Unhappy with iOS 5.1 and tethered booting a jailbroken device? A new version of the redsn0w jailbreak utility allows users to downgrade their iOS hardware from iOS 5.1 to iOS 5.0.1, allowing for a return to an untethered jailbreak with the previous iOS version. Perhaps most significantly, the redsnow assisted downgrade works on all A5-equipped hardware, including the iPad 3, iPad 2, and iPhone 4S. There is a caveat though, downgrading is only possible for iOS devices which have SHSH blobs saved with Cydia or TinyUmbrella, an activity that must have been performed on a jailbroken device at the time it was running 5.0.1.

To use the new downgrade functionality in redsn0w, download the latest version, launch the app, and click on “Extras” followed by “Even More” and then “Restore”. You will need the iOS 5.0.1 IPSW file to complete the task.

Download Redsn0w 0.9.11b1

• Get it for Mac
• Get it for Windows

For those without SHSH blobs saved, there remains a tethered jailbreak available for iOS 5.1.1 and an untethered variation for all devices is currently in the works with a release expected sometime over the next few weeks.

You can find more information about this specific release on the Dev Team blog.

If you’ve ever started to accidentally download something on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod, or you just decide you want to stop an app download for some other reason, all you need to do is tap on the app icon and hold until the icons begin to jiggle, then tap the (X) button to stop the download and remove the app from the home screen. Similarly, if you just want to pause the download instead, just tap on the icon while the download progress bar is active, then re-tap it to begin the download again.

This does not remove the app from your purchase history though, meaning you can redownload it again at any point for free either on the same iOS device or a different one attached to the same Apple ID without purchasing again, the same way you would with an accidentally deleted app.

This is a great tip for downloading temporarily free non-universal apps for the iPhone on an iPad or vice versa, that way the app is stored within the App Store’s Purchase History but it’s not taking up any space on a device it wasn’t intended for.

If you have several iPhones, iPads, or iPods that need updating to the latest version of iOS, you can use a nice trick to save some bandwidth and download a single iOS update file to apply to multiple devices from either Mac OS X or Windows. This is a perfect solution for a family that has multiple iPhones or iPads that need updating, particularly when you don’t want to download the same firmware multiple times.

To be clear, the iOS devices must be of the same type and model, meaning three different iPhone 4s can use the same firmware, but an iPhone 4 can’t use the same update file as an iPad 2 would, and an iPod touch can’t use an iPhone 4S update file, and so on. Same models use the same IPSW, different models need different IPSW.

How to Use a Single IPSW File with Multiple iOS Devices

To do this, you will need to download the iOS firmware files directly from Apple. Here are firmware links for iPad, iPod touch, iPhone if needed, once you have the file you place them into the folder where IPSW files are stored locally. Here’s the process for Mac OS X and Windows, and yes you can use an IPSW file downloaded on a Mac or PC to update an iOS device connected to a different PC or Mac, the files are platform agnostic.

For Mac OS X:

1. Quit iTunes
2. Hit Command+Shift+G to bring up “Go To Folder” and enter the following path, depending on your iOS device:

~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates
~/Library/iTunes/iPad Software Updates
~/Library/iTunes/iPod Software Updates

3. Drag and drop the downloaded IPSW file into the appropriate location
4. Launch iTunes and connect the iOS devices to the computer to initiate the upgrade

For Windows:

1. Quit iTunes
2. Use Windows Explorer to navigate to the following directory, depending on the iOS device and version of Windows:

Windows XP:
\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPhone Software Updates
Windows Vista & Windows 7:
\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPhone Software Updates

3. Move the IPSW file into the appropriate Software Updates directory
4. Relaunch iTunes and connect the iOS device to the PC

That’s all there is to it, and here’s how it works; anyone can download the updates without iTunes by using direct firmware links from Apple’s servers. Once you have the firmware file you can either use the standard method of using .ipsw files with ALT/Option clicking Restore, or use the approach outlined above which fools the computer into thinking it downloaded the iOS update itself, which will then immediately unpack and start the iOS upgrade process upon the launch of iTunes.

Don’t forget about OTA updates either, which allow iOS to download and update only the changes between releases. The resulting OTA update can often be 1/12 the size of a full firmware file, and although they can’t be shared between multiple devices the small size of the on-device update can make it a valid choice for the bandwidth conscious.

Thanks to AJ & NeverEnuf for giving the idea for this great tip in our comments.

iOS 5.1.1 was just released by Apple and believe it or not has already been jailbroken for some A4 devices. The jailbreak remains tethered, for the uninitiated that means each time the iOS device is rebooted it will need to connect to a computer and boot with the assistance of redsn0w.

Compatibility for this jailbreak includes iOS 5.1.1 on iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad 1, and iPod touch 3rd and 4th gen. The iPad 2, iPhone 4S, or iPad 3 are not yet supported.

How to Jailbreak iOS 5.1.1 with Redsn0w

As with any jailbreak, be sure to backup before proceeding.

1. Download Redsn0w 0.9.10b8b (Mac OS X, Windows)
2. Upgrade to iOS 5.1.1 either by OTA update, iTunes, or by manually installing through IPSW
3. Download iOS 5.1 IPSW for the device you are using and save it somewhere easy to find, yes download the older version of iOS despite upgrading to iOS 5.1.1
4. Launch Redsn0w and click on “Extras”
5. Click on “Select IPSW” and locate the iOS 5.1 IPSW you just downloaded
6. Click “Back” and then click on “Jailbreak”
7. Follow on-screen instructions to enter into DFU mode
8. Let Redsn0w run and install the jailbreak, the iOS device will eventually reboot and look for the Cydia icon to confirm the jailbreak has worked

The need to select older IPSW will likely be eliminated in an upcoming release of redsn0w, but for the time being it remains necessary.

Remember to boot tethered every time you the device turns on and off, that is done by launching Redsn0w, selecting “Extras” and choosing “Just Boot” from the options.

iOS 5.1.1 has been released for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, the software update comes as build 9B206 and includes a variety of bug fixes including an HDR photo issue, improved AirPlay, iPad network switching, an iTunes store fix, and improvements to Safari reading list syncing. The official changelog is listed below, and the software update is recommended to install for all iOS users.

Updating to iOS 5.1.1

The two simplest methods to update to iOS 5.1.1 are either through iTunes update or on the iOS device itself through OTA updates. Connect the iOS device to iTunes and install the update when prompted, or on the iOS device tap on “Settings” then “General” and then “Software Update”. For the bandwidth conscious, the OTA update on device is the leanest, with the update weighing in around 45MB.

Download iOS 5.1.1 IPSW Directly

These are direct download links to firmware files hosted by Apple, right-click and “Save As” for best results. The file extension should be .ipsw and nothing else, using IPSW files is easy but for most users it’s recommended to download through iTunes or the iOS device.

• iPad 1
• iPad 2 Wi-Fi
• iPad 2 GSM (ATT)
• iPad 2 CDMA (Verizon)
• iPad 2,4 (New iPad 2)
• iPad 3 Wi-Fi
• iPad 3 GSM
• iPad 3 CDMA
• iPhone 3GS
• iPhone 4 GSM
• iPhone 4 CDMA
• iPhone 4S
• iPod touch 3rd gen
• iPod touch 4th gen

Separately, iOS 5.0.1 for Apple TV has been released:

• Apple TV 3rd gen
• Apple TV 2nd gen

Note the ISPW files are significantly larger than the delta updates available through OTA software update, and are generally best used by advanced users.

iOS 5.1.1 Changelog

Courtesy of Apple:

• Improves reliability of using HDR option for photos taken using the Lock Screen shortcut
• Addresses bugs that could prevent the new iPad from switching between 2G and 3G networks
• Fixes bugs that affected AirPlay video playback in some circumstances
• Improved reliability for syncing Safari bookmarks and Reading List
• Fixes an issue where ‘Unable to purchase’ alert could be displayed after successful purchase

Safari for iOS includes an optional debug console to help web developers track down and resolve issues with webpages while on the go. While not as in inclusive as the desktop Safari debug and developer tools, it’s still useful and is easy to enable or disable on the iPhone and iPad:

1. Launch “Settings” and tap on “Safari”
2. Tap on “Advanced”
3. Slide “Debug Console” to ON

Once enabled, tap on the Debug Console at the top of any Safari screen to see web page errors. The default list shows all errors, but you can drill down to more specific HTML, JavaScript, and CSS errors by tapping them individually.

Another useful tool for mobile web developers is Firebug Lite for iOS, which utilizes a javascript bookmarklet to load a simpler version of the popular Firebug development tool.

Without using iCloud, the iPhone, iPad, and iPod backups can take up a lot of local disk space on a computer. If you’ve moved the iPhone/iPad to sync with a new computer, sold an iOS device, or just want to potentially free up some disk space, you can easily delete these backups directly from iTunes.

1. Launch iTunes and open iTunes Preferences
2. Click the “Devices” tab to find the backup list
3. Select the backup(s) you wish to delete and click “Delete Backup”

This only removes the backups that are stored locally on the computer and it will not impact iCloud backups, which won’t even show up in the list. It’s generally a good idea to leave the most recent backup intact, in the event you need to restore and don’t have fast internet access.

Only do this if you have a recent backup available somewhere. You can make a quick manual iCloud backup directly on the iOS device itself or sync it with iTunes.

If you’ve ever wished you could check up on your house while you’re away, wish no more because we have a simple solution. We are going to configure a Mac as a home security camera that will open a live video stream on demand which can be watched remotely from anywhere via an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or another Mac. If this sounds potentially complicated, it’s actually not at all, and everything is achieved through a little FaceTime hackery. Read along.

Requirements for the Mac Security Cam
Here’s what you’ll need before getting started:

• FaceTime app installed on the home Mac (comes with Lion or later, earlier Macs can get it from Mac App Store)
• A valid Apple ID to use as a FaceTime Login – you may want to create an additional unique Apple ID for this purpose
• An iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, or another Mac with FaceTime

Setting Up the Camera & Accepting Remote Video Connections

This is easier to set up than you might think. We’re going to assume you already have FaceTime on the Mac installed, if not do that first. Next you’ll want to position the Mac so that the front-facing iSight (FaceTime) camera is pointing in the direction you want to watch. With that done, here’s the most technical aspect of this set up:

1. Launch Terminal found in /Applications/Utilities/ and enter the following command to automatically accept incoming FaceTime calls:

defaults write com.apple.FaceTime AutoAcceptInvites -bool YES

2. Still in Terminal, enter the next command, changing the email address on the end with the Apple ID you wish to automatically accept a video connection from:

defaults write com.apple.FaceTime AutoAcceptInvitesFrom -array-add change@me.com

If you want to add other Apple ID’s or even a phone number to automatically accept FaceTime video calls from, feel free to do so by running the above command again with additional email addresses. Phone numbers must be prefixed with a + like so: +14085551212

Opening the Live Video Feed

Now for the fun part. Grab an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac that is setup to use FaceTime with the Apple ID you chose to autoaccept invites from, and initiate a FaceTime call with the home Mac’s Apple ID. It will automatically accept the call, giving you a live video feed of what’s going on at the location of the recipient Mac. Hang up the FaceTime call at any time to close the video feed.

As mentioned earlier, it may be best to create a unique Apple ID specifically for the recipient Mac. That Apple ID could then be added as a contact to the iOS Address Book as “Mac Home Camera” and added to favorites for quick access.

The only downside to FaceTime is the feed requires a wi-fi connection or to use Personal Hotspot to circumvent the FaceTime wi-fi limitation. You could probably use Skype to get around that limitation as well, but that’d be another article. Enjoy!

Each time you connect an iPhone, iPad, or iPod to a computer, iTunes launches and immediately begins to automatically sync all content between the iOS device and the connected computer. If you’re annoyed with the auto-syncing aspect or you just want to disable it on an auxiliary Mac, here is how to do so:

1. Launch iTunes and open “Preferences” from the iTunes menu
2. Click on the “Devices” tab
3. Check the box next to “Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically”



4. Click “OK” to exit out of Preferences

You do not need to have the iOS device connected to the computer to make this change within iTunes. The next time you connect any iPhone, iPad, or iPod though, you won’t start syncing automatically with iTunes.

For most users it is best to keep this enabled since it also serves as a backup for your iOS gear. If you decide to turn this off, get in the habit of manually backing up to iCloud or manually backing up to the computer through iTunes itself, otherwise you will be lacking a backup if something goes wrong and you need to restore the iOS device.

Update: Separately, you can also stop iTunes automatically launching when an iOS device is connected to the computer.

Did you take a great picture but your iPhone camera orientation was upside-down or sideways? If so, it’s easy to correct it and rotate photos directly on the iPhone or iPad without any additional app downloads. You’ll need iOS 5 or later to use the simple rotation adjustments feature.

1. From the Photos app, tap on the photo you want to rotate
2. Tap “Edit” from the upper right corner
3. Tap the arrow icon in the lower left corner to rotate the picture 90° counterclockwise
4. When finished, tap the yellow “Save” button in the upper right corner

Each tap of the arrow icon will rotate the image another 90 degrees, so if you want to flip something around completely tap it two times. If you’re not satisfied with the rotation results tap on “Cancel” or “Revert to Original” to go back to the default version.

Notice the iPhone and iPod touch will only show a little arrow icon, but the iPad will display actual “Rotate” text alongside that icon. The “Edit” option will not be visible from the lock screen camera roll, you must be in the Photos app directly.