The folks over at Tether.com have been working hard to provide their smartphone tethering service over the web, ever since the iTether app was removed from the App Store. Now iPhone users can make their devices into a personal hotspot by simply logging into their tether account via a web browser, with no jailbreak or other iOS software required.

Tethering makes it possible to share your iPhone's data connection with other devices, such as notebook computers. Cellular carriers charge extra for the privilege, although they also increase the amount of monthly data available to the subscriber. Over the years, jailbreak apps have appeared to take advantage of tethering without paying extra monthly fees.

As expected Apple has stopped signing iOS 5.0.1 with the release of iOS 5.1. If you own a jailbroken device you should not update to 5.1 because it breaks both the Corona untether and the Absinthe exploit. The Dev-Team warned both veteran and amateur jailbreakers about the dangers of upgrading on Wednesday.

iPhone 4S and iPad 2 users who did not heed the warning won't be able to downgrade back to 5.0.1 even if they did save their SHSH blobs. People with earlier devices and saved SHSH blobs can downgrade with the assistance of geohot’s limera1n exploit. There is also a tethered jailbreak for non-A5 devices if you really have the urge to get to 5.1.

There's only one thing better than upgrading your iPhone, and that's getting money back for the old one you're replacing. If you're looking to selling the iPhone there are several options available. Totem has established a comprehensive service that streamlines the process and promises competitive pricing.

Simplicity means a lot, because it can take time and effort to post a used iPhone on eBay or Craigslist with no guarantee of payment or pricing. One advantage of HelloTotem.com is a quote up front of exactly what Totem is willing to pay. Accepting the quote puts the process in motion and a pre-paid mailer is sent to your address.

I'm not sure updating to iOS 5.1 is worth losing your untethered jailbreak, but non-A5 users can sacrifice their freedom if they want to. iPhone 4S users should avoid 5.1 if they want to keep their jailbreak. However, non-iPhone 4S owners can keep their devices jailbroken by downloading redsn0w 0.9.10b6. This version is a tethered 5.1 jailbreak for non-A5 devices.

A tethered jailbreak requires that your device is plugged into a computer whenever turned on. Untethered jailbreaks offer the freedom of not using a computer every time your device reboots. Most jailbreakers prefer untethered to tethered. Since iOS 5.1 doesn't offer anything worth losing your untethered jailbreak over I would suggest avoiding it entirely. However, if you are dead set on getting to 5.1 read on for the Dev Team's warning and instructions.

Siri9000 is a useless but fun jailbreak tweak that transforms Siri into HAL 9000 from the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The Hal icon is easily installed by downloading the tweak from the Big Boss repo, and activating it from WinterBoard. Getting the Hal 9000 sound effects to work takes a little bit more effort.

I should warn you that the tweak does not convert Siri's voice into Hal's. It only changes the Siri start up sound to a few Hal quotes from the movie ("Good evening Dave", "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that"). To activate the Hal 9000 sounds you will have to know how to transfer files on your iPhone with SSH and have OpenSSH installed.