Whatever it was I had planned for today didn't (all) happen. Why? Because they finally released the jailbreak for the iPhone 4S! I love my 4S, and especially Siri, but man, I've been missing my jailbreak apps! Some of my friends have asked why I jailbreak my phone, and I think the easiest way to explain is to show you some of the apps that I use that I can only get through Cydia (the "jailbreak" app store) All these apps are free unless otherwise stated.
biteSMS - texting the way it should be. Actually, saying "the way it should be" fits most of these apps, so I'll just use it this once... biteSMS pops up a little window when you get a text. If your phone is off and locked, it looks like this:
To respond to the message, you don't have to unlock or anything, just reply and the window disappears. Very handy if you have an access code to unlock.
Brightness Switch - you know when you double press your home key and then slide to the left twice how it has a volume bar there? Whats up with that? If you want to change the volume there's big buttons on the side! This tweak turns that useless volume bar into a VERY useful brightness bar. This is a free tweak that's priceless.
Camera Locker - If you double click your home button without unlocking, you have access to your camera. This gives you access to your camera on the lock screen all the time. No double click required. Just saves a little time. Handy if you have cute kids.
Chat Pic - You know how your texts look like little cartoon conversations? Well this app adds a little picture to the mix to make it look more like one. Its $.99.
Cyntact - Same idea as above, but in your phone book. Its $1.00.
Fake Operator - Changes where it says AT&T on your status bar to whatever you want it to say.
Folder Closer - you know how when you open an app in a folder, then close the app, you go back to that folder? Well, with this, you go back to your home screen, folders closed. Simple, yet handy.
Infinidock and Infinifolders - Takes away the limits to how many apps you can fit on your dock or in your folders. I have both and I put all of my folders on my dock, so I don't have anything on my screen except Lockinfo (which we'll get to...)
Label Slider - Lets you change the "Slide To Open" message in your slider to whatever you want.
LockInfo - The big one. If this app were available without jailbreaking, I might not hassle with all the others. This one is the reason I jailbreak my phone. It puts a ton of information on your Lock Screen (and your Home screen to, if you select it) The time, date, temperature, your email messages, Calendar, Facebook Notifications, Twitter, and much much more. There is another app called Intelliscreen X that does similar things, and maybe even a little better looking, at $9.99, LockInfo is $8.00, so you may want to try each out. The picture here is of my home screen, but the same info shows up on my Lock Screen. My home screen is now my only screen, thanks to Infinidock.
My3G - Fools your phone into thinking you are on WiFi even if you are on 3G. Lets you watch hi-def youtube videos, download bigger files from the app store and (the reason I got it) do FaceTime from anywhere. Now if someone would just try to FaceTime me! ;/ Its $3.99.
MyWi 5.0 - One that I very rarely use (anymore) but since I paid for it way back when, I keep "just in case". Turns your iPhone into a WiFi hotspot. I try not to use it unless I really need it and when I do, I put on my tinfoil hat. They say AT&T can tell if you do and they aren't happy with you circumventing their $20 a month tethering program. This is $20 once, forever.
SBSettings - Another app the iphone REALLY needs. You can set it to pop up using a variety of methods, but if I swipe across the top from left to right, I get this menu:
<----
From here, I can quickly turn on/off bluetooth, WiFi, 3G, adjust my brightness, restart the phone or quickly turn it off. I can do most of that through the settings app, but this is kind of a one stop shop and its extremely quick and easy.
Superman Slider - Just turns my boring slider button into an awesome Superman Symbol.
Voicemail Forwarder - Ever get a voicemail that you think someone else should hear? This lets you email voicemails to other people. Its very handy, especially if you like to delegate. Its $2.99.
And thats about it. Like I said, LockInfo is the main reason I jailbreak, but after that, I mostly like to goof around and do little tweaks that aren't really that important, but are still cool.
Anything I missed? Any questions? Drop me an email or comment, I'll tell you what I can!
biteSMS - texting the way it should be. Actually, saying "the way it should be" fits most of these apps, so I'll just use it this once... biteSMS pops up a little window when you get a text. If your phone is off and locked, it looks like this:
To respond to the message, you don't have to unlock or anything, just reply and the window disappears. Very handy if you have an access code to unlock.
Brightness Switch - you know when you double press your home key and then slide to the left twice how it has a volume bar there? Whats up with that? If you want to change the volume there's big buttons on the side! This tweak turns that useless volume bar into a VERY useful brightness bar. This is a free tweak that's priceless.
Camera Locker - If you double click your home button without unlocking, you have access to your camera. This gives you access to your camera on the lock screen all the time. No double click required. Just saves a little time. Handy if you have cute kids.
Chat Pic - You know how your texts look like little cartoon conversations? Well this app adds a little picture to the mix to make it look more like one. Its $.99.
Cyntact - Same idea as above, but in your phone book. Its $1.00.Fake Operator - Changes where it says AT&T on your status bar to whatever you want it to say.
Folder Closer - you know how when you open an app in a folder, then close the app, you go back to that folder? Well, with this, you go back to your home screen, folders closed. Simple, yet handy.
Infinidock and Infinifolders - Takes away the limits to how many apps you can fit on your dock or in your folders. I have both and I put all of my folders on my dock, so I don't have anything on my screen except Lockinfo (which we'll get to...)
Label Slider - Lets you change the "Slide To Open" message in your slider to whatever you want.
My3G - Fools your phone into thinking you are on WiFi even if you are on 3G. Lets you watch hi-def youtube videos, download bigger files from the app store and (the reason I got it) do FaceTime from anywhere. Now if someone would just try to FaceTime me! ;/ Its $3.99.
MyWi 5.0 - One that I very rarely use (anymore) but since I paid for it way back when, I keep "just in case". Turns your iPhone into a WiFi hotspot. I try not to use it unless I really need it and when I do, I put on my tinfoil hat. They say AT&T can tell if you do and they aren't happy with you circumventing their $20 a month tethering program. This is $20 once, forever.
SBSettings - Another app the iphone REALLY needs. You can set it to pop up using a variety of methods, but if I swipe across the top from left to right, I get this menu:<----
From here, I can quickly turn on/off bluetooth, WiFi, 3G, adjust my brightness, restart the phone or quickly turn it off. I can do most of that through the settings app, but this is kind of a one stop shop and its extremely quick and easy.
Superman Slider - Just turns my boring slider button into an awesome Superman Symbol.
Voicemail Forwarder - Ever get a voicemail that you think someone else should hear? This lets you email voicemails to other people. Its very handy, especially if you like to delegate. Its $2.99.
And thats about it. Like I said, LockInfo is the main reason I jailbreak, but after that, I mostly like to goof around and do little tweaks that aren't really that important, but are still cool.
Anything I missed? Any questions? Drop me an email or comment, I'll tell you what I can!
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