Gizmodo
If you wanted to install third-party native software in your iPhone but you didn't had the necessary technical knowledge or courage, the newly updated iPhone Installer.app will make it so easy that it will be very hard to resist. We have tried it in Mac OS X and, as you will see in the tutorial after the jump, it works perfectly —including the installation of applications over Wi-Fi and EDGE. [Updated 4:45PM EST]
Once you download the application from the link below, you only have to connect your iPhone to your Mac (PowerPC and Intel will work, we have tried both) and run the script from the Mac OS X Terminal. Doing this is quite simple:
Preparation
• Download the installation file to your desktop.
• Connect your iPhone to your computer using the provided cable.
• Deactivate the iPhone automatic synchronization in iTunes before proceeding and close iTunes.
Steps
• Go to Utilities in your Applications folder and find Terminal.
• Double-click on Terminal.
• In the Terminal, go to the folder that contains the application installation script. You can easily do this by typing cd in the command line, then space, then dragging the iPhoneInstaller folder into the Terminal Window. This will automatically paste the path in the Terminal. If you saved the iPhoneInstaller folder to your desktop like we told you, it will look something like this:
cd /Users/your_user_name/Desktop/iPhoneInstaller/
Hit the return key to change to that folder.
• Now run the script, which is called get_installer.sh, by typing the following:
./get_installer.sh
• The script will now run, asking you what version of firmware do you have. If you updated your iPhone, you will have 1.0.1. If not, select 1.0 by typing the option.
• The script will automatically download the necessary restore file from the Apple servers.
• When it's done, it will prompt you to hold the home button (with the square) and the power button (on the top) at the same time (hold first the home, then hold the power).
• When the message "Connect to iTunes" appear in your iPhone, release the buttons and let the thing do its magic.
The iPhone will restart and you will find a new icon in your home screen:
You can disconnect the iPhone now. If you want, enable automatic sync in iTunes before disconnecting.
Now you will be able to install applications from the Installer. This is extremely simple. Just open the Installer application and select the software you want to install.
One more thing: before installing any new applications, you may want to update the Installer itself by clicking on the "Update" tab.
Installing applications
When you start Installer you will see only a handfull of applications. They are Nullriver's apps, which include a BSD Subsystem and MobileTerminal. To access all third-party software available, do the following:
• Launch Installer on your iPhone. It will connect to the Internet and register the available packages.
• Click on Community Resources package inside the Install tab.
• You will see the detail. Click on the Install button.
• After installing, you will see all the third-party applications currently available for iPhone.
• Click on any of them, hit the Install button and enjoy.
Extremely smooth and easy. Our congratulations to the Nullriver people for a truly great piece of software.
UPDATE: As someone points out in the Digg comments, the other thing you should do after updating the Installer and before start installing applications is to install the Launcher application. The reason: the iPhone springboard (the home screen) won't scroll, so if you install many applications, you won't be able to access some of them. The Launcher gives you a way to access all non-Apple apps from a scrollable list.
What's next? More iPhone applications coming soon, with or without Apple's blessing. [Nullriver]
Comments
Great. I sense my iPhone tech support call volume spiking as a result of this.
Sweet. HOWEVER... I think its comical that there is "no service" on the Jesus Phone.... wow. It really is like talking to God .... sometimes you just cant get through... sometimes... you just cant... get through....
Jesus, you rock!! Great post!!
@nystreetfilms: The no service is the result of the phone not being used on the AT&T network...it was activated and is only being used via WiFi (for iPod/Video, internet, YouTube, Weather, stocks, oh yea & e-mail).
holycrapwow.
this is great. thanks a ton for posting this, its downloading the firmware file as I type!
TFSU?
but what applications are there?
the f**k shut up...awesome...but shouldn't it be ustf?
Dude, it's Yoda. Hence TFSU (took me a minute as well)
Mmm... nice. Can I get something equally easy on the PC? Or will hell freeze over first and I should be getting a Mac at this point?
@Hand_O_Death:
thats how yoda would say it
you know, i'd kill for active refresh in here. nothing like finding out your comment's gone stale 2 seconds after you post it.
The Nullriver Install.app should NOT be used for a few reasons.
First of all, it's a closed source app in an inherently unsecure environment (everything on the iPhone runs as root). For all you know, it could be sending off your personal data.
Second, its developer has done all kinds of things to HINDER the progress of open source developments for the iPhone.
If you support open source and want a SAFE and SIMPLE way to install applications to your iPhone, check out pxl and Breezy (link below).
[pxl.googlecode.com]
any chance of running Finder? ;-) Would have wanted that one to be the GUI of the phone in the first place...
@cdan: WHAT APPLICATIONS ARE OUT THERE? Don't you mean what applications AREN'T out there?
Well... there's MAME, that sort of works
Then there is a really bad Nintendo Emulator that sort of works too
Then you have... uh... hmmm
You DEFINITELY NEED THIS TO INSTALL SWEET APPS ON YOUR IPHONE!!!
lol
I think Steve jobs has proved his point. With the exception of a few hackers, nobody cares if this thing is able to to homebrew third party apps.
When somebody gets their slingbox running on an iPhone, give me a call.
( ) hmmm, doesn't that mean you can run any OS X apps on that?
( ) or am I just being stupid?
( ) = check here
would like to see a PC version.
Wondering how to fix the problem of having four apps installed, and not being able to see the installer on the home screen. I can't scroll to uninstall things... Is restoring the only way?
Check out PXL (has installer clients for mac and windows) at pxl.googlecode.com.
Whoops.
Apologizing for comment spam.
Adding the installer app is almost as easy on a PC. I did it with little trouble.
See my post: [gizmodo.com]
Amazing script. Great work!
Nice...and I'm thoroughly amused by TFSU.
I'm debating trying this out but I'm trying to figure out a few things first:
1) Does this require an iphone re-install when the iphone gets patched just like the jail brake does?
2) Is there an apps list out there?
3) Does doing this allow the iphone to be recognized as an external hard drive?
Damn; that really was easy.
I agreed with Apple's decision to keep out 3rd party apps until they work out the bugs, but now it seems like such a futile effort. I think the lockout has gone as long as it can. Time to open it up. Also, TFSU is awesome! Double geek cred to anyone who got that one (I didn't). Praise Jesus!
anyone know if you can patch the iphone successfully without having to use the "recover" option if you install this?
No longer shall it be STFU.. from here on, it should be TFSU
The application list would be nice. I even went to the Nullriver website and all they have is a screenshot of a few of the apps available, but no descriptions.
The installation script sounds nice, but I guess everything is still in its infancy. Between this and the $100 price drop on the refurbs its making picking up an iPhone more and more tempting each day.
The guys at #installer.app on IRC wanted everyone to know to make sure you install Launcher first, after updating of course, because if you don't, you run the risk of it being hidden below the top 16 icons on the SpringBoard.
Since Apple didn't program the SpringBoard to scroll when there are more than 16 apps, Launcher was written to launch other programs that otherwise would be inaccessible.
Had to poke my head in to say that TFSU was fucking great! Though I hope you know what you may have started...
Why is Installer.app getting so much attention? Installer.app represents everything that is NOT open source.
The applications lead developer has done EVERYTHING he can to keep the open source installation apps from gaining popularity.
In addition to all that, running closed source apps on the iPhone is STUPID. If you people had any idea how dangerous that is, or how unsecure the iPhone's system is (EVERYTHING RUNS AS ROOT), you would NEVER trust a closed source app.
Please check out the alternatives to Installer.app, there are some great open source apps that work much better.
For Windows folks, there's iBrickr at [ibrickr.com] that lets you do the same thing, except no command line at all. Just download the program and run it, it guides you through all the steps.
Well, it's not really the same. Nullriver's software installs the an application in your iPhone. From that point, you won't need to connect to any computers to download and install software.
Their solution is the most elegant I've found.
How do you install the NES roms then?
Jesusdiaz, you might not have noticed that Nullriver's Installer is among the apps at [pxl.ibrickr.com] - you can use iBrickr to install Installer on your phone. From there it's the same.
What I meant is that their solution is quite cool and simple, the installation being a one-shot-only thing.
Yeah, maybe I should add a comment on that to the post, for Windows users.
WTF? Tianjin Foreign Studies University FTW!
From the best Star Wars beat-down ever, Anthony Lane's savage Episode III review:
Deepest mind in the galaxy, apparently, and you still express yourself like a day-tripper with a dog-eared phrase book. "I hope right you are." Break me a fucking give.
I absolutely love this website and check it like 50 times a day. I will contribute to your articles with somewhat funny or interesting posts as well. Im a member you need lol. What else can I say.
Now although this new app installer is amazing, what if for some reason you wanted it off, has anyone figured out how in uninstall this.
These instructions worked great. And having 3rd party apps available is cool. BUT... what about ringtones? Is there a way to use this installer to install ringtones?
Installed perfectly, but Doom Games does nothing just a splash screen
@jdwaters: iphonealley.com ifuntastic
@DylanQ: are there any links or better instructions for installing pxl? the link you provided is very vague. People need step by step instructions like this post.
Thanks
I don't know why this isn't working for me. I have found ways to dance around a few errors, but after downloading the file, it says bootstrapper cannot be found.
Um, I'm going to show my lack of knowledge here when I ask; Is FTW just WTF backwards? Or does it mean something entirely different?
Also, I've gotten enough of my friends to read Giz that I'm sure we'll all be telling each other to "the f**k shut up" no later than Wednesday.
FTW = "For the Win"
...not Fut the Wuck?
@doinka:
Don't have an intel mac. Can i install ifuntastic using this installer?
Nifty. Now, when the F*CK is Apple going to release an update that'll make this hack irrelavent? I'm waiting......
apple just released the 1.0.2 update - bug fixes. DO NOT INSTALL IF YOU JUST INSTALLED this if you have just used iPhoneInstaller. I am left to restore my phone completely now.. of course, I did not sync my phone first. Thanks self.
Bricked.
Just last night I followed the recipe up on Lifehacker to add the Installer for various apps.
Today, I updated to 1.0.2 and while it downloads the restore files, it completely crashes at the very end of the download. The error I'm seeing is:
There was a problem downloading the iPhone software for the iPhone "iPhone". An unknown error occurred (-48).
Make sure your network settings are correct and your network connection is active, or try again later.
I've got a MacBook that I'm using to connect to the iPhone.
Bricked.
I have installed the 1.0.2 update. I had previously "hacked" the phone with the isntaller and iFuntastic.
On the negative side:
I had to d a full reload and iTunes did not want to restore the backup so I lost my custom settings i.e. clocks, weather and maps bookmark. but as I was carefull to synch the phone before nothing else.
On the positive side:
I have reinstalled all the "hacks" and they still work as usual. I did fix the installer to use the new firmware instead of the 1.0.1 as suggested here: [pastie.caboo.se] but everything works fine including iFuntastic.
@jawzxy: Whenever I see an acroynym or name new to me, I just go directly to its page on Wikipedia, which for abbreviations is usually a great disambiguation page. Only if that fails do I Google for "{term} slang".
In Firefox, go to [en.wikipedia.org] (shows an error page), then bookmark this, then right-click on the bookmark, choose properties and give it the keyword 'w' and the name "Go to Wikipedia page". Thereafter, just press [Ctrl-L]w FTW[Enter] to learn about anything!
Installerapp works great, but now my iPhone refuses to charge via the wall charger. The only way it will charge is if it's connected to iTunes and powered on. I did this immediately after installing iPhone software 1.0.2 so it could be a byproduct of that (though probably more likely something that Apple did to discourage hacking...)
I Love This Install.app, Only Thing is, does anyone know how to download the ROMS off the app, I have downloaded the NES but no ROMS come with it, any help?
Hi,
It is taking longer for my iPhone to reboot than the script allows (I think). The screen shows 'Please Connect to iTunes' and the script successfully goes 5 FilesystemCheck 1, 6 FilesystemCheck 2, 7 Mounting File Systems, 8 Moving files into place, FAILED (6) RecoveryDittoFileCopy: Operation Ditto Failed and the script ends. Something I did?
Thanks