Hacked your iPhone did ya? Now, after the 1.1.1 update, you're looking at a non-functioning paperweight? Well, we've got good news for you just as long as you're willing to pay. Not only does the 1.1.1 iPhoneSimFree unlock released earlier unlock 1.1.1 iPhones, it also unbricks any iPhone including those unlocked by the Dev Team's anySim or iUnlock software. However, that requires registering your IMEI with IPSF resellers which requires cash in hand. About $100 beans but that's a lot cheaper than a new handset, eh?

So, what do you expect to happen now that a pair of jailbreak solutions are out? Why, a 1.1.1 unlock for baseband version 04.01.13_G of course. The "world's first" 1.1.1 unlock comes courtesy of the for-profit iPhoneSimFree team after a tithe to the usual service providers. For their customers who by chance bricked their iPhones by updating to 1.1.1 in haste, IPSF is making their SimFree v1.6 wares freely available to unbrick your $599 coaster. Just hit the read link for all the details.

[Thanks, Dustin B.]

If you haven't already bitten the bullet and taken your unlocked iPhone down that scariest of paths, the 1.1.1 update, we're here to sort out a bit of the hearsay from the actual and fairly inconvenient truth. Even if you have already updated, or never even unlocked or jailbroke your iPhone to begin with, there's still a lot to learn, so let's dive in, shall we?

Most people with a jailbroken iPhone will end up with a "factory-fresh" iPhone after the 1.1.1 firmware update. Your mileage may vary, and isolated incidents of bricking have occurred, but most people are just going to have a 3rd party-free, AT&T-only iPhone in their pocket when the day is through, and bricking seems to be just as common for a virgin iPhones as for jailbroken ones. As for when we'll have full use of the iPhone again is unclear, but TUAW's Erica Sadun says "don't expect a jailbreak anytime soon," which doesn't seem promising. Apparently the security is going to be a whole lot harder to crack this time around.

As we're sure a few readers have noticed, unlocked iPhones upgraded to 1.1.1 today aren't exactly unlocked anymore. Unlocking aside, the jailbreaking procedure that was used to load pretty much every application onto firmwares of old isn't working at the moment, so it seems the community's got a little work ahead of it in the next few hours. In the meantime, though, iPhoneSimFree has updated its site with the results of preliminary testing on the latest revision. The good news for buyers is that they apparently aren't getting the "Incorrect SIM" lockdown messages being observed by some anySIM users -- the bad news, though, is that you've gotta reactivate the darned thing with your original AT&T SIM after the upgrade takes place, then you're cool after that. Until the jailbreak is reestablished, activations won't be possible with alternative SIMs. EDGE usage looking a little lighter at the moment, there, T-Mobile?

[Thanks, Wireless Imports]

So last Friday we got two things from iPhoneSIMfree: the demo app of their "retail" software SIM unlock solution, and the promise that it would be available for purchase today. We can't confirm that everyone's already received their iPhone unlocks, but we did get to test the final consumer software version today -- the very same thing people all over will be paying to unlock their devices with -- and, not surprisingly, it works like a charm. In other words, while we can't vouch for any of the vendors selling the software, we can vouch for the software itself working exactly as advertised. We've got the unlock on video, which we'll be posting shortly.

After numerous delays and endless cries of "hoax!", it looks like the iPhoneSIMfree iPhone unlocking software is finally available for purchase from four online retailers around the world. Wireless Imports in the US, iPhoneWorldwideUnlock in Australia, 1digitalphone in Germany, and iPhone4arab in Saudi Arabia (currently down) have all purchased bulk licenses from the iPhoneSIMfree team and are selling individual unlocks for around $100. Go nuts, and let us know your initial experiences below...

Are you ready for it? Looks like iPhoneSIMfree is. A number of tipsters have sent us emails that they've received announcing the availability of the elusive software unlock -- delivery on Tuesday, 4th of September. Good news right? Maybe, but here's the tell:

"Iphonesimfree.com is a wholesale only company. Although we could, we do not and will not sell directly to end users, because we want to work together with our valuable resellers as a team and not interfere in their business."

Hmpf, and cover their collective legal asses too. Once resellers have provided their purchase details and made payment, they will receive an application to install on their iPhones. They must then log into the iPhoneSIMfree "back office" via WiFi connection where the iPhone will be registered and unlocked. Pricing starts at $36 each for 50 licenses or $25 each for 5000+.

Why should it matter if you have to get your iPhone unlocked by a reseller? Well, first off that greatly increases the chances of your having to buy a fresh iPhone from a 3rd party; while we're sure some resellers will offer unlock service for the iPhone you currently own, that means you'll still have to send or take it in (instead of quickly unlocking from the comfort of your own home), and if a future update should break the iPhoneSIMfree unlock, at BEST you'll have to take it in again. (At worst you'll be stuck hounding the middleman -- not iPhoneSIMfree -- for a fix, and when that comes out you'll still have to take it back in. Ugh.) We're still awaiting word back from the iPhoneSIMfree team to verify that they won't be working with end users after all. Full email posted after the break.

[Thanks, The African Nerd, trash, Geoff, and everyone who sent this in]

Independent verification of seemingly dubious claims makes the world go 'round, which is why we're a little thankful the iPhoneSIMfree crew has deigned CNN worthy of having the second shot at verifying their iPhone SIM unlock software. We know it won't quiet all the conspiracy theorists out there, but their news wire reads as follows:

Los Angeles software consultant Brett Schulte, who is not affiliated with the developers, demonstrated the software for CNN Friday evening. An iPhone that had the new software appeared to work on the T-Mobile system just seconds after Schulte replaced the AT&T SIM card with a T-Mobile SIM card.

We followed up with Brett, a consultant with CNN, and he confirmed the iPhoneSIMfree unlocked his iPhone as well -- we also really wanted to ask about getting in touch with Ted Turner for a summer internship, but we got the vibe that it'd be a no-go. Now, if only iPhoneSIMfree would release that product of theirs to the public -- perhaps that might land along side the CNN story they're gunning for?

Read - CNN re-confirms hack
Read - Our original hack confirmation

You've seen the hack, now see the FAQ. In it the iPhoneSIMfree free guys answer many of the questions we already got to (Is it restore-resistant? Yes. Which features don't work? Just Visual Voicemail. Does it work with 1.0.2? Yes. Etc.), and a few we've all been eagerly awaiting the answers to:

• Can I unlock it before the AT&T registration process?
  Yes.
• What is the process the end user will go through?
  Currently our initial release will require that the end user activate and "jail break" in order to place our app on the phone. (We are working toward a fully automated PC / Mac application to be released shortly after launch).
• Do you offer 100% money back guarantee if the software does not work?
  The unlock WILL work. We cannot offer any guarantee should Apple, Inc. choose to re-lock the phone after a future update.

And the 64k question:

• When can I get it?
  We are hoping to release in the next 48-72 hours.

We'll let you know when we hear more.

[Thanks, Ed]

Hey, that's what they claim: $100,000 in cold hard cash for the right to freely distribute the iPhone unlocking software onto the Nets. Full credit given to the creator(s) of course with a proposed release date of Wed night at 12:00am (in some unspecified time zone). No details as to who is financial backing the offer or how payments will be made, only a single email address posted for discussing the details. Hear that UniquePhones and IPhoneSIMfree, here's your chance to make a buck and avoid a legal tussle with AT&T / Apple. Of course, anyone can launch a Blogspot site announcing pretty much anything they'd like. If nothing else, the move illustrates perfectly the demand for the software unlock to be released for general consumption. Let's hope it means more.

[Thanks, Gussy]