Technical

How do I change my iPhone root password?

Jailbreakers everywhere should be aware that the default root password from Apple is "alpine" and presents a security threat if SSH is installed. SSH can be uninstalled or switched off when not in use, however changing the password once will solve the problem.

To change your root password and help prevent unauthorized access to your iPhone:

1. Install the MobileTerminal package using Cydia.

2. Run the Terminal app.

3. Type "su root" without the quotes and touch return.

4. Type the root password "alpine" and touch return.

HD Video Playback on the iPhone 3GS

You may be aware that Microsoft's Zune HD will hit shelves on September 15th. The portable device will play HD video and compete with Apple's iPod Touch. What you may not know is that the iPhone 3GS is already capable of playing 720p and 1080p resolution HD video without skipping a beat.

Although the iPhone screen resolution is only 480x320 pixels, the possibility of future Apple devices linking to external displays for HD video playback is real.

What Bluetooth profiles does iPhone OS 3.0 support?

Apple has added support for additional Bluetooth profiles to the latest iPhone hardware and software. For those with the original iPhone, two profiles are supported.

iphone bluetooth

iPhone 3G and 3GS models now support five Bluetooth profiles. Here's the list of supported profiles for users running firmware 3.0.

What Bluetooth profiles does the iPhone support?

The iPhone, at this time, supports only two of the 27 existing Bluetooth profiles.

Currently supported are:
Hands-Free Profile (HFP)
Headset Profile (HSP)

The hope is that support for other profiles will become available as future updates come to the iPhone. This list will be updated as that occurs.

Update: See the latest iPhone-supported Bluetooth profiles here.

Does the iPhone have GPS support?

UPDATE: The officially announed second-generation iPhone 3G has built-in GPS. Check out the specs on the new 3G iPhone here.

No.

The first release of the iPhone does not include GPS. It is possible that Apple may release an add-on hardware device that would offer GPS support to iPhone owners.

We expect the second coming of the iPhone to support GPS, as well as many other advanced features.

Will a T-Mobile SIM card work in my iPhone? They are both GSM/EDGE.

Out of the box, the Cingular/AT&T version of the Apple iPhone will work only on the Cingular/AT&T network.

T-Mobile SIM cards can be used in an iPhone that has been jailbroken and unlocked via third party software. There are a variety of commercial and non-commercial software options available which unlock the iPhone.

Though unlocking has become very common for users that do not want to be tied to a particular carrier or bound by a contract, users should understand that unlocking is performed 'at your own risk'.

Will the iPhone support the Ogg Vorbis (.ogg) audio format?

Unfortunately, no.

Check here for a list of audio formats supported by the Apple iPhone.

What audio formats will the iPhone play/support?

The Apple iPhone supports the following audio formats:
AAC (16 to 320 Kbps)
AIFF
AAC Protected (MP4 from iTunes Store)
MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps)
MP3 VBR
Audible (formats 2-4)
Apple Lossless
WAV

Unfortunately, Ogg Vorbis didn't make the list.

Does the iPhone support Flash?

No. The iPhone does not support flash.

Apple has been clear, up until this point, that they do not intend to support Flash on the iPhone. Adobe announced its own plans to support Flash on the iPhone when the iPhone SDK was released, but was forced to repeal their own comments when they discovered the SDK did not provide enough access to the iPhone OS "innards" to provide such support.

Future generations of the iPhone may support Flash, but for now, the answer is no.

Does the iPhone support Java?

No. The iPhone will not support Java applications of any kind. Steve Jobs has been quoted as saying "Java's not worth building in. Nobody uses Java anymore. It's this big heavyweight ball and chain."

We can't disagree with the last part of Jobs' scathing remark, but stating that Java doesn't get used anymore couldn't be farther from the truth - especially in the world of mobile devices.

In any event, the iPhone will not offer Java support.

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