George Hotz, the young man responsible for the initial crack on the iPhone, may have put together a hack to unlock any iPhone OS device, including the iPad. Well, he thinks so anyway. There’s obviously no way to prove it until the iPad comes out and Mr. Hotz isn’t willing to give out a release date for the new crack.

The hack is a software-only exploit that allows jailbreaking of iPhone OS devices with just a simple click. Here’s the word from GeoHot himself:

The jailbreak is all software based, and is as simple to use as blackra1n. It is completely untethered, works on all current tethered models(ipt2, 3gs, ipt3), and will probably work on iPad too.

Don’t ask about a release date. You won’t make it happen any sooner.

There you have it. Wired had a phone interview with Hotz during which he said he may release the hack the day the iPad releases but that he would wait to see what the iPhone hacking community does. Here’s hoping for a launch day release.

If you believe what Apple tells you, the iPad is going to change the way you do just about everything. It’s the best web browser, the best movie viewer, the best way to read a book, and so on and so on. Realistically, though, it will probably change very little, at least for now.

The iPad is really just a big iPhone, albeit a very pretty, big iPhone, but not much more. It’s still lacking multitasking, which is a big deal if you’re going to use it as a productive device. Want to listen to Pandora while you’re typing out some emails? Sorry. Switch back and forth between email and a document? You’ll have to exit one to get to the other. The iPad also doesn’t have Flash support, which makes that “best browsing experience” feel like something from the dark ages. Sure you can watch your videos via apps, but that means more switching between applications.

It’s a problem of maturity for Apple’s new platform. The closed system has worked well enough for the iPhone, but we’re all sick of the restrictions on the device and the limitations of the App Store. We want Google Voice. Real Google Voice, not that web app trash. I want to use my iPad for Flash videos and watching DivX. For Ninjavideo. All of those things are limited by a platform that was designed for a mobile phone, not a web device.

For all the things the iPad can’t do, though, it can do one thing very well: evolve. The hardware is compelling enough and cheap enough to get into a lot of hands. As more people are ready to use the device, I’m willing to bet Apple will consider opening things up. If not, we’ve always got George Hotz.

Our boy George Hotz has done it again. He released a jailbreak for iPhone OS 3.1.2 today, which stuck to his previous nomenclature, this time called “blackra1n.” As the man known as Geohot says, “blackra1n is a 30 second ALL device 3.1.2 jailbreak.” That’s right – 3G, 3GS, whatever you’ve got it works.

There is one warning, which comes from blog used to tease the jailbreak. You should not upgrade to 3.1.2 via iTunes if you have an unlocked phone. It will “fix” the unlock and you’ll be SOL. You can use PwnageTool to get up to 3.1 safely. If you’ve already lost your unlock, blackra1n can get back your jailbreak.

As with previous geohot unlocks, the download is PC only, so get with your Windows friends if you want this to work.

Alright, so the headline is a little bit misleading, but in a sense it’s true. The Dev-Team has had an exploit for the iPhone 3GS set and ready to go, but they want to wait until 3.1 so that Apple doesn’t immediately patch their hole. George Hotz got tired of waiting, so he’s releasing the jailbreak himself.

As of yet there aren’t many details, and not many folks have tested it, but those who have are reporting a successful unlock. GeoHot, or George Hotz, has the necessary file listed on purplera1n.com. After the jailbreak, you should be able to use ultrasn0w for the unlock.

I think the best part of this whole saga is Hotz’s comments regarding the Dev-Team decision to hold of on release. I’ll send you off to backup, jailbreak, and unlock with his words:

Normally I don’t make tools for the general public, and rather wait for the dev team to do it. But guys, whats up with waiting until 3.1? That isn’t how the game is played. We release, Apple fixes, we find new holes. It isn’t worth waiting because you might have the “last” hole in the iPhone. What last hole…this isn’t golf. I’ll find a new one next week.

Well said, George. Good luck jailbreaking – enjoy your holiday.