These days it seems that every smart phone and gaming console user is looking for jailbreaks that will allow them to modify their electronics. Most manufacturers do not look kindly upon those that use jailbreaks, but for the most part the only consequence is having your warranty rendered invalid. For George ‘Geohot’ Hotz, he found that a retraining order could be issued against him. His side of the story is that he was only looking to give mobile users a way to access their consoles while away, but Sony believes that he actually support piracy.

Gaming console developers know that some consumers will do just about anything to get a deal on a game. While some purchased used video games or share theirs with friends, others will purchase copies of games that they know were illegally copied. Jailbreaking a gaming console is not illegal, but authoring the software is sometimes seen as a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Hotz has hired his own attorneys to help him battle in the courtroom with Sony, but he may still end up paying some hefty fines. While Sony and Hotz will duke it out in the courtroom on February 1st, no Playstation 3 owners will be able to download Hotz’s jailbreak software. Both sides have convincing arguments, but it will be up to the judges in San Mateo County to decide. For what it’s worth, ‘Geohot’ hasn’t made any money off of his jailbreak software but Sony is convinced that he has cost them profits.