Guide

How to fix Cydia “failed to fetch” errors by removing the UltraSn0w repo

Jeff Benjamin ∙ December 24, 2013

One of the more common error messages that new Cydia users will come across is the error that says Failed to fetch [...] HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found. This is a typical 404 message that you get when you visit a webpage location that no longer exists. Normally, this wouldn't be a big deal, but it causes an error message to appear in Cydia each time you refresh your list of packages and it attempts to pull data from the non-existent UltraSn0w repo.

You'll receive an error that states: Some index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead. Yeah, so no big deal, but it's still a huge annoyance, because this interrupts the stream of refreshing the list of Cydia packages. The fact is that you'll probably never need to use UltraSn0w, and even if you did, you can always add the repo back to Cydia manually.

iH8sn0w and winocm release “drama free” untethered jailbreak for iOS 6.1.3-6.1.5

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated January 29, 2017

If you have an older device running older firmware, you may have felt left out of yesterday's iOS 7 jailbreak festivities. But, worry not, because there is a release that just dropped in Cydia that allows you to enjoy an untethered jailbreak on your iPhone 4, iPod touch 4th generation, and iPhone 3GS if you're running iOS 6.1.3 through 6.1.5.

The untethered jailbreak, which is called p0sixspwn in Cydia, is a package that allows you to convert a tethered jailbreak into an untethered one. This means that if you're currently jailbroken on one of the aforementioned devices using a tool like redSn0w or sn0wbreeze, you can finally reboot your device without having to perform a tethered boot. Have a look inside for the step-by-step guide.

How to record direct feed footage from iOS to a Mac or PC

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated August 7, 2019

Lots of people have asked me how I go about recording footage directly from the iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. The process is one that is simple and straightforward with the help of a couple of hardware and software tools.

From time to time I will record footage directly from an iOS device, while at other times, I like to record the screen using an external camera so that you can see my hands as I work with the device. Depending on the circumstances, I've been known to switch up my methods for doing so.

The bottom line is that there are times in which you should definitely go the direct feed route as opposed to recording the screen externally. As the saying goes, there are many ways to skin a cat, but the method that I've been using has been working quite well for me. Have a look inside as I spill the details on what makes a successful iOS device recording setup.

How to control your Nest thermostat from the menu bar

Jeff Benjamin ∙ December 4, 2013

I wouldn’t call myself a Nest Learning Thermostat early adopter, but I did acquire one fairly early in the game, and I haven’t looked back. The Nest, as you’re likely well aware of, is the new-aged thermostat from iPod designer Tony Fadell. The Nest allows users to control the thermostat from anywhere in the world using a web browser, or by using an iOS app for the iPad or iPhone.

Mac users have sort of been left out in the cold; pun intended. Desktop users have basically been relegated to using the web browser in order to control the Nest, as there is no official Nest app available for OS X. The good news is that developer Joseph Workman has taken the initiative to wrap the Nest’s web interface into a handy utility called Climate, and it runs in the Mac’s menu bar. This makes it so that you can quickly access the Nest’s temperature controls and other features from anywhere on your Mac.

We’ve taken the initiative to create a video walkthrough in order to showcase to you how Climate works, and why it’s so beneficial to Mac users. Jump past the break to see all the details.

Keep your menu bar clutter-free with Bartender

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 18, 2023

Bartender is a Mac app that helps users declutter their menu bar by allowing them to easily hide, rearrange, and manage menu bar icons according to their preferences.

Shiori: my favorite Pinboard utility for the Mac

Jeff Benjamin ∙ November 30, 2013

In episode 002 of Let’s Talk iOS we talked about Pinboard, and why it’s such a useful service for saving bookmarks. I won’t get too much into the specifics about Pinboard on this post, so I urge you to listen to that episode if you haven’t already. The episode does a good job of explaining the methodology behind Pinboard, pricing, etc.

What I do want to talk about is an awesome Pinboard utility called Shiori. A free download for OS X, Shiori is a Pinboard utility that allows you to quickly add new bookmarks to your Pinboard account and just as quickly search all of the contents of your account.

Shiori runs in the menu bar, and both its add and search functions can be accessed by a pair of useful keyboard shortcuts. Have a look inside as we go hands on with Shiori on video. If you’re at all interested in saving bookmarks for the longterm, then I’m positive you’ll find Shiori useful.

How to downgrade iOS 7 to iOS 6.1.3

Jeff Benjamin ∙ June 11, 2013

Apple makes it sound like a life or death scenario when developers decide to install iOS 7 beta on a test device. In fact, it's always done so with its beta releases. In the notes for iOS 7, Apple states that "Devices updated to iOS beta can not be restored to earlier versions of iOS."

The thing is, that simply isn't true. I've always been able to successfully downgrade my firmware in the past for a beta test device, and I've confirmed that the process still works perfectly fine on iOS 7. In fact, it's extremely easy to downgrade your firmware from iOS 7 to iOS 6.1.3; it doesn't even require any special tricks or techniques like some downgrades do. Check inside as I walk you through the extremely simple step-by-step process for downgrading iOS 7 back to iOS 6.1.3.

How to stop Google Chrome’s annoying keychain access request messages

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

Have you ever had Google Chrome on OS X present a pop up message that states: Google Chrome wants to use your confidential information stored in the...blah, blah, blah...in your keychain?

Even if you select Always Allow, Deny, or Allow, the message continues to pop up each time you visit specific sites. I tried disabling password syncing in Chrome's settings, clearing all saved passwords, etc., all to no avail. Basically, I got to the point where If I saw that message one more time, I was going to rip my hair out!

But I solved the issue, and it was actually easier, and more obvious than I expected. If you're having the same problem, which apparently many Chrome users on the Mac are, then take a look inside for the fix...

How to jailbreak iOS 6.1.2 with evasi0n 1.4

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

Evasion 1.4 was just released with support for the recently released iOS 6.1.2, and we've got the details on how to use it to jailbreak your iDevice of choice. Although iOS 6.1.2 doesn't bring any new features to the table, there is a bug fix that makes the upgrade worth it.

Take a look inside as we show you how to jailbreak iOS 6.1.2 with evasi0n 1.4. This tutorial is for the Mac, but the same principal applies across all computing platforms.

6 ways to get more out of Auxo

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

It's no secret that the Auxo jailbreak tweak is one of my favorite jailbreak tweaks of all time. It's a tweak that adds a full snapshot preview of your running apps in the app switcher. It also includes handy toggles and redesigned music controls.

Now the question stands to be asked: how do you go about getting the most out of Auxo? Inside I'll share some handy tips that show you how to become an Auxo pro.

How to jailbreak iOS 6.1 (5.2) on the Apple TV 2

Jeff Benjamin ∙ February 14, 2013

A little over a week after the evasi0n jailbreak tool for iOS 6 devices initially dropped, the hardworking folks over at FireCore have finally provided us with a tool to do likewise for our Apple TV 2's.

The big upgrade this time around regarding the Apple TV's latest firmware, is Bluetooth keyboard support. It, along with a few additional minor features certainly makes it worth upgrading to the latest and greatest. Thanks to the Seas0nPass update released yesterday, you can now enjoy those new features along with an untethered jailbreak. Take a look past the break as we show you how to jailbreak the Apple TV running iOS 6.1...

3 steps to protect your iOS 6 jailbreak

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated February 25, 2013

When you consider the amount of hard work that went into providing the public with an iOS 6 jailbreak, and how long it took for that solution to come to fruition, protecting the jailbreak is of paramount concern. Recently BigBoss added a section to each page of its highly visible repo addressing the concern, that's how important it is.

There are some basic fundamental steps that you should take for the sake of preserving your device's iOS 6 jailbreak. That's simply because, as you know, you never know how long it will take for the next jailbreak to come around. Once Apple inevitably addresses the exploits used in the evasi0n untethered jailbreak, chances are we'll have to wait deep into iOS 7's lifecycle before we get another jailbreak, if we do at all.

So again, it's of real concern for those of you who love your jailbroken device, to read the following 3 tips and strategies, and implement them.