The Dev Team have released yellowsn0w with the ability to unlock the latest 3G iPhone Version 2.2 running Modem Firmware 02.28.00.

(Details Below)

BASICS

• The unlock about to be released works exclusively with baseband 02.28.00. This baseband is provided by the latest firmware update (2.2) from Apple.  You’ll need to upgrade to this release using iTunes and then use QuickPwn to activate etc. There are plenty of tutorials about this on hackint0sh, iclarified, bigboss, and other established tutorial sites.  Because it works on 02.28.00, it is available to everyone on the planet.  This means we don’t need to unnecessarily expose holes in earlier basebands, which is an important concern.
• The application is a small daemon that is launched on boot.  It injects the payload at boot and also whenever there is a baseband reset.  You won’t notice anything about it other than that your third-party sim now works.  It’s a small program and unobtrusive.  There is no GUI (this is by design).
• You can add the application using the sources outlined below (coming soon). There are Cydia and Installer sources available, so use whichever you are comfortable using.
• yellowsn0w is completely removable through Cydia, the command line, and iTunes.

DETAILS

• There is a known issue with SIM cards that have STK (SIM Toolkit) application menus.  These menus are usually items such as “top up” “get credit” etc. These menu items confuse the application sometimes.  Removing and reinserting the SIM once after reboot (give it about 10 secs after you see the slide to unlock widget) fixes this issue.  We’re working on a better fix.
• For those of you using SIM cards without STK menus, the application has some optional arguments that will make the unlock much faster for you.  So either experiment on your own (use “yellowsn0w -h” for usage) or wait for a customization writeup.
• After you install yellowsn0w via Cydia, you should return to the Cydia main menu then reboot your iPhone with the 3rd party SIM installed.  Wait for the slide to unlock screen, then wait 10 or 15 secs more.   If you don’t see your carrier name pop up, then remove your SIM, reinsert it, and wait 10 secs more.  This is the step we’ll be working on eliminating next.

RANDOM

• The application is version 0.9.  This is considered beta software, you use it at your own risk. You know the score.
• The application is released on a non-commercial basis.  Please do not accept pirates and scummy ripoffs of this software. We license this software for single use and in a non-commercial environment (meaning you can’t charge for it). The techniques and methods used are not to be used by third party companies. We are watching you Jody…we won’t be so forgiving this time.
• Direct linking to the repository URLs is prohibited, please only link to this post. We will be checking referrers.

The iPhone 3G is used all over the world with all sorts of SIM cards, and we almost certainly will see untested and unexpected situations.  If the soft unlock doesn’t work for you on day 1 (literally day 1, of 2009!) then please don’t panic or be impatient.  This is new territory for everyone, so enjoy the ride as much as you can

RELEASE INFO

• Cydia source: http://apt9.yellowsn0w.com/
• Installer repo: http://i.yellowsn0w.com/

More…

Looks like this new years treat will be even better then expected with the yellowsn0w offering an unlock for the 02.08.00 baseband as well

Dev Team Updates:

Update 3: Now to explain the above screenshot.  The soft unlock has undergone many changes in the last two days.  The most significant one: the soft unlock will now be only for baseband 02.28.00 (the most recent baseband).  Yes we’ve been advising everyone to avoid updating their basebands, and in general that will always be the best policy.  Not every baseband version is guaranteed to have a hole through which we can inject the unlock.

Update 4: (a) The yellowsn0w Cydia package will be available as soon as our devteam member in charge of the repo wakes up to fix a file permission error. (b) Once it’s out, those users with SIMs that have apps and other menus on them will need to do that extra step we’ve been talking about.  They’ll need to pull and reinsert the SIM once after rebooting the phone to engage the unlock.  Even though it’s needed only once per boot, it’s still a nuisance and we’ll be fixing that ASAP.  (c) You’ll know if you fall into that “extra step” category if your carrier doesn’t show up within about 10 seconds of the slide to unlock screen.  (d) Yes it really is for baseband 02.28.00.  That means everyone can use it now! (e) Happy New Year!

More

It seems a iPhone Nano fake has turned up in chinese stores. This is NOT a real iPhone Nano, for everone who is thinking of buying one, it’s one of the many bad fakes which surfaced since the first iPhone and it s definatnly not going to make you happy.

If there will be a iPhone Nano, it will most likely be presented on macworld as rumored before.

We are curious about apple’s reaction towards this new kind of future knock-off. They seem to even copied the original iPhone Gen. 1 Box as shown on the product picture.

Noticeable is that the advertisement on made in china already been “neutralized” for publishing to most likely avoid trademark issues with apple. Can we now be curious for a new apple china crusade?

The supplier gives following infos about the device on their website:

Frequency: GS850/GSM900/DCS1800/PCS1900MHz(Four Frequences) Style: Straight Board
Screen: 3.2 inch TFT touch QVGA-screen/High strength Integral Steely Plastic Screen
Standard Accessary: Original Li-battery/battery charger/Earphone/Data Line
Call time: 150-240 mins
Standby time: 300-350 hours
Color: Silver grey/Golden
Shell material: Alloy Steel, High Strength, Wear-resisting, Unvaried, Unfadeble
Side: 116*61*11.9
Weight: 220 Grams
Lithiumion Battery: 1200MAH
Basic function Sound: 64 Polyphonic Ring Tone
Phone book: 500 Strip
Messages: SMS/MMS
Language: English/Chinese/Tradition Chinese/MULTI-language support more than 10 languages
Game: Optional java games
Main Function: Alarm, TO Do list, Caculation, Calender, World Clock Extra function: Name card manager, java gamesData application
Bluetooth: Support bluetooth 2.0
Explore: WAP/GPRS
Data line: Support
Support T-Flash expansion card: 1GB memory
Other data function: USB
Multi-media entertainment
MP3/MP4: MP3 with Active function, support MP4 Camera: 130 milion pixels high-definition digital
FM-radio: Support Picture display: Zoom out/in/Revolving/Picture freely
2-D Accelerator: Changing picture/Music function by shaking
Game simulator: Multi-games simulatores insert
Game handle: Optional

The Dev Team are aiming to do the live demo in about 12 hours (3PM EST).  The actual URL will be tweeted via MuscleNerd’s twitter account just as it starts.

MuscleNerd will be using Qik to broadcast a live video and audio stream (from an iPhone 2G) of an iPhone 3G being soft-unlocked with yellowsn0w.

MORE….

UPDATE 1 - 1:45PM EST/7.45 CET

UPDATE 2 - 3.13PM EST/9.13 CET

With the help of the Automator programm “Fix DFU 10.5.6″ users with Mac OS X 10.5.6 will be able to use the iPhone in DFU mode with iTunes. DFU mode is needed if you want to use PwnageTool or Quickpwn for the first time.

Mac OS X 10.5.6 was released on December 15th, 2008. It disables recognition of a device (like the iPhone) in DFU mode. It is not known if this is intentionally disabled by Apple or just a bug.

The Automator programm offers a one click solution to replace two plugin kexts with the ones from Mac OS X 10.5.5 and then rebuild the kextcache. After an automatic reboot DFU mode will be enabled at Mac OS X 10.5.6.

Read more about it here http://www.hackint0sh.org/forum/showthread.php?p=374065