History of iPhone

Apple marketed this Smartphone in an effective way and after four successful ad campaigns, in June Apple released a YouTube advertisement. In this ad all the features including the clear touch-screen are highlighted.

The first iPhone was introduced in January, 2007. Soon after the release, Mr. Jobs publicized that all full-time and qualified part-time employees would get a free one which created a buzz around the public. The first model of iPhone were sold at $499.00 for 4GB and for an 8GB phone, it is priced as $599.00. As per the sales report published by AT&T, about 140,000 were sold in first 7 days.

Soon after their introduction, the 4GB was gave up its popularity and buyers of 8GB phone demanded a rebate, this happened when the cost of the were cut down by $200.00. And due to this reason, jobs gave a $100.00 store credit to all customers who purchased iPhone for $599.00.

And in November, apple launched its iPhone in various place, such as United Kingdom and Germany. In the initial stage, the iPhone sold were operated in an contract with AT&T, which resulted in several law suits. Then soon unlocked are available in various places of the world, such as Greece, Lithuania, Norway, Italy, Spain, Canada, Croatia, and other countries.

After so many up and downs, apple introduce a new model in 2008 and it is named as 3G phone. This model is a perfectly designed model with all attractive features. And in 2009, Apple again launched a new model, the iPhone3GS.

Now the previous model that is 3G was available with 8GB and the price of this model is just $99.00 and 16 GB phone is for $199.00 and the 32 GB phone is for $299.00. Now the whole world is awaiting for the new release of iPhone4G.

Factory Unlocked iPhone 4 - A Guide For World Travelers and Users Outside The US

People want a factory unlocked iPhone 4 for various reasons. A large proportion of interested parties live in countries where the iPhone 4 is not yet available. Another large group consists of those who travel abroad extensively, and want to be able to switch to carriers based within the countries they visit. This article will help prospective users to choose a phone correctly configured for their needs and inform them how to get the phone activated.

Why The Factory Unlocked iPhone 4 uses GSM

The two main cellphone network technologies globally are CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) and GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication).These technologies are not compatible. This means a GSM configured phone cannot work with a carrier using CDMA, and vice versa.

GSM is the predominant technology globally, available in over 200 countries and territories, providing service to more than 3 billion people and supplying travelers with mobile access almost wherever they go. It's used in Europe (where it's the standard), Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, and much of Asia and the Middle East. AT&T and T-Mobile operate GSM networks in the United States.
CDMA, although big in the States, provides smaller worldwide coverage than GSM.

Another plus for GSM phones is that they use the convenient SIM cards, which CDMA does not. This allows you to, among other things, switch phones and SIM-based carriers more easily.

GSM configuration is therefore the best choice for a true "world" phone.

Which Band? Be Sure With a Quadband World GSM iPhone 4

Not just any GSM phone will do the trick. There are four GSM bands used around the world: 850, 900, 1,800, and 1,900MHz.

North America uses the 850MHz and 1,900MHz bands. In contrast, Europe, uses the 900MHz and 1,800MHz bands.

In order to have a phone that will work in the most countries possible, you must ensure that your handset is Quadband (GSM 850/900/ 1,800/1,900MHz).

Cutting Things Down to Size - SIM to MicroSIM

The iPhone 4 uses a MicroSIM, and a normal SIM card won't fit into the phone's SIM slot. You will have to cut your SIM card down to MicroSIM size. This is quite easily done, using a SIM cutter, which is inexpensive and available through online stores. Do not use scissors!

Micro SIM Adapters allow a MicroSIM card to be used in handsets that use a full size SIM, so you don't need to own two SIMs.

Activating Your iPhone 4

Factory unlocked iPhones are very cool. They will activate with ANY SIM from ANY carrier of ANY country. In technical terms, You can use this device with a SIM card from any 2G GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 and / OR 3G HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 network worldwide.

To activate the phone: Download the latest version of iTunes (set up a iTunes store account if you don't have one); connect your iPhone to your PC or Mac's USB port, using the dock-connecter-to-USB cable supplied. Open iTunes, and your factory unlocked iPhone 4 should simply pause and iTunes will say "Your phone has been unlocked". And away you go. Voila.

Apple iPhone Review - Get the Most From Your iPhone

The Apple iPhone is the latest in cellular technology; it is not just a phone but also so much more. The iPhone is pretty expensive, so you want to make sure that you are getting the most from your iPhone. There are three different components to the iPhone, it is a phone, an iPod and a new way to brows the Internet. In addition to the 3G, the iPhone is available in an 8 GB and a 16GB models. You will only find iPhones at your local Apple Retail stores and AT&T Stores. AT&T is the only phone carrier that will support the iPhone.

When you purchase an iPhone, you get the iPhone 3G, a stereo headset with mic, a USB Power Adapter, a Dock Connector to a USB Cable, Documentation, Cleaning and Polishing Cloth and a SIM Eject Tool. The screen size of the phone is 3.5 " diagonal and a screen resolution of 480 x 320 pixels. The Input Method is a Multi- Touch with a storage capacity of 8GB and 16 GB.

The battery is a not replaceable, if you lose the battery you will have to buy a new one. On one battery charge you will get up to 5 hours on the 3G and up to 10 hours on the 2G. With the phone on Stand By the battery will last up to 300 hours. You will get 5 hours of Internet use on 3G and up to 6 hours on the Wi-Fi. You will also get on the battery up to 7 hours on Video Playback and with audio playback you will get up to 24 hours.

You can utilize some of the features to make sure that you are getting the most from your phones. Rather than dial a number that you want, simply tap your contacts list and choose the person you want to call and then tap on the number. It can't get much easier than that. You can also save yourself even more time by adding the people you call the most to your favorite list and just tap on the contact and the number from there.

To really get your money's worth from the iPhone, try renting and watching movies and TV shows from your phone. When you have an iPhone you have access to the iTunes Store. You can rent movies as well as purchase music. Simply choose a movie you want to watch and then transfer the movie to the phone. Follow the prompts and load and watch your movie.

Make the most from the music library, this seems to be the heart of the iPhone. There are hundreds of songs programmed into the music library , take advantage of all that the iPhone has to offer. The best way to ensure that you get the most from the phone is to look at every feature and application and figure out the best way to use them. If you have an iPhone and all you do is talk on the phone or send text messages, then you may be wasting your money. You can do that on any other phone. Make the most of your iPhone and make it worth the money.

The best way to get the most from your iphone is to understand fully what it can do. Please don't just buy your iPhone switch it on and make a few calls send a few texts. It has so much more to it and with no manual to read you may never know exactly what it is capable of. There is another way to find out every last trick the iPhone can do and that's to check out the one and only Monster-iPhone.com If you have an iPhone its a one stop shop filled with info about everything from iPhone downloads, music, movies and games to the best and very latest applications. They are a few things you might be very surprised about, like the one trick Apple tried to keep to secret find out more at unlock-the-iphone.

Make a Wise Decision - Buy a Sim Free iPhone

Many of us want a lot of freedom in the way we use our mobile service. We do not want to get tied to a single service provider. The reason is that you then become dependent on the service provider and have to put up with inconsistent service, increase in rates and many other things that you cannot control beyond a point and this can be very irritating for you.

Buying a sim free iPhone or an unlock sim card phone is the best solution that you can avail of as through this you can get liberated from being tied to a service provider. This phone can be used on the network that you prefer giving you a lot of flexibility. The other reason in going for such phones is the fact that in trying to unlock it using conventional software, you may end up damaging the phone and render it useless. The sim free iPhone ensures that there is no chance of the software crashing.

In a manner of speaking, it is not a sim free iPhone but just a clever use of another card that behaves like a sim but can be removed at any time and used as per convenience.

There are other advantages as under:
a) This will keep the phone unlocked even when the software is updated from time to time.
b) You can use this phone anywhere globally and connect to any network.
c) The unlock facility is a very convenient one as it is similar to the sim card and is positioned such that the sim connectors and the usual sim card do not get affected and cannot affect this card. It is simply a trick to deceive the phone to believe that you are making use of a card to use the phone on a particular network exclusively.
d) As mentioned above, you are at liberty to remove the card and use it whenever you like, giving you the flexibility to make use of your phone at any place and at any time without being bound to a particular network.
e) You can fit any sim card along with the unlock sim card as it is compatible with every card and the fitting is also not inconvenient.

There are thus many advantages in this system and you can opt for this as opposed to unlocking your phone each time through the cumbersome software method. This system really gives you the flexibility and freedom that you always wanted and also keep your iPhone safe from any damage with the original warranty still valid.

iPhone Unlock - iPhone Unlock Software Review

Are you looking for an iPhone unlock program?

I've put this article together to save you from spending hours Googling "iPhone unlock software" like I have!
The prices out there for this type of unlocking software range from around $50, all the way up to about $200! Well if you're anything like me, you want to get the best value for your money. I know that there was no way I was going to pay $200 for a piece of software!

After reading up on various iPhone unlocking programs, and hearing people rave all about one program in particular, I knew I found something special. This software is an affordable $29.95 and it performs the operation in a matter of seconds!

So I figured that if all these people were having success with this software, then it should work the same for me too! I quickly paid for the program and received a link to download the unlocking program right away!
I installed the program and hooked my iPhone up to my PC. Presto! ALL DONE! I couldn't believe it! It took less the 1 minute to unlock my iPhone!

Basically you just click the "unlock now" button, and wait for the "finished" screen to appear. I was amazed at how fast my iPhone was unlocked, but I wondered whether I was going to be able to make a call with it.
Next I disconnected my phone and placed my Rogers (cell company here in USA) SIM card into the iPhone's SIM slot. A few seconds later the Rogers logo appeared on my screen! Wow! That was fast and completely painless.

Works like absolute magic!

The iPhone unlock software was a really wise purchase and I'm so happy with my phone now! The best part of all is that I also have unlimited access to all the movies, TV shows, music, sports, games and programs I could ever want for my iPhone. It's all included with the iPhone unlock software!

How to Turn Your iPhone Or iPod Touch Into a Disk Drive

If you are the owner of one of these two devices than you might have noticed that they lack the ability being used as an extra disk drive for your computer and even though they have so many features already built-in, using your iPod touch or iPhone as a portable hard drive really does have its benefits.

Why use an iPhone or iPod touch as an extra hard drive?

Say that you have a few hundred pictures that you want to transfer from your computer to your device or some important files that you simply don't want to have stored in your computer. Whenever you face this scenario you run into the problem that your device doesn't really have an Explorer interface which will let you drag and drop specific files from your computer into your device without having to use some sort of wizard but in this case none of these two devices even has one to begin with, so what you do?

The solution

A new add-on application called the iPhone Explorer was developed for iTunes eight and nine. Basically this little add-on will let you use iTunes as an Explorer window which will allow you to search for specific files in your computer, select them and drop them in your iPod touch or iPhone.

Being able to transfer files from your computer to your device is rather useful because these usually have a rather large hard drive (from 7 GB all the way to 60 GB) and if you want to back up certain files but don't have a flash drive, a blank DVD or a series of CDs at hand and you can always use your portable media device as your plan B.

The best part about using this handy application is that you have to modify the software that came with your device which is often referred to as jail breaking. When you jail break an iPhone you are voiding the phone's warranty according to Apple so this is something that not many people are willing to do in order to gain extra functionality.

Those who are successful at jail breaking an iPhone are able to use applications from unofficial installers such as Rock App, Cydia, Icy and even pirated applications. It is important not to confuse jail breaking with SIM unlocking, this later one refers to the modification of the phone so that it will accept an SIM card without restriction such as a country or network carrier.

iPhone-sim- Unlock - iPhone Unlock Software Review

Are you looking for an iPhone unlock program?

I've put this article together to save you from spending hours Googling "iPhone unlock software" like I have!

The prices out there for this type of unlocking software range from around $50, all the way up to about $200! Well if you're anything like me, you want to get the best value for your money. I know that there was no way I was going to pay $200 for a piece of software!

After reading up on various iPhone unlocking programs, and hearing people rave all about one program in particular, I knew I found something special. This software is an affordable $19.95 and it performs the operation in a matter of seconds!

So I figured that if all these people were having success with this software, then it should work the same for me too! I quickly paid for the program and received a link to download the unlocking program right away!

I installed the program and hooked my iPhone up to my PC. Presto! ALL DONE! I couldn't believe it! It took less the 1 minute to unlock my iPhone!

Basically you just click the "unlock now" button, and wait for the "finished" screen to appear. I was amazed at how fast my iPhone was unlocked, but I wondered whether I was going to be able to make a call with it.

Next I disconnected my phone and placed my Rogers (cell company here in Canada) SIM card into the iPhone's SIM slot. A few seconds later the Rogers logo appeared on my screen! Wow! That was fast and completely painless.

Works like absolute magic!

The iPhone unlock software was a really wise purchase and I'm so happy with my phone now! The best part of all is that I also have unlimited access to all the movies, TV shows, music, sports, games and programs I could ever want for my iPhone. It's all included with the iPhone unlock software!

Exploring the World of the iPhone 4

The iPhone 4 is a touchscreen smartphone developed by Apple, and is the fourth in the iPhone generation. The "i" prefix does not officially stand for anything anymore, but is Apple's branding trademark for all its products (like the iPad, iPod, iTunes, etc.). A smartphone can be best described as a mobile phone integrated with a handheld computer. They run complete operating system software allowing the user to install and run more advanced applications. The list of iPhone Apps gets longer every day (over 350 000), and you can find an app to do basically anything these days. The phone comes out with a few apps installed already, but you can easily download more from Apple's App Store. Many of these apps are free, and many are not, so just double-check before you download to avoid unexpected costs.

The touchscreen functionality is one that is becoming more popular in gadgets lately, and is also available on some Nokia, LG, and HTC cell phones, to name just a few. Instead of pushing or touching buttons, you simply touch the screen to operate the device. The touchscreen means that the phone can have the minimum amount of external buttons without impairing the usability and functionality of the phone. It also means that the phone can have a larger screen. The iPhone 4 has only one button on its front face, and four buttons around its side. When using a touchscreen phone for the first time it might feel a bit different and complicated, but it is actually a lot more logical and user-friendly to many of the standard mobile phones we've grown accustomed to. The key to getting used to it is simple: don't be afraid! Touch and drag and point as much possible. If you break it by just touching, it was broken to begin with. And most of the time the phone will ask for confirmation before deleting anything, so you are quite safe. The glass on both the front and back face of the phone is coated with a special fingerprint-resistant coating, so unless you operate your phone with grimy and greasy fingers, you won't leave too many finger marks. The coating also helps your finger to glide over the glass, making it easier to work with.

The iPhone 4 has many cool features like FaceTime, Retina Display, Multitasking, HD Video Recording and Editing, and a 5-Megapixel Camera with LED flash. Here is what they do.

FaceTime is video-calling using two cameras, one in the front focusing on you, and one in the back focusing on everything else. You can switch between cameras at any time during a call with just a tap of a button. The best way to explain why you would want to use this is with an example of a news journalist on the scene of some news-worthy story. He wants to show the viewers his face while he is reporting, but he also wants to show his viewers what he is seeing when something is happening. Now if he didn't have two cameras to cut to, he would have to do the whole 180-degree camera spin a few times, resulting in some sea-sick viewers. As with all video-calling devices, you can see what you are showing the person on the other side using the little "view-finder" window in the bottom corner of the screen.
The Retina Display is a very sharp, vibrant, high-resolution screen, the best yet in the iPhone family. The name comes from the fact that the pixel-density of the screen is so high that the human eye can't distinguish individual pixels. Looking at the object on the screen is compared to looking at the object with your own eyes. Nice.

The Multitasking feature enables you to easily switch between third-party-apps and iPhone-apps without slowing down performance of the foreground app or draining the battery. The fact that Apple is drawing attention to this feature must mean that is was a problem in previous iPhones. Glad they fixed it.

The HD Video Recording feature enables the user to shoot their own movies in high definition. Many other mobile phones also have a video recording feature, but very few have high definition recording. The iPhone 4 can also capture good-quality footage in low-light using the built-in LED light and illumination sensor. The editing part, however, is not included as standard with the phone. It is done using the iMovie app, which is available on the App Store for $4.99 (about R40.00). The good video recording quality of the iPhone 4 means it can replace your digital video camera for most instances when you are not recording for long periods of time. The longer the recording time and better the quality, however, the more memory it requires, so best to restrict your recording to a few minutes at a time.

The iPhone 4 also has a 5-Megapixel Camera with built-in LED flash. By using the front-facing camera it is now also easy to take self-portraits.

Another cool feature of the iPhone 4 is the gyroscope and accelerometer. I know it is not unique to the iPhone, but it is still something worth mentioning. The iPhone 4 has a gyroscopic sensor that detects angular acceleration in all 3 axis, enabling it to calculate yaw, pitch and roll. The accelerometer detects any acceleration, shaking, vibration shock or fall of the device along all 3 axis. Although this is one of the less functional features of the iPhone 4, it is one of the coolest, according to me anyway. It makes the device seem more life-like when it interacts with the user in such a way. It is mainly for use in apps like games where you use tilt to navigate an object, but there are a lot of clever and creative people who have thought of a lot of fascinating ways to entertain the user with this feature.

Regarding network connectivity, the iPhone 4 uses a Micro-SIM card for all devices running on a GSM network (cell phone network with 3G). The Micro-SIM card is not like an ordinary SIM card that you can buy for a few cents. This is an important thing to keep in mind. The launch of the iPhone 4 in South Africa was actually delayed in many parts of the country because of the fact that the Micro-SIM cards for our networks were not readily available yet. I think that this issue has been sorted out now, but it is still worth keeping in the back of your mind if you want to purchase an iPhone 4. You can convert an ordinary SIM card into a Micro-SIM card with knife or a pair of scissors, but I don't really recommend it. In contrast with an ordinary cell phone, the iPhone 4 does not store data on the SIM card, but in built-in flash memory. There are two iPhone 4 models, one with 16GB internal flash memory, and one with 32GB memory, which is understandably more expensive.

One of many accessories available for the iPhone 4 is a Bumper. A Bumper is a ring of rubber and plastic that surrounds the edge of the iPhone 4. The people at Apple have worked very hard to produce the delicate design of the iPhone 4, and they don't want you to damage it. The Bumper wraps around the edges of the device, but does not cover the front or rear faces of the phone. It does protect the screen from hard bumps and shocks, but not from my handbag. I would therefore get a carry-case or other cover to protect the screen also.

Availability and Price: The iPhone 4 is readily available at many global sites such as Amazon. Take note that if you live in South Africa, you can't order from Amazon.com. They no longer deliver to South Africa due to the high rate of postal theft. You can however order from Amazon.co.uk. They usually have similar products to the American site, and prices just differ slightly depending on the exchange rate. In South Africa, the iPhone 4 is mostly available at Vodacom and MTN stores. It is, however, at this stage only available for Vodacom and MTN networks. Take note: Before buying an iPhone 4, make sure that it will work with your cell phone network provider. Most of them come out locked onto one network only. This is especially important if you are buying your iPhone 4 online. If it is locked onto the wrong network, you will have to unlock it by "breaking" it (read: hacking and cracking), and personally I do not like "breaking" anything that costs this much.

Price USA: iPhone 4 16GB: $199, iPhone 4 32GB: $299

Keep in mind that in the USA, to get iPhone 4 at these prices you will have to renew or sign up for a 2 year contract with AT&T.

Without contract: iPhone 4 16GB without contract: $599, iPhone 4 32GB without contract: $699

How to jailbreak the iphone 3GS

in nobody unlock iPhone 3GS facilities must be carefully considered. A user who does not have much technical or at all can be easily attracted to sites and links that promise easy and free unlock. Moreover, instead of software you need, you can have the unpleasant surprise to have downloaded 4.3.4 iPhone 4 Unlock or a tool that is able to spy the usage of your gadget.

In the first situation, your iPhone 3Gs may not be useful at all. On the other hand, if you purchase this software from a well known web site, not only can you save money, but you can enjoy your 3GS iPhone unlock for a long time.

Apart from unlocking software, reputable iphone 3GS jailbreak sites offer much more entertainment opportunities like TV shows, music, and movies, ready to be downloaded by you. It is a bargain to download your favourite music, for example, via your phone, paying only $1. Besides, you can have unlimited unlocking if you get a fee. To conclude, you have to know that the iPhone 3GS Unlock is an important gadget, therefore you must be smart enough to find the right unlocking or jailbreaking software that can offer you a reliable iPhone 3GS.

Please understand: That the unlocked 3GS iPhone will never work on CDMA2000 networks like those operated by Verizon Wireless and Sprint. This isn't a iPhone 3GS unlocked issue, its a fully incompatible radio 3GS technology issue. We simply can't turn a GSM phone into a CDMA2000 iphone 3GS.

Below is a list of unlockable iPhone 3GS GSM networks that our unlocked 3GS iPhone has been tested with. The 3GS unlock will work with any GSM network compatible with iPhone 3GS Unlocking technology,

How to Unlock the iPhone 3GS

Anybody who owns to Jailbreak iPhone 3GS wants to have it unlocked and they need unlock 3GS iPhone tips, in general related to special software that is at the same time very safe. Nevertheless, it can be very frustrating to unlock your iPhone if you do not find the best iPhone unlock. There are a lot of advertisements everywhere, but if you do not have specific knowledge in the area, you can be trapped, which means that you can spend a lot of money on nothing. Therefore, following these guidelines you can jailbreak or unlock your iPhone 4.3.4 after you have unlocked it easily and safely.


Firstly, if you see on the internet an advertisement for iPhone unlocking software that looks very good, you have to be careful, because it can be a scam. Moreover, reliable unlock iPhone 3GS software cannot be very cheap or you cannot download it for free. Moreover, such stuff may not work at all, and they can make your gadget useless. Whether you are not an expert in the area it is strongly recommended to buy a iPhone 3GS Unlock software package that is prebuilt and it can unlock your gadget. Apart from the unlock iphone 3G safety it can as well provide other important facilities.

 Another important aspect that must not be ignored is the aspect of the site that provides unlock 3GS iPhone software. If the site graphics look childish, you should not purchase anything there. To continue with, on installing unlock iPhone 3GS software you must pay attention to each 3GS in order not to get your iPhone 3Gs useless in case you want to apply new versions of firmware for your iPhone!

This tip is based on previous 3GS mistakes, because in the past this aspect was not taken into consideration. Therefore many iPhones needed to be fixed before the release of 1.1.1 firmware. Nowadays, in a world of hackers, when nobody can

How to Unlock the iPhone 3G

The iPhone 3G Unlock has created quite a stir in the 3G market with its small packaging but powerful functions. iPhone 3G Unlocking has become a must have for people who are always on the move. From phone numbers to playing games and from chatting over IM's to listening to itunes, there is a whole lot of things that you can do on your iphone 3G unlocked. At the same time, there is a rising issue of the iPhone 3G SIM card getting locked accidently. In fact, Apple sells the iphone 3G with a 3G iPhone SIM unlock so that you are not able to access other networks. When the iphone was launched this was seen as a recurring and long-term problem. But now with the emergence of iphone jailbreak companies selling iphone 3G unlock solutions, this issue can be easily taken care of.

Unlock 3GS iPhone How to packs quite a punch and comes with its own OS. The iPhone 3G operating system includes a software component known as the Core Animation, which comes from the Mac OS X v10.5. This is combined with the PowerVR MBX 3D hardware in the 3G iPhones so that you are able to see smooth animations. When the simcard gets locked, you will not be able to view the animations anymore and at that point you will have to use unlock 4 iphone 3G solutions to access the sim card and use the iPhone in general. One of the good things about unlock 3G iphone solutions is that they are compatible with different operating systems like MAC, Windows Vista and XP.

The operating system used in the 3G iPhone is by default MAC OS X, which will take at least half the total space on your iPhone. So if your iPhone has 16GB of space then the OS will take at least 8GB of space. This is one of the reasons why if your iPhone has a physical impact, the OS might get corrupt and when that happens there is a possibility of the sim card getting locked. If something like this happens then don't panic. Instead Google for unlock 3G iphone solutions. There are hundreds of solutions available over the internet although all of them are not reliable or good. You will have to do your research and find out websites that sell reliable unlock iphone 3G solutions. A good iPhone Unlock solution will ensure that your iPhone 3G SIM card is not tampered with.

There are other reasons due to which your iPhone sim card can get locked. The iPhone 3Gs unlock is capable of supporting different types of bundled software and third party applications provided by Apple. Now if you download an application from the internet and try to run it on your iPhone there is a possibility that it will not run. If the application has embedded spyware or virus then it can tamper your sim card in which case it will get locked. So you will have to then download unlock 3G iphone solutions to access the sim card and make the phone work.

How To Unlock iPhone

A step-by-step guide to unlocking the iPhone's SIM card and making it available to other cell carriers' networks.

If you're one of the million people who've purchased an iPhone since the end of June, you probably signed up with Apple's exclusive carrier in the U.S., AT&T, when you activated your phone. That means your iPhone identifies itself to AT&T's network using an AT&T SIM card, a smart card that's located in a small tray between your iPhone's sleep/wake button and its recessed headphone jack.

But what if you're planning a trip to Europe and rather than paying AT&T to use the networks of its European partners, you want to take advantage of the favorable rates and local phone numbers offered by replacing your AT&T SIM card with a pre-paid European card? Or what if you'd prefer to use T-Mobile as your cellular provider, rather than AT&T?

In the past month several groups have announced that they've found a way to "unlock" the iPhone, allowing it to use a SIM card from any provider. (Keep in mind that this is only half the story: the iPhone uses the GSM radio band for its communications, meaning that it'll only work with providers that use the GSM network. In the U.S., that means T-Mobile and AT&T.)

In August, a group of hackers demonstrated a method for unlocking SIM cards and sold its software to resellers, who in turn began selling it to the public for as much as $100 last week.

But another group has came up with its own hack that, with the help of some free, open-source software, lets you unlock your iPhone in about an hour, free of charge. Below, I'll show you how it works - and it does work, because I've used this technique to unlock my own phone. (One important caveat: Certain AT&T-only features, such as Visual Voicemail, will not work when you're connected to other cellular networks.)

Before we get started, you'll want to disable the iTunes helper application that may get in the way of the installation. Make sure iTunes is not running, then open OS X's Activity Monitor in the Utilities folder of the Applications folder. Search for or scroll down to iTunes Helper, select it, and then click on the Quit Process button in the top left of the screen. You'll also need your iPhone, your data cable, and a Wi-Fi connection to the Internet.

(If you haven't already activated your iPhone with AT&T-and aren't planning to-you need to conduct a fake activation. To do this, you'll need to follow the excellent instructions at iPhone-Sim-Unlock and download and install a program called iNdependence.)

Install AppTapp

Apple doesn't support the installation of third-party applications on the iPhone, but the enterprising developers at NullRiver have created a program called AppTapp that will let you install including chat clients, games, and other pieces of software - including those that are needed to unlock your iPhone. (For more detailed instructions on using AppTapp, see our iPhone Hacking Kit.)

Download and install AppTapp. Once you run the program, the first thing it will do is ask what version of the firmware you're running. If you've just updated your iPhone, you probably have Firmware 1.0.2-select that and click on Continue.


Assuming all goes well, you should get a screen that begins with the words: "Congratulations! You have successfully installed AppTapp Installer onto your iPhone." You should then find a new application on the iPhone's home screen called Installer.

The next instructions will require downloading some applications from the Internet to your iPhone-so make sure your iPhone is connected to a WiFi network. Launch the Installer program, and you'll see a long list of various applications that you can install. Scroll down, then select and install-in order-Community Sources, BSD Subsystem and OpenSSH.

Perform the GSM Unlock

First, download and install Unlock.app, lockdownd, and Cyberduck.

Then go to the iPhone's General settings and set Auto-Lock to Never. Next, you'll need to get your iPhone's IP address on your local network. To do this, go to Settings: Wi-Fi and click on the blue arrow next to the network that you're connected too. Write down the IP address, as you'll need it for later.

Now, open Cyberduck and click on the Open Connection button in the top left of the window. In the connection window, type the IP address that you just noted. Make sure that SFTP (SSH Secure File Transfer) is selected, and that you are using Port 22. For the username, type root, with the password of dottie.

Once connected, navigate from /private/var/root to the main directory by choosing the / item. Next, navigate to /usr/libexec and drag the file named lockdownd (the one you downloaded earlier) into it. It will ask if you want to overwrite the existing file-click on Continue to do so.

Now, in Cyberduck, drag the Unlock file from the Mac's desktop into the /Applications folder at the top of the main window. Once that's done, turn off your iPhone and remove the SIM card, then turn your iPhone back on and choose the application on your iPhone called Unlock.

Assuming everything went smoothly, there should be a white screen that says "All files found. Ready to go. Press Start." Once you press start, it will take about 20 minutes for all the files to install.

The progress messages will appear at the top of the screen as it progress-once you see "Completed" then you're finished. Insert a new SIM card of your choosing into your iPhone. Congratulations, you've just unlocked your iPhone!

(If you're planning on using a T-Mobile SIM card in your iPhone, you'll want to modify the iPhone's settings. Follow the instructions at the bottom of the iPhone-Sim-Unlock tutorial to make sure the settings you enter conform to your T-Mobile data plan.)

The aftermath

One Macworld editor tried this approach - minus the faux-activation step - on his iPhone and was able to insert a T-Mobile SIM card from a co-worker and get the iPhone up and running on the T-Mobile network, as if it were her phone.

(To swap SIM cards in your iPhone, insert an unfolded paper clip into the small hole in the top of the iPhone, next to the headphone jack. This will open the iPhone's SIM card slot, allowing you to remove your AT&T card and replace it with a different one.)

We don't know if future Apple iPhone updates will break this functionality. But if you're about to embark on a European vacation, or if you avoid downloading those iPhone updates, this method will allow you to use the SIM cards of other cellular providers in your iPhone, provided that those providers also use the GSM cellular radio frequencies.

How To Get The Most Out Of The iPhone

Presently you can find only two GSM networks throughout USA, which include  iphone-sim-unlock. They are the networks you that can enable you to use your iPhone device in USA. It is an easy procedure to connect your iPhone-sim-unlock device.

First of all, having an iPhone is extremely beneficial. As soon as it has been "jailbreaked", meaning iTunes account activation has been side stepped and also "unlocked" it is ready for use with any of the GSM networks, all you need to do is open the tray with the SIM card at the top of device using a paperclip and then insert the Fido or Rogers SIM card.

Switch the phone on and immediately you should have an iPhone that is working in USA. On the other hand, brand new iPhones-sim-unlock using firmware 1.1.2 software can't be unlocked at this time.

The only method to unlock these devices is by using a TurboSIM technique, which requires a minor adjustment to the SIM card. This would then be slipped inside the "tray" which slides directly into the iPhone. The "tray" will trick the iPhone and make it possible for it to work with any of the GSM network within USA or even the world.

Almost every function will work on the "unlocked" device in USA, perhaps the one that will not be as effective is "Visual Voicemail" as this feature is fairly new to AT&T clients in the United States. Additional features such as YouTube, EDGE, WiFi, Weather, Camera, Stocks, Calculator, iPod, Mail, SMS, Google Maps and others will work with iPhone within USA.

Additionally, there are third party programs to deliver MMS messages and set up games along with other entertaining applications, so the options are limitless. Lots of people are actually fearful of doing anything based on the latest news reports that users are paying as much as $50,000 on cell phone bills because of overusing data plans. This will not happen with iPhone-sim-unlock, as you can easily eliminate the EDGE configurations inside your iPhone to eliminate those charges.