Image via Engadget

Looks like the days of happy go lucky Jailbreaking may be short lived. Apple has filed a patent that would effectively kill jailbroken devices should certain activities be detected. The patent is being presented as a means to increase user security and protect against lost or stolen devices. The security enhancements are detailed in this report.

Beyond basic jailbreak detection and termination, this patent strives to identify unauthorized users via heartbeat and “phone home” if an unauthorized user is detected. When security is breached the phone could take pictures of its surroundings and log GPS and then send them to the owner. The phone would also start keeping a log of any activity by the unauthorized user.

Adding these features to “i” devices will greatly increase security and protect users from theft, but they seem extreme. What if you want to Jailbreak a device you own? It’s not illegal. And do you feel comfortable with a device that can broadcast so much real time user data at the flip of the switch?

via mashable

Today was a big day. Google and Verizon joined forces to protect the internet. Clever developers created an easy way to install Flash on a jailbroken iPhones. The last place Seattle Mariners fired their manager.  And Naomi Campbell ‘complained that diamonds were not shiny enough‘.

Trumping those bombshells, Sharpie released the following picture on their blog.

That’s right! Sharpie has introduced the “Liquid Pencil”. Are you concerned that writing in pencil isn’t permanent enough, but you find yourself prone to mistakes? Well, Sharpie has come to the rescue. The Liquid Pencil offers the ability to erase just like a pencil, but becomes permanent like a marker after 3 days.

Engadget has video of the Liquid Pencil in action. You can order your very own from Office Depot right now or wait for them to become widely available in the next month (2/$5).

Look out pencil, there’s competition in town.

The iPhone jailbreaking process has come a long way since the original iPhone released in 2007. Here is an early “How-To” from Lifehacker. The astute reader will notice that this walk trough required two different programs, one of which was the frighteningly named, “iBrickr”. After a successful jailbreak attempt, the process was refined and a simpler method was released. The process was streamlined until Apple released the next official iOS update at which point the process would start all over again. Every time Apple broke the jailbreak, the development community would find a new way to get around it.

Over the weekend, the easiest jailbreak ever was released for iOS 4. Assuming servers are not overloaded like they have been for a better part of the weekend, you can point your iPhone 4 to jailbreakme.com and follow the onscreen instructions. The process takes less than 5 minutes for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3G running the most recent version of iOS.

This release comes less than one week after the DMCA was updated to include jailbreaking mobile devices as an exemption. Jailbreakme has been available in the past but was pressured to cease availability in the United States by Apple. Now that there is a super easy way to unlock your iPhone, will you take the plunge?

If you do, just remember to sync with iTunes and back up your device before checking out jailbreakme.com. Keep in mind that it still not sanctioned by Apple and technically jailbreaking your iPhone can void your warranty.  The process is easy to reverse by reverting to your back up. There have been some issues reported with MMS and FaceTime. Keep an eye on the developers updates for the latest news on the tool.

Have fun!