A developer has managed to get Siri to control his home thermostat. The hack does not involve any jailbreaking but does involve setting up a proxy server which intercepts the Siri commands. This proxy server can then be used to add additional command functionality to Siri.

Siri Proxy is a proxy server for Apple's Siri "assistant." The idea is to allow for the creation of custom handlers for different actions. This can allow developers to easily add functionality to Siri. The main example I provide is a plugin to control my thermostat with Siri. It responds to commands such as, "What's the status of the thermostat?", or "Set the thermostat to 68 degrees", or even "What's the inside temperature?"

The demo is very impressive and does open up Siri to a whole host of possible uses. Home automation is the obvious area for it to expand into.

Source: @plamoni via Engadget

Curious how to configure access to a VPN client on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad? L2TP, PPTP, and IPSec VPN support are all built right into iOS and we'll show you how to set them up after the break!

One thing to note is that you'll need to make sure you have all the settings and information about your VPN service handy. Some companies will not allow mobile access to a VPN, and some carriers limit 3G VPN access to business accounts, so that's another thing you'll need to check on before attempting to add one.

These screenshots show iPhone setup but iPod touch and iPad are similar.

First you'll need to configure your VPN by adding the settings for your VPN (in most cases, these are provided by the system administrator or IT person at your company).

To configure your VPN, do the follow:

1. Tap Settings
2. Tap General
3. Tap Network
4. Tap VPN
5. Tap Add VPN Configuration

6. Along the top you will see some tabs, you'll need to select which type of configuration you need. In most cases, you'll choose IPSec (unless your system administrator has told you different). For this example, I've used IPSec.
7. Enter the information for your VPN in the corresponding fields. If you used a proxy, make sure to enable it towards the bottom of the settings page.

8. Tap Save

You've now configured your VPN for use. Now you'll need to turn it on.

1. From your homescreen, tap Settings

2. Under the main settings page, you'll now see a VPN option, this only appears when you have a VPN configured. Toggle the switch to On

3. Your phone should connect to the VPN. If an error message pops up, go back into your VPN settings and make sure all your settings are input correctly.

That's it! If you guys have ever used this, let us know your input too. Have any issues setting up a VPN? Check out our TiPb Forums to get helpful from many of our awesome community members.

Tips of the day will range from beginner-level 101 to advanced-level ninjary. If you already know this tip, keep the link handy as a quick way to help a friend. If you have a tip of your own you'd like to suggest, add them to the comments or send them in to . (If it's especially awesome and previously unknown to us, we'll even give ya a reward...)

Update: Macrumors lets us know that, strangely enough, it's back in the App Store. It doesn't show up in a search, but you can download it via this iTunes/App Store link.

Update 2: ...aaaand it's gone again, at least in the US. Le Sigh.

The Interweb is abuzz about this little program that popped up on the App Store yesterday, so aptly named NetShare. The concept of the app is to essentially use your iPhone's 3G or EDGE (god knows why) connection for your laptop. It creates a proxy and establishes a pseudo-hotspot with your iPhone's connection leaving you free to surf the web on your laptop. It's tethering, more or less.

How this got passed Apple and AT&T who knows. But it looks like  has already been kicked out of the App Store. Did any of the TiPb faithful get their hands on this app while it was hot? Anyone get it to work? From what TiPb has been hearing, it's really hit or miss. Let us know.

Maybe Apple wanted the developers of NetShare to get the app right before they put it out again...wish for it and it'll come true...wish for it and it'll come true.

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