People who have jailbroken and unlocked iPhone models in the past have probably come across redsn0w and ultrasn0w, well the good news is that these are the tools you need to carry out the jailbreak and unlock, but for some reason only a certain version of redsn0w worked for us while we tested out this method, the rest was pretty easy.

Before carrying out this method we connected the iPhone 3GS to the computer, updated it to iOS 5.0.1 and once that was installed we ran a factory reset to give the iPhone ‘a fresh start’, we’re not saying this is necessary, but this method worked for us.

Note: we carried out the following method using Windows not Mac OS X, also we can’t be held responsible if anything goes wrong, you are always taking a risk when jailbreaking a device, so don’t do it unless you are sure! Also some say that if your 3GS was built after the 45th week in 2009 you could brick your iPhone – so beware!

Now that your iPhone 3GS is running iOS 5.0.1 you should turn it off. Now download RedSn0w 0.9.10b4 via this link (Mac link here). Once downloaded extract the files and you should see a redsn0w.exe file, right click this and then select ‘Run as Administrator’ – redsn0w should now be open.

Click the ‘Jailbreak’ button, ensure your iPhone 3GS is off and plug it into your PC via the USB cable then click next, you may see a warning about your iDevice’s serial number, don’t ignore this and only continue if your iPhone doesn’t fall into the blacklisted serial numbers (you may have to briefly turn on your iPhone to check the serial number). redsn0w will now ask you to enter DFU mode, follow the on-screen instructions and then redsn0w will carry out the jailbreak. A few seconds later you should see some jailbreak options, ensure that ‘Install Cydia’ and ‘Install iPad baseband’ are both ticked, click next and then you will have to accept a warning to continue, the process will then finish and you will see your iPhone’s display showing the latter stages of the jailbreak – wait for this to finish and your iPhone should start-up running jailbroken iOS 5.0.1.

You now need to run a few checks, firstly swipe across to see if Cydia is installed, secondly go into Settings, General, About and scroll down to ‘Modem Firmware’ – here you should now be running baseband 6.15.00 – this means you have successfully installed the iPad baseband on your 3GS. Note: Some say that this baseband affects WiFi and GPS connectivity, but it worked just fine for us.

Finally load up Cydia, search for ultrasn0w, run it, reboot your iPhone and voila – you’re done. There are other methods out there which may work, but this is the only method which worked for us after 4 hours of trying different mehods. We didn’t have to install custom IPSW images or anything like that, just update to iOS 5.0.1, run a factory reset, jailbreak with redSnow 0.9.10b4 ensuring that you tick the iPad baseband (all other redsn0w versions failed for us) and then open up Cydia and run ultrasn0w – it’s simple when you know how.

Please leave us a comment below letting us know if this guide helped you! Likewise, if you are struggling with this, let us know and we will try to help you…

Software updates are of course beneficial in nearly all cases, bringing new features, but for some hardware owners it becomes ‘a scary proposition’ as the upgrade may be mean the death of a device as we know it. Any bug or glitch could damage a handset permanently or force an owner to live with the kind of problems that are irreversible.

Upgrades are also extremely useful for those that can’t afford to get the latest version of their devices, for example for those that own an iPhone 3GS but can’t afford the iPhone 4S. For these people an upgrade to iOS 5 makes sense, especially considering it’s free. The question is whether or not a two-and-a-half year old device can handle the latest software?

According to Cnet there have been some complaints from owners of the iPhone 3GS upgrading to the latest iOS in the past, with issues concerning the battery life being drained and a slower interface. These issues normally get corrected with bug fixes from Apple, but come a while later. The biggest issues with iOS 5 on these older iPhones is again the battery life, some complaining it has been reduced to 6 hours without use and just 4 hours with occasional use. There have also been complaints that the devices become sluggish, problems like these can be helped by changing certain settings such as the brightness and turning Wi-Fi off when not in use.

At the end of the day, iPhone 3GS owners can be happy that their old devices can actually support the latest software and still work. iOS 5 has over 200 updates so in my opinion is well worth the sacrifices. Do you own an iPhone 3GS? Have you had any problems with the iOS 5 update?

In a recent post we spoke about how the iPhone 4S wiped the floor with the iPhone 4 and Motorola Droid Bionic, however we also spotted something else when checking out AnAndTech’s benchmarks – to cut a long story short running iOS 5.0 (GM build) on the iPhone 3GS resulted in much more impressive benchmark results than iOS 4.2.1 delivered on the same device, obviously these results don’t necessarily equate to real-world performance, but it gives us something to think about none-the-less.

The iPhone 3GS running iOS 4.2.1 scored 13580 when running the SunSpider Javascript Benchmark (0.91), however when the same test was ran on the same smartphone running iOS 5.0 GM it scored a much better result of 5785. In this particular test lower scores are better as it means that the benchmark finished quickly, this just goes to show how much better iOS 5′s native web browser is than previous iOS versions.

In Rightware’s BrowserMark test the iPhone 3GS running iOS 4.2.1 scored 26151, in this test higher scores are better, and the same model running iOS 5.0 scored a whopping 37276 – when compared to most modern-day smartphones this is still quite low, but it is still a huge improvement.

Not all of iOS 5′s features will work with the iPhone 3GS, however it is safe to say that it should give the 3GS a new lease of life. You can see a full list of changes here, we have heard that in terms of battery life the 3rd-gen iPhone does suffer, but if you turn of iTunes and iCloud syncing things improve quite vastly.

If you are expecting the best iOS 5 experience from the iPhone 3GS you are being unrealistic, but if you understand the 3GS’ limitations and want a richer we browsing experience etc it will be well-worth installing. Will you install iOS 5 on your iPhone 3GS tomorrow?

Ok the device is getting on a bit but you can now get it for free on a two year contract, and according to an article on MacWorld cheap handsets have helped Android get to the position it currently enjoys. Previously you could get the 3GS on AT&T for $49 alongside a 24 month contract, but now it won’t cost you a thing.

There may be many consumers who may have decided against an iPhone because at the time similar spec Android handsets were available free. There are currently three Android handsets available free on Verizon, while Sprint has two and others available for $30 to $50. Meanwhile AT&T has two Android handsets that won’t cost a bean, and another two that only cost a penny.

Previously those consumers who were on a budget would have had to fork out $100 to get the 3GS, or choosing an Android smartphone for free. But now these same people can join the iPhone party for no initial outlay. It has to be remembered though that to service that free iPhone comes at a cost, as the two year contract will still need a voice and data plan.

But this can easily be said for all the free Android smartphones as well, as the free handset is to get you hooked up to a two year contract. The iPhone 3GS will still be getting iOS 5 and iMessage when they are available, as well as access to iCloud. The great thing for the consumer is there is now more choice, which can only be a good thing.

Do you know anyone who is going to get a free iPhone 3GS?

Dimensions and weight wise the iPhone 4 and 4S are almost identical except the iPhone 4S is 3grams heavier. While the 3GS is thicker and wider than both the other models but is the lightest at 135grams. The new model has the dual-core A5 chip inside with the iPhone 4 has the A4 single core processor.

Camera wise the iPhone 3GS has a 3-megapixel device with no front facing shooter. The iPhone 4 has a 5-megapixel device, while the 4S has 8-megapixels with face detection added. Obviously the new model has the new Siri built-in assistant that lets you control things with your voice.

Video recording on the three handsets starts with the 3GS at 480p, with the iPhone 4 at 720p going up to full 1080p HD on the 4S. Users of the iPhone 4/4S can both make use of FaceTime over a Wi-Fi connection.

The 4/4S uses the same 960 x 640 resolution display with 326ppi, while the 3GS has top make do with 480 x 320 163ppi display. With the internal radios the main difference is between the 4 and the 4S with the new model having both CDMA and GSM units inside.

Battery life sees the 3GS have a talk time of up to 5 hours on 3G or 12 hours via 2G, and a standby time of 300 hours. The iPhone 4 has up to 7 hours talk time on 3G with the 4S having 8 hours, and both units get a reported 14 hours on 2G. Standby time is 300 hours on the iPhone 4, while the 4S only has 200 hours.

What do you make of the new iPhone 4S worth the wait?

It is this device which has been rumored to be the more affordable iPhone model which Apple was going to make available for consumers. But according to information on 9 to 5 Mac, sources in several different countries have said stock of the device is quickly running dry. Some regions have reported low, or even no shipments coming through. While a source from an Orange store in the UK has said that staff have been told the device is no longer available.

Other European sources have stated that hardly any stock will be arriving in the coming weeks, while in the US a previously accurate source from a major iPhone reseller has said stock is much lower than usual. Some regions in the country are getting no shipments at all, with a source close to Apple’s global shipping infrastructure saying that hardly any numbers of the handset remain.

Apple normally scales down shipments of products just ahead of a refresh or a discontinuation, which was recently seen ahead of the updated MacBook Airs. The company can even sometimes move such products lines to the refurbished section of the Apple Store.

We could even see Apple upgrade the iPhone 3GS ahead of a possible re-launch as a pre-paid device. The company could put in a faster processor or improve the screen. Or they may just be calling time on the device completely. Before we looked at reasons why now is not a good time to buy an iPhone 3GS, and you will probably have trouble doing that now anyway.

If Apple is going to use the handset as a cheaper alternative to its flagship handset, it makes sense if they give the specifications a boost to take on the comparable Android alternative.

Whether Apple do bring out a prepaid version of the 3GS in the coming months or not, consumers in the US can currently pick one up at a low price from Apple and AT&T. It has been a good move by the companies as AT&T get customers to sign up to its more expensive data plans, while Apple can get access to more price savvy consumers. But according to Roger Cheng of Cnet it may not be a wise move for the customer.

The device is now over two years old, and the cell phone market has evolved at an amazing rate over the last couple of years. It has a slower processor than many mid-range smartphones now available on the market, and compared to the fastest models available it will be painfully slow.

When it was first launched the S stood for speed, but it runs at around 600MHz and compared to the year old iPhone 4 which runs at 1GHz. Then you look at some of the top Android handsets with their dual-core processors you realize how far smartphones have come in two years.

Being an older model it can’t take advantage of features such as FaceTime, and when iOS 5 is released later this year it could struggle with the new software.

iPhone’s remain hugely sought after by the consumer as AT&T has recently announced it activated 3.6 million iPhones during the last quarter. Verizon Wireless hasn’t actually commented on how many iPhone 4s they have shifted so far, they did sell a total of 2.3million smartphones during the same period.

The upfront purchase price is obviously much less, but consumers will end up paying the same monthly charges during the two year contract. By the time users finish their contract they will be left with a four year old handset.

Obviously there is a stigma with owning an iPhone and buying the iPhone 3GS will be ideal for some, but when the iPhone 5 is released we may see the iPhone 4 being discounted. Even though the handset is over a year old now it’s still a worthy handset, and could be ideal for the price conscious consumer out there.

Would you consider getting an iPhone 3GS now?

Back towards the end of may there had been reports that the next iPhone 4S/5 was going to see an improvement made to the camera to an 8-megapixel, that now seems very unlikely if we are to believe a report from 9 to 5 Mac from a few days that ago suggests otherwise. Now we know that this news is now a few days old, but we felt that it warranted another look.

You see it is all well and good the likes of us all getting excited over a new iPhone, but are we jumping the gun again. I will be the first to tell you that I will be getting one of their new handsets when it finally makes it to market, but I cannot help but think that Apple is copping out.

The most prominent upgrade looks to be the dual-core processor, but that is about all we can see the new iPhone getting. There had been rumors that Apple will be going with a curved glass design, but now it seems that things will be staying the same. This is going back to 2009, when we faced the same issue. OK, so the 3GS was a vast improvement over the 3G, but we all felt that Apple could have done better.

How on earth does Apple expect to stay ahead of the game, when all they will offer is a few lack-luster upgrades to its hardware – and not all we might add? Now Apple might come out and say that it will benefit from all the iOS 5 upgrades, but so will the iPhone 4. Having been an iPhone user since 2007, I now feel as though friends who have the latest Android device are leaving me behind.

We always hear how they have a great mobile OS, and the fact that they have had dual-core processors for sometime; now we fear that this will now have a negative affect on Apple. OK, the iPhone has been the top selling handset for some time now, but we have seen how Android is eating into Apple’s market share year-on-year. To some they have one of the best handsets on the market with the Samsung Galaxy S II, and by the looks of it the new iPhone still might struggle when it comes to an outright fight with the hardware.

So there you have it, iPhone users could now face the same upgrade dilemma as they did in 2009; will you?

With previous editions of Apple products be bought at a value price the older models are seemingly more popular than ever. In an article by Neil Hughes the news that updated reports suggest that the iPhone 3GS and the original iPad are still very successful and in demand. The iPhone 3GS are a high selling device with AT&T and the iPad 1 has also had great success with Verizon sometimes outselling the new products.

At AT&T stores the iPhone 3GS outsold the brand new Motorola Atrix and the HTC Inspire. The Verizon stores noted the iPad 1 being sold out in two weeks after the new iPad 2 came out. Canaccord Genuity technology analyst Michael Walkley has found that the iPad is the best selling tablet and the iPhone 4 is the best selling device at Verizon and AT&T. he also expects the iPhone will continue to be a best selling device during 2011.

As number of units sold smartphones running Google Android have had greater success than the iPhone mainly down to the multiple manafacturers. Yet no individual smartphone model is able to match the iPhone in total units sold. With Apple continuing to cut the prices of the older devices this should effectively make a quicker turn over with newer replacments available.

For more information on the iPad 1 and iPhone 3GS outselling newer devices, visit AppleInsider.com.

So if you are one of the lucky ones who this has not yet happened to, I recommend that you get yourself a case to prevent being added to the majority who have had screen cracking issues. If you are one of the 82%, then you know where I am coming from.

The following list comes from PC World, where a non-iPhone user (like myself) asked the community on Twitter which were their favourite, lightweight yet effective cases for the iPhone 4. This is your reply.

The first of the cases is the Incase Snap Case, highly recommended within the iPhone 4 community, it comes in 3 colours and offers access to all appropriate buttons costing $34.95.

Speck CandyShell comes in ten colors, that includes two festive holiday designs. It’s thin, has a hard shell and soft rubber lining, and bezel and button covers. Ranges from $29.99-$34.99.

Other options consist of the iFrogz Luxe Original Case ($29.99), the Speck Fitted Case ($29.99), the Sena Magnet Flipper being one of the most unique flavors, including belt-clip and leather-finish options ($52.99), the OtterBox Commuter Series Case ($34.95), and last but not least — the Incase Slider ($34.95).

All the above can be checked out with more thorough descriptions by checking out the source below.

Now you know the statistics for iPhone screen breaks, will you finally give in to the case market? I recommend that you do!

Source: PC World