14 DAY TRIAL // OK, we know there’s a number of locations where the average Joe can freely download the iPhone OS 4.0 beta that Apple intended for developer use only. But how about the iPad’s underlying software - iPhone OS 3.2? It contains the enhancements needed to blow up the UI to 1,024-by-768-pixel resolution, and tons of others. This particular version of the iPhone OS is intended solely for iPads.
If, for one reason or another, you need to restore your Apple device to the original firmware version, there’s a place where you can download any IPSW file for any Apple device model. iPad owners looking to have the “iPad1,1_3.2_7B367_Restore.ipsw” file saved to their hard drives can now visit the same location. While it’s not against Apple’s rules to have the original device software file lying around for whenever a restoration is needed (not if you own an iPad, anyway), the download should always be performed through iTunes.
Disclaimer: Softpedia posts such articles for informational purposes only and doesn’t, in any way, suggest that Apple device owners should download update / restore files from locations like the felixbruns.de website. For the best results, iPhone, iPod and iPad owners should only perform software updates via iTunes, by downloading their appropriate software update files directly from Apple.
Felix Bruns goes to include instructions on how to restore or update your iPod/iPhone/iPad. “After downloading the desired firmware below, you can shift-click (PC) or option-click (Mac) the Restore or Update buttons in iTunes. A file dialog will open and let you choose the downloaded ipsw-file,” Bruns says. The same method is used to install a hacked IPSW file, usually spit out by the iPhone Dev Team’s PwnageTool. This is also a practice Softpedia does not encourage.
As we noted a while back, Felix Bruns’ site likely isn’t the only place where one can find iPhone and iPod IPSW downloads, but it surely is the most attractive, since iPod touch IPSW update / restore files are typically harder to find than those for the iPhone. This is because iPod touch IPSWs can be considered pirated software, since Apple requires a fee for the download. An iPod touch user has to authenticate their device in iTunes and pay the required upgrade fee (if necessary) in order to get their hands on the .ipsw file.