Hi Rob

I have had my iPhone 4 jail broken for about 2 weeks and I love it. There is the occasional disappearing Phone app when I install a tweak but well worth it. I enjoy Jailbreaking so much I am considering waiting to buy the new iphone until the untethered jailbreak is available

My question is this. The apps as they are displayed in ITunes are not in folders or are organized. The apps on my iPhone are arranged as I want them to be. 

I have been backing my phone up to iCloud and ITunes. 

When I buy the new iPhone and I restore from backup will my apps be like they are on iTunes or like they are on my
phone. 

Thanks

Steve from AZ

Hi Steve,

One down side of jailbreaking is it is harder to manage your Apps if you have a lot on iTunes on your computer - as apps often times don't show up in folders - as you are seeing.  But the answer to your question is this - if the folders are standard iOS folders you created by dragging one app on top of another - and not any special jailbreak tweaked apps - even though the apps on iTunes on your computer are not showing up correctly - the next time you restore from the backup - it will look the same on your iOS device as it did before.  

So short answer - what you see on your iOS device now is what you will see after your restore.

One exception would be is you use an app like 5 columns - where you get well 5 columns of apps on each screen - then all bets are off. 

Regards,

Rob W

Hello Rob,
 

Reading your instructions on Jailbreaking and Step 0 was funny, however, it appies to me. I currently am running iPhone 4 (AT&T) iOS 4.1(8B117) Firmware 02.10.04 Jailbroken with Limerain and my wifes iP4 I believe is 4.3 JB with Greenpoison. Was never really necessary to unlock.
 
 

My question is how do I go about upgrading those? I tried to restore yesterday and got stuck in restore mode. I downloaded Redsnow and the 5.0.1 IPSW. Whether I tried to restore with the downloaded IPSW or just plain restore, got several errors.  If I cannot restore, how do I unjailbreak to upgrade?
 
 

I have been following and learning the JB stuff for quite a while, (aside from our phones and iPad, I have helped many of my friends once they saw what our phones can do) but I apologize for what may be a stupid issue.  I just have not found an answer for my situation online and this is the first time I have wanted to update.
 
 

Thank you for any help you can provide.  If you need more info, would be glad to provide.
 

John 

Hi Rob, 

My 7,5,3 & 1 year old love my iOS devices (iPod touch, iPhone, iPad) How do I lock programs so they can't access them? I want my 7 year old to read a book or play a math game. I do not want her killing zombies or sling shotting birds. 

Keith P
Cumming, GA

Hi Keith, 

You need to Jailbreak to get this feature. 

In the past I recommended the Jailbreak App Lockdown,  There was also Locktopus and FolderLock.  Sadly none of those three look to be working with iOS 5 devices.   

HOWEVER - there is one Cydia App - Applocker - that claims to work with iOS 5 and iOS 4 devices - and it is only $0.99. 

Regards, 

Rob W 

.

Finally there is an un-tethered Jailbreak for iOS 5.0.1 -  However it is not for all devices.  It does not cover the iPhone 4S and iPad 2.  Here are some links with info.  

http://blog.iphone-dev.org/post/14857834236/untethered-holidays

http://pod2g-ios.blogspot.com/2011/12/a4-release.html

I will put together a tutorial on this shortly.

As always if you are unlocked - make sure to back up your blobs and only update to 5.0.1 with a custom IPSW.  See first link above for more info. 

If you jailbreak with this new jailbreak - please leave comments below - indicate what device you jailbroke - and how it went for you. 

Again more info coming soon.

Hi Rob,

What is the best way to unlock my iPhone 4 before I sell it.

I have version 4.3.3

Regards,

Quentin

Hi Quentin,

First don't pay someone to unlock it - Key reason - is many of those sites you see banners for to unlock - they will rip you off.  I have had lots of complaints about these vultures in the past.  There is a free app in Cydia to unlock your iPhone - it is called ultrasn0w.  And did I mention it is a FREE app. 

Hi Rob,

I have a jailbroken iPhone 4 running on iOS 4.2.6 (CDMA). I want to upgrade to iOS 4.2.9, but keep my jailbreak. How do I do this?

Thanks,

Darrell

Hi Darrell,

Simply put - don't upgrade to 4.2.9 - There are only tethered jailbreaks available.  Stay as far away from iOS 4.2.9 as you can. 

The latest version with an untethered jailbreak available is 4.2.8.   All 4.2.9 does is patch security holes (Read - break jailbreaking).

So stay away from 4.2.9 at all costs.

Regards,

Rob W

Hi Rob,

I have a jail broke iPhone 4. I'm giving it to my wife.

She wants no jailbreak.

Do I just upgrade to iOS 5 and it will blow out the jailbreak?

Thanks.

Larmer

Hi Larmer,

Short Answer - Yes.

Long(er) Answer  - Yes - just do a normal upgrade to the new version of iOS - and it should completely blow away the jailbreak.  However - make sure to back up before doing this. Or really for any upgrade. 

If you really want to make sure all goes ok - restore now to iOS 4.3.5 - and then do the upgrade to iOS 5.  

Regards,

Rob W

Hi Rob,

In Ep 194 - You said something about that it's not safe to jailbreak any more.

Should I not use any cidia apps anymore.

I have an iphone4 and ten 4.3.3. All I use it PDANet & spoof.

Thanks,

Alan

Hi Alan, 

What I said is that Musclenerd reported that the site - Jailbreakme dot com - was sold to an unknown entity.  So it is not safe to use jailbreakme dot com to jailbreak.  It is still fine to jailbreak - just use Redsn0w or limera1n.  But do not use jailbreakme dot com anymore.

Sorry for Any confusion on that.

Regards,

Rob W

Hi,Rob.

 

I jailbroke my iPodTouch4 and my iPhone3GS, using Jailbreakme.com. Unbelievably simple and quick.

 

But now, with iOS5.0 quickly coming up, I want to un-jailbreak(the iPod, at least)and experience the new iOS.

 

Can I just download iOS5,when it comes,or do I have to get rid of the jailbreak first? And,if so,could you let me know the best way to go about it and the steps?

 

What I hate to lose most from the jailbreak are the ability to make different folders for my photos and,even worse,the hot spot on my 3GS. But, my iPodT4 has gotten slow and kid of buggy. So, I definitely want to get that ready for the iOS5.

 

Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

Take care,

Ray

Hi Ray,

In the recent past - there has been no issue in upgrading from a Jailbroken iOS device to the latest version of iOS.  And all indications are that trend will continue when iOS 5 is publicly released.  This means all you will need to do is update to the latest version of iOS and your jailbreak will be blown away and the last version of iOS (5.0) will be installed on your device.  This will of course mean ALL your jailbreak apps will also be removed when you do the update.

If you wany to actually get your devices where they are no longer jailbroken prior to iOS 5 upgrade being available - you can do an update to iOS 4.3.5 today.  This also will blow away your current jailbreak and remove all jailbreak apps and features.  And that of course mean no more tethering with a jailbreak app.  Please note once you update to iOS 4.3.5 - you will not be able to jailbreak that version with a non-tethered jailbreak.  So don't do this unless you are 100% committed to give up the jailbreak apps.  

Best of Luck.

Rob W

Hi Rob,

Is there an untethered jailbreak for IOS 4.3.5?

Cheers,

John

Hi John,

So far (9/22/11) there are only Tethered Jailbreaks for iOS 4.3.5.  Red Sn0w 0.9.9b1 is the latest version of Jailbreak that actually does jailbreak iOS 4.3.5 and also iOS 5 - but again it is a tethered jailbreak.  Which means you need to be connected to your computer when you reboot the iOS device. 

It does not sound like there will be an untethered jailbreak specifically for iOS 4.3.5 - as current efforts seem more focused on iOS 5.x

Regards,

Rob W

Dear Rob, 

I need to be able to teach a class on how to I use the iphone 4 and certain apps.

I bought the cable that Apple sells to mirror what's on the Ipad 2 but it does not work with the iphone 4.

I know there are some solutions if I jailbreak my phone but I really want to leave it like it is if anyway possible.

For years I have watched Steve during every keynote a demonstrated exactly what I want to do but I have yet to figure out how. I guess he must have a jailbroken his I-phone. Thanks for any help.

Patrick

Hi Patrick,

You need to jailbreak if you want to mirror your iPhone 4.  There is an app called Screensplitr (free) that you will want to get and you will also need iDemo on your Mac or PC.  

If you want to mirror to a projector in the classroom - you will need the app - displayout - also in cydia store - it is $2.99. and you will need the official 30 pin to VGA connector with that which it sounds like you have already. 

Per Steve Jobs iPhone - yes - he was using a special iPhone for the presentations. 

Regards,

Rob W

Hi Rob,

I noticed on some jailbreak tutorials there is talk about making sure you back up your SHSH blobs before you re-jailbreak or update software.  This way you can restore back to an older version of iOS.  Is this something your really need to do? Or are you ok to just jailbreak your iOS device and move forward.  

Regards,

Stephen

Hi Stephen,

Thanks for the question.

I made the decision not to mention SHSH blobs on my tutorials - as that just tends to complicate things and confuse people. 

Reality is you do not need to do it.  It is just an insurance policy where you are hedging against the dev team not being able to jailbreak the next version.  It is just needed if you want to do a jailbreak again in the future after Apple has patched the current exploit and assuming the dev team can not figure out how to re-jailbreak the new version.

So far - the Dev team has been able to jailbreak every version.  I am lazy personally and choose not to do the SHSH backup and instead place my faith in the dev team to figure out future jailbreak exploits.  

If you must must must have the jailbreak - ie if you are using your phone unlocked - then yes SHSH is important - if you are just using it for 5 icon dock and backgrounder and jailbreak is not life or death - then it is not needed to do the SHSH back up.

Hope that answers your question.

Rob W

Rob-

Long time listener.... I jailbroke my iPad using Spirit (32 gig, wifi only), and everything went fine. I installed ONLY Categories and Backgrounder.

After turning off the iPad (holding the on/off button, and then slide to power off, and turning back on, the appearance of everything is very messed up. The background image is no longer there (only black), and the docked icons at the bottom are all bunched up on the left side of the screen at the bottom.

I had to restore it and reload everything. And because I'm a curious fool, after restore, turned off/ on iPad again, and same thing happened.. before I restore again, just wondering if you've ever heard of this problem, and if there is a solution short of restoring again!

Thanks, Ed

Hello Ed,

Sorry to hear of your issue this is the first I have heard of this one.

I am betting it is the categories app - as backgrounder is working fine for me and others I talk with.

I would suggest you rejailbreak and see if categories is still there and if so remove it. 

If that does not work then a full restore would be suggested.

Jailbreak apps in Cydia tend to be a little hit or miss (on in this case Crash) for the iPad.  

Read the description and if it does not say it is for the iPad - there is a chance it may mess up your iPad. 

Regards,

Rob W

Rob,

 

I need some help.

 

I have a 3GS running 4.3.3 jailbroken with jailbreakme.com. I recently tried to synch and transfer purchases to my PC with Itunes and was unable to do so because Itunes error message says Itunes cannot read the contents of the iPhone . And recommends RESTORE to factory settings. Same error on three PCs running different versions of iTunes (thru 10.4).

 

Wonderful.

 

My last backup was in June, which hopefully I can access, but how do I back up data (notes, contacts, media purchased in iTunes store, etc.) before restoring if I cannot do so with iTunes?

 

If I restore, then Ill be at 4.3.5. How would I get back to 4.3.3 to jailbreak

 

TIA

AG Lang

Hi AG,

Do you have WiFi Sync installed on your iPhone?  (Update: WiFi Sync may be causing the issue - and you should try uninstalling it - especially the client on your computer that works with it)

See the instructions at their site - http://getwifisync.com/

If you do not have Wifi Sync - then uninstall iTunes and re-download / install the latest version of iTunes and try the sync again.  

If those two tips don't work let me know.  But they should help most people.  

And Yes - iTunes typicaly works fine with jailbroken iPhones as far as sync'g goes.

What ever you do - do NOT restore your iPhone.  Not yet. 

Rob W

Hey Rob,

I jailbroke my phone yesterday and was suddenly addicted to my phone once again.  I have a First gen, 8gb, 2G, 3.1.2 Iphone.  

Yesterday everything went well on my jailbroken phone, however today the cydia app on my phone keeps crashing.   I have tried turning my phone off, and back on; using SBSettings to respring my phone, connecting the phone to my computer to rejailbreak, is the only other option to connect to itunes and restore to factory settings?  

I have a feeling this is the only option but wanted to use it as a last resort..

Thank you so much for the great podcast!

Jessica 

California 

Hi Jessica,

Sorry to hear of the issues you are having.

One option if Cydia stays open for any period or time is to go in and remove the most recent cydia apps you installed. Chances are there is a conflict between a couple of apps.

If you can not - then you will need to restore. 

Next time you jailbreak - install -  cydelete - first - this will let you delete Cydia apps without needing to use cydia - so if this problem comes up again - you might be able to solve it by deleting apps first.

Good luck.

Rob W

Hi Rob, 

The other day I had plugged my phone into the computer to charge, I still have it set up to automatically start Itunes, I had left the room and my girlfriend went on the laptop to use iTunes and selected update to 4.3 on my phone, thus removing my jailbreak. 

I have my host file updated for Jay's server but iTunes is still giving me an error.

The one time I got it restored on 4.1 it had no service I waited several hours and multiple reboots but still nothing. 

I finally just gave up and re-updated to 4.3. Is there any way you know of to get me back to 4.1? I do have SHSH blobs for 4.1 and 4.2.1

Regards,

Derek

Hi Rob,

I had a non jailbroken 1st gen. iPad Running pages with no problem. Then I jailbroke The iPad and pages stop working. So I installed pages on my already jailbroken IPhone 4 and it dose not work it just keep crashing. Just wondering if anyone else have this problem with pages?

Regards,

Fred Y

Hi Fred,

Typically the jailbreak itself does not cause an issue with any Apps.  It is a conflict with one of the jailbroken apps you installed after the Jailbreak that is likely causing the issue.  

When jailbroken - it is always best to un-install any JB apps you are not going to use regularly.  I know there is a tendency to just install apps and if you do not use them just to forget about them - however if you do that when you are jailbroken you WILL have issues.  

My recommendation at this point is to go into Cydia and un-install every Cydia app you are not using consistently.  Then check pages again.  If there is still an issue - then start un-installing the rest one at a time until the issue goes away.  

There is no quick fix solution when you have conflicts between apps - outside of removing the conflicting app. 

Regards,

Rob W

UPDATE:

Thank's Rob I had problems with pages and you advised me to try removing jailbroken apps that I don't use. I did that and found the one that was conflicting it was HUNTSPELL a spellchecking app. Thank's again Fred

Hi Rob,

I own a non jailbroken iPod touch and don't plan on doing so, can I record my screen as a video file for YouTube videos in anyway using my pc or an app etc thanks for your time

Sean W

Hi Sean

I think what you are saying / asking - is that you have an iPod touch that is not jailbroken and you do not want to jailbreak it. And you are asking if there is any non-jailbroken apps to allow you to record what happens on the screen of you iPod touch on your computer?

If that is the question - then the answer is No.  

If you jailbreak - then the answer is Yes.  There is a program called ScreenRecorder - that lets you record right on the iPod - anything you are doing and then you transfer the video.  There is a free version that just records 30 seconds you can try out.

There is also screen splittr - that lets you mirror what is going on on your iPhone on your computer.  Then you need to use screen capture software on your computer to record it.  There is a program called Demo god that works with it on the Mac - don't think there is anything for a PC.  

Rob W

Hi Rob,

 

I am new to jailbreaking (less than an hour ago).  And I was wondering what are some of the Jailbreak apps you or your listeners have recommended and why. 

 

Thanks

Steve D in Iowa

Hi Steve,

There are many Jailbreak apps that have been talked about on the shows in the past.  Whenever I talk about one I put it in the show notes and put "cydia" after the App name - so all you have to do is search for "Cydia" at the home page to see which episodes a specific app was talked about.  That all said here is my current list of Apps I or listeners have recently recoomended and the issues they fix / solve.  

iUser - Allows for Multiple logins - Just on the iPad.  Warning - uninstalling can be difficult. 

PDAnet - Allows you to turn your iPhone into a WiFi Hotspot and has an option to hide how the data is being used - ie AT&T can not tell you are creating a hot spot to tether your laptop to it. Free trial for about 10 days.  

Notified - Similar to the new Notifications Center in iOS 5. 

WiFi Sync - Similar to the new Wifi Sync in iOS 5.  Yes Apple took the App name and features and almost the same icon.

PhoneitiPad - Turns a 3G iPad into a Phone.  Because the HTC Evo is just not big enough as a phone already.

Xpandr - Autotext shortcut expander - similar to the new feature in iOS 5. 

Auto3G - Turns off 3G when not in use - helps save precious battery life and should have been a feature in iOS 5 but is not. 

Backgrounder - True backgrounding of apps - so they can keep running in the background.  Nice for IM apps and iOS devices not running iOS 4.x

3G Unrestrictor -  Tricks Apps into thinking the iOS device is on Wifi - for those that require wifi connections. 

Five Icon Dock - Allows 5 items in the dock - not for iPad (does bad bad things to the iPad)

SpoofApp - Allows for Recording of Phone Calls

ScreenSplitr - Mirror iPhone on to Computer.  Nice for doing screen casts of your app in action.

Multiflow - Scroll left or right to other open apps (required backgrounder) 

Lockdown - Password Protect specific Apps - Also should have been a feature in iOS 5 - guess there is always iOS 6.

These are by no means all the great apps for Jailbreaking just some of those I hear from listeners on a regulare basis that they love and that I also really like.  

Please add in your favorite Jailbreak Apps in the comments below and why you like said apps.  

Rob W

Hi Rob,

I'm a newbie to jail breaking. I used the jailbreakme.com on 4.3.3. Can I still back up my iPhone in iTunes like I did pre jailbreak? Also I'm using PDA net for a wifi hotspot. It's the main reason I jail broke. Is level 1 hiding of tethering good enough, or should I use level 2? Thanks in advance for tolerating a newbie. I love it so far.

Regards,

Larmer

Hello Larmer,

Per your first question - YES - you can still use iTunes to sync and back up your iOS device after it is jailbroken.  It will not backup any of your jailbroken apps - but will work fine for any non-jailbroken apps. 

Per PDAnet - I have just used the Level 1 hide on the data and have not had any issues or emails from AT&T.  Nor have I heard of anyone having any issues with using Level 1 hide.  So that is what I would recommend. 

Good luck with your jailbreak and remember to remove any jailbreak apps you install - but deside you no longer want to use.  The fewer jailbreak apps you have installed - the lower the chances of you having issues. 

Rob W

Rob,

If you have already explained this please point me to your answer. I am suddenly confused by the media reports as to what is the difference between a tethered and untethered jailbreak. I thought that it simply referred to a method that either requires (tethered) your ios device to be usb linked to the computer when the jailbreak is done or not (untethered). I see some explanations that say that every time you want to reboot your device or the battery dies if you have a tethered jailbreak then you need to reboot with it USB linked to your computer. http://osxdaily.com/2010/11/24/tethered-jailbreak-vs-untethered-jailbreak/

Regards,

David

Hi David,

Thanks for the question.  In simplest terms a Tethered Jailbreak means if your iOS device reboots at any time in the future - it needs to be connected back to the computer you jailbroke it from to get it to boot back up and be useable. 

An untethered Jailbreak allows you to restart the iOS device and not have to be tethered to your computer.

This actually has nothing to do with how you jailbreak it - but rather how you are able to restart / power back on your iOS device AFTER it is jailbroken. 

As such - I ONLY ever recommend the un-tethered jailbreak.  Until a jailbreak is "Untethered" I try not to even talk about it - as it is not a viable jailbreak for anyone but the developers of Cydia (Jailbreak) apps.  

So for example right now there is a "Tethered" jailbreak already for iOS 4.3.4 - but on the next episode of Tii (ep 183) you will only hear me say "Stay away from iOS 4.3.4 if you want to jailbreak.  From a practical perspective a Tethered Jailbreak is not a real Jailbreak - just a proof of concept.  

Hope that helps.

Rob W

Rob,

Sat down to jailbreak with 4.3.3 Jailbreakme.com today Sunday July 17, 5pm. I started following the video link on your site for this easy jailbreak, downloaded aptbackup and started on appbackup, when on reboot from cydia, the phone connected to itunes and now says that a new version of iOS is available, 4.3.4!!!!!

Did apple shut the door on me today? What should I do? The timing sucks, minutes left to go and it looks like no 4.3.3 for me. My current iOS is 3.12 the old Jailbreakme.com. Would have loved to go to 4.X

Thanks for any help.

Russ

Hi Rob,

 

My 3GS is running iOS 4.3.3 and is currently jailbroken with redsn0w.

 

I want to JB with Jailbreakme (it's better) and I want to know if I have to unjailbreak (i.e., restore) it before I point my iPhone Safari browser to jailbreakme.com.

 

Are there any other things I should do first (besides back it up) such as uninstall Cydia apps, take my extra icons out of the doc and folders, etc?

 

Thanks!

John

Hi John,

First I would ask by what you mean by "I want to JB with Jailbreakme (it's better) ".  If you are talking about which one is easier to do - then yes Jailbreakme.com is clearly the better choice.  But if you are already jailbroken with Redsn0w and you are not having any issues - I highly highly recommend you stay with your current jailbreak,

I have heard from one listener that when doing the Jailbreakme.com JB and using BiteSMS that BiteSMS will crash and put your phone into a boot loop when you attempt to send an SMS.

So if anything it sounds like Redsn0w is the more stable and less buggy Jailbreak.  

That all said if you are still determined to do the Jailbreakme.com jailbreak - then yes you need to do a complete restore to iOS 4.3.3 - Do not restore to iOS 4.3.4 - which is the latest version of iOS - and that version has patched the hole used by Jailbreakme.com

So first you need to download the latest version of iOS 4.3.3 for your iOS device.  Check my tutorial on how to jailbreak iOS 4.3.3 for links to download iOS 4.3.3 for your iOS device. 

But again I would suggest you stay with your current jailbreak if you are not having any issues. 

Regards,

Rob W

Hi Rob –

 

Thanks for all the information on jailbreaking the iPhone 4.

 

As for the Cydia apps, I followed your advice and installed 5 Icon Dock. 

I really missed that extra app on the Dock since upgrading my phone and my wife can use her iPad in the car…  Yeah!

 

One question – why did you recommend Backgrounder?  Was that for people staying with 3.0? 

Or does it add something more for people with 4.x who are running 4.x compliant apps?

 

 

Best regards,

--- Marc

Hi Rob,

I've browsed your FAQ's and visited some unlock sites, but still a bit confused. I have a 3gs with version 4.2.1 firmware and baseband 5.15.04. I want to unlock the phone for use on other carriers. The latest solution I found was to jailbreak and use the iPad2 baseband which will prevent any later undo of the jailbreak/unlock. Are there any other firmware versions I should convert to before proceeding with jailbreak/unlock? Is the 4.2.1 firmware a deadend regarding any new development work for jailbreak/unlock solutions?

Regards,

Doug S.

Hi Doug,

My understanding is that you actually want to be at baseband 6.15.00 and use ultrasn0w 1.2 for unlocking. Here are links for a jailbreak tutorials that will get you to the proper baseband - Pwnage Tutorial   and  Redsn0w Tutorial.   

Once you are re-jailbroke and updated to the proper baseband you need to do the following:

1. In Cydia add the following Source - http://repo666.ultrasn0w.com

To do this Tap on "Manage" tap at the bottom of Cydia and then tap on "Sources".  Then Tap on "Edit" and then "Add".  In the Pop up box type or paste in - http://repo666.ultrasn0w.com - and the Tap "Add Source"

2. Search for - ultrasn0w 1.2 - and install it.  Once it is installed your iPhone will be unlocked - no need to launch the app.   

3. Re-boot (turn off and back on) your iPhone.  It should then restart in an unlocked state and you should be able to use your iPhone on any GSM carrier. 

Let me know if you have any questions per the above or any issues.

Regards,

Rob W

Hi Rob
 
In episode 179 Mitch left a voicemail re his iBooks closing frequently. I had the same issue being jailbroken myself but found the conflict. I have action menu from cydia on my phone and once I turned it off from my settings menu my iBooks no longer shuts down. I found my answer surfing google as always. It seems to be a common issue. I hope this helps Mitch.
 

Cheers from Sydney, Australia
Jade S

Hi Rob,

 

I got a strange message on my iPhone 4 today.  At the top in the center is a message "It Safe Mode".  WTF is that?

 

Help

Darren M

Hi Darren,

This is a message you would see if you are jailbroken.  If you actually tap on the message you will get a pop over that says that the Springboard has just crashed and the "MobileSubstrate did not cause this problem".  Which seems a little defensive on the part of the pop over.  

What you need to do is reboot your iPhone and the issue should go away.  If it does not - then you need to uninstall any Cydia apps you recently installed.  As one of your recent installed Cydia apps is likely causing the issue from clearing up after a reboot.

Regards,

Rob W

Hi Rob,

I'd like to know the name of the app you used to change the header in your iPhone from AT&T to Wizzard. 

Regards,

John

Hi John,

FakeCarrier - is what is available now in Cydia - the one I did it with originally was from Erica Sudan back in 2007.

Regards,

Rob W

Hi Rob

You said on a previous show that you use Frash for the iPad to play Flash. I can't find it in Cydia (under the search). Is it under a different name?

Thanks
Mitch

Have fun.

Rob W

Hey Rob,

I have a question about buying apps on Cydia. Is it safe. You have to sign into Facebook or Goggle account and it takes you to paid via Paypal or Amazon.. but is it still safe

Thanks

Jose

In San Jose

Hi Rob,

Is there an app jailbroken or not that allows you to spoof where an email looks like it is coming from?

Regards,

Mike in NY

Hi Mike,

I am sure you only have legally legit reasons to do this.  Like playing a prank on your brother or sister.  Because we can not condone you sending an email to BGR showing it is coming from steve@apple.com and saying the iPhone 5 will be released this week.  That would be wrong. 

That all said - there is a jailbreak app that would allow you to do this - it is called - pwn mail - just search "pwn mail" in Cydia - it is a paid app.  I can't personally attest to the app - but others have written in about it in the past.  I would suggest you check out episode 143 it was talked about in that episode.  

Ep 143 of Tii

Good luck - and remember only use this power for good. 

Regards,

Rob W

Hi Rob,

 I decided to finally go from jailbroke 4.1 to the new 4.3.3 since you put out such a nice tutorial. I am still a windows user. Switching over as I can afford to. Anyhoo.... I use winRar as a compression program on my pc and it keeps giving me this error when I try to unzip the Redsnow jailbreak...

!   C:\Users\Tommy\Downloads\redsn0w_win_0.9.6rc16.zip: The archive is either in unknown format or damaged

Just wondering if you had seen this problem from anyone else.

Thanks,

Tommy P.

Hi Rob,

I have installed MyWi tethering primarily for other iOS devices and am generally pleased with it's options and performance. Recent concern with this products detectability by ATT forced me to look into PdaNet. This alternative tethering product appears to require jailbreaking of not only the host but the client as well. Is that correct? If so, I guess I will remain where I am and hope MyWi fixes their stealthiness issue. 

If only ATT allowed tethering for free and charged For usage above 4GBs per months. Let's pencil that out - a few tethered users at $15 bucks each versus nearly all users tethered and consuming data for which they would pay for excess use... Hmm, I bet they would make more than they are now.

Regards,

Jeff B

Hi Jeff,

PDAnet does not require anything different set up wise than MyWi.  My other iPhones and iPad's could connect to my iPhone 4 fine when it was set up as a wifi hot spot. 

Actually to use it to tether via wifi to your lap top is really simple.  Just open PDAnet and make sure hide data is selected - then turn on Wifi Tethering and select activate.  Then go and find the wifi hot spot on your lap top.  This email is being sent from my laptop while tethering with PDAnet and traveling on the Long Island railroad.

Regards,

Rob W

Hey Rob,

I'm sure there are many people like myself, who want to Jailbreak but don't know ALL they need to know on the subject.  Such as, can I un-jailbeak (if I need to take it to the Apple Store for a fix etc.)  What are the risks (How likely am I to be bricked?) How secure will the phone be?  

Thanks man,

Derik

Hi Derik,

Per your questions - yes you can always remove a jailbreak - by simply restoring to the current Apple approved version of iOS.

Can you brick your phone - well it can get in a mode where some might struggle to get it working - but so far all that had issues where it looked like it was bricked - were able to eventually get it un-bricked. Search DFU in the sidebar on how to unbrick. 

I have done quite a few tutorials on Jailbreaking in the past - I suggest you go to Tii website and on the top bar look for the link for Jailbreaking.  And also look at Jailbreaking button up on this page. 

Regards,

Rob W

Hi Rob,

I'm trying to find the Cydia app that closes the apps currently running in the background.

Thanks for your help.

George

Hello George,

We talked about these on Episode 173.  There were two episodes that were recommended.

1. Remove BG

2. Multicleaner 

Both are in the Cydia App store and require your device be jailbroken.

Regards,

Rob W

Hi Rob,

Is anyone else having a problem with Cydia?

For the past few days I have had problems logging on. Sometimes it doesn't let me access particular apps I have already purchased. Sometimes it doesn't allow me to access any part of Cydia at all.

Back in April I installed 4.3.2 and re-jailbroke my phone and Cydia had a similar problem. The servers were down for a few days, but they finally came back up.

I want to install 4.3.3 and re-jailbreak, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea now. Here is the only link I have found so far... http://iphonology.org/2011/05/cydia-server-down/

Your thoughts...

Regards,

Todd

Hi Todd,

I am not getting any reports like this and the Cydia store is working fine for me.  However in the past when I have had issues getting to the Cydia store - the issue often went away after a re-jailbreak.  Now I usually only did this once I confirmed on another iOS device that the Cydia store was indeed up and running.  But if you are still having this issue - it sounds like it is time for your to upgrade and re-jailbreak.

Good Luck

Rob W

Hey Rob,  Longtime Listener, First time E-mailer, just to share some more info on unauthorized tethering

I have a iPhone using T-Mobile USA,
Recently, I started getting Texts from T-Mobile too, saying they they would block my Tethering, if I continued, I ignored them.
I am using a grandfathered in Edge 5.99 Data plan.

Then I got a Text Message saying they did block it.
I tried to Tether again, it sends me to a T-Mobile Website asking me to change the Data plan to a more expensive one with Tethering.
This was on both MyWi, & TetherMe.

However, iTunes continue to work normally, so to is Skype, you know items that doesn't use a regular internet browser.
Then I tried to PdaNet, and boom no problems. so PdaNet does something different with the Hide Data Feature.

so this presents 2 points, couldn't ATT just block tethering in a way such as T-Mobile, instead of force Upgrading?.
and this pretty much confirms that ATT is may not just be guessing who is tethering by looking at data usage.

Thanks,  

 Anthony C

Hi Rob,

I, like most avid iOS users, updated my iPhone from the original model. I put the original iPhone in a drawer and recently took it out. It is in mint condition and I have a friend who would love to have it if I can jailbreak and unlock it so he can use his beloved T-mobile (beloved for the rate plan only). I am a dedicated listener and I'm fully aware of the current jailbreak and unlocking options. My question is, how can I "retroactively" jailbreak an original iPhone running 3.1 and a firmware 04.05.04_G. Is it even possible? I'm assuming you at least need to update the version to something beyond 3.1, how can you do this without putting to the latest version which as of right now, restricts unlocking? Thanks Rob, absolutely love the show!

- Alan in Los Angeles

Hi Alan,

The latest version of the original iPhone should not restrict unlocking - you are talking about version 3.1.3

There are two ways to unlock the iPhone 2G (original).  

1.  Update to iOS 3.1.3 - the latest version in iTunes when you are connected with the iPhone 2G.  

2. In safari on your iPhone go to - jailbreakme.com - and jailbreak.

3. In Cydia search for the app - BootNeuter - and install - that should unlock the phone.


Note - you will want to put your iPhone into Airplane mode and then turn on WiFi for steps 2 and 3.



If the above steps do not work for you - you can do the RedSn0w jailbreak / unlock.

http://www.redmondpie.com/jailbreak-iphone-os-3.1.3-firmware-with-redsn0w-0.9.4/


Either way you should be able to easily jailbreak and unlock your original iPhone

Rob W

Hello Rob, I have a black 32g iphone 3GS (4.0.2) that has recently started experiencing a sporadic problem with the screen. When I'm dragging/scrolling on the screen (either scrolling through emails, or scrolling on a webpage, or even dragging a photo around), it begins to shake up and down very quickly and violently, and sometimes jumps around to different parts of the page without me doing anything other than just dragging like normal. The problem seems to go away after a while, but will come back randomly, sometimes within a few hours, or sometimes not until a few days later. This has been happening for about 2 weeks now. The screen is in perfect condition, no scratches, no dust underneath it, so Im baffled as to why this is happening. Is anyone else experiencing this? I have only about a month left in my warranty, I'm also jail broken because I rely on the ultrasnow unlock so I can use my T-mobile service. Thank You,  Randy

Hi Randy,

Hi Rob,

Love the show just had a question for you. I'm new to the jailbreak world and I keep getting a message the says "springboard crashed and my phone is running in safe mode" and suggests I restart it to get it out of safe mode.

I have turned the phone off and restarted it and it works fine. I have gotten this message 3 times in the last two days, any idea of why I keep getting this?

Thanks for all your help.

I used greenpoison to jailbreak and am running iOS 4.2.1. I have been jailbroken for about a month.

Greg

Hi Greg,

Usually the issue you describe is because of a new jailbroken app or theme you have recently installed.

Have you installed anything new in the last week?

If so - go in and uninstall which ever app it was and see if that fixes your issues.

If you installed a bunch of apps - try uninstalling them one at a time giving some time between uninstalls to see which one cures the issue.

One of the down sides to jailbreaking is the more jailbroken apps you install the more likely you are to get a phone that becomes unstable.  

Rob W

Hi Rob,

Ed from West of Ireland. my IPhone 4 is running 4.3(8f190) with 04.10.01 firmware
I need to jailbreak and unlock if possible but not sure if I should update to 4.3.1 or 4.3.2 or 4.3.3
I'm stuck with O2 Ireland but they billed me at 1€ or approx.  $1.40 per 50mb I went over my limit to the tune of $360 
so they will not unlock my phone till I'm paid up which will take some time since I'm a student in 3rd. Lev.
I've spent hours and hours on google researching my options, but I'm afraid to update incase I mess up the firmware baseband.
I know I can J/B if I update to 4.3.3 but can I unlock

And Help would be greatly appreciated 

keep up the good work
Thanks in Advance

ED

Hi Ed,

Hey Rob,

I recently got one of the infamous emails from at&t saying that I have been tethering. I have been tethering since about August or so. What is weird though is that I am not really a power user. I usually only use about 2 gigs per month.

I called them and asked if they could tell me when I was seen as tethering, and the At&t employee said that he did not have that information, and that they are not telling customers when we have been tethering. They said that if I kept tethering, that they will start charging me.

I looked at the contract, and it says that they can change prices whenever they want, but if they do, you can decide to terminate the contract without paying the cancellation fee. I was thinking about calling them and telling them that if they put me on the new plan, I will cancel my plan, not pay the early cancel fee and go to Verizon and get the iphone there.

I was wondering what you think about this.

Thanks,

Matthew

Hi Matthew,

There does now appear to be a method in which AT&T can tell if you are actually tethering.  Here is what will be on the next show with regards to this.

Thanks to Todd for sending a link for this next one - and it is with regards to AT&T and one way they are possibly tracking which people are tethering illegally.  Seems according to a post on an android site that when you tether with an iPhone it sends data to a different access port at AT&T - thus they can supposedly tell if you are tethering.  Seems that applications like MyWi use the standard / stock method for tethering and send data via this special Tethering port.  Redmond Pie is reporting that the Application PDA Net - which is another tethering app we have talked about in the past - is not.  And the latest version even has an option to "hide data".  I did say possibly early on as again AT&T definitely is text people that have never tethered.  My question to those that have gotten the text message and were actually jailbroken and tethering - which app were you using - MyWi, PDA Net or another app?

So what I would suggest is that you switch to PDA Net from MyWi if you want to stay with AT&T - which will depend on where you live.  In the midwest - when you factor in you have faster data connections with AT&T and not the issues of dropped calls like in NYC or San Fran - I would suggest you stay with AT&T.  

Let us know what you decide to do. 

Regards,

Rob W

Tii

Hi Rob,

I am about to jailbreak my 4.3.2 iPhone 4 but am wondering how do you change the root password after the jailbreak.

Love your podcast!

Jeff

Hi Rob,

Thanks for broadcasting the show.  I really enjoy your show and have found your advice and tips very helpful. I have a Iphone 4 running 4.1.3 and an old Iphone 3GS running IOS 4.1.  

I was wondering what the best untethered jailbreak was for the Iphone 3GS running iOS 4.1.  I know I'll have to get a sim converter to use the sim card that is in Iphone 4, but I think it would be worth it to jailbreaking so I can use my 3GS as wifi hotspot when I occasionally on the road for work or pleasure.  Instead of paying the crazy monthly fee that AT&T is charging I'd rather pay the developer of MyFi $20.  

Thanks 

Kwame

Hi Kwame,
 

http://tii.libsyn.com/tii-i-tem-0151-its-raining-limes
 

I talked about jailbreaking iOS 4.1 in episode 151.

Guide: How to jailbreak iOS 4.1  with PwnageTool 4.1 | MAGGadget

Pwnage Tool: iPhone 4, iPod Touch 4, Apple TV Jailbreak Released 

How to uninstall limera1n and install greenpois0n or vice versa

Some people like Pawnage others prefer greenpois0n.  I prefer greenpois0n now looking back.

Per MyWi - I would watch out for AT&T as they have been cracking down more and more on people they think are tethering.  

Regards,

Rob W

Hi Rob, 

I'm a new listener of your show and I simply love it, keep up the great job. I downloaded the app Podcaster and that is how I founded your show <330.gif> I started with item 168.
Then I wanted to listen to all of them so I started downloading  all the shows and so far I'm at item 19, just a few more to catch up
 

My question is this, what is the most updated version of RedSn0w compatible with iOS 4.1on a 3G iPhone (Right now I have 0.9.6b2 jailbreak) works just fine but I'm concerned as if I need to update or not.
A while back I updated to 4.2.1 and used redsnow 0.9.6b2 but it crashed a lot so I downgraded to 4.1.
 

On the side as you probably know the iPhone 3G jailbroken is pretty slow, so I wanted to mention this app that I found on cydia for all the listeners that are still on iPhone 3G and that is 
Speed Intensifier and ... it really does the job pretty good.
 

Regards, 
Paco.

Hi Paco,

Thanks for listening to the show and the kind words.

Hey Rob,

Sorry to bother you for what seems to be a stupid problem but I can't

figure out the cause. I have a jailbroken iphone4 running 4.1. i

recently updated quite a few things on cydia and shortly after my push

notifications stopped coming through. Actually your's was the last one

I have received. The one stating the 4.3.2. Either way I usually

receive several notifications a day with my espn app and some game

apps that I have. Any clue as to whats causing this. My suspicion is

the cydia updates. Your help would be greatly appreciated!

Matt in DFW

Hi Matt,
 
One of the downsides with jailbreaking is that things break.
 
It could be an issue of a conflict with one of the jailbroken apps you installed.
 
I would try the following.
  
1. quit of all apps you have running - double tap home button and close them all out.  Then do a reset network settings.
 
2. Wait and see if that works.
 
3. If you know your are still not getting pushes - then go into cydia and start "removing" all of your cydia apps.  Again checking to see if you are getting pushes. 
 
4. If you get to where all your cydia apps are removed and you are still not getting pushes - then do a complete restore to your current rev of iOS and rejailbreak and that should fix the issue on pushes.  Then start reinstalling the apps one at a time confirming that push is still working before you install the next.  (Long process - sorry - but that is the downside to jailbreaking.) 

 
Please let me know which step worked for you.

Regards, 

Rob  W

Hi Rob,

Resetting the network settings worked like a charm! Rob you rock! Thanks a ton!

-Matt 

Hi Rob,

A couple of weeks ago I decided to jailbreak my iPhone 4 for the first time.  The last time I had used a jailbreak was a year ago on my 3GS when the Spirit jailbreak was available, but with redsn0w out for 4.3.1, I decided to try it again since I believe this version will be around for a while (although I have now seen the rumors that 4.3.2 is coming soon).

The redsn0w jailbreak was pretty easy.  My first attempt failed because when I tried to put my phone into DFU mode, Windows thought it needed to reinstall the USB driver and redsn0w didn't find my phone.  After turning my phone back off and restarting redsn0w, it worked.  I would recommend that you close iTunes first as redsn0w will forceably close it without warning if it is open, causing iTunes to need to check the library when it starts back up.

I thought I would pass along a few jailbreak apps I have found.  I don't have a need to unlock or tether, so I haven't picked up any of those apps.

OpenSSH (free) - the first app I installed so I could ssh in and change my root password.  The last time I used a jailbreak, Mobile Terminal didn't work so this time I didn't even try it.

SBSettings (free) - this is my favorite jailbreak app.  I really think Apple should include a quick method for turning off WI-FI and Bluetooth as it is quite common to need to do so.  On my 3GS, I found that Bluetooth drained my battery even with nothing connected so I turned it off when I wasn't using it.  I can connect to our WI-FI network at work, but it is often unreliable and 3G can be every bit as fast.  I also like having the date available at a glance.

My3G ($4) - I don't always download podcasts at home and it it nice to listen to your podcast when I am in the car.  If I forget to download before I leave, My3G allows me to download it while I am driving.  I have found that the TII app doesn't work well with Navigon pausing it for its numerous announcements.

WeatherIcon (free) - I just found that one yesterday.  It replaces the icon on your weather app (built-in or one of the many thirdparty weather apps like The Weather Channel) with one that shows live weather.  It will also add the weather to the title bar on your iPhone.

SpringFlash (free) - Double-tap the power button to turn on your LED flashlight.  There's also a SBSettings add-on to put an icon in SBSettings.

Wi-Fi Sync ($10) - I'm very disappointed in this app.  For $10 I would expect a bullet-proof app, not one that I never been able to make work.  I have yet to receive a response from the developer and it seems that my experience is quite common.  I know several people have called into your show praising this app, but if you look online you will find many people have my problem and have not got a response.  I'm hoping version 2.0 will someday come out and will make it work for me.  Until then I highly recommend people do not purchase it.  The developer could at least offer a free trial so you can test it out like the My3G developer does!  Then when it doesn't work you don't feel like you wasted your money.  There are very few apps I have paid this much for on my iPhone and this is the first time one failed to even work properly.

-- 
Myron U

Hi Myron,

Thanks for the great feedback on those apps. 

Rob W

Yo rob

Just letting u know the Tii app isn't working on a jailbroken 4.3.1 iPhone 4. Gets all the way to the "play" button then closes out.

Keep up the good work

Jansen

Hi Jansen,

The Tii App is working for me on my iPhone 4 - that is jailbroken and running iOS 4.3.1.

You might want to try going in and manually closing out all your apps - rebooting the iPhone and then try relaunching the Tii App.

When you jailbreak sometimes there is some strange behavior and the best thing to do is a full reboot - where you first make sure all apps are closed out.

To do this - double tap the home button - then when it shows the apps that are open at the bottom.  Hold down on one of the apps until they wiggle and then close out all the apps in the active app bar.  Once every app is closed out - go ahead and reboot the iPhone by powering it off and then back on.

This method is recommended for anyone having any issues with non-jailbroken apps after you first jailbreak.  Remember when you jailbreak you should expect a few more issues.  

Regards,

Rob W

Hi Rob, 

I'm trying to see if I can get my iPhone 4 to display mirror. TO my understanding, this isn't possible. It can only output select content, such as slider show presentation, videos, etc. And, must use dock to VGA, component, or composite cables. If I were to jailbreak, would it allow display mirroring? Or, would I have to jailbreakand get some sort of utility to do this?

Thanks! Keep up great work! 

Kevin 

 

Hi Kevin,

You will need to jailbreak.

Only the iPad 2 officially supports video mirroring  - via the HDMI cable. 

Rob W

Thanks Rob! SO, jailbreak and display mirroring will be available, just like that?

Hi Kevin,

Video Mirroring has been available via jailbreak for quite some time.

The app is called ScreenSplitr

Check out Ep 107 - I talk about it in that episode.

Regards,

Rob W

Hi Rob,

FIrst, I love the show!  I have been listening for about a year now, but as a Verizon customer, I had to wait until the iPhone 4 was available on Verizon.  Now that I have it, I am having a blast listening to your podcast and using the information that I learn to make better use of the device.  I have the Tii app and look forward to your weekly installment.

Now that iPad 2 is out, the iPad 1 has become much more affordable.  I would like to buy the 32 GB WiFi-only model.  Although I would like 3G data access, I am not willing to shell out the extra bucks for this.  

Here is my question:  Since I have the iPhone 4 with an unlimited data plan, can I tether it to the iPad so that I can get unlimited 3G data on it?  I am assuming that I will have to Jailbreak the iPad, which is no problem.

Thanks in advance for your insight.

Keep up the great work!

Darrell

 

Hi Darrell,

If you have an old iPhone or iPhone 3G that you would like to put Android on because you need to do some testing of Android Apps.  Then you are in luck.  There is a nice tutorial at Redmond Pie on this.  Note you will need to make sure your phone is already jailbroken and it was not the Jailbreakme.com jailbreak. This does not work with that jailbreak.  

If you have an iPhone 3G you can find tutorials on doing compatible jailbreaks using Redsn0w here, Blackra1n here and PwnageTool here.  For those with an original iPhone you can find tutorials on doing compatible jailbreaks using Redsn0w here, Blackra1n here and PwnageTool here.

Once you have the proper jailbreak in place again this tutorial on Redmond Pie will walk you through getting Android 2.2 installed on your iPhone or iPhone 3G.  

Currently this is not publicly available for the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 or the iPad - but there are some videos out there showing it being done on the iPad. 

Originally Published July 2010

I wrote part of this article while flying with my 4-year-old son. I saw something on the flight I thought was funny – on the package of peanuts it said “Ingredients: Peanuts Roasted in Peanut and/or Canola Oil, Salt.” Then the line right below that “Produced in a facility that processes peanuts and other nuts.”  Really the peanuts were processed in a facility that processes peanuts – who would have thunk.  I guess that is a product of our overly litigious society, which often leads to dumb rules and overly complicated ways of doing things. That is why I am such a fan of the iOS UI – it is just plain easy to use. I am also a fan of jailbreaking, which at times has been anything but easy. But now there is a new jailbreak where all you need to do is point your iOS device’s safari browser to – http://www.jailbreakme.com - Then slide the slider and the jailbreak starts. A couple of minutes later you are all done. That is it, no need for a computer, no need for SHSH blobs (if you don’t know what they are you are better off not knowing).

The Details:

The devices this works on are all the iOS devices running iOS 3.2 or later – that includes the iPad running iOS 3.2 or 3.2.1.  It also includes the iPhone 3G, 3GS and 4, iPod Touch 2^nd and 3^rd Gens running iOS 4.0 and iOS 4.0.1.  Do not upgrade to any version of the iOS outside of those above if you want to keep using this jailbreak method. This method does not care what version of the boot rom you have or if you saved SHSH blobs. It does not care what version of iTunes you are using or if you are mac or pc. The entire jailbreak is done right from the iOS device itself simply by pointing the safari browser to http://www.jailbreakme.com. It is highly recommended when doing so that you have a WiFi connection. Also make sure you do a back up of your iOS device before attempting the jailbreak and make sure your device is updated to iOS 4.0.1 or iOS 3.2.1 (iPad) before attempting.

There can be issues:

As always I need to warn that jailbreaking will make your device less stable then if it was not jailbroken and the more jailbroken apps you download the more likely you are going to have issues. I recommend you only download the apps you need and delete out any you do not like ASAP.  Early on with this jailbreak there were reports of Facetime and MMS not working – those issues have been resolved. Some users have reported issues during the jailbreak process where it gives a server time out issue over and over – to resolve this issue you need to close out safari completely (best to restart the device) and then clear the cache and then go back to the jailbreakme.com site.  Again as with any jailbreak you are opening the iOS device up to new issues and that can mean the device locks up and needs a full restore. So if you are someone that does not like when things go wrong – this is not for you.  Apple states that if you jailbreak you void the warranty of your iOS device, however 3^rd party warranty vendor Squaretrade states they still honor their warranty if you jailbreak. Full and fair disclosure – Squaretrade is an advertiser on my podcast – but that does not make them any less cool for standing behind their warranty when you jailbreak whereas Apple goes running for cover – just sayin. But if voiding your warranty is the reason you don’t want to jailbreak, please note there is a 3^rd party solution for that.

Too Easy:

This is without a doubt the easiest jailbreak since the original jailbreakme.com jailbreak back in 2007.  Anyone and I mean anyone that uses an iPhone can do this.  This obviously takes advantage of a major security hole in the iPhone OS – which means Apple WILL patch this on the next update.  If you are at all interested in jailbreaking do not upgrade to the next iOS update. Obviously if you can do this by just going to a web page – then someone will come out with an exploit beyond jailbreaking and you should expect to read a lot of FUD about this until said update comes. 

Some Apps to Consider:

Here are a few of the important apps to consider once you do jailbreak:

1.     Five Icon Doc – Allows 5 icons in your lower dock

2.     Backgrounder – Real backgrounding of apps

3.     3G Unrestrictor / My3G – Both trick apps into thinking you have a Wifi connection when on 3G

4.     MyWi – Turns your iPhone / 3G iPad into a mobile WiFi hotspot (probably why you are jailbreaking)

5.     Screensplitr – Mirrors your iOS device on a monitor / computer.

6.     Multiflow – Scroll left and right through open Apps

7.     Lockdown – Lets you password protect individual apps

8.     Spoofapp – Allows for the recording of phone calls.

Its Legal:

Back to the beginning and the Peanuts – that was a process of too much legal intervention. However just last month the US government chimed in specifically about Jailbreaking and they said it is legal to Jailbreak. Kudos go out to the EFF for fighting the good fight and also to the US government for doing what was right.  This however does NOT mean Apple has to honor their warranty if you jailbreak – but it does mean those providing us with these great jailbreak services are protected a little more from the horde of Apple lawyers – not that Apple ever went after them in the past – but now at least they are even less likely to try.  One thing is for sure it has never been easier or more legal to jailbreak your iOS device than it is today. 

Originally Published April 2010

When I graduated college, some 20 plus years ago, I moved to Overland Park Kansas. The first weekend in town I remember going to the local mall. I was on the second floor and needed to go down to the first floor. As I approached the escalator I noticed that in between the up and down sides was a shiny unobstructed metal surface that lead all the way down to the lower level. While the mall owners did not intend to put a “slide” in between the escalator to me it was just too tempting – so I jumped on and down I went.  At the bottom I was “greeted” by a security officer who then promptly walked me out of the mall and told me not to come back. Over the next year I probably was escorted out of the mall a dozen times. The owners of the mall, I was told, just wanted me to stand there and let the escalator move me to the lower level – How boring.  Sadly today there are metal bumps in the middle to keep people from doing what I used to do.

When it comes to the iPhone and iPod touch you can have more fun than Apple wants you to, you just need to remove those “metal bumps” Apple put up to impede your fun. The process of removing those bumps is called “Jailbreaking”.  When Apple announced the new features for iPhone OS 4 they did not list any support for the 6.12 Million original iPhones and only limited supported for the roughly 20 Million iPhone 3G phones.  This means roughly half of all the iPhones in the market will not be able to take advantage of all the features in the new OS.  On the iPod touch side the 1^st gen iPod touch is not listed as being supported and the 2^nd Gen iPod touch is getting only limited support.  While Apple may be (probably is) hoping this helps get most users to upgrade to the latest and greatest iPhone / iPod touch, it will also likely cause many for the first time  to consider jailbreaking. 

This article is not going to show you how to jailbreak – rather it is going to show you why you might want to.  (To learn how go to TodayiniPhone.com – http://www.todayiniphone.com - and on the left hand side at the bottom are links to tutorials on how to jailbreak.) NOTE: Do not try to jailbreak if you don't like when things go to (expletive). If you need your phone for your business and being without it for any period of time will cause you to loose your job - stop now.  If you get mad at your significant other at how they fold towels or put the toilet paper on a roll - Jailbreaking is probably not for your personality.  Sometimes things break and your phone will likely crash more often then if it was not jailbroken.

One of the key features of OS 4 that only iPhone 3GS and 3^rd Gen iPod touch owners will get to use is multitasking.  However there is an app on the jailbreak side called – Backgrounder – that unlike Apples multitasking, allows you to place any app into the background and it keeps the whole app running.  Combine this with the app – Multiflow – and you can then scroll left to right through all the apps that are active (in the background). 

In OS 4 there are folders to put multiple apps into, with jailbreaking there is an app called – Categories – that lets you place apps into folders.  And there is another app called – Overboard – that allows you to see all the apps on the 12 homescreens at once.  Another app that is a favorite of mine is called - FiveiCon Dock – which as it sounds lets you place five app icons in your dock.

With OS 4 Apple finally announced Bluetooth keyboard support for the iPhone, with jailbreaking the app – BTstack – has been providing that feature for quite some time.  Apple also said with OS 4 you could finally add / change the image behind the homescreen.  This is something jailbreakers have been doing for some time with the app – Winterboard – this app allows for customization of the background image and adds in themes for other images in the iPhone interface.  The app – Springlocker – allows you to lock down apps so you or someone using your phone cannot accidentally delete or even move an app, this is a feature missing from OS 4.  The same with the app – Lockdown – that lets you password protect specific applications from others.  With jailbreaking you can actually make your iPhone more secure then with Apples out of the box OS. 

There are many other great apps that allow you to do things beyond what Apple ever intended or wanted you to be able to do. There is an app called – MyWi – that turns your iPhone into a mobile Wifi hotspot. Which is very nice for tethering your laptop or iPad to your iPhone. A great app for those that do presentations is called – ScreenSplitr – that allows you to share / mirror your iPhone screen on a TV or a computer. Another very popular app is – 3G Unrestrictor – that makes the iPhone think you are connected to the web via Wifi and not 3G, thus allowing apps that were restricted to use just on Wifi to actually work on 3G.  And there are many many more great apps on the jailbreak side that add even more capabilities to your iPhone or iPod touch.

If you want you can step on to the metaphoric escalator and let Apple move you from point A to point B at their pace or you can jump in the middle of that escalator and feel the wind whip through your hair as you fly down that shiny metal surface.  I know which path I am going – well except for the hair part.