help please!
I have an unlocked iphone using anysim - Am I still able to install installer.app or will this comprimise my phone and anysim?
i tried downloading the installer and basically it erased everything so now i have no pictures, contacts, ect. thanks.
i couldn't download the installer.app to my iphone.There is written that safari can't dowload this programme.please help me
Try planet-iphones.com. It's a popular forum with a lot of info on iphone modding.
Finally Apple is getting their what-for for trying to make things too expensive and adding too much functionality to a device. I always thought that was stupid and Apple should've known better before they went off the deep end. I can't wait to see their expression when their little iPhones get the flu and keep spreading. . .
If I use the installer in the iPhone, will it give my iPhone a newer version update?
I want to thank you!..Your program put my I Phone into recovery mode and now I have lost all my phone numbers, pictures, music...Everything!
Thanks for nothing, and go kill yourself
Nathan:
I guess you glossed over the line that's in bold red text and reads "However, you are responsible for your own actions!"? Was that not clear enough?
There are many newer, and more detailed, installation guides available for modifying the iPhone -- this one is way out of date. Also, I haven't heard of anyone having their phone go into recovery mode just for allowing third party apps. And if it does, that's what Restore Mode is for in iTunes.
Again, sorry you lost everything, but you can't say you weren't warned.
-rob.
Hi, I flat-lined my iPhone and thanks to yr brilliant apps, it works again. Before I do something silly, I wonder if I cud use AppTapp installer in v. 1.1.4?
hi, can you please tell me how to install the installer on my iphone i have 1.0.2 version when i am install there is a DOS open and there is nothing happen its say error. so how can i install it. please answer me.
Thanks
hi,
can you tell please tell me how to install the installer on my iphone 1.0.2 i have a Windows xp PC. when i am installing it there is a error comes on DOS mode.
please help me to install that software.
Thanks
did anyone answer the last post about installer on the pc?
Can I do any of this crap with a PC and iPhone version 1.1.2 ?
It seems i can't use the installer,i press the icon it gets ready to start but it doesn't. How can i reset it or something.
were do you install installer .app