It was only a matter of time before a jailbreaking tool for the iPhone 3GS became available.
Purplera1n, created by George Hotz -- the same person who jailbroke the original iPhone -- can be downloaded from a somewhat cryptic Web site. Along with the image below, there's only a download link and a Paypal donation link, with no explanation of the software whatsoever.
Hotz explains further on his blog that the application is Windows-only, but not compatible with Windows 7. A Mac version of the software is "coming shortly." CrunchGear has an exhaustive walkthrough on the jailbreaking process.
Jailbreaking, in this instance, allows the iPhone to perform functions that AT&T or Apple won't authorize. Good examples include tethering and changes to the user interface. Before the video-enabled 3GS came along, video recording applications were also popular among jailbroken phones. Apple has recently made it more difficult for developers on the dark side. Under recent changes to developer agreements, developers aren't allowed to jailbreak their phones in any way.
Of course, with the iPhone 3GS costing $600 and $700 without a two-year AT&T contract, the arguably biggest advantage to jailbreaking -- switching to another carrier -- won't come into play for some time.
