Hello, I'm a jailbreaker: Actor Justin Long demos hacked iPhone

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Actor Justin Long, who played the role of "Mac" in Apple's long-running "Get a Mac" commercials, this week showed off a series of humorous text messages on network TV, aided by an application available only on jailbroken iPhones.



Long appeared Wednesday on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live, and shared with the audience a series of text messages he exchanged with a "random tween" who had mistaken his number for someone else. Long, using his iPhone, purposefully typed out grossly misspelled words, poking fun at his new "friend's" mangling of the English language.



Long's iPhone was used live on stage, and its display projected to the audience through a TV out cable. At the conclusion of the bit, the actor, who gained fame through Apple's long-running series of commercials, closed the iPhone's text messaging application to reveal a Cydia icon, the alternative digital application store for jailbroken iOS devices.



Also visible on his home screen was an icon for the jailbreak-only software TVOutTuner, a third-party, unauthorized application that allows users to send out a real-time, full-screen video of their iPhone. Long relied on the application to display his text messages on the external screen for viewers of Kimmel's program.



Jailbreaking is the term used to describe the process by which users can hack iOS devices, including the iPhone and iPad, to run software that is not approved by Apple. Hackers have created their own custom applications that modify the mobile operating system, allowing features Apple does not, such as a universal, system-wide video out.



For years, Long played the part of "Mac" in the award winning "Get a Mac" ad campaign, which ran from 2006 to 2009. The ads began with Long's trademark "Hello, I'm a Mac" tagline. The "Mac" character was the straight man in the commercial's routine, flanked by comedian John Hodgman's portrayal of the bumbling "PC" character.







Last month, the U.S. Library of Congress deemed that jailbreaking is a legal act, and users cannot be criminally charged for hacking their phone and running software from outside Apple's App Store. However, Apple has warned that jailbreaking can still void the iPhone warranty and, for those who don't know what they are doing, can expose the handset to security issues.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 110
    Well, that's going to help him get into more Apple ads.
  • Reply 2 of 110
    herbapouherbapou Posts: 2,228member
    Like said at the end, once I buy hardware no company will dictated me what software I can or cannot run on it.



    If Apple would loose it up a bit we would not have to do it. Maybe he just jailbreak his phone so he could have a videoout for the TV show...



    Currently, the video cable only works with movies and photos and you must have an Apple cable or it wont work. Can you believe Apple software actually checks what kind cable is plug in and block non-Apple ones... this is the kind of behavior that push people to jailbreak.
  • Reply 3 of 110
    carniphagecarniphage Posts: 1,984member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by herbapou View Post


    Maybe he just jailbreak his phone so he could have a videoout for the TV show...



    What he said.



    C.
  • Reply 4 of 110
    Even now it's hard to imagine. Apple, the rebels, dictating to it's users what software will be run on their devices. First the phone, then the iMaxipad, and soon the Appple TV. Some think Apple has lost their focus. I think they have lost their minds.



    But you don't mind, do you? When the new iTV comes out you will buy it and watch whatever Lord Jobs tells you to watch. You will do whatever he says or else you will be attacked, as Justin Long will surely be by the AI community for daring to defy Lord Jobs..
  • Reply 5 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Carniphage View Post


    What he said.



    C.



    It looks like Cydia and the TVOut app are the 2 most recent additions which means he just did it. Unless he changed his icons.
  • Reply 6 of 110
    wurm5150wurm5150 Posts: 763member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by herbapou View Post


    Like said at the end, once I buy hardware no company will dictated me what software I can or cannot run on it.



    If Apple would loose it up a bit we would not have to do it. Maybe he just jailbreak his phone so he could have a videoout for the TV show...



    Currently, the video cable only works with movies and photos and you must have an Apple cable or it wont work. Can you believe Apple software actually checks what kind cable is plug in and block non-Apple ones... this is the kind of behavior that push people to jailbreak.



    Jailbreakers jailbreak for the fun and the challenge of it. The fact that Apple doesn't allow so many stuff makes it even more exciting for people to jailbreak..



    What would a hacker do if all of a sudden all computers become open and security non-existent? What would they do if there's nothing to hack anymore? They'd all be working at McDonalds or some other career...



    People especially Jailbreakers should thank Apple for being so restrictive.
  • Reply 7 of 110
    leonardleonard Posts: 528member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by herbapou View Post


    Can you believe Apple software actually checks what kind cable is plug in and block non-Apple ones...



    Do you have proof of that?
  • Reply 8 of 110
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Blackintosh View Post


    Even now it's hard to imagine. Apple, the rebels, dictating to it's users what software will be run on their devices. First the phone, then the iMaxipad, and soon the Appple TV. Some think Apple has lost their focus. I think they have lost their minds..



    That's silly.



    Apple's claim to fame is that their stuff works well and doesn't have all the conflicts inherent in other systems. Apple is simply doing what they can to guarantee that. The overwhelming majority of Apple customers WANT a system to work well and if that means giving up 0.001% of potential apps, it's a worthwhile trade.
  • Reply 9 of 110
    bulk001bulk001 Posts: 764member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Leonard View Post


    Do you have proof of that?



    I recently saw a jailbroken app that said it allowed 3rd party video out cables to work. As I don't use my phone that way I didn't think much about it but it seems that apple has locked out the competition. Simply solution is to jb your phone and install the app.
  • Reply 10 of 110
    circuscircus Posts: 10member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Leonard View Post


    Do you have proof of that?



    My ebay cable worked fine in iOS 2.x but stop working in 3.x - I tried everything to downgrade but I couldn't so I jailbroke and paid $3 for a cydia app that let me use it.
  • Reply 11 of 110
    Third part AV cables don't work in my experience. I don't mind having to buy Apple approved cables, etc. to ensure compatibility, but they tend to hose you on price. Wouldn't feel so badly if they were reasonably priced. They really do charge way too much. Just look at the iPhone 4 bumpers. They're not liquid metal or anything exotic to justify the price.
  • Reply 12 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jragosta View Post


    That's silly.



    Apple's claim to fame is that their stuff works well and doesn't have all the conflicts inherent in other systems. Apple is simply doing what they can to guarantee that. The overwhelming majority of Apple customers WANT a system to work well and if that means giving up 0.001% of potential apps, it's a worthwhile trade.



    I see. So they're keeping flash videos off the iPhone for my good? They're banning porn from the iPad to keep me safe?



    That makes me sleep better at night.
  • Reply 13 of 110
    herbapouherbapou Posts: 2,228member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Leonard View Post


    Do you have proof of that?



    Well this came to my attention after I tried a 5$ China bought cable that didnt work with the message "Accessory not compatible with this device". The cable is fine, its block by the iOS.



    So here I went to the AppleStore and bought a 50$ cable like a good boy.
  • Reply 14 of 110
    It is his phone, so he can do with it as he wants. And it is officially legal to jailbreak, so again he can do as he wants. Don't see why this is "big" news?
  • Reply 15 of 110
    meelashmeelash Posts: 1,045member
    The conversation was hilarious.
  • Reply 16 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mesomorphicman View Post


    It is his phone, so he can do with it as he wants. And it is officially legal to jailbreak, so again he can do as he wants. Don't see why this is "big" news?



    Because he is a big face for the Apple brand...
  • Reply 17 of 110
    I think every one is missing the bigger picture. The Windows people like to say that Justin Long's I'm a mac character, is arrogant and the mac community are a bunch of elite snobs. This just shows that he is geek, like the rest of us.
  • Reply 18 of 110
    kyle76kyle76 Posts: 54member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by crisss1205 View Post


    It looks like Cydia and the TVOut app are the 2 most recent additions which means he just did it. Unless he changed his icons.





    Probably some techie junior producer on the show's staff did it for him just for the video out.
  • Reply 19 of 110
    I think he did it just to allow it to connect up to the display equipment, it just might have been a spur of the moment decision and so it may have been the quickest / easiest solution.
  • Reply 20 of 110
    skipaqskipaq Posts: 17member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Blackintosh View Post


    I see. So they're keeping flash videos off the iPhone for my good? They're banning porn from the iPad to keep me safe?



    That makes me sleep better at night.



    It makes me sleep better.
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