George Hotz

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George Hotz

Born October 2, 1989 (1989-10-02) (age 18)
Flag of the United States United States

George Francis Hotz (born October 2, 1989), alias geohot, is known for publicizing the collaboration leading to a procedure for unlocking the Apple iPhone, allowing the phone to be used with other wireless carriers, contrary to AT&T and Apple's intent.[1][2] Hotz grew up in Glen Rock, New Jersey, where he attended the Bergen County Academies, a magnet public high school.[3]

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[edit] Unlocking the Apple iPhone

On August 21, 2007, Hotz announced on his blog that he, along with four collaborators, had unlocked the iPhone, allowing it to be used with any SIM card.[4] He later posted the 10-step method on his blog.[5] Although other purported unlocks appeared earlier, Hotz claims his to be the first to allow full functionality of the iPhone with almost any GSM wireless carrier without any external hardware, although the process requires experience with soldering and software.[citation needed]

Hotz, who had bought his first iPhone on its launch date, was originally associated with the iPhone Dev unlocking team, but left the group after a difference of opinions.[6] He estimates that he spent more than 500 hours working on the unlock. He said his primary aim was to enable other users to easily unlock their own iPhones.[citation needed]

According to his blog, Hotz traded his unlocked iPhone to Terry Daidone, the founder of Certicell, for "a Nissan 350Z" and three 8GB iPhones.[7] Hotz said he wants to give the iPhones to the other members of his Web-based group, Dev Wiki, who helped him figure out the hack.[citation needed] Hotz's hardware based unlocking technique has largely been replaced by software unlocking that does not require disassembling of the iPhone.[8]

George Hotz recently developed the first software unlock for the iPhone's new Bootloader Version 4.6 that previously only was doable with a "Hardware Unlock" [9]

[edit] Other accomplishments and recognition

Hotz competed in the 2007 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, a science competition for high school students, where his project, entitled "I want a Holodeck," received awards and prizes in several categories.[10] Hotz has received considerable attention in mainstream media, including interviews on the Today Show, FOX, CNN, NBC, CBS, G4, ABC[11] CNBC[12], and articles in several magazines, newspapers, and websites, including Forbes[13], BBC and CNN[citation needed]. The Forbes article said Hotz hopes to go into neuroscience: "hacking the brain," he called it. In March 2008, PC World magazine listed George as one of the top 10 Overachievers under 21.[14]

In a recent interview with the Bergen Record, George announced various new projects. For example he changed his school ID swipe card to now give him access to any card-accessible building on the RIT campus.[citation needed] As of April 22nd George Hotz is acting as an intern at Google[15], after reportedly dropping out of RIT.[citation needed]

In December 2007, the Bergen Academies grad is headed for Sweden to attend the Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar and talk about his 3-D imaging invention (called Project Holodeck) that netted him a $20,000 Intel prize earlier this year.[16]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Stone, Brad. "With Software and Soldering, AT&T's Lock on iPhone Is Undone", New York Times, August 25, 2007, p. C-1. Retrieved on 2007-09-02. 
  2. ^ "Interview with 17 year old iPhone hacker", CNBC, September 30, 2007. 
  3. ^ McKay, Martha. "Tech whiz cracks code tying it to AT&T network", The Record (Bergen County), August 24, 2007. Accessed August 27, 2007. "The 17-year-old Glen Rock resident posted the complicated steps on his blog Thursday.... 'I've lived and breathed that phone for the last two months,' said Hotz, a Bergen County Academies grad who won a prestigious $20,000 Intel science fair prize this year for a device that projects a 3-D image.
  4. ^ On the iPhone: FULL HARDWARE UNLOCK OF IPHONE DONE, Accessed August 24, 2007.
  5. ^ On the iPhone: ITS RELEASE TIME, Accessed May 3, 2008.
  6. ^ ~geohot's unlocking manifesto Accessed May 3, 2008.
  7. ^ On the iPhone: THE iPhone HAS BEEN TRADED, Accessed May 3, 2008.
  8. ^ Code to unlock iPhone cracked Accessed October, 11, 2007.
  9. ^ On the iPhone: 11246unlock, good enough for the prize
  10. ^ [http://www.sciserv.org/isef/results/grnd07.pdf Grand Awards Ceremony of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2007]. Intel Education. Accessed August 24, 2007.
  11. ^ YouTube - Teen 'Unlocks' iPhone From AT&T Network
  12. ^ Breitbart.tv » iPhone Hacker Explains How He Did It
  13. ^ Junior R&D - Forbes.com
  14. ^ PC World - Meet the Whiz Kids: 10 Overachievers Under 21
  15. ^ geohot Across America
  16. ^ SIYSS Participants List

[edit] External links

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