Avoiding the Hacking Headache: iPhone 3g to 4.1

I spent two aggravating days trying to figure out how to update my iPhone firmware to the new and much improved 4.1, jailbreak, activate and unlock it, suffering numerous errors and getting stuck in recovery mode repeatedly until I found the way out. Now that I know how it should be done I could get the whole thing done in 15 minutes. Based on my experience this what should be done (only for iPhone 3G):


1. Update iTunes to version 10.0
2. Sync your apps and other information as the update will wipe everything you've got.
3. Download but don't install iOS 4.1 from Apple
4. Download Snowbreeze 2.02 AND iReb from iH8sn0w.com
5. Run Snowbreeze to patch stock 4.1 firmware, making sure to check the activate option
6. Run iReb with phone connected in DFU mode (critical step!) to bypass iTunes errors
7. Update using custom firmware option in iTunes. You should now be jailbroken and activated.
8. Go to Cydia and install and run ultraSnow to unlock.
9. ta da.

Now where it went sideways for me was not knowing how to get past the errors I got every time I tried to upgrade the custom firmware in iTunes. The answer is running iREB first while in DFU (i.e. blackscreen) mode.

The update is very worthwhile, honestly it's like having a new phone. Not all Cydia applications are 4.1 compatible but that's just a matter of time. For now the phone runs at twice the speed of 4.02 and that's main reason for anyone with a 3G iPhone to upgrade.

Phew. Hope this of help to someone out there.

An Evening with Leonard Cohen

The amazing Mr. Cohen celebrates his 76th birthday on Tuesday in the midst of a world tour which will bring him to Phnom Penh on November 27. There is enough in this catalog to enjoy several evenings with the man's music but we'll do our first in a series in recognition of his birthday. But we'll do Saturday in deference to our working stiff customers. We'll show the "I'm Your Fan" film at 8pm. Drink special: Cohen's "Red Needle".

Happy birthday Leonard.

Jimi Plays Garage...Get the Man a Pizza

On Saturday we celebrate our first anniversary at Garage, but I would be remiss in observing that September 18 is also the 40th anniversary of Jimi Hendrix' exit from the stage at age 27. It is therefore only fitting and proper that we celebrate Jimi's music and performances which we shall with great vigor It will be an evening with Hendrix including a screening of "Live at Monterey", Jimi's complete performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967. The audio track on this Blu-Ray disc is phenomenal. We'll screen the film at 8pm. One more reason to join us.

Want another?? Did someone say flame-grilled pizza?? Have one on me Jimi.

First Anniversary Party Saturday

Wha happened?? Yes somehow an entire year has passed since Brunt and I started Garage. Please come celebrate with us. Our second year will see the introduction of our pizza menu. If you haven't had a flame grilled pizza you're in for a real treat. Hope we'll see you Saturday!

Home Theater PC Blues

It has been a real struggle to get the fancy HTPC box working at Garage up to it's full potential. For all practical purposes it's now been sorted, and Blu-Ray and HD-DVD playback is working. Ultimately I had to bag both Win-DVD and Power DVD as neither would properly play back my Blu-Rays unless they were ripped to the hard drive (not a practical solution). Arcsoft's Total Media Theater software works like a charm, and although I still have high CPU usage despite a new video card, it works. If you're having problems with your high-def video playback I recommend you give TMT a shot.

High def music videos on hand include Jimi Hendrix Live at Monterey, Led Zepellin's Song Remains the Same, Roy Orbison's Black and White Night, Springsteen Live in Hyde Park and the Last Waltz (to be screened Thanksgiving). There's another 100 standard music DVD's on hand, happy to put one on by request.

Music DVD List (Standard DVD)

P.S. - High CPU issue resolved now that hardware acceleration and high definition audio driver are being properly utilized by the software.

There Is A River - Remembering David Ackles

Coming back from the States it's always a struggle to decide which LP's to throw into the luggage. At half a pound each the baggage allowance gets used up real fast. This trip I manged to bring another couple dozen, among them David Ackles' 1972 release "American Gothic", and I've had David Ackles on my mind a lot since.

David Ackles' work remains almost completely unknown. He put out three albums for Elektra, and a final one for Columbia before giving up the singer-songwriter business after his last effort "Five and Dime" failed to sell. He got some terrific reviews (Rolling Stone) -- and some terrible ones (Robert Christgau) -- at the time, and to some extent the positive reviews, including a famous one in the LA Free Press which called "American Gothic" the greatest album of all time -- made him an easy target for his critics. If you know Richard Hawley and Scott Walker you'll have some sense of David Ackles' Weillian style, and you may love it or hate it. I for one have always been moved by his songs and over the last thirty something years have found solace in his work often, turning to songs like "Love's Enough" as much as I've turned to Joni Mitchell's Blue when my mood gets melancholy.

Ackles had some famous fans, Elton John, Phil Collins and Elvis Costello the most well known, who argued the injustice of his lack of exposure and ultimately his back catalog was released on CD in 1994.

David died from lung cancer in 1999. In 2007 Elektra announced a 2-CD set of his Elektra recordings, including 10 bonus tracks, Bernie Taupin and Elvis Costello wrote the liner notes, copies were sent out for review, and then at the last minute Rhino pulled the release. And nothing has been heard of There Is A River since. You'll still find a link to this non-existent release on Amazon and elsewhere.

Elvis Costello closed the premier episode of his Spectacle program with Ackles' "Down River" in a duet with Elton John which I hope you'll enjoy as much as I do.





Links:

David Ackles' Theater of Meloncholy by Michael Baker
American Gothic - The Road to David Ackles
Uncut Magazine Wild Mercury Sound - David Ackles