Now that the iOS 5.1.1 jailbreak is available for the iPhone 4S, new iPad, and older devices, the subject of jailbreak in general is getting a lot of attention again, and with it, the dark side of jailbreaking. It seems whenever someone wants to attack the very concept of jailbreak, one of the first salvos unleashed is app piracy. The sad, ugly truth is that those attacks are made possible because some people who jailbreak do so mainly or entirely to get "free" apps. And the sadder, uglier truth is that there's no such thing as "free". Everything has a cost. Even and especially theft.

We're going to use the words "theft" and "steal" here instead of piracy because that's what we're talking about. Steve Jobs once raised a pirate flag at Apple as a symbol of their counterculture and ideals, and the jailbreak community has embraced that spirit.

By no means has the jailbreak community embraced theft.

Both iMore and Mobile Nations have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to even the discussion of piracy. We place an incredibly high value on developers and the apps they make, and don't want to play any part, directly or indirectly, in disseminating information that hurts developers, the iOS platform, and the legitimate jailbreak community.

Likewise, prominent jailbreak developers have gone out of their way, numerous times, to distance themselves from app theft and ask those using their software not to steal apps.

There's a reason for that. App theft is not a victimless crime. It hurts the iOS platform, it hurts iOS developers, and because of that, it ultimately hurts iOS users.

Stealing apps isn't free. It comes with a very real cost.

Getting the excuses out of the way

For years people have been copying CDs, DVDs, Blu-Ray movies, games, and anything else they could get their hands on. Ever since media became copyable, people have been copying it. Some have applied philosophical wrappers around it -- that all bits should be free. Others think that since the original version remains, copies don't equate to theft -- you're not taking it away from anyone else. Others justify their actions based on the hostility often displayed towards users by traditional media companies.

The law does allow for copying in some situations, in some jurisdictions. It sometimes allows for copying to make a backup or change format, for example ripping a CD to iTunes or copying iTunes music to a disk. But none of them make allowances for theft.

Another common excuse is availability and price -- if content could only be bought immediately, and at a fair cost, there'd be no content theft. Game of Thrones is the most common current example. HBO won't release it for sale for months, so users go elsewhere to get it. If HBO would only put it on iTunes, Amazon, etc. in a timely manner, the argument goes, no one would be going elsewhere.

Well guess what -- in almost all cases, the App Store and apps do just that.

And not only that, apps are incredibly inexpensive by any reasonable standard. Paid apps are often $0.99 and most iPhone apps top out at $4.99 with very few exceptions. In most cases they're not only less than a cup of coffee or a movie, but substantially less.

Also, Apple allows users to re-download purchased apps. If you deleted an app by accident, it stopped working right, or you got a new iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch you have the ability to re-download your content without having to re-purchase anything. Your purchases are tied to your iTunes ID, not a specific device. Apple even allows you to authorize content on up to 5 computers and, when it comes to apps, practically as many iOS devices as you'd like.

Easily available, cheaply and fairly priced, and automatically backed up. That removes many of the rationalizations and justifications.

Note: There are some regions that don't support the App Store, or specific parts of the App Store, due to local policies on rating requirements or other licensing issues. In those particular cases, in those particular places, stealing apps may seem like the only way for these users to obtain App Store apps or games. This problem typically arises in countries that don't carry the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, in areas where iTunes payments are difficult or challenging, or where Apple is simply not allowed to provide a legitimate service. Still there are legitimate workarounds, like using a U.S. App Store account and loading it with gift cards. If you want to support developers, you'll find a way.

The cost to app developers

When you jailbreak to steal apps you're essentially taking money out of someone's hand, whether it's an independent developer or a development company. App development takes a lot of time and a lot of money.

Apps can and do cost tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop. That means every sale is important and can make all the difference to a developer -- the difference between continuing an app or canceling it, making payroll or not making it, feeding their family or not feeding them.

If recent statistics are accurate, almost 60% of developers don't break even on costs when developing and executing an app. These costs typically involve marketing, development, graphic design fees, software licensing, and anything else that goes into submitting a fully polished app to the App Store.

These costs don't stop once the app is submitted to the App Store. If the app uses push notifications or has a web server back end, that costs money. Sometimes a lot of money. If a developer wants to provide technical support to their users, a service we've all come to expect, that's also a lot of money. There are considerable recurring costs for any development team that plans on supporting their app and updating it regularly.

Making, maintaining, supporting, and updating an app is incredibly expensive. And there's no promise every developer will ever get all that money back.

That's the cost to developers, and to users who may get less apps developed or updated because of it.

The cost to Apple

Apple owns the iOS platform. Anything that hurts developers hurts Apple. To that end, Apple has tried to implement services such as in-app purchases and iAds so developers can keep prices down and still earn a living. Yet there's more Apple can and should do.

There have been several developers who have reported seeing more players active on Game Center than have actually purchased their game via the App Store. Sometimes by a factor of 10 or more. There needs to be a way to shut stolen apps out of Game Center so there's less incentive to use the stolen versions of games. iTunes knows which apps we've bought. If a game isn't on our purchased list, it shouldn't work in Game Center. That removes the ego gratification of leader boards and the fun of multiplayer unless and until a legitimate copy of an app is purchased.

The same could be done with iCloud for non-game apps. If an app isn't on our purchased list, it doesn't sync, it doesn't back up.

I'm not pretending to know how complicated such a system would be to deploy, or how much it would disincentivize app theft, but it doesn't seem beyond the realm of possibility.

The more popular an app or game is, the higher the likelihood it will be stolen, and the less money a developer will make from it. If developers find they can't make enough money, they'll stop developing those popular apps. That not only hurts users who want great software, but it hurts the platform.

That's the cost to Apple.

The cost to jailbreak's reputation

I've been jailbreaking since iOS 1.x and I've never once stolen an app. For myself and many others out there, jailbreak is a tool to add functionality to our iPhones, iPads, Apple TVs, and iPods -- functionality that Apple won't or hasn't give us stock. I actually think I've spent almost as much money on jailbreak apps as I have stock apps. Yet even though many jailbreakers don't steal apps, the conception that jailbreak is a gateway to app theft is impossible to escape.

I've had people come to me for help with their iPhone, people that don't even know how to use iCloud, but who know all the ins and outs of app theft. They can't be bothered to back up their own data but they'll spend hours and hours figuring out how to screw a developer out of $0.99 or $4.99.

And they cost jailbreak its reputation. They enable jailbreak to be called a tool for app theft instead of a breeding ground for innovation. They enable those who would like to see jailbreak made illegal to couch their self-interest in the flag of criminal justice.

That's the cost paid by the jailbreak community, and by those who jailbreak for legitimate reasons.

The cost to users

I'm not here to give anyone a lecture on morals or ethics. If you're stealing apps, one article probably won't change your mind. Maybe you already know that you're costing developers money, that you're tarnishing the reputation of the jailbreak community, and maybe even that you're hurting the iOS platform. Perhaps you've justified it to yourself by saying developers are rich and you're copying not stealing, or you don't care about the jailbreak community, or that Apple has so much money nothing could ever hurt iOS.

But what about us?

We're all connected.

If you're stealing apps it's because you want apps. Keep stealing them, and the quality and quantity of apps will eventually diminish. If you're jailbreaking, you need the jailbreak community to keep releasing tools for jailbreak. Keep using jailbreak to steal apps and either laws using you as an excuse, or jailbreak developers fed up with how you're misusing their tools will stop providing them. And all of this is dependent on Apple not figuring out a way to shut it all down or make it so time consuming that it might as well be shut down.

I'd like to envision a strong future for jailbreak and for stock iOS. Stealing apps is simply the right way to get all the wrong attention, and to hurt everything you enjoy.

On the other hand, buying the apps you like rewards developers for their hard work and helps ensure they can continue to update those apps, and make more of them, now and into the future. It shows the world that jailbreak is about adding functionality and not stealing money. And it shows Apple that their time and attention is better spent being inspired by jailbreak rather than shutting it down.

If that's not enough, consider the threat: On desktop computers, it's not unheard of for bad guys to modify stolen apps before distributing them, infecting them with malware to infect systems and steal information. That's not meant a as scare tactic, but a warning. "Free" could eventually come at the price of your device's security, and your own personal protection.

Losing apps, losing jailbreak tools, losing control, and ultimately losing jailbreak is the cost to users.

Conclusion

For years we've been clamoring for great content, readily available and priced fairly. With the App Store, we have it. The best defense against accusations that jailbreak is all about app theft is simply not to steal apps. The best way to get more great apps is simply to buy the great apps we have today.

There's no such thing as free. Even theft has its price. And we can all choose not to pay it.

If you've been waiting for a iOS 5.1.1 jailbreak you're in luck. Greepois0n Absinthe 2.0 was just released with version 2.0.1 released soon after to address some bugs. You can now enjoy an untethered jailbreak on your iPhone 4S, new iPad, and several other iOS devices. If you've never used Greenpois0n before, that's okay. Hit the jump for a walkthrough!

Back up your data

Before running any jailbreak tool you should always back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch just in case something goes wrong. So make sure you have either a recent iCloud backup or iTunes backup before proceeding to the actual jailbreak process. If you aren't sure how to perform a backup, you can check out our guides:

• How to perform an iCloud backup on iOS 5 or higher
• How to perform a backup via iTunes

Update to iOS 5.1.1

You can either update your software via an OTA software update or via iTunes if you haven't already updated to iOS 5.1.1.

• How to update your iOS software over the air (requires iOS 5 or higher)
• How to update your iOS software via iTunes

Jailbreak your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

1. First download Greenpois0n Absinthe 2.0 2.0.1 to your computer from our downloads section. It is available for Mac, PC, and Linux.
2. Next, install the program and open Absinthe with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch plugged into your computer.

3. Click the Jailbreak button to begin the process.

4. This process may take a while to complete so you'll have to be a little patient. Mine took about 6 minutes total. Your device may say Restore in Progress, that's okay.
5. When you see the message Done, enjoy! on your computer you can go ahead and unplug your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
6. You're done! Cydia will be on your Home screen and you're good to go!

If you've never jailbroken before, this is a super easy tool to start with. If you have jailbroken before, you'll appreciate how easy this one is compared to previous tools. If you do happen to run into problems or need help, check out our jailbreak help and discussion forums via the link below.

Additional Resources

• Best jailbreak apps for new iPhone users
• IntelliscreenX vs LockInfo: which should you get?
• Messages+ vs BiteSMS:which should you use?
• iMore jailbreak help & discussion forums

We're keeping this one really simple, iMore Nation -- Absinthe 2.0 was released this morning and it lets you untethered jailbreak most iPhones, iPod touches, and iPads running iOS 5.1.1... So are you going to do it?

If you're already jailbroken on iOS 5 (like I am) is there anything that makes it super compelling for you to upgrade to iOS 5.1.1 and re-jailbreak? Any new features you've been lusting after for a while? Any security updates you're really concerned about?

And if you've never jailbroken before, does Absinthe's ease of use tempt you to give it a try? Have you been frustrated by anything you couldn't do in stock iOS that's making you want to pull the trigger on jailbreak?

Vote in the poll above and give me your reasons in the comments below! If you need extra help, head on over to our fabulous jailbreak forums!

I'm still undecided. I'm leaning towards my current jailbreak not being broke, so why fix it? Let me know what you're doing while I decide what I'm going to do...

Absinthe 2.0 has launched and it provides support for a fully unthethered jailbreak under iOS 5.1.1 (and only iOS 5.1.1) for the following devices:

• iPad, iPad 2, new iPad (except the 2012 iPad 2, which will come later)
• iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S
• iPod touch 3, iPod touch 4

Developed by a collaborative "Dream Team" between Chronic-Dev Team and iPhone Dev Team, Absinthe 2.0 and promises to be so easy, your "grandma could do it." Here are the steps:

1. Make a backup of your device in iTunes by right clicking on your device name under the ‘Devices’ menu and click ‘Back Up’.

2. Once your backup is complete return to your device and go to Settings – General – Reset – Erase all Content and Settings. This will make the jailbreak process much faster.

3. Open Absinthe and be sure you are still connected via USB cable to your computer.

4. Click ‘Jailbreak’ and wait…. just be patient and do not disconnect your device.

5. Once jailbroken return to iTunes and restore your backup from earlier. Right click on your device name under the ‘Devices’ menu in the left panel of iTunes and click ‘Restore from Back Up…’ then select the latest backup you created before. (restoring this backup will return all the content previously on your device ie, apps, photos, etc.)

You can grab the download via the source link below, and if you need any help, jump right into our Jailbreak Forum.

Source: greenpois0n.com

IOS JAILBREAK DREAM TEAM RELEASES ABSINTHE 2.0 – IOS 5.1.1 JAILBREAK AT #HITB2012AMS

AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS – 25th May 2012 – Today @pod2g and the @ChronicDevTeam announced the highly anticipated release of Absinthe 2.0 at #HITB2012AMS held at the Okura Hotel in Amsterdam.

Known as the “iOS Jailbreak Dream Team”, @p0sixninja, @pod2g, @planetbeing, @pimskeks released the untethered jailbreak for iOS 5.1.1 on the final day of the week-long conference. Echoing Steve Jobs’ trademark WWDC encore of ‘… and one more thing’, the team announced the release of Absinthe 2.0 during the closing minutes of their 2 hours talk at the conference.

Absinthe 2.0 will affect the majority of Apple devices running iOS 5.1.1 including iPad 1,1 – 2,1 – 2,2 – 2,3 – 3,1 – 3,2 – 3,3, the iPhone 2,1 – 3,1 – 3,3 – 4,1 and iPod 3,1 – 4,1. The jailbreak does not support the third generation Apple TV and support for iPad 2,4 will be added at a later date.

The team announced that the new Absinthe 2.0 will be available immediately for download from the official ChronicDevTeam website: http://greenpois0n.com The release announcement came after recent rife speculation spreading through online social networks on the actual release date and scope of Absinthe 2.0. The jailbreak community’s interest was first piqued when the team announced they were scheduled to appear at HITBSecConf2012 – Amsterdam to deliver not one but two talks covering both the Corona (A4) and Absinthe (A5) jailbreaks for Apple devices. On the 20th of May, a tweet from team member @pod2g stating the release of Absinthe 2.0 was ‘in a matter of days’ led to further speculation that the final release would be made at HITBSecConf which ran from 21 – 25 May.

“We want to take this opportunity to thank Hack in the Box for giving us the chance to all get together for the first time, especially in the beautiful city of Amsterdam, it has been a great delight for us to announce our next release at this event. Thank you to all our supporters and keep jailbreaking!! ”

“This was certainly one of the most highly anticipated talks we’ve EVER had at one of our HITB conferences, and we’ve done quite a few of these. The excitement from the Dream Team followers and overall Twitter and online buzz has been terrific!”, said Dhillon Andrew Kannabhiran, Founder and CEO of Hack In The Box.

“It was truly an honor to host the Dream Team in their first ever ‘real world’ meet up and we would like to thank them for taking the time and effort to make the trip over to not only join us at our third European outing, but to help kick-start our celebration of ’10 years of HITB awesomeness’ with the release of Absinthe 2.0!”, he added.

HITBSecConf2012 – Malaysia (#HITB2012KUL) marks our 10th annual event in Asia and runs from October 8th till 11th at the Intercontinental Kuala Lumpur featuring 42 of HITB’s best speakers of the decade in one massive event. Registration is already open: http://conference.hitb.org/hitbsecconf2012kul/

About iOS Jailbreak Dream Team: The group is made up of members from the Chronic-Dev Team and the iPhone Dev Team and consists of @MuscleNerd @pod2g @planetbeing @p0sixninja @pimskeks.

About iOS jailbreaking: iOS jailbreaking, or simply jailbreaking, is the process of removing the limitations imposed by Apple on devices running the iOS operating system through use of custom security exploits. Jailbreaking allows users to gain elevated access to the operating system. Consequently it also allows users to download additional applications, extensions and themes that are unavailable through the official Apple App Store.

The untethered iOS 5.1.1 jailbreak could be released in a matter of days. Many people have been eagerly awaiting an untethered jailbreak for the latest version of iOS 5.1.1. It has taken a while for it to even look possible never mind become available. Now it appears that the wait may finally be over and it could arrive as early as next week. According to jailbreak developer pod2g.

Thanks to awesome work of @planetbeing and @pimskeks, we're near ready for a release. Now it's a matter of days.

Update: @MuscleNerd has provided some additional information, which he prefaces by saying is tentative and subject to last minute change:

• the initial 5.1.1 plan used a kernel exploit from @westbaer which unfortunately precluded use in iPod3,1 and iPhone2,1
• @planetbeing stepped up and provided a kernel exploit that covers both of those. Those two JBers are the bomb!
• The 5.1.1 A5 JB is very similar to the A5 5.0.1 JB. @pimskeks has done a tremendous job supporting both 5.0.1 and 5.1.1 in absinthe
• Similar to 5.0.1, there will also be a 5.1.1 CLI "cinject" binary and redsn0w version of the 5.1.1 JB+untether. Absinthe, cinject, and redsn0w will all provide the same JB in different fashions.
• timing is indeterminate. Plans are for this week, but a number of factors can influence that.
• For those wishing to donate, we've set up a new 5.1.1 paypal URL: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=s-xclick&hostedbutton_id=4U6DQGJ2NRVUN -> Please don't pirate AppStore apps (seriously, please do not).

There is some good news and bad news with this particular jailbreak. First the bad news -- the new jailbreak tool will still not support the latest 1080p Apple TV. The good news however is pod2g believes that it should work with the new iPad; whichever version you have although testing has not been done on the iPad 3 Global version. The new jailbreak tool hasn't been tested yet on the just released iPad 2 R2 either but again it is believed to work.

I personally can't wait for this to arrive just so I can update some apps that must have iOS 5.1 like the latest versions of iMovie, Pages and Numbers.

Anyone else looking forward to the iOS 5.1.1 untethered jailbreak?

Source: @Pod2g, Pod2g's iOS Blog, MuscleNerd.com

RIM has only just begun previewing BlackBerry 10 and already features like the on-key, gesture-based word prediction are being quickly copied for the iPhone -- at least for jailbreak. Octopus Keyboard is the name of the tweak, and Jeff Benjamin from iDownloadBlog took a look at its current state of development.

As of now the Octopus keyboard can do the following:

• Automatically learns new words as you type them
• Custom completion engine
• Should work for any input language with key input (English, French, Czech, Russian, etc.)

Here are some of the remaining items that he wishes to accomplish before go-live:

• Avoid learning mistakes
• Autocapitalize words in sentences
• Handle , . ! etc at the end of a sentence
• Better handling and display of longer words
• Compatibility with popular tweaks like SwipeSelection

Octopus Keyboard is currently slated for a May 20 release on Cydia. There's no information on pricing yet.

The current iOS keyboard does and forcing you to stop typing and hit a tiny X target to refuse them if they're incorrect. Here's how Kevin Michaluk describes the BlackBerry 10 typing process:

Instead of placing suggested words above the keyboard, which diverts your attention from the keyboard keys while typing, the BlackBerry 10 keyboard layers its suggestions on the frets between the rows, above the key you're about to tap for your next word. From there you can easily swipe a word up or ignore it. Watching the demonstration at BlackBerry World, it really is brilliant. We're excited for it.

The Octopus Keyboard doesn't look like the Blackberry 10 keyboard, but it does implement the words-on-keys concept. It looks a bit odd seeing it on iOS, where the keyboard hasn't changed much in almost 5 years. Kevin also wonders if RIM -- or anyone RIM may be licensing any part of the technology from -- might take action to prevent jailbreak from stealing BlackBerry 10's thunder, given it's still months away from launching.

You can see it all in action in the BlackBerry 10 keyboard hands-on video below, and compare it to the Octopus Keyboard preview immediately thereafter. Check them both out and let us know what you think.

Source: iDownloadBlog

We're just under a month away from Apple's WWDC 2012 and with it, an expected preview of iOS 6. Last year, we had a list of features available through jailbreak that we wanted Apple to make mainstream in iOS 5. Apple listened, and we got everything from Notification Center to Wi-Fi sync. This year is no different -- once again we have wants. Here are my top jailbreak concepts Apple should implement in iOS 6.

Widgets API

Developers don't currently have the ability to develop widgets for Notification Center. If Apple would open up API for widget access and allow developers to integrate them with current app offerings, it could open up a whole new world of possibilities. This ability is already available on Android and other mobile platforms.

Jailbreak apps have been taking advantage of widgets since iOS 5 was released. There are several widgets that allow access to contacts, system toggles, music, battery info, quick Google searches, and more. Having access to all kinds of settings and apps right from Notification Center is much more convenient than digging for an app or system setting.

Notification Center enhancements and quick replies

While iOS 5 was a huge improvement over the way notifications were handled under previous versions of iOS, there is still room for improvement. Jailbreak apps like IntelliscreenX and LockInfo offer much more control over notifications than stock iOS does. You can fine tune notifications down to the tiniest detail. Do all users need this ability? Absolutely not. But a compromise would be nice.

First, find a way to make the Lock screen more intuitive. Right now all Lock screen notifications are dismissed the moment you swipe to unlock. By all means, clear the screen, but why not keep the notifications available in the window shade until they've actually been viewed, like they are in Notification Center proper.

Second, add the ability to clear app badges the same way Notification Center can be cleared. One little X gets rid of an entire list in Notification Center, but there's no way to get rid of badges in an app without hunting down and viewing every alert individually -- if you can find them.

Thirdly, make in-app banner notifications actionable. Right now if you tap them you're ripped out of the current app and sent into the source app. Having to exit one app to respond to something as simple as an SMS or iMessage, or tweet, is irritating. BiteSMS and Messages+ for jailbreak have offered this functionality for a long time. Enhancements of this nature would make the entire experience of using the iPhone or iPad much faster and much better.

Siri API

While Siri is great at dictating notes, punching out emails, scheduling Reminders, and sending messages, it can't do anything beyond that. Yet. And even if Apple expands it to support other integrated services, like Twitter, it still wouldn't enough.

Having options like sending out a tweet via Tweetbot, or adding a task to Clear, or otherwise letting App Store apps integrate with Siri directly would be a welcome addition. Jailbreak apps such as AssistantExtensions add tons of functionality to Siri. It'd be nice to see that become official in iOS 6.

Better multitasking gestures and shortcuts

Right now the iPad has limited multitasking gesture shortcuts but the iPhone and iPod touch have none at all. Jailbreak apps like Zephyr have brought gesture shortcuts to iPhone and iPod touch, but this is really something Apple needs to slap a coat of paint on and release as stock in iOS 6.

Tabbing through apps should be easier. Sure there's the iOS 4 fast app switcher, but swiping is faster. Custom gestures for favorite app access would be great as well.

Mail enhancements

Mail has previously been given a unified inbox, threaded messages, and flags. Otherwise it's not much different from the days of iOS 1. Mail Enhancer allow jailbreakers to better handle and sort mail on their iPhone or iPad. You can color code different mail accounts so you know what account a message is from when in the unified inbox.

And for the love of all things that are good in the world, can we please have multiple signatures for mail accounts? For users with separate accounts that they use for different purposes, editing signatures can be a huge pain. I may not want a client having my home phone number but I want my friends and family seeing that in my signature. Allowing multiple signatures is the only feasible solution and hopefully it's on the slate for iOS 6.

In addition to per-account signatures, per-account mail tones would be a nice bonus. Sometimes work mail needs to stay on when personal mail does not (or vice versa).

Better Folder functionality

iOS 4 brought the addition of Folders but their functionality remains limited.. The iPhone only allows you to place 12 apps within a folder while the iPad allows 20. Sure, the iPad screen can show more apps at one time, but the difference harms users who want a consistent Home screen setup between devices. For example, if I have 15 productivity apps and keep them on both my iPhone and iPad, on my iPhone I have to have 2 folders while I only have one on my iPad.

Jailbreak apps such as Infinifolders and Folder Enhancer have been around before iOS supported folders. They've also been more functional. Both allow you to stick as many apps as you want in a folder and either page through them like you would Home screen apps or scroll vertically, whichever you choose.

Nested folders is also something jailbreak apps allow for. I frequently use this feature for game folders. I have my strategy, puzzle, adventure, action, and other types of games inside of one main games folders. Unfortunately, it's probably far too hierarchical and "file system-like" for Apple to ever consider.

Themes or Home screen refresh

It's about time for Apple to re-design the Home screen or give us a way to customize it if we want to. iOS 4 introduced the ability to set a picture as your Home screen background but besides that, the Home screen we all know hasn't changed much since the inception of iOS. There's always an argument for familiarity and experience which Apple prides themselves on but it's beginning to look a bit dated.

Jailbreakers have been theming their iPhones for years. While I don't necessarily want my iPhone looking like an Android phone, apps like Shrink allow me to change icon size while apps like Winterboard give me the ablity to change up fonts and status bar icons.

It's highly unlikely that Apple will ever integrate even an Apple exclusive Theme Store into iTunes, but at the very least it would be nice to see iOS 6 bring with it a newly designed Home screen or a few options for customization.

Your iOS 6 want list

What jailbreak apps can you not live without that you'd really like Apple to add stock? Are there any quirks or oddities in iOS that you really can't stand and use jailbreak as a solution?

Hit the link below to let us know in our forums!

Additional Resources:

• What jailbreak features do you want most in iOS 6?
• Best jailbreak apps for new iPhone users
• Jailbreak and unlock discussion forums

Every week the editors at iMore carefully select some of our favorite, most useful, most extraordinary apps, accessories, gadgets, and websites. This week's selections include a jailbreak app to manage off-device media, a sheet music app, an app for social networking, a video player that lets you watch old-school movies, and a popular virtual pinboarding app.

To see what we picked, and to tell us your pick, follow on after the break!

XBMC for iPad - Chris Oldroyd

This week’s pick is a jailbreak app that I use all the time and is the only reason I keep my iPad jailbroken. When it comes to managing off device media the iPad with App Store apps is just not good enough. Air Video and other similar apps do a decent enough job of letting you access media on a PC or Mac but everything that is in a non Apple approved format needs to be encoded on the fly and it means the process is slow and a little ugly.

With XBMC I can connect to my NAS (Networked Attached Storage) box and access all of my content straight over my network, it plays all sorts of file types like AVI and MKV as well as MP4 and M4V all without any encoding or delay; the picture quality is excellent too. XBMC is a highly customizable app and if you are prepared to invest a little bit of time with the app itself and how you store and name your media on your NAS it can look absolutely stunning with the correct meta data.

XBMC is available as a free download from Cydia and it works on the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

Steinway Etude - Gary Mazo

Last week I was in guitar mode, this week I am back in piano mode – my primary instrument. There are lots of apps for purchasing sheet music and others for instruction. What makes Steinway Etude unique is that it combines both functions in one app.

First off, Steinway Etude is a music store where you can purchase sheet music. There is a pretty good selection of music from pretty much every musical category. Most songs are about $3.00 which is not terrible compared to pricier services such as Musicnotes.

Once your music is purchased (and there are some free songs to download as well) you see it on a bookshelf – reminiscent of iBooks. Tap the song you want to play and you have the main screen. Touch the Play arrow and you will hear a midi version of the song play, following along the notes in the song. There is also a small keyboard at the bottom showing you which notes to play.

For beginners, this is a great feature; you can see how to play the song, hear how to play the song and then try to play it on your own. I usually maximize the window to just see the song – but its nice to know that if I ever did get stuck I could listen to parts of the music to help me along.

Options are a plenty in Steinway Etude. You can adjust the tempo, turn on or off the right and left hands on the keyboard below, differentiate the hands with unique colors, change the background and more.

Pages just slide left to right and page turns are quick (which is key for a music apps.) All in all, this is a very useful app with a good library of music to purchase and the ability to learn while you play.

Free - Download Now

Google+ for iPhone - George Lim

So, I’m one of those few people who still uses Google+. I’m also a sucker for gorgeous iOS apps, so when Google recently updated their Google+ app, I was happy.

The app is mainly a significant UI improvements. Its certainly easier for a human to understand, navigate and use, as well as overall being cleaner. Its clearer how you can switch between ‘Circles’ to get the posts you want. Instead of having multiple circles which you change by swiping side to side, you get one stream which is changeable through a simple drop down menu.

While not a new feature, I use Google+ hangouts on the iPhone all the time, and I think, for a 10-way video call it is implemented very well. I have a Google hangout with friends every weekend, with the app, I can join it where ever I am.

There are still some gaping holes in the app; the ability to post YouTube links and getting an embed preview, editing posts and comments, and the fact that your display picture is just a small landscape section on your menu-screen, so it doesn’t show your display picture properly.

However despite all these flaws, I still really like this app. Its certainly better than the Facebook app (even on iPad).

Free - Download Now

Video Time Machine - Seth Clifford

My pick this week is pure joy. Video Time Machine is a sweet little app that allows you to watch all kinds of things from years gone by. One of my favorite activities on YouTube (and the internet in general) is find and watch commercials and shows from my youth. The app allows you to do this with a great interface that makes searching for a time period easy. You just roll the dial back to the year you want, select the type of content you want to see (TV, music, ads, trailers, video games, sports, etc.) and the app serves up the goods. Sharing to Facebook and Twitter is baked in, so you can get your friends in on it quickly too. There's no direct search right now, but that's also what makes it kind of cool - it's kind of like a jukebox on random. And it's a universal app that supports AirPlay, so if you want to throw it up on the big screen, you can do so.

I'm really digging it, and I hope that more content gets added as time goes on. It's the perfect way to kill a few minutes and put a smile on your face.

$2.99 - Download Now

Pinterest - Leanna Lofte

When the Pinterest for iPhone app first released, I hated it. It was terribly buggy and miserable to use. It's had several updates since then and it's now a great app. It's beautiful and runs great. I go through phases with Pinterest, but now that they have a solid iPhone app, there's a good chance I'll use it more regularly. What would seal the deal, though, would be if they updated Pinterest to be universal for the iPad as well. Hopefully soon!

Free - Download Now

Tell us your pick!

Those were our picks, iMore Nation, so now it's your turn! Tell us your pick of the week below. Give us the name of your favorite app, site, or accessory, and tell us why it made your life more productive, more informed, more entertaining, or just plain more fun. Jump into the comments and let us know your pick of the week!

Seas0nPass, the popular jailbreak tool for the 2010 Apple TV (720p) has just received an update that will allow it to jailbreak the latest Apple TV software. Apple has just released the Apple TV software update taking it to version 5.0.1; it is actually version 5.1.1 inline with other iOS devices but Apple still files the version numbers differently for whatever reason. Unfortunately the jailbreak is a tethered type which means if your device needs to be rebooted, it will need to be plugged into a PC or Mac as part of the reboot process.

Seas0nPass 0.8.4 released. Adds [tethered] support for ver. 5.0.1 (iOS 5.1.1) on ATV2. ATV3 update still in progress

If you have a 2010 Apple TV (720p) and need help jailbreaking it, be sure to check out our full how-to guide.

Source: @firecore

Georgia, Rene, and Seth talk iOS 5.1.1, the future of jailbreak, gesture keyboard shortcuts, multi-user support for iPad, Instacast, cloud storage apps, and Jot Pro vs. Wacom Bamboo stylus. This is iPhone & iPad Live!

• Subscribe via iTunes: Audio | Video
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Meta

• Want a chance to win 1 of 4 new iPads?
• Editor's desk: BlackBerry and Samsung events, rumor repeats, the Avengers, and more
• Does the Home screen need updating in iOS 6? [Poll]

iOS 5.1.1

• Apple releases iOS 5.1.1 for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad
• How is your iOS 5.1.1 battery life? [Poll]

Jailbreak

• Is there a future for jailbreak?
• On iOS text editing concepts and the keys to consistency

News

• Apple rumored to be investigating multi-user iPad support

Apps

• Best free iPad apps
• Instacast 2.0 and the concept of "added value"
• SkyDrive vs. Dropbox vs. Google Drive: best cloud storage option for iPhone and iPad users
• Draw Something is trying to get you to draw their ads for them

Accessories

• Adonit Jot Pro stylus for iPad review
• Wacom Bamboo Stylus review

Hosts

• Georgia (GeorgiaTiPb
• Seth Clifford (@sethclifford)
• Rene Ritchie (@reneritchie)

Credits

You can reach all of us on Twitter @iMore, or you can email us at podcast@imore.com

For all our podcasts -- audio and video -- including iPhone and iPad Live, ZEN and TECH, Iterate, and more, see MobileNations.com/shows

If you haven't already please subscribe to all our shows in iTunes and leave a rating. It helps people find the show and means a lot to us!

There was a time when power users simply had to jailbreak their iPhone as a matter of necessity. If you wanted to get any serious work done with iOS, you had to jailbreak. If you wanted apps, if you wanted copy and paste, if you wanted multitasking, if you wanted proper notifications and Lock screen info, if you wanted Wi-Fi sync, if you wanted any number of features users of other platforms took for granted, you had to jailbreak.

But iOS has evolved. Year after year, Apple has added features, sometimes copied them directly from jailbreak. And each time, the functionality gap closes, the reasons to jailbreak become fewer, and the number of users who jailbreak become fewer along with it.

iOS 5 was the turning point for many. Could iOS 6 be the final straw? Could we be approaching a future where Jailbreak has little or no legitimate place in most iPhone and iPad users lives?

The good of the many vs the good of the few -- or the you

Almost all the big ticket innovations that Apple has brought to iOS, jailbreak brought first. Prior to iOS 5, to pick but one recent example, if you wanted real, unobtrusive, notifications, you had to jailbreak and install apps like IntelliscreenX and LockInfo. MobileNotifier had a strong influence on the way that Notification Center handles notifications today.

With iOS 5 Apple introduced Notification Center. And they did them in a way that catered to the mainstream. There are no difficult settings to weed through or overwhelming menus and options like you find in LockInfo or IntelliscreenX. Is Notification Center perfect? Certainly not. But it's easy. And that's what matters to the majority of consumers.

IntelliscreenX and LockInfo do far more, far better than Notification Center, but to many former jailbreakers, Notification Center does enough, good enough, that they'll stop jailbreaking and just make do.

Not everyone, but a significant number of people.

Innovation at the speed of freedom

Apple only releases one new version of iOS a year (or 16 months last year). While they have interim updates in between, those are adding increasingly fewer new features, and never add major, system-level changes. Jailbreak, by contrast, never stops. New tweaks and new utilities are always being developed and released.

That means jailbreak is typically faster at discovering and delivering new features. While the masses may not know they need a feature or function until Apple gives it to them, power users typically want it before Apple can or is willing to give it to them. To keep to the same example, jailbreak users had LockInfo and IntelliscreenX and Mobile Notifier long before Notification Center shipped.

Whether this year will bring with it a newly designed Home screen or other major new feature, odds are it really won't be that ground breaking to jailbreak users.

In this aspect, jailbreak will continue to be a breeding ground for many developers that want to push the limits of what the iPhone and iPad are capable of. They'll bring the future to us today.

But again, the amount of users who need a cutting edge level of functionality is less now than it used to be. Apple has taken care of the low hanging fruit and for the most part, only niche-needs remain to be filled. That means less people will go through the trouble to jailbreak because it's increasingly not worth it for them. Good enough is good enough and perfect isn't worth the trouble it takes to get it.

The rejection objection

Many developers that find themselves rejected by Apple for one reason or another have used Cydia, the jailbreak app store, as a way to distribute their apps. Whether Apple rejected an app because they manipulated the iOS file system, or because it duplicated -- and sometimes improved! -- the functionality of a built in app, or because it hooked into and changed a part of the system Apple simply doesn't want changed, Cydia (or another jailbreak app store) remains the only way to get certain apps.

However, while there are apps that Apple will never let onto the App Store under current policies, Apple is rejecting less apps than they used to. Often there will be some neutered version of an app that does something similar, and unless a user really needs a specific prohibited feature, they'll increasingly suck it up and make do with the App Store. Again, good enough.

Themes and toggles and tweaks, oh my

Even though Apple adds more and more native functionality with each major revision of iOS, there will always be a niche group of advanced users that want to customize and fine tune their experience beyond what Apple allows. This holds true for rooting and homebrew communities on other, more "open" platforms as well. For some of us, there's just never enough. We'll customize and flash down to the ROM level if we can.

For the iPhone and iPad, whether it's a new look for the Home screen and icons, fast access to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or other Settings, or system extensions for Notification Center, folders, Siri, or more, there's almost no chance Apple can will meet these needs, especially not any time soon.

These jailbreakers are still jailbreaking, and likely will for a longtime to come.

Illegitimate interests

While we have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to app theft here on iMore, we simply can't talk jailbreak without facing the reality that some segment of the user base jailbreaks simply to steal apps. Those are the users that will probably continue to jailbreak regardless of how much functionality Apple adds. They could care less. It doesn't matter how nice Starbucks is inside if all someone wants to do is steal coffee.

It's a sad reality but one that exists on almost every platforms, mobile or otherwise.

Those who jailbreak to steal aren't the ones that keep Cydia going. If they're stealing App Store apps, they're most likely not paying for jailbreak apps. The users who support jailbreak open their wallets to support the jailbreak community -- they like paying for apps and themes and tweaks because they know that's how they'll get more of them. Same for app store apps (and coffee!)

Some users will continue to jailbreak to steal apps, but if that's ever the only reason left to jailbreak, the community would likely stop looking for exploits, creating tools, and making great jailbreak software. It's a dead end.

(Considering Cydia is still chugging along, arguably better than ever, it's a good sign that there are still many users out there who jailbreak for legitimate reasons.)

A tale of two systems

As iOS becomes more refined and functional, certain users who used to jailbreak find it no longer worth their effort, and they either settle into, or settle for, stock. However, Apple will never be able to please everyone. In fact, pleasing everyone is the opposite of Apple's philosophy. Apple will continue to make the iPhone that Tim Cook and Jony Ive and Phil Schiller and Scott Forstall want to own and use. That will suit the mainstream just fine, but it will continue to leave many other users wanting more or different.

There may be less casual jailbreakers now than there were before, and there may be less reason for average users to jailbreak now than before. Good enough may be good enough for many.

But not for everyone, and not for those for whom better or perfect is a very personal, sometimes changing target.

iOS may make more and more users happy, but jailbreak will remain, giving advanced levels of control and customization, and allowing users to "beta test" the future. The users that will be interested in doing that are the tinkerers, hackers, and mobile enthusiasts. These are the users that see a new piece of tech and have to have it or want to find a way to get their current device to duplicate another platform's functionality before Apple decides they can have it. While this will always be the case for some, it isn't the case for many.

You can never predict the future. Apple or the carriers could crack down on something that drives more users to jailbreak again. A breakthrough new feature could appear on a competing platform and jailbreak could once again offer it well in advance of Apple. But it will never be the same as the heady days when you had to jailbreak just to run apps, or just to use an iPhone outside the U.S.

Jailbreak under iOS 5 is not what it was under iOS 4 and the same will most likely hold true with every iteration of iOS to come. As more features are added and the needs of many would-be jailbreakers are met, the numbers will continue to dwindle and users that once swore by jailbreak will find themselves weighing out whether or not jailbreak holds value for them anymore. At some point, iOS will cross the threshold of being good enough for some jailbreakers to being good enough for many.

And that's okay. Because the jailbreakers who are left will be just as passionate and just as needy as always. There may be less as a percentage of the total user base, but those who remain, who still want jailbreak, will really want it. They'll need it.

And that -- sense of shared purpose more than any number of people -- is what makes a community.

Once again proving the velocity of jailbreak, no sooner did Daniel Hooper's concept video for an overhauled, gesture-based, keyboard-board iPad text editing update get reported, but it's now been coded up by Kyle Howells as SwipeSelection.

Hooper's concept involved a combination of single and double finger gestures and a Shift key modifier to make text selection faster when doing heavy duty editing. SwipeSelection implements that functionality for both iPad and iPhone. iDownloadBlog's Jeff Benjamin gave it a test drive and liked the way it handled.

It works extremely well, so much so, that I was totally used to it within minutes. SwipeSelection feels incredibly native, and perfectly natural. [..] I’ve tried SwipeSelection on my iPhone, and it works there as well! The only issue is that there isn’t a shift key on the right side of the keyboard like there is on the iPad, so selecting text works better from left to right instead of from right to left. The single finger, and two finger drags work exactly like they do on the iPad, which makes text editing so much more intuitive.

Given Apple's history of adopting ideas that were first implemented by the jailbreak community, and hiring jailbreak developers, there has been some speculation that Hooper and/or his text editing concept could be next.

I'm still not convinced Apple would do anything to divide the text editing experience into distinct keyboard and keyboard-less mode, though a higher level gesture "keyboard shortcut" mode for expert users could be interesting. (Bluetooth keyboard implementation is not a precedent since your hands are physically removed from the multitouch display when using a keyboard and base functionality has to be remapped to match the different input mode.)

The most important thing here is that text editing on iOS has gotten some much-needed attention. Apple took 3 years to introduce text editing into iOS, and while they've been adding options to their popup ever since, they have improved the basic mechanics at all. Coming up with a better, finer grained text selection system across iOS, regardless of keyboard state, would be yet another excellent improvement for iOS 6.

Source: iDownloadBlog

If you've been around the iPhone scene for a while, you've no doubt already heard the story of how George "Geohot" Hotz unlocked the original iPhone for the first time, back in the summer of 2007. If not, The New Yorker, in a far broader profile, tells it again:

In the summer of 2007, Apple released the iPhone, in an exclusive partnership with A.T. & T. George Hotz, a seventeen-year-old from Glen Rock, New Jersey, was a T-Mobile subscriber. He wanted an iPhone, but he also wanted to make calls using his existing network, so he decided to hack the phone.

Every hack poses the same basic challenge: how to make something function in a way for which it wasn’t designed. In one respect, hacking is an act of hypnosis. As Hotz describes it, the secret is to figure out how to speak to the device, then persuade it to obey your wishes. After weeks of research with other hackers online, Hotz realized that, if he could make a chip inside the phone think it had been erased, it was “like talking to a baby, and it’s really easy to persuade a baby.”

He used a Phillips-head eyeglass screwdriver to undo the two screws in the back of the phone. Then he slid a guitar pick around the tiny groove, and twisted free the shell with a snap. Eventually, he found his target: a square sliver of black plastic called a baseband processor, the chip that limited the carriers with which it could work. To get the baseband to listen to him, he had to override the commands it was getting from another part of the phone. He soldered a wire to the chip, held some voltage on it, and scrambled its code. The iPhone was now at his command. On his PC, he wrote a program that enabled the iPhone to work on any wireless carrier.

The next morning, Hotz stood in his parents’ kitchen and hit “Record” on a video camera set up to face him. He had unruly curls and wispy chin stubble, and spoke with a Jersey accent. “Hi, everyone, I’m geohot,” he said, referring to his online handle, then whisked an iPhone from his pocket. “This is the world’s first unlocked iPhone.”

Hotz went on to sell that first unlocked iPhone to the CEO of Certicell for a 2007 Nissan 350Z and 3 new iPhones, and the rest, as they say, is history.

From later iOS Jailbreaks to cracking the PS3, from the Sony lawsuit to the Anonymous attacks, from working at Google and Facebook to going back to talk with Sony, The New York roughs out an interesting, entertaining sketch of one of the most famous characters in the iPhone community.

Give it a read, and then give us your take.

Source: The New Yorker

A new jailbreak tweak called Quasar will let you have multiple apps open and running at the same time. If you've always yearned for the opportunity to have your iPad work more like a desktop OS like Windows or OS X, Quasar could be just what you've been looking for.

Quasar is (the very first) window manager for iPad! Now you can run apps in windows, on your iPad! Simply open any application and it will be opened in a window, just like in your computer. Quasar is integrated to iOS's default app switcher (double pressing home button). Killing an application in app switcher (or holding the close button) kills its window and the application itself, but if you only click the close button, the window is closed but the application keeps running in background (in the app switcher).

Quasar is a version 1.0 jailbreak app and to be fair you can tell. It crashed the springboard a few times when I was playing with it and froze a couple of times too. There are weird rotations and portrait bugs as seen in the video are quite annoying too. Having said that, this could potentially be a game changer as and when it's quirks have been ironed out.

Quasar is available through Cydia for $9.99 and is for the iPad only running iOS 5 or higher.

UPDATE: The developer has already released an update and fixed some of the bugs that we experienced in the demo video. The orientation and rotation bugs are now fixed along with a few other things too. Good to see such speedy bug fixes!

FireCore has released another update to its hugely popular software for jailbroken second generation Apple TV's (2010, 720p version). The new 1.5 release includes a revamped video player which claims to improve playback performance of most video file types.

Today we're happy to release a brand new version of aTV Flash (black) which includes a revamped player that is optimized for iOS 5.0 and later. This new player improves performance for virtually all file type resulting in noticeably smoother playback. We've also baked in a number of other goodies including NFS streaming, subtitle timing settings, additional translations and a mountain of other improvements and fixes.

Still nothing concrete on the release of a jailbrealk for the latest Apple TV (2012, 1080p version) or an untethered jailbreak for the Apple  TV 2 running iOS 5.1. FireCore says that it is still working hard on both fronts but its is still too early to give an estimate on the release date.

If you’re looking for the full change log, you’ll find it below. If you really don’t need the full details and just want to get yourself updated, version 1.5 is available now from the Firecore website. If you're already running a version of aTV Flash (black) the new 1.5 version can be installed through the Maintenance --> Manage Extras menu.

Need help jailbreaking your Apple TV 2? If so, be sure to check out our full how-to guide.

Source: FireCore

Full Changelog

• Revamped player with improved performance (AppleTV 4.4 and later)
• Added NFS streaming
• Added Catalan, Czech, Korean and Traditional Chinese translations
• Added support for localized TV show pattern: TV Show/Season #/S##E##.extension
• Added manual subtitle time correction (-10.0s to +10.0s)
• Added support for embedded .FLAC cover art
• Added support for .AC3, .DTS and .MOD files
• Improved .EYETV file handling
• Improved audio synchronization in slow and unstable networks
• Improved slideshow operation with small images
• Improved movie folders detection logic to ignore hidden files
• Improved metadata fetching to support movies split into multiple files (dvd#, cd#, disk#)
• Improved zoom mode operation for non-square pixels
• Improved DVD menu handling
• Improved .OGG file handling (now correctly treated as audio)
• Improved error handling for connection issues
• Improved buffering logic
• Improved installation routine
• Other minor UI improvements
• Resolved format detection that was causing rare playback issues
• Resolved issue with volume level resetting during rw/fw
• Resolved floating crashes usually observed when using SMB with Windows 7 shares
• Resolved conflicts with XBMC related to SMB
• Resolved issues with metadata fetching for 'Show.Name.###.extension' pattern
• Resolved crashes observed in folders with significant number of files
• Resolved playback error on DVD and ISO files observed when file path contains '?' character
• Resolved crashes when working with long file paths
• Resolved rare issue with incorrect pre-playback screen layout
• Other miscellaneous bug fixes

Stride is a new jailbreak tweak which is available now,  it allows you to passcode protect your device but without the need for a boring old passcode. Instead of a series of numbers or letters, the Stride jailbreak tweak lets you set up an on screen gesture to do the job for you.

Unlocking your iOS Device just got a whole lot cooler. Never again do you need to worry about entering some lengthy password, or are limited to 9 points on a grid. With Stride, you unlock with gestures! Simply draw your password. That's it.

Source: YouTube

Members of the iMore nation started hitting AT&T yesterday, the moment the previously announced official unlocks for iPhone became available, and so far the results have been successful but mixed. Forum member Irish Rose reports a successful iPhone 4 unlock, tested and working on T-Mobile EDGE. Reader Juan Tarrio, however, was told his iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G unlocks would require approval and that he'd hear back by April 16.

Once AT&T has entered your iPhone IMEI number into Apple's database, you'll receive the following email confirmation:

Thank you for contacting AT&T Customer Care about your unlocking your iPhone.

We have reviewed your request and determined you are eligible to have the requested iPhone unlocked.

To complete the unlock simply:

1. Open iTunes on your Mac or PC and verify that you have internet connectivity

2. Connect your iPhone using the dock connector to USB cable that came with your iPhone

3. Backup and restore your iPhone using iTunes

Note: Since the unlock process requires your iPhone be restored via iTunes, that means it will remove any jailbreak you might currently have on the device. If you were only jailbroken in order to be unlocked, that won't matter and you can go ahead and restore to your heart's content. If you have an iPhone 4S and have been holding back on iOS 5.1 until a nicely packaged, untethered jailbreak is released, you may want to hold off on restoring, or do without your jailbreak for a while.

Did you get your iPhone officially unlocked by AT&T? Was it immediate or were you told to wait? Did you get denied? Jump into our forums and let us know how it went.

If you updated your Apple TV recently to 5.0 (iOS 5.1) you can now jailbreak it again. FireCore has just updated their popular Seas0nPass jailbreak tool to offer tethered support for the newest firmware on the second generation Apple TV. If you picked up a new Apple TV, you'll have to sit this one out for now.

The current version of Seas0nPass will be tethered for anyone using it on iOS 5. This basically means you'll have to perform a tethered boot with a computer if your Apple TV gets powered off. If you're debating whether or not to update or tethered jailbreak, you may want to take into consideration whether or not the plug-ins you'd like to use are compatible with iOS 5 yet. I've found tethered jailbreaks to be a bit of a headache on devices like the Apple TV.

• Couch Surfer (works)
• Last.fm (works)
• Maintenance (works)
• Media Player (works)
• NitoTV (works)
• RSS Feeds (works)
• Weather (works)
• Overflow (not working)
• Plex (not working)
• Remote HD (not working)
• Rowmote (not working)
• XBMC (not working)

As you can see from above, a lot of popular applications and plug-ins aren't yet compatible. This may be something you want to think about before dealing with updating or installing a tethered jailbreak. If you do decide you'd like to take the plunge and update, you can grab a link from our downloads section below!

Source: FireCore

Additional resources:

• iMore Apple TV downloads section
• How to jailbreak your Apple TV 2
• iMore jailbreak and discussion forums

Looks like the new iPad is already well on its way to getting a new jailbreak. The Dev Team has posted a status update on the new iPad, and have in fact already jailbroken is on iOS 5.1 using a few different methods.

• We can confirm that the method used to jailbreak the iPad2 4 months ago (before corona) still works even in 5.1. That means we’ll at least be able to get our foot in the door to get the required kernel dumps on the iPad3. That’s an important step, but by no means is it the end of the story.

• Those of you following @i0n1c may have noticed he’s already tweeted pictures of his iPad2 jailbroken at 5.1. As far as we know, he’s using a method completely unrelated to the one mentioned above. That would be great news!

• We’ve also seen bits and pieces of an entirely different jailbreak method being investigated by someone close to the Cydia repo scene.

While there is no ETA for a jailbreak tool to be released, this should allay fears that the new iPad jailbreak would take as long as the iPad 2 or iPhone 4S jailbreaks took, which involved months and months of work.

Anyone planning on jailbreaking when the new iPad tool is released?

Source: Dev-Team Blog

The World Wide Jailbreak Convention (WWJC) has announced that JailbreakCon 2012 will be held Saturday, September 29th at the South San Francisco Conference Center.

The venue its self is in prime location, situated 9 minutess from San Francisco’s airport, 16 minutes from the Heart of the city, 40 minutes from the home of Apple and 30 minutes from the Facebook and Twitter headquarters.

We at JailbreakCon are very excited to be in such a great city, and we hope all attending can have a great stay in the city we all know as being “All things tech”. Our event date is the 29th of September 2012. We do advise all attending to allow the weekend stay as we may make some changes along the way, but we can confirm the 29th as the event day.

For those attending, they're in the process of organizing with local hotels and lodging facilities to get attendees the best deals they can. You can hit the link below to view a map of the conference center and more information about JailbreakCon.

Anyone iMore readers that are members of #TeamJailbreak plan on attending the conference? It should make for a good time to be had by all.

Tickets are available now so hit the links below for more information and to get your tickets before they're gone!

More: WWJC

Tickets: Eventbrite

Will you be able to jailbreak the new iPad and can you jailbreak the just-released iOS 5.1 software? If you're a jailbreaker like me, that's probably the first question you asked yourself following Apple's big even yesterday. I know it's the question a lot of you are asking us.

Here's the deal.

The new iPad

As of now, we really don't know much other than there probably won't be a jailbreak ready for release. Considering the new iPad comes with an upgraded A5X processor, we can safely assume any existing tool would need to be heavily updated to support it. Given how long it took to jailbreak the iPhone 4S and iPad 2's A5 processor we could be in for quite a wait. There's just no way to tell until jailbreak developers get their hands on the new iPad and get to work.

Bottom line, don't buy the new iPad expecting to jailbreak it day one.

The current and new AppleTV

If you've got a current generation AppleTV2 and you update to the newer firmware, you'll lose your jailbreak. If you've got your blobs saved, you'll be good to downgrade though if you'd like your jailbreak back.

While we aren't sure yet when it comes to the 3rd generation AppleTV, FireCore seems pretty certain they'll be able to issue an update to jailbreak the new iteration of the AppleTV as well.

Will aTV Flash (black) be compatible?

The short answer is: Yes! There will undoubtedly be a few obstacles to overcome in order to get everything up to speed, but based on our past experiences and progress thus far we're confident we can put the pieces in place to make it happen.

Again, don't expect to be able to jailbreak it day one but odds are, you'll have a jailbreak sooner rather than later.

iOS 5.1 for iPhone 4S and iPad 2

If you have an iPhone 4S or iPad 2 (which both use the Apple A5 chipset) and want to keep your jailbreak, I highly recommend staying away from iOS 5.1. As soon as Apple stops signing iOS 5.0.1, you will not be able to downgrade even if you have your SHSH blobs saved.

The only exception to this is if you have an iPad 2 that has blobs saved for some version of iOS 4. You will be able to downgrade to those. iPhone 4S users will not be able to downgrade.

If you want to stay jailbroken, stay away from iOS 5 for now.

iOS 5.1 for iPhone 4 and original iPad

The Dev-Team has released a tethered jailbreak for iOS 5.1 via redsn0w 0.9.10b6 that works with the iPhone 4 and original iPad. If you are dying to upgrade to iOS 5.1 and you're okay with being tethered, you can go right ahead.

I'd highly recommend staying untethered on iOS 5.0.1 until an untethered version for iOS 5.1 is released, however. For those not familiar with what tethering means, you'll basically have to connect to your computer any time you want or need to reboot your iPhone or original iPad. That means any time your devices turns off or runs out of power, you have to go back to redsn0w and perform what is called a tethered boot.

The up side is that you will be able to downgrade back to iOS 5.0.1 or earlier iOS versions, unlike iPhone 4S and iPad 2 users, as long as you have your blobs saved.

Again, unless you really need iOS 5.1 now and don't mind a tether, stay away.

iOS 5.1 for iPhone 3GS

If you've got an older boot rom, you can update to iOS 5.1 and enjoy an untethered jailbreak. Newer boot rom devices will be tethered just like the iPhone 4 and original iPad.

Unlockers

If you rely on using a program like ultrasn0w for a software unlock, I'd suggest holding off. If you really fancy having iOS 5.1, you can do so but you'll need to create a custom IPSW in order to upgrade so your baseband will remain in tact. You can do this with the newly released version of redsn0w available in our downloads section via the link below.

Conclusion

If you really love your jailbreak and all the apps, hacks, and utilities stick with iOS 5.0.1 or earlier an iPad 2 or earlier.

While tethered jailbreaks are tolerable, I really don't think iOS 5.1 added enough features that would warrant moving to a tethered jailbreak or losing your jailbreak altogether. Unless you are dying to check out new software like iPhoto for iOS, most users will be perfectly fine on iOS 5.0.1 untethered for now. And if you really want a new iPad, get it and enjoy it stock for now.

Additional resources:

• iOS 5.1 tethered jailbreak via redsn0w
• iMore downloads section
• The new iPad - everything you need to know
• Jailbreak help and discussion forums

A tethered jailbreak for iOS 5.1 is now currently available for the original iPad and the iPhone 4, and earlier model iPhones. (If you have an iPhone 4S or iPad 2, don't attempt to update to iOS 5.1 and jailbreak, it won't work.)

As always, unlockers that rely on ultrasn0w are going to want to stay away unless you use a custom IPSW to install iOS 5.1 in order to preserve your baseband.

If you are an iPhone 3GS user with an old boot room, congratulations. You can have an untethered jailbreak now on iOS 5.1. All other devices will be tethered.

I typically recommend staying away from tethered jailbreaks unless you absolutely have to. Given the fact that iOS 5.1 didn't bring too many features to the table, I'd probably stay on iOS 5.0.1 until an untethered version is released and upgrading at that time.

And I can't say this enough times: if you have an iPhone 4S or iPad 2, this does NOT apply to you.

You've been warned. If you're still convinced you need your iOS 5.1 jailbreak now, you can pick up redsn0w 0.9.10b6 via our download links below. It's available for both Mac and Windows users.

Source: iPhone Dev-Team

Additional resources:

• Download redsn0w 0.9.10b6
• iMore jailbreak help and discussion forums

Georgia recently wrote an editorial about the frustration she's experienced using Cydia, the jailbreak app store. I'm a long time advocate of jailbreak and the benefits it brings with it. While Cydia may not be perfect, and it definitely isn't the same experience as using Apple's App Store, there are reasons for why it works the way it does, and some huge advantages that come along with it.

When you use an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, you expect your experience to be seamless and intuitive. Apple has long been known for creating devices that are extremely accessible to just about anyone, and work incredibly well with other Apple devices. It's like training wheels or rails. As long as you stay on the track, everything goes exactly as it's supposed to. When you decide to jailbreak, however, you're deciding to go off that Apple approved track, and you have to realize your experience is going to change.

You're not sacrificing much. Your iPhone will still make calls, your iPad will still be able to visit websites, and you can still buy anything you want from the official iTunes App Store, the same as always.

But you're gaining a lot. You can tweak your device so it behaves the way you want it to, including providing quick access to settings and in-app SMS replies, and you can theme it so it looks the way you like, including icons and user interface elements.

A stock iPhone or iPad user is typically after the convenience and ease of use Apple provides. A jailbroken iOS user is typically willing to part with some of that convenience and ease of use in exchange for the additional functionality and control.

Cydia is not the App Store

One of the biggest frustrations new jailbreakers have to overcome is Cydia, the jailbreak app store. If you've decide you want more control over your iPhone or iPad, and the ability to install applications and utilities that are not given the Apple stamp of approval, there's a price to be paid. You're classifying yourself as an expert and a power user, and you have to take on the responsibility that comes with it. You've entered a different level and you'll have to check some of your carefully curated expectations at the door.

While Cydia does play host to almost all available jailbreak apps, just as the App Store does for official applications, the similarities pretty much stop there.

The App Store is a simple "search, tap, enter password, and you're done" experience. Cydia is not.

Load some vs. load all

First, Cydia takes a lot longer to load and update. There's a reason for that. Cydia doesn't handle data in the same way the App Store does. The App Store, for example, has chosen to only present you with 25 applications at a time. That saves time up front but if you'd like to view more, you'll need to tell it by tapping to "View more" button and waiting again. And again, each time.

Cydia actually loads all packages at launch and you can page through every single one of them after the data is done loading.

The App Store also only loads data from one source -- iTunes. Cydia typically loads data from several different repositories. With the App Store, you're limited to that iTunes data source. With Cydia, you can add additional repositories if you wish.

Manually entering and managing repositories is a more complicated process than the App Store's iTunes-only approach, but it means you have access to a wider range of software, including betas. Downloading beta software isn't something the iTunes App Store supports at all.

It means you have access to cutting edge, even bleeding edge technology. If you're willing to do the work, you'll find ways to get iPad-like gestures (and more) on your iPhone, custom widgets and settings toggles in Notification Center, and other enhancements that may not come to Apple's official iOS for months, if ever. (Apple does seem to take inspiration from jailbreak now and then.)

Cydia has long been the breeding ground for amazing apps and utilities. If I have to wait a few more minutes for packages to load or deal with an occasional error or instability, that's a choice I've made and I'm okay with that trade-off.

Fragmentation vs. functionality

The iTunes App Store handles compatibility in a fairly straight forward manner. If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch isn't able to run the version of iOS an app requires, you can't install that app. Developers list their requirements and if your device can't meet them, you can't have the app.

There's still a lot of crap in the App Store, some buggy apps slip through (including major apps from major developers like Google and Facebook!), and older devices can glitch or crash more on the most cutting edge, most demanding games, but for the most part you don't have to worry about whether or not an app will run on your device.

Cydia does things a bit differently. While some Cydia packages won't allow you to purchase them if they're not 100% compatible, others do not have this safeguard. There are many repositories you can add to Cydia that aren't curated for compatibility at all.

Generally, the ability to download what you want to download when you want to download it is considered a huge benefit of jailbreak. But with great power comes great responsibility, right? In other words, you have to do your homework. You have to check and make sure what you download is compatible with your device and your version of iOS.

(Incompatible or conflicting apps are often the reason for jailbreak headaches, especially for new users.)

Read release notes and app descriptions, and ask in our Jailbreak Apps Forum and your Cydia experience will be a much more enjoyable one.

Payments and process

Even before Apple introduced the App Store, iTunes was one of the biggest online payment systems in the world. Now they can handle credit cards and other forms of transactions in more parts of the world than just about anyone. Because they completely control iTunes and the App Store, they can also make using their payment system incredibly streamlined and simple. You tap a button, you type in a password, and you're done. One login to rule them all.

Cydia doesn't have that luxury. Cydia is dependent on third-party payment systems, namely Amazon and Paypal.

Apple also has a massive cloud infrastructure so your iTunes account can be tied to all the apps you've ever purchased and those apps can be easily restored to any device you own, new or old.

Again, Cydia doesn't have that type of account authentication system, so they've tied into Google and Facebook.

Apple's way is simple, but it's also without choice or option. You use iTunes or you use nothing. With Cydia you can choose to use Facebook or Google for account authentication, and you can choose to use Amazon or Paypal for payment.

Because the App Store is entirely controlled by Apple, they can store your credit card information and credentials and provide that really simple one tap, one password purchasing experience.

Because Cydia doesn't control Facebook, Google, Amazon, or Paypal, it can't store your credit card information and credentials, and so you do have to enter them more places, and more often, than you do with iTunes.

Again, it's the price of operating outside the Apple approved process, and again, the complexity has drawbacks but it also comes with some benefits.

Conclusion

No system is perfect. Not Apple's iTunes App Store and not Cydia, the jailbreak app store. I'm willing to overlook a lot of Cydia's flaws because I benefit from the apps and utilities it delivers. Without Cydia, many developers would have no way to distribute their apps, and to earn enough money to keep developing them.

While I think what Cydia brings to the table greatly outweighs its problem areas, I do think there's room for improvement. My biggest peeve is actually the organizational method Cydia uses. While discoverability on the App Store is a long standing problem, it's not always easy to find something on Cydia either unless you know what you're looking for or have a lot of time to browse through cluttered sections.

Making it easier to find really great apps and utilities is something that would make the initial Cydia experience better and a lot less overwhelming for new users.

If you're a Cydia user, new or long time, what are your thoughts on its usability? What would you most like to see changed or improved?

Additional resources:

• How to use Cydia, the jailbreak app store
• Jailbreak starters guide
• iMore jailbreak forums

iTweak looks to be a lightweight, web-based jailbreak app store set to compete with Cydia and, from what we understand, will allow you to install applications from the web app directly onto your jailbroken device.

Developed by @roktheworld27 and @mtamermahoney, the description reads as follows:

Welcome to iTweak! iTweak is one of the best places to get all of your Tweaks, Themes, Utilities and more on your jailbroken iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad! We serve as an alternative to Cydia, and the Apple App Store. For more information on multiple different topics, such as security information, our Mac and PC clients, or how to use iTweak, please tap 'More Information' below.

It looks as if users will have logins just as they do through Cydia. We don't know what type of payments will be supported or how that will be handled as of yet.

There were jailbreak app store before Cydia, and competitors that have sprung up in the past. They either seem to fade away or get acquired. We've also seen rumors of other web based jailbreak app stores in the recent past that haven't come to fruition just yet.

We've got our own issues with Cydia and some good competition may be a great thing for the jailbreak community. The developers of iTweak plan on a launch within a month or so's time, and we'll update you as soon as we hear more.

In the meantime check out the screenshots below, and let us know -- are you interested in a Cydia alternative? And if so, is a web based app store like iTweak a plus or a minus in your book?

More: iTweak Store, @itweakstore, @roktheworld27 and @mtamermahoney, via @applecpugeek

• XBox 360 Kinect giveaway - closing soon!
• Review: Appetites, by Clear-Media (universal binary)
• Review: World of Goo HD, by 2D Boy (universal binary)
• Parental control for safari web surfing
• Water damage on iPhone 4S
• Theme: Black Status Icons

If you're not already a member of the iMore Forums, register now!

Apple has always been known to heavily curate their App Store, like Walmart, while the jailbroken alternative, Cydia, has always been looked at as more open, like a market. It turns out, however, official App Store apps may leak your data far more than their unapproved, jailbreak counterparts.

An on-going study by the International Security Systems Lab and the University of California at Santa Barbara reveals some startling information about apps that leak your private data to their developers. The most surprising part of this survey for many may be the fact that jailbroken apps actually leak your personal data far less often than their Apple-approved counterparts.

Using a tool named PiOS, USCB took a sample of 825 free apps from the official App Store and 526 free apps from the Cydia repository, Big Boss, the largest and most popular of all the repositories available. What they discovered may make people rethink their bad connotation about jailbreaking.

Data from UCSB showing app data leaked from official and jailbreak apps

• 21% of official App Store apps leaked some kind of personal data to their developers
• Only 4% of jailbroken apps sent personal data to developers

The most common form of data leaked was the user's device UDID. This is not something I'd say users should be specifically concerned with. Your UDID number identifies your individual device. It's most likely what Apple uses to build user profiles and gauge your interests in order to offer you more relevant iAd information or App Store recommendations.

Further, official apps leaked location and address book information more often. One official app also revealed your actual phone number to the developer. No jailbreak apps gave developers access to your phone number and only one gave access to your address book and location data.

In the past jailbreak developers have developed patches for security exploits before Apple addressed the issue. Cydia also plays host to several apps that actually provide jailbreakers more control and protection over their private data than what iOS offers stock.

Jailbreak apps such as PrivaCY, developed by Cydia creator Jay Freeman, actually gives user a toggle that will block apps from uploading private data and usage statistics to remote servers. After it was discovered that Path was transmitting user's address books, Ryan Petrich created a jailbreak apps called ContactPrivacy which warns users when an app is trying to access data.

Jay Freeman thinks jailbreakers are concerned with their data and privacy even more so than stock users (that's probably true) -

“If you care about this kind of thing, you should jailbreak your phone,"

"Instead of Apple making decisions about what’s good and bad, you decide. People think jailbreaking is about deciding that things Apple doesn’t like are good. But it also allows you to decide that things Apple likes are bad. We provide you the tools to block the functionality you don’t believe apps should have on your phone.”

The difference may simply lie in the user base. Anyone who decides to jailbreak is pretty much classifying themselves as a power user. These users don't want Apple to make decisions for them. Beyond that, they greatly care about their data and security.

Over 10 million users are currently running jailbroken iOS devices. They have more options when it comes to protecting their privacy and user data than the millions of devices that aren't jailbroken. Many users have a negative connotation when it comes to jailbreak. Yes a jailbreak uses an exploit in the device to inject code that Apple doesn't let you run by default. But keep in mind these security holes are already present, stock or not.

What you decide to download from unofficial sources like Cydia after jailbreaking lies strictly with you. Could jailbreak leave your device open to malware attacks? Sure. But only if you're downloading packages that contain malware. Reading release notes and making sure you know what you're downloading eliminates 99% of these problems.

And again, most users that seek jailbreak are a bit more technologically inclined. They know what they're downloading and what they should stay away from.

Whether you are #TeamJailbreak or #TeamPure, does it surprise you that official apps leak more data than their unauthorized counterparts? Has any of it made you rethink any negative opinions you have about jailbreaking?

Source: Forbes via UCSB

Jailbreak apps and tweaks have to updated just like apps you buy from the official App Store. While the process is a bit different, Cydia, the jailbreak app store, makes it pretty simple.

Much like the App Store, Cydia will let you know when you've got updates available for any apps installed on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. If you see a little red badge on your Cydia icon, it probably means you've got updates waiting to install.

To install jailbreak app updates:

1. Launch Cydia
2. Tap on the Changes tab.

3. Look for Available Upgrades to see what's pending.
4. Tap on the Upgrade button at the top right to begin.
5. Restart your springboard, if needed, or return to Cydia

All of your apps and utilities should now be up to date and ready to go.

Note: If developers provide them, always check out the change logs before doing an update. There have been certain situations where an update may only be recommended for a certain device or firmware version. It doesn't happen often but it's always a good practice to read any release notes that come with any update a jailbreak utility may have.

That's it! You've updated your jailbreak content to the most current versions and you're good to go! If you run into any issues or have any questions, be sure to check out our other jailbreak resources below.

Additional jailbreak resources:

• Jailbreak news, how to's, and guides
• Genreal jailbreak help and discussion forums

Cydia is the jailbreak app store -- the place to get all the great, useful, functional programs that for various reasons Apple doesn't allow in the official iTunes App Store, like in-app SMS, themes that change the look of your entire phone, quick toggles for Wi-Fi or Bluetooth settings, and much, much more. But whether you're new to the iPhone or to jailbreak, or have been hacking your gear since day one, you know Cydia can be as much pain as pleasure. You can find the most amazing utilities, themes, tweaks, and apps there - but buying them can sometimes cause way more frustration than fun.

Now, I fully realize that by jailbreaking my iPhone 4S I've classified myself as a power user who's chosen to jump through hoops go the extra mile to get some of my apps outside of Apple's official app store. But while waiting for the iPhone 4S jailbreak, and living with a stock iPhone for a week, I was reminded of the sheer difference in user experience between the App Store and Cydia. I went over this already on the first episode of our Apps & Accessories Live podcast, but here's the gist.

Buying an app on the App Store

Buying from the App Store is as simple as tapping the price, typing your password, and tapping OK.

1. See an app you want
2. Tap the price tag
3. Enter your iTunes password
4. Get the app

That's it. Sure, tapping the price tag isn't always intuitive for new users (a big BUY or DOWNLOAD button would be easier). Sure, you had to set up the iTunes account and decide to trust Apple with your credit card information. But once that's done, aside from having to verify you credit code if you use a new device, you're good to go. If you have multiple devices, like an iPad and iPod touch, or you upgrade to a new device, you just re-download the app. It couldn't be easier. It makes buying a snap, especially impulse buying.

Buying an app on Cydia

With Cydia you have to login to your account via Google or Facebok (even if you don't like either service)

And login separately to pay via Amazon or Paypal, which sometimes has errors and sends you back to the beginning

1. See an app you want
2. Tap to buy
3. Choose to login with a Google or Facebook account
4. Login with your email and password
5. Choose to pay with Amazon or Paypal
6. Login with your Amazon or Paypal account
7. Hope the app recognizes the payment, if not, try to restore the license
8. Sometimes re-spring the Springboard (iOS Home screen system)

On the surface it may seem only twice or three times as complex, but what the simple list could easily be expanded with:

1. Trying to figure out what to do if, like me, you've consciously decided not to have a Google or Facebook account due to privacy concerns. (I ultimately made a Google account just for Cydia and for Google's strong-arm Google+ authorship drive.)
2. Sometimes being thrown back to the very beginning of the buying process, over and over again, when something goes wrong with the payment process (why can't it just send me back to the payment screen?)
3. Sometimes having a huge struggle getting the app to realize you've paid for a license
4. The problems often associated with changing devices, like when you get a new iPhone, and trying to use a previous license.

Now you can choose to pre-authorize a certain amount via Amazon, if that's your preferred checkout option, but that really only delays the inevitable.

And still that doesn't cover the apps that choose not to be part of the Cydia system.

I recently tried to buy IntelliScreenX to check out it's iOS 5 integration. The process was so labored, so error-prone, I ultimately gave up and waited and calmed down for several days before going back to try again. (And sent Rene a string of incredibly angry text messages in between fully laying out my frustration at the process.)

Not only does it absolutely discourage me from impulse buys (good for me, bad for developers), it discourages me from any buys (bad for everyone).

Again, I understand that by jailbreaking and buying jailbreak apps, I'm stepping outside the Apple eco-system and the ease of use it provides. I also understand the Herculean task Saurik, the creator of Cydia, tackles every day in making and improving the Cydia app store.

Maintaining a user account system isn't easy. Having a checkout system isn't easy. Getting developers the money they deserve and protecting apps from unlicensed use isn't easy.

But the current process is still too hard and often too frustrating.

Time for Cydia to strike back

Figuring out a way to store the user-account on-device would be a good step. If Google or Facebook force a timeout, investigating a Cydia account system proper would be a great alternative. Storing the associated payment system username would further reduce the friction (not the password, of course). And if a problem occurs, returning the user to the previous screen, not the very beginning of the process, would be a huge improvement.

I love my jailbreak. I lasted 6 days with a stock iPhone 4S before I jailbroke. I love the ability to customize my phone -- to make my device work the way I want it to work. I love Cydia and all the great apps it gives jailbreak users access to.

I'm offering these criticisms and sharing these experiences because I love it so much, and really hope it gets even better. We've been hearing whispers about improvements coming to Cydia for a while now, so hopefully those will be released and address a lot of what's mentioned above.

iOS 5 stole a lot of ideas from jailbreak. It's jailbreak's turn to strike back!

• New to iPhone, question about Photos
• Aluminum Back: Photo Quality?
• Mobile Nations Fitness month: Week 2 (iPod nano + iPad 3 giveaway!)
• Will Apple Loosen Up now?
• Scared to Jailbreak

If you're not already a member of the iMore Forums, register now!

Get custom signatures, notifications, and highlights for iPhone Mail with Mail Enhancer for jailbreak

Mail Enhancer adds a great deal of extra functionality to your jailbroken iPhone, including the ability to set custom signatures for different accounts, tailored notifications, advanced mail sorting options, and account highlighting. If the stock version of iOS simply doesn't meet your needs, and you're looking for more and better functionality, give Mail Enhancer a try.

iOS lacks the ability to have more than one e-mail signature. (That's why we all see "Sent from my iPhone" so often.) If you have a different account for home and office, for example, you're forced to include the contact information for both and delete the inappropriate one each time, or neither, and enter it in manually on a case by case basis. If you remember. Mail Enhancer allows you to add as many mail signatures as you'd like. Not only can you set them per account, but you can take it one step further and also have separate signatures for composing, replying, and forwarding.

Set quiet hours and account priority

Mail Enhancer also has advanced notification controls built-in. You can set mail accounts as high priority and low priority and adjust notifications accordingly. For example, you can set up high priority email to use popup notifications but have them turned off for low priority email.

Set different colors for mail accounts with message highlighting

If you're the type of person that likes to view all of your e-mails in one thread, Mail Enhancer makes it easy to set highlight colors for each account. That way, even when you're viewing the unified inbox, you can still easily identify which account each email was sent to, without having to tap into each one individually. You can also add a bar to the top of your Mail app that allows you to easily toggle between all your messages and just unread messages.

Mail Enhancer is already available in Cydia, the jailbreak app store.

$4.99 - Cydia Search Link

Additional jailbreak resources:

• Jailbreak news, guides, and how to's
• Jailbreak apps, hacks, and tweaks forum
• General jailbreak discussion forums

The fine folks from Firecore have been hard at work on their aTV Flash (black) package for jailbroken AppleTVs and have just released a new update that allows all-new firmware backup options, new localizations for our international readers, and playback enhancements.

The Apple TV is an incredibly inexpensive way to easily get all your iTunes music and videos onto your big screen HDTV, along with special channels like Netfix, but you only get support for Apple's own file formats, and for channel partners they select. Jailbreaking and using aTV Flash (black) opens up entirely new worlds beyond Apple.

If you're looking for the full change log, you'll find it past the break. If you really don't need the full details and just want to get yourself updated, version 1.3 is available now from the Firecore website

Need help jailbreaking your Apple TV 2? If so, be sure to check out our full how-to guide today!

Source - Firecore

Full Changelog

• Added automated firmware signature backups
• Added Danish, Dutch, French, Greek, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Spanish translations
• Added support for advanced (learned) remote commands
• Added support for multiple external subtitles (movie.en.srt, movie.de.srt, etc...)
• Added support for folder based organization/playback
• Added support for embedded DVD chapters
• Added chapters section heading to Playback Menu
• Added global zoom setting
• Improved playback performance for movies with invalid timestamps
• Improved appearance of VobSub subtitles
• Improved metadata fetching for localized file names
• Improved audio track filtering
• Improved playback bar to match native player
• Improved metadata and bulk folder fetching stability
• Improved Media > Settings menu layout
• Resolved issues with folder name changing on metadata fetching
• Resolved issues with buffering
• Resolved rare DVD related crash
• Resolved floating AFP issue that was causing connection issues
• Resolved floating buffer overflow in software decoder
• Minor changes to Grid View appearance
• Minor UI improvements
• Other miscellaneous bug fixes

Activator allows you to launch apps or utilities on your jailbroken iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with a quick swipe, tap, or button press. Swipe up from the bottom of your screen to quick compose a text, double tap the status bar to bring up SBSettings, or shake your device to take a screenshot. Setting up an Activator gesture takes just a few seconds and the possibilities are endless.

Install Activator

Activator can be found in your Settings app. If you're jailbroken, chances are you already have Activator installed whether you know it or not. Many utilities and applications in Cydia, the jailbreak app store, support it, and will install it as a pre-requisite to using the app. SBSettings, which lets you quickly toggle Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Airplane mode, among other things, is an example.

If you don't see an Activator your Settings app, you can install it for free via Cydia.

1. Launch Cydia and tap on the **Search** tab.
2. Type in **Activator**
3. Tap on **Activator**
4. Tap the **Install** button in the upper right hand corner.

Your device will require you to re-spring (restart the Springboard, or Home screen app) after installation. Then you're good to go.

How to configure a gesture in Activator

1. Launch the **Settings** app.
2. Tap **Activator**.
3. Choose how you want to trigger an actions.
4. Choose what you want the action to do.
5. One the supported apps show up, choose the one you want.

We typically recommend you allow Activator gestures to work from anywhere. However, you may not want this if you're setting a gesture that slides in from the bottom or top of the screen as it can conflict with the controls of some games. There's nothing like trying to slice in Fruit Ninja only to suddenly find yourself in a different app!

There are plenty of action options to choose from. For example, you can set up double tap on the status bar to bring up quick reply for Messages+.

Once you're done, you'll be able to perform any gesture you've specified, or call up any supported app or command on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Under iOS 5 you can even set up Twitter gestures and other system gestures like activating Siri.

If you have any favorite or especially cool Activator gestures set ups you'd like to share, let us know in the iMore apps, hacks, and themes forum.

Additional jailbreak resources:

• Jailbreak news, guides, and how to's
• General jailbreak help and discussion forums

Georgia, Seth, and Rene talk about copy-cat apps, iMovie vs. Avid, Launch Center, Jailbreak apps for iOS 5, as well as cases with stands, iPhone guns, and glowing Apple logo mods. This is Apps & Accessories Live!

• Subscription information coming soon! Right now you can enjoy Apps & Accessories Live in the iPhone & iPad Live fees!

Meta

• February is fitness month at iMore and Mobile Nations! [iPad 3 giveaway!]
• Don't forget we give away a ton of stuff!

App News

• Apple removes copy-cat apps from the App Store, doesn’t address larger issues
• iMovie vs Avid Studio: iPad video editing app shootout
• Readdle Remarks brings note-taking and PDF annotating in one to iPad
• Book Palette for Mac offers 10 beautiful templates for iBooks Author
• iMore app picks of the week for February 4, 2012 [Giveaway]

Jailbreak Apps

• BiteSMS vs Messages+ for iOS 5: which should you use?
• LockInfo vs IntelliscreenX for iOS 5 jailbreak: which should you use?
• Hands-on with Zephyr for the iPhone and iPod Touch [Jailbreak Apps]

Launch Center

• Launch Center puts Messages, Facebook, Twitter, a flashlight, more in your iPhone Notification Center

Accessory News

• Xappr Gun turns your iPhone into an FPS dream machine!

• Ten One Design announces Pogo Sketch Plus capacitive stylus for iPhone and iPad
• Hands on with the Jot Touch, a pressure sensitive stylus by Adonit

• Incipio SILICRYLIC case with kickstand for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 vs. Case-Mate Pop! Case with Stand for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4

iPhone Mods

• iFixit Thirsty Bag for iPhone, iPad review
• iFixit iPhone transparent rear panel mod kit review
• Hands on with the glowing Apple logo mod for iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S

Hosts

• Georgia (@GeorgiaTiPb)
• Seth Clifford (@sethclifford)
• Rene Ritchie (@reneritchie)

Credits

You can reach all of us on Twitter [@iMore](http://twitter.com/imore), or you can email us at , or leave a comment on the website when the show goes live.

We're here every Sunday night at 6pm Pacific, 9pm Eastern, 2am GMT, and our companion show -- iPhone and iPad Live! -- is at the same time, on the same channel, on Wednesday nights -- www.iMore.com/live

For all our podcasts -- audio and video -- including iPhone and iPad Live, ZENandTECH and Superfunctional, Iterate and Girls Gone Gadget and more... see MobileNations.com/shows

If you haven't already please subscribe to all our shows in iTunes and leave a rating. It helps people find the show and means a lot to us!

Thanks to the iMore Accessory Store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!

AssistantExtensions is a jailbreak app for iPhone 4S that greatly enhances what you can do with Apple's Siri virtual assistant, including voice activation, app launching, translation, and more. Developers can even add their own, custom commands via a new plug-in architecture. That means, unlike the limited built-in functionality Apple provides, many more powerful, and interesting, commands become available.

AssistantExtensions bundles a number of commands together, including the ability to send tweets from Siri, and an interesting "chat mode" where Siri loads additional content so she/he can better have a conversation with you (though the server load must be heavy as it frequently experiences time outs).

For even more functionality, AssistantExtensions lets developers create custom commands and tasks using Siri. You can already use AssistantExtensions to access SBSettings to quickly toggle Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplane mode, etc. Hopefully more and more jailbreak developers start integrating support.

Out of the box, you can use Siri to activate SBSettings toggles or launch apps without even touching your iPhone -- a great way to increase efficiency when using Siri. The only issues we've noticed with AssistantExtensions are random conflicts with SiriToggles, although other users have seen mixed reports.

• Free - Cydia Link

If you're looking for even more jailbreak utilities, here are the best jailbreak applications for iOS 5.

If you're looking to get started with jailbreak, here are your go-to resources.

• How to jailbreak guides
• Jailbreak apps, hacks, and themes
• General jailbreak and unlock help forums

With the launch of the Mobile Nations Fitness Month odds are you were probably out and about being active and doing things that, unfortunately, led to you missing some great news. Fear not, we know things get in the way, and news can be easy to miss so, let's check out some of the highlights from the week gone by.

iPhone news

• Is Apple testing Oracle’s ZFS file system to make iOS and iCloud storage better, faster, and more resilient?
• Former Apple manager tells how the original iPhone was developed, why it went with Gorilla Glass
• iPhone 4S demand finally satisfied, all models now in stock for next day delivery
• iPhone 5 to launch at WWDC in June, claims analyst

iPad news

• Could Apple release a separate 4G LTE iPad 3 and Phone 5 in select markets?
• Supposed debug leak shows iPad 3 with quad-core A6 chip and LTE
• More rumors of iPad 3 coming in March, but no “strange” event in February

App news

• Manage your Sprint account on your iPhone with Sprint Mobile Zone
• Angry Birds boss doesn’t see app piracy as a problem
• Pad & Quill brings stylish notes to your iPhone and iPad
• iMovie vs Avid Studio: iPad video editing app shootout

Jailbreak news

• How to tell if your iPhone 3GS has an older or newer bootrom [jailbreak tip]
• Add customization options to ‘slide to unlock’ text with Slider Pro [Jailbreak]
• BiteSMS vs Messages+ for iOS 5: which should you use?
• Add launch preferences to Phone.app with StartDial for iPhone [jailbreak]
• Hands-on with Zephyr for the iPhone and iPod Touch [Jailbreak Apps]

Accessory news

• Hands on with the Crimson cases, sticker skins, and edgings for iPhone
• Case-Mate POP! Case with Stand for iPad 2 review [Giveaway]
• Incipio Hive Honeycomb dermaSHOT Silicone Case for iPad 2 review [Giveaway]
• Griffin Crayola Trace & Draw for iPad 2 review [Giveaway]
• OverBoard waterproof case for iPad review [Giveaway]

Every week a few of us from team iMore will bring you our current favorite, most fun and useful App Store apps, WebApps, jailbreak apps, even the occasional accessory, web site, or desktop app if the mood strikes us. As long as they’re iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch related, they’re fair game.

To see what we picked, and to tell us your pick, follow on after the break!

The White House -- @andrewwray

Looking for a great way to keep tabs on the Obama administration? The White House for iPhone is your best pick, giving you access to news, photos and video of what's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

Not only will you have direct access to their blog, which is more of a news source than anything else, but you'll also be able to browse through archived photos, video and more. I was able to watch the State of the Union address in its entirety earlier this week without strapping myself down to a desk or television. Instead, I just whipped out my iPhone and within a few minutes I was watching the livestream -- no questions asked.

Next to the plethora of content, media and information about The White House at your fingertips, you can also setup push notifications to be notified of any major news stories going on in the political realm. Overall, it's a great resource and the livestream feature is a lifesaver.

• Free -- App Store Link

Zite Personalized Magazine - @sethclifford

Flipboard is the app that everyone likes talking about, but there's actually a few new apps that are doing stylish news aggregation pretty well. One that I've really been enjoying lately is Zite, which takes a similar approach to Flipboard, but allows you to customize your reading experience over time by voting stories up or down and then learning what it is you prefer to read and giving you more tailored content.

The setup for the app is pretty simple, and I really like the clean UI. There's really not much to get in the way and the content really takes center stage. I feel like it's easier to browse than Flipboard, and while the Flipboard UI conventions are cool, don't get me wrong - after a while, I feel like I'm really working to see new content, and I don't feel like I can scan as quickly on my phone (which is a prime criteria for consuming news on the go). Zite feels like it allows me to do that more easily.

The customization aspects are cool too - you basically give stories a thumbs-up or thumbs-down, and Zite will remember what it is you liked and in the future return more content like it. There's a lot of detail here as to how this is all accomplished, and since I've only been using it a short time, I can't speak to its accuracy yet. Also, the type of feeds I'm looking at (tech stuff) usually have a bit of overlap, so it's hard for me to tell right now. I'm less concerned with teaching the app though, and more concerned with the quickness of information and scanning, and it definitely succeeds there. But the app's main draw is the personalization of content, so don't let my particular use-case dissuade you from trying it out. It's free and a really nice way to get your news.

Zite Personalized Magazine - Free - iTunes link

Messages+ - @iMuggle

I can not explain how happy I am to have a jailbreak on my iPhone 4S. Along with a new jailbreak comes tons of updated utilities and applications for iOS 5. I've been using IntelliscreenX and with it comes Messages+. I've been a long time fan of BiteSMS but I'm really loving the tight integration Messages+ has with iOS. There's no separate application or icon, it just works. There's really nothing to configure. Just set up a quick reply action via Activator and you're good to go.

You can view images and files right from the quick reply window and then dismiss them. The UI blends perfectly with the default UI of iOS so it looks like something Apple themselves would have made. If you're jailbroken and haven't checked out Messages+ yet, I'd give it a try! If you already have IntelliscreenX, you already have a license for it and it comes built-in. If you don't, you can buy Messages+ separately.

$7.99 - Cydia Search Link

Going back to a #TeamPure iPhone – @chrisoldroyd

This week I decided to give the new Absinthe Jailbreak a go on my iPhone 4S. I have always tinkered around with jailbroken devovces and do love apps like BiteSMS and SBSettings. This time the experience has been awful for me.

Installing the jailbreak was simple enough, I had to wait a bit longer as I am a Windows user. Anyway, to cut a long story short, my phone is all jailbroken in minutes and I installed BiteSMS and SBSettings and nothing more. A few days later and I try and listen to my music in the car and things start to go terribly wrong. Album artwork shows the wrong song playing and most songs start to play then stop or don't play at all.

I turned iTunes Match on and off, and even synced again with iTunes, transferring all my music back on manually, still the same issue. Only option I had was to go back to a stock install and lose my jailbreak. That is where I am at now and guess what? Yep my music is now perfect again!

Squrl - @Bla1ze

I don't watch a lot of TV and the shows I do want to watch are usually found on iTunes or Netflix but there isn't a lot of good stuff out there these days any how in my opinion. For filling that void, I often scour the web looking for good online content to watch when I have some spare time but keeping track of that stuff has proven to be a difficult task over time. For Christmas I got an AppleTV and found Squrl. Squrl basically aggregates a lot of popular online video sites and various other content providers and provides a beautiful UI that allows for tracking videos, saving them for later viewing. Couple that with an AppleTV and you can amass plenty of content to watch in place of television shows. Social network integration as well as netflix, it has become a key resource of entertainment for me and it's available for free in the iTunes App Store.

• Free - App Store link

Rdio - @jdipane

Music is a huge part of my life, and the ability to have almost any song at my fingertips without eating up all the space on my iPhone is a huge plus for me. Rdio is a subscription based service similar to Spotify, but I find that more songs that I enjoy to listen to are available through Rdio. Whether I want to select a certain song, album or just listen to a particular artists stations I can do so with a few simple clicks from within the application. I have various playlist's set up, one for work out, one to relax, and I can add and remove songs with ease. Rdio also ties in with my home Sonos system which is great as I can listen to the music through my headphones, the speaker of the device or through the Sonos to keep me motivated. The application is free, but the service is paid, hit the link below to start your free 7 day trial!

• Free - App Store link

Puzzle Juice - @JorjLim

Tetris? Boggle? If you can't decide which game to play, then Puzzle Juice is a sure winner.

The game starts as a standard game of Tetris; coloured blocks fall from the top of the screen, and you have to form a line at the bottom to score points.

However, unlike traditional Tetris, once you've completed a line, it won't disappear. Instead, every block will turn into a letter and you’ll have to form words to score even more points. Here’s the fun part; while you’re looking for words, the next Tetris block has started falling. If you need more letters to form a word, tap on 3 same-colour blocks that are adjacent to one another to reveal more letters. There is also an optional Zen Mode, which challenges you to score as many points as you can in 90 seconds.

The game itself is well designed and even the menu screens have a pinch of character. You won’t see a “Ok”, or “Start” button throughout the game, instead you’ll see phrases like “Sounds Peachy” and “Totally Got It”, just to add that extra flare to the game.

The game is a mind-game, a fun-game and a challenging game all wrapped into one neat parcel, and will keep you busy for hours!

• $0.99 - App Store link

Doodlecast Pro

My day job is teaching two Intermediate Algebra courses at my local community college and this semester I'm experimenting with making videos for my students on new or difficult topics. Doodlecast Pro for iPad has turned out to be the best app to help me accomplish this. It records both my voice and handwriting and allows me to export and upload my videos directly to YouTube. If I made some mistakes along the way that I want to edit out, I can export to my Camera Roll instead and edit in another application like Avid Studio or iMovie. My only complaint is that the handwriting strokes are not really that great. I would love to see Doodlecast match the quality of handwriting to apps like Penultimate and Noteshelf.

• $3.99 - App Store link

LabTimer - Joe (Reader's Choice winner - Comment #22)

My favorite right now is Lab Timer. It’s a free universal app that gives you 16 timers. They’ll count up or down and will sound an alarm. It’s handy for work so I can have a break timer, a lunch timer and can time how long a process is taking all from the same app. It’s especially handy for the iPad since there is no built-in clock app.

• Free - App Store link

Tell us your pick, enter to win a $10 iTunes gift certificate!

Those were our picks, iMore Nation, so now it's your turn! Tell us your pick of the week below. Give us the name of your favorite app, site, or accessory, and tell us why it made your life more productive, more informed, more entertaining, or just plain more fun. We'll pick one of you and send you a shiny $10 iTunes gift certificate so you can start stocking up for future picks! Contest starts now and ends next Friday, January 13 at 12pm PT.

So what are you waiting for? Jump into the comments and let us know your pick of the week!

We've blown through a ton of content this week so if you happened to miss out on anything, make sure you jump back a page or six and get yourself caught up. If you're looking to talk more, head on into the iMore forums and hang out! You can register now to get started today and while you're at it, check out some of the threads below:

• iPhone 4S delay when answering calls?
• Anywhere to get good iPhone 4 replacement parts?
• What web browser do you use?
• Why aren't Game Center games synced between devices?
• Jailbreak terms A-Z
• February fitness month has begun, anyone want to win an iPad 3?

If you're not already a member of the iMore Forums, register now!

We have only 6 days left to help keep the jailbreaking exemption to the U.S. DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) alive and well, and we need everyone's help to do it. The jailbreaking exemption was granted by the Library of Congress in 2010 but not codified into the law, meaning it's set to expire now, unless the copyright office extends it.

If the jailbreak exemption is not extended, then modifying your iPhone or iPad could be considered a violation of the DMCA, and companies could theoretically sue or press charges against jailbreakers. We think the right to modify our phones for personal use, provided we take personal responsibility for the risks involved, is an important one and deserves protection. The EFF (Electronic Frontier Fund) thinks the same, which is why they're fighting to get the exemption renewed, and are also pushing for tablets and game consoles in general to be included as well. iFixit.org recently spoke to the EFF about where things stand now:

iFixit: Has the Copyright Office made any comments on jailbreaking since the 2010 smartphone exemption? How likely do you think it is that they’ll renew that exemption? Why have exemptions for smartphones but not game consoles and tablets?

EFF: The CO hasn’t made any public comments that we are aware of. We are very hopeful that the smartphone exemption will be renewed, and we think extending it to game consoles and tablets is the logical next step.

bunnie: My understanding is that the CO is fairly conservative about granting such exemptions, so tightly scoping the exemption request increases the chances that the result has real impact. A broad request to exempt large swathes of technology from the DMCA would likely be denied; and such a denial would waste the infrequent window of opportunity to have such requests examined. Therefore, an incremental approach is being taken, allowing the CO to try small changes and become comfortable with them. Note that the request to the CO splits smartphone/tablets and game consoles into separate categories, so that the CO can have the flexibility to reject or accept individual categories.

The interview goes on to discuss the impact the DMCA has had on modifying gaming consoles and the rest of the jailbreak and homebrew communities. Sony, for example, infamously sued well-known iPhone jailbreaker George Hotz, aka Geohot when he jailbroke the Sony Playstation 3.

You can hit the link below to read the whole interview. We also urge you to sign bunnie's petition and leave your own comments if you'd like to see the exception renewed. He plans to take all the signatures and comments to the Copyright office on February 10th at 5pm.

Remember, there are only 6 days left. Whether you jailbreak or not, if the legal right to jailbreak your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad is important to you, act now.

Source: ifixit.org; Petition: jailbreakingisnotacrime.org

If you're a jailbreaker looking to add a little more speed and functionality to multitasking on your iPhone or iPod touch, you'll want to check out Zephyr. We have talked about Zephyr before but we'll give you a close up look at what it does and the additional functionality it provides. There isn't much to configure after you install Zephyr which makes it easy to use and it's fully compatible with iOS 5.

The main purpose of Zephyr is to add additional multitasking gestures to your device. It adds the ability to swipe left and right on your springboard in order to page through apps. Swiping up will allow you to close out of an app as well. This is perfect for users who may have a broken home button on their iPhone 4, are out of warranty, and don't want to attempt a DIY home button repair themselves.

You can always choose which swipe motions you want to have enabled. Ones you don't want enabled you can simply toggle off in Settings. In addition to enabling or disabling gestures you can also add application restrictions. This is ideal for situations where the keyboard is active and you may not want a swipe gesture to switch apps or close out the application. This is also a good option for games that require you to swipe so Zephyr doesn't attempt to switch between applications or close it out. If you'd like to get things done quicker and have better application switching functionality than what iOS offers stock, Zephyr is definitely worth checking out.

$2.99 - Cydia Search Link

Additional jailbreak resources:

• Jailbreak apps, hacks, and themes forum
• Best apps and utilities for new jailbreakers
• General jailbreak discussion and help forums
• List of popular Cydia repositories

Have a jailbroken iPhone and wish you could better control how your actual phone application behaves? StartDial, available in Cydia now, will allow you to alter what tabs your phone application will open and when.

StartDial is a simple tweak that allows you to chose the view to start with when the Phone application is launched.

Most people either want the phone application to launch their contacts, favorites, or the dial pad initially. StartDial will force your iPhone to load whatever tab you choose every single time.

In addition to setting which tab the phone app opens to initially you can also remove the Visual Voicemail tab altogether. This is one of the main reasons I love this modification. I never have to worry about anyone going through my voicemails if I let someone borrow my iPhone or I lose it. It's a useful feature for users who may keep sensitive information in their voicemail.

You can also set the phone app to automatically launch to the Recents tab if you have any missed calls. So if you see that you have 4 missed calls on your lockscreen but left the phone app on the keypad tab, it will automatically take you to the recents tab when you attempt to check your missed calls.

It's pretty simple for a jailbreak mod but packs a lot of power depending on how you choose to use it.

StarDial is already available in Cydia and will run on any iPhone running iOS 4 or higher. If you're looking for even more tweaks and utilities to install, check out our guide to the best jailbreak applications for iOS 5.

• Free - Cydia Link

Even more jailbreak resources:

• How to jailbreak guides
• Jailbreak apps, hacks, and themes
• General jailbreak and unlock help forums

Absinthe, the untethered jailbreak utility for iPad 2 and iPhone 4S has been updated to version 0.4 bringing compatibility with Leopard as well as a few other bug fixes.

• Mac: added support for OSX 10.5, PPC and Intel CPU
• added consistency check on startup to make sure required files are in place
• Windows: fixed bug in payload generator that might cause a crash

If you are already jailbroken on iOS 5 or iOS 5.0.1 on your iPhone 4S or iPad 2 there isn't a need to re-jailbreak with the latest update. This update seems to address issues with the process itself opposed with issues on board the device.

In any case, it's good to see the jailbreak "dream team" hard at work to bring Absinthe to more users after it saw wide adoption after initial release.

If you're looking for even more tweaks and utilities to install, check out our guide to the best jailbreak applications for iOS 5 as well as the other jailbreak resources below. You can grab the new version of Absinthe from our downloads section as well.

More jailbreak resources:

• Jailbreaks guides, news, and how to's
• Jailbreak apps, hacks, and themes
• General jailbreak and unlock help forums
• iMore downloads page

The amazingly functional and customizable BiteSMS takes on the deeply integrated and easy to use Messages+ in a battle of the jailbreak messaging apps

Are you jailbroken on iOS 5 and wondering whether you should purchase BiteSMS or Messages+? Both applications add quick reply functionality and make messaging more functional. But which is a better choice for you?

BiteSMS for iOS 5

BiteSMS has been a long time favorite when it comes to messaging enhancement applications. Many competitors have come and gone while BiteSMS seemingly manages to stay at the top of its game.

One thing that sets BiteSMS apart is its ability to customize almost every aspect of your experience. You can choose what buttons you'd like to show up on your quick reply windows such as send, open, close, mark for later, Skype, FaceTime, templates, and more. The quick compose feature provides the option of auto-populating contacts. You can choose for it to auto show favorites, the last person you messaged, and more.

If you send a lot of international text messages, Bite allows you to buy credits to use on their own network. I don't necessarily recommend it as a way not to have traditional text messaging as the rates aren't cheaper than most carriers domestic rates. They are, however, cheaper than most carrier international texting rates. AT&T, for example, charges $10/month for 100 international messages. After that, it's $0.20 per message. You can set up per contact rules for sending messages as well. So if you have certain contacts in a different country, only then will Bite utilize your credits. Bite's prices are as follows -

• $6 for 50 SMS credits
• $12 for 105 SMS credits (includes 5 free credits)
• $24 for 215 SMS credits (includes 15 free credits)
• $60 for 550 SMS credits (includes 50 free credits)
• $120 for 1200 SMS credits (includes 200 free credits)

While BiteSMS has a sleek user interface in its own right, you can definitely tell it isn't something made by Apple. People who choose to theme and don't like the stock look of iOS may actually prefer this. Those of you who like to stick with the stock look may have an issue with it. It's also worth noting that BiteSMS is compatible with both LockInfo and IntelliscreenX.

Messages+ for iOS 5

Messages+ is an update of the messaging enhancement app TLert. The update not only brought a more streamline experience but deep integration into iOS 5. It literally looks like something Apple would release.

While BiteSMS aims to bring you an array of different customizations and user controls, Messages+ aims to be an easy to use add-on that just works. There's next to nothing to configure. You just enable Messages+ and set up a quick compose gesture and you're on your way. Messages+ also comes built-in to IntelliscreenX.

If your main reason for wanting a messaging enhancement app is to not have to stop what you're doing to compose a message, Messages+ will provide this functionality without any added icons. It simply adds a quick reply and quick compose function to the default iOS messaging app.

While Messages+ ties in nicely with IntelliscreenX, it is not currently supported by LockInfo. If you're a LockInfo user, BiteSMS is going to be your best option. We don't know if LockInfo will add support for Messages+ in the future.

BiteSMS vs Messages+ - which is better?

There's no arguing that BiteSMS still has plenty more features and controls than Messages+. It will really come down to what you personally need from a messaging enhancement application.

I personally prefer Messages+ over BiteSMS as I don't send that many international texts and just desire quick reply and quick compose functionality. I also like the stock feel of iOS and Messages+ gives me that. There are no added icons or tons of settings to configure before you start using it. Enable it, set a quick gesture for composing, and you're done.

There are no doubt users out there who care more about control and functionality than interface and ease of use. For those of you that think heavily of these things, BiteSMS is probably going to serve you much better over the long run. Let us know what you decide on and why. Make sure to check out our other resources below for tons of jailbreak apps, themes, tips, and more!

• Messages+ vs BiteSMS forum thread - See what our readers are choosing
• Jailbreak guides, how to's, and news
• Jailbreak apps, hacks, and themes forum
• General jailbreak discussion forum
• iMore downloads section
• List of Cydia repositories

Slider Pro is a lightweight but useful jailbreak mod in Cydia that lets you customize the slide to unlock text on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. It comes with a handful of great presets including adding the date and time to your lock slider. Time and date are available in a number of different formats. If you'd just like to add custom text to the slider, you can do that as well. Once installed you can just pop into your general Settings app and customize it from there.

If you're looking to add functionality to your lockscreen but don't want to overload your jailbroken iPhone with too many tweaks and mods which may conflict with each other or just bog down your device, then this may be the way to go. It's especially convenient if you have an app like IntelliscreenX or LockInfo and want to hide the lock clock to create more room for additional widgets. It'll allow you to use space that's already there in a more efficient way.

Slider Pro is already available in Cydia and will run on any iOS device running iOS 4 or higher. If you're looking for even more tweaks and utilities to install, check out our guide to the best jailbreak applications for iOS 5.

• Free - Cydia Link

More jailbreak resources:

• How to jailbreak guides
• Jailbreak apps, hacks, and themes
• General jailbreak and unlock help forums

We've rolled through this week and now we're heading on into the weekend, we're gathering up plenty of MacWorld coverage for you all so you'll want to stay tuned for that.  You can register now to get started today and while you're at it, check out some of the threads below:

• iPhone 4S Forum: Keep getting failure exclamations!
• iPhone 4 Forum: 16GB vs 32GB - The space argument
• iCloud Forum: Picasa to iCloud Help
• iPad Apps and Games Forum: Tweetbot vs. Tweetcaster
• Jailbreak and Unlock Forum Help with Jailbreak-Absinthe crashes

If you're not already a member of the iMore Forums, register now!

Need help figuring out what the best apps and tweaks are for your newly jailbroken iPhone? Cydia can be overwhelming if you're not sure where to start. Whether you're jailbreaking to theme or add more functionality, we'll have you on your way to becoming a jailbreak ninja in no time.

Quick toggles and gestures

Utilities like Activator and SBSettings should be at the very top of any jailbreaker's list. Who likes to tap all the way into Settings to disable Wifi or 3G? I know I don't when I can just use SBSettings to disable it with two taps from virtually anywhere on my iPhone.

SBSettings has a limitless amount of toggles available in Cydia and can be customized and tweaked until your heart's content. If you want a quick toggle to turn off SMS alerts, you've got it. It also allows you to monitor free memory and clear it out. All with a simple swipe on your status bar.

Activator is also a staple in the jailbreak world when it comes to accessing information and applications quickly. You may already have it and not know it. A lot of jailbreak applications and utilities require it. The main function of Activator is to allow you to set gestures for different functions. For example, I double tap on my status bar and a quick reply window for BiteSMS pops up. I can set virtually any gesture I want for any application that supports Activator gestures (a lot of the popular ones do).

SBSettings and Activator are must have utilities for any jailbreaker. They're typically the very first items I install on my jailbroken devices.

SBSettings - Free - Cydia Search Link

Activator - Free - Cydia Search Link

Notification enhancement applications

While iOS 5 added a ton of enhancements to the way notifications are handled and presented, Apple still left a lot of room for improvement. This is where apps like LockInfo and IntelliscreenX step in to give you even more control over how notifications are handled.

I've never been a fan of how iOS 5 discards notifications from the lockscreen immediately after unlocking. I like them to stay there until I dismiss them myself. LockInfo and IntelliscreenX both allow this behavior. You also have the ability to add widgets and other information to your lockscreen and notification center (called Infoshade in LockInfo). IntelliscreenX takes it one step further and adds a "top shelf" that allows you to add quick toggles you can access with a quick swipe down on notification center. This is a convenient place to stick SBSettings.

LockInfo also allows you to access your favorite contacts directly from the Infoshade or lockscreen. Both apps are great notification enhancers but they differ in some areas and feature sets. Choose the one that's personally right for you. To help you decide which one may appeal to you more, you can check out our LockInfo vs IntelliscreenX comparison.

LockInfo - $7.99 w/ free trial - Cydia Search Link

IntelliscreenX - $9.99 w/ free trial - Cydia Search Link

Text message enhancements

While multitasking in iOS 4 made switching between applications a lot easier, you still have to completely exit whatever you're doing to reply to a text message. Apps like BiteSMS and Messages+ aim to close that gap with quick reply functionality. Instead of having to exit out of an app a quick reply keyboard pops up, you type your message, away it goes, and you're back to whatever you were doing before without interruption.

If you've purchased IntelliscreenX, you also get a license for Messages+ as well. While there are other quick messaging applications available in Cydia, BiteSMS and Messages+ are the best of the best. BiteSMS allows you to purchase credits as well if you don't want to pay text messaging fees. It can add up to be a lot cheaper than text messaging plans.

BiteSMS - Free or $9.99 (ad free) - Cydia Search Link

Messages+ - $7.99 (free w/ IntelliscreenX purchase) - Cydia Search Link

Theming your iPhone

If you want to customize the look and feel of your iPhone, there are thousands of free and paid themes in Cydia. You can also choose from a few different utilities to theme. Some themes may require Winterboard while others will require Dreamboard. There are also applications like Theme It available in Cydia that aim to bring the best of the best themes straight to your iPhone all in one place.

If you don't necessarily want an all in one theme but still want to customize to your liking, you can check out Springtomize 2. Springtomize 2 allows you to customize individual aspects of your iPhone's overall appearance. There are tons of add-ons and built-in options to choose from. If you tend to be more picky, Springtomize 2 is probably a better bet as it offers far more control.

Winterboard - Free - Cydia Search Link

Dreamboard - Free - Cydia Search Link

Springtomize 2 (iOS 5+) - $2.99 - Cydia Search Link

Extras

If you're looking for tweaks that just make your iPhone that much cooler when jailbroken, here's some extra tweaks we've found that are just cool in general.

Cyntact

Adds contact pictures to your address book next to each contact.

$0.99 - Cydia Search Link

BlurriedNCBackground

Blurs the background of notification center. Nothing to configure and doesn't add any additional icons.

Free - Cydia Search Link

Shrink

Change the default size of icons in your dock and on your homescreen. I find this particularly useful if you have a background you'd like to see without huge icons being in your way.

$1.49 - Cydia Search Link

Barrel

Add cool transitions when tabbing through pages on your springboard. Make your icons roll, fall away, and more.

$2.99 - Cydia Search Link

If you've got any cool tweaks or utilities you think beginner's would benefit from be sure to let us know! This is just the beginning of what you can do with a jailbroken iPhone.

Additional resources:

• How-to jailbreak guides
• Jailbreak apps, hacks, and themes forum
• General jailbreak and unlock forum
• Cydia repositories list
• iMore downloads section
• Jailbreak troubleshooting guide

TwitkaFly allows you to tweet from virtually anywhere with a quick swipe or tap on your jailbroken iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. It will add a Twitter shortcut to your notification center pull down and allow you to program a quick gesture for composing straight through Activator. The interface is clean and very iOS 5 like. It isn't bogged down with too many buttons or cheesy graphics either.

The utility supports the following features -

• Tweet right from anywhere using Activator
• QuickReply to Twitter, Tweetbot, and Tweetings push notifications
• Retweet tweets
• Tweet Photo
• Open links from tweets
• Custom animations/transitions
• Amazing notification UI
• Tweet #NowPlayingTrack
• Landscape mode in iPad
• 100% retina display support
• Blacklist users and more

Twitkafly ties into your existing Twitter app so you can handle notifications through it once you choose your client through Settings. Currently TwitkaFly supports the official Twitter app, Tweetbot, and Tweetings. I'm assuming more clients will eventually be added. It's compatible with any iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 4 or higher. The only issue I've had so far is when I link it with Tweetbot. Whenever I click a notification it re-springs my device. If I link it with Twitter or Tweetings, it works fine. Hopefully that's just a bug that'll be hammered out pretty quickly.

If you're using LockInfo or IntelliscreenX you shouldn't have any compatibility issues and it should just tie straight into your existing notification program. You'll just notice the addition of a QuickTweet button in the bottom left or right hand corner of notification center.

TwitkaFly is already available for purchase in Cydia. They've got a lite version available for free and a paid version for $1.99. Hit the link below to check it out and then let us know what you think! You can also check out more jailbreak apps and utilities in our apps, hacks, and themes forum.

Twitkafly - $1.99 - Cydia Search Link

Super social and incredibly integrated IntelliscreenX takes on quick content and plug-in powerhouse LockInfo in a battle of the jailbreak notification apps

Jailbroken on iOS 5 and wondering whether you should get LockInfo or IntelliscreenX? While both are utilities that aim to give you more control over your iPhone notifications and lockscreen, they do have key differences. Which is better for you?

LockInfo for iOS 5

LockInfo by David Ashman has been a long time favorite of mine when it comes to enhancing lockscreen functionality and gaining more control over native notifications. It still lives up to its reputation under iOS 5. LockInfo is really aimed at folks who'd like to have more control of how notifications behave and how they're presented. If you don't want certain information in notification center, you can disable it but still view it on your lockscreen, and vice versa. You can completely customize what appears where and how.

LockInfo also has built-in support for several different messaging applications including BiteSMS, Quickreply for SMS, iRealSMS, and more. Regardless what messaging replacement app you choose, LockInfo probably has you covered.

When it comes to content, LockInfo adds a few nice features that aren't given to you stock. One of my favorites is access to your favorite contacts directly from notification center and your lockscreen. Tapping a contact allows you to call, FaceTime, or message them. It's a nice little feature that you wouldn't think you needed but quickly realize you don't want to go without.

LockInfo also works in conjunction with many plug-ins. Some are distributed by David Ashman himself while others were created by other 3rd party developers. Given the amount of time LockInfo has been around, there are tons of plug-ins and add-ons for it. Some of the most popular ones include ToDo by Appigo, Twitter, Weather, and RSS.

You'll find a few built-in themes that you can switch between such as a classic iOS version, the classic LockInfo version, and a few more. Since LockInfo has been around for quite a while many developers have made themes for it as well. Some complete themes will even have a LockInfo theme attached. Yes, it's that widely accepted in the jailbreak community.

IntelliscreenX for iOS 5

Intelliborn has been around for a long time and has created many apps within the jailbreak community, including the original version of Intelliscreen. While I always preferred LockInfo over the original version, IntelliscreenX has come a long way in terms of functionality. Anyone who is heavy into social media and has to have quick access to Facebook, Twitter, and RSS feeds will want to look no further than IntelliscreenX.

You can add all these widgets as separate pages and reply or post status updates directly from your notification center or lockscreen. The only down side I've seen to this is the accelerated battery drain.

Messages+ also comes built-in to IntelliscreenX as well. While I've been a huge fan of BiteSMS for a long time, Messages+ will definitely give Bite a run for its money. I love the tight integration with the default messaging app. There's nothing to install and very little to configure. It just works how it's supposed to and adds quick reply support.

Considering Messages+ is typically $7.99 on its own, you get a pretty good deal considering IntelliscreenX is $2 more. So if you're not keen on paying for LockInfo and Bite or Messages+, IntelliscreenX may be a better value for many people.

LockInfo vs IntelliscreenX -- which is better?

Both LockInfo and IntelliscreenX are highly competitive jailbreak apps and which is better can change every time one of them is updated. For now I think IntelliscreenX has an an edge over LockInfo. LockInfo is an amazing utility, but users who are heavily into social networking and Facebook will benefit more from IntelliscreenX and its tight integration with iOS 5.

If you are more concerned with having control over plug-ins and where content is presented, go with LockInfo. But for now, I'm giving my vote to IntelliscreenX.

While I may personally prefer IntelliscreenX, I know there are tons of you out there who probably disagree. Let us know what you use and why! Make sure you also check out all our jailbreak resources below for more reviews, guides, and tips!

• Jailbreak apps, hacks, and themes forum
• Jailbreak and unlock help forums
• Jailbreak guides, how-to's and news

Rene, Georgia, and Seth talk Apple's massive Q1 2012 financial results, go over the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 Absinthe jailbreak, and discuss the latest iPhone 5 and iPad 3 rumors. This is iPhone & iPad Live!

• Subscribe via iTunes: Audio | Video
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• Show notes

Hosts

• Rene Ritchie (@reneritchie)
• Leanna Lofte (@llofte)
• Seth Clifford (@sethclifford)

Credits

You can reach all of us on Twitter @iMore, or you can email us at podcast@imore.com, or leave a comment on the website when the show goes live.

We're here every Wednesday night at 6pm Pacific, 9pm Eastern, 2am GMT, and our new companion show, Apps and Accessories Live is on Sundays, same Bat Time, same Bat Channel -- at www.imore.com/live

For all our podcasts -- audio and video -- including ZENandTECH and Superfunctional, Iterate and Girls Gone Gadgets and more... see www.mobilenations.com/shows

If you haven't already please subscribe to all our shows in iTunes and leave a rating. It helps people find the show and means a lot to us!

Thanks to the iMore iPhone and iPad Accessory Store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!

Mid-week and the Apple news is rolling as we head in into Mac World. We'll be there bringing you the best Mac World has to offer, so make sure you follow along with us both here on the blogs and in the iMore Forums. You can register now to get started today and while you're at it, check out some of the threads below:

• iPhone 4S Forum: Phone no longer charging?
• iPhone 4 Forum: How to stop incoming email from interrupting music
• iCloud Forum: Contacts not showing in iCloud
• iPad Apps and Games Forum: Which calendar app is the best for iOS?
• Jailbreak and Unlock Forum Random apps appearing?

If you're not already a member of the iMore Forums, register now!

Motion is a new jailbreak utility available in Cydia that makes your iPhone homescreen just a bit more interesting. While Motion may not add a ton of functionality to your device, it's a fun tweak to play around with and show off to your friends. It basically adds transitions and effects to the movement to all of the icons on your springboard.

Motion is a tweak that makes your icons move. There are a whole bunch of settings you can use to liven up your home screen and make your icons dance around.

• Rotate: Make your icons rotate
• Scaling: Make your icons grow
• Skew: Make your icons tilt sideways
• Jump: Make your icons jump
• Transparency: Make your icons fade in and out
• Waves: Make your icons move in waves (vertical and horizontal)

You can use these settings alone, or in combinations.

Motion is already available in the Cydia store and will run on any iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 4.x or higher. If you're looking for even more tweaks and utilities to install, check out our guide to the best jailbreak applications for iOS 5.

• $1.00 -- Cydia Store Link

More jailbreak resources:

• How to jailbreak guides
• Jailbreak apps, hacks, and themes
• General jailbreak and unlock help forums

The EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) is asking for your help to tell the U.S. Copyright Office that jailbreaking does not violate the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act), and its exemption should be continued and expanded.

In 2010, the Copyright Office said jailbreaking smartphones doesn’t violate the DMCA. This year, we’re asking them to renew that exemption (otherwise it will expire) and expand it to cover tablets. We’re also asking for a new exemption to allow jailbreaking of video game consoles.

The Library of Congress added the exception for jailbreak to the DMCA in July of 2010. Specifically:

Computer programs that enable wireless telephone handsets to execute software applications, where circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of enabling interoperability of such applications, when they have been lawfully obtained, with computer programs on the telephone handset.

However, jailbreak was declared as an exclusion from the DMCA, and protection wasn't actually hard coded into the act. That means the declaration could ultimately expire and leave jailbreakers subject to legal penalties.

If you'd like to help ensure this never happens, the EFF has advised you submit your opinion in comment form to the Copyright Office, and even offer a submission template with comment suggestions for your convenience. Comments are due by February 10th at 5PM, so make sure you submit your comments soon!

Souce: EFF

The iPhone Dev Team has shared some numbers on the Absinthe jailbreak for iPhone 4S and iPad. These are the downloads over the last 3 days.

• 491,325 new iPhone 4 devices
• 308,967 new iPad2 devices
• 152,940 previously jailbroken (at 4.x) iPad 2 devices
• 953,232 total

The numbers were calculated using Cydia, the jailbreak app store, which can track queries being made to the server based on the list of available SHSH blobs. While the numbers may seem quite small in comparison to the number of iOS devices out there, it certainly shows there is still many folks willing to take the plunge and jailbreak their devices.

iMore recently ran some polls asking our iPhone 4S and iPad 2 enthusiasts if they were going to jailbreak their devices using Absinthe. For iPad 2 users, 40.23% noted they would be diving in immediately while 33.64% of iPhone 4S users were jumping on-board.

So even with all of the iOS 5 improvements, a large percentage of our readership still wants more then what Apple is directly offering.

Source: Dev Team Blog

We've kicked off another week here at iMore and thus far, it's been busy as always. If you missed anything from the weekend, be sure to get yourself caught up either here on the blogs or in the iMore forums. You can register now to get started today and while you're at it, check out some of the threads below:

• iPhone 4S Forum: Have Android but considering an iPhone
• iPhone 4 Forum: WiFi keeps turning off, seemingly for no reason
• iCloud Forum: How to totally remove iCloud?
• iPad Apps and Games Forum: iPad app for streaming video..suggestions?
• Jailbreak and Unlock Forum Let's see your Jailbroken iPhone 4S screens!

If you're not already a member of the iMore Forums, register now!

iPhones are on-the-go, getting things done, highly "mobile accomplisher" devices so jailbreaking for extra features and productivity makes a lot of sense. iPads tend to be feet-up, relaxing, focusing, general purpose devices, so maybe members of the iMore nation don't feel as compelled to Jailbreak?

But we want you to tell us. Now that the iPad 2 jailbreak is here, is it a must do and no need? Vote in the poll up top and give us your reasons -- pro, con, or still on the fence -- in the comments below.

Jailbreaking your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad and need to know how to troubleshoot all those annoying little errors, bugs, and assorted problems that crop up along the way? Whether you're having issues getting your device to jailbreak or running into problems after you've jailbroken, we've got the answers to lots of common problems.

First make sure you're performing the process correctly. If you need a guide or tutorial, we've most likely got you covered.

• Guides to jailbreaking and jailbreak basics

If you know you're performing the process correctly but you're running into an error, we've got a whole list troubleshooting steps you can try and we add more to it all the time. If you find a new issue, let us know!

• How to troubleshoot common issues during the jailbreak process

If none of the guides or troubleshooting tips seem to solve your problem, you can check out our general jailbreak forums. We've got the answers to a variety of questions and a huge community that's ready and willing to help you out.

• General jailbreak help forums

We finally got an untethered jailbreak for iPhone 4S and iPad 2 yesterday via Greenpois0n Absinthe. Until now the tool was only released for Mac users. It has now been updated with support for Windows users.

If you haven't already jailbroken your device via redsn0w CLI 0.4.3, I'd recommend using this method. Hit the links below for instructions and a download link.

• Download Greepois0n Absinthe
• How to jailbreak iPhone 4S and iPad 2 on iOS 5.0 & 5.0.1 via Greenpois0n Absinthe
• Jailbreak help and discussion forums

If you're running Windows, you can now jailbreak your iPhone 4S or iPad 2 on iOS 5.0 or iOS 5.0.1. The Dev Team has issued an update to redsn0w that adds support. This process isn't as easy as a simple one click tool like Greenpois0n Absinthe but if you absolutely can't wait any longer to jailbreak, we've got you covered.

• How to jailbreak iPhone 4S and iPad 2 on Windows (CLI method)
• Jailbreak help & discussion
• iMore software downloads page

Greenpois0n Absinthe has been updated to version 1.2.2 with bug fixes for some users that were experiencing issues. If you were having issues accessing Cydia or your jailbreak was failing, this should fix your issues. Just run it over your current jailbreak.

If you need help jailbreaking, run into issues, or want to know what to do with your jailbreak now that you've got one - hit the links below.

• Download Greenpois0n Absinthe version 1.2.2 - Mac, Windows and Linux versions coming soon
• How to jailbreak iPhone 4S and iPad 2 on iOS 5.0 & 5.0.1
• iMore jailbreak and unlock forums

For some it will be a no-brainer. The untethered jailbreak of the iPhone 4S has been their holy grail, the thing they've been waiting for, the thing that will complete them and make their iPhone 4S finally, fully functional the way an end user intends.

Others feel iOS 5 copied so many basic jailbreak features, including and especially notifications, that there's no need to bother with jailbreak anymore. Apple has you covered.

Vote in the poll up top and give us your reasons -- pro, con, or still on the fence -- in the comments below.

You can now untethered jailbreak your iPhone 4S or iPad 2 running iOS 5.0 or iOS 5.0.1 with Greenpois0n Absinthe. It's been a long wait and we're all more than ready to have all our jailbreak extras back in action.

Whether you're new to jailbreak or a veteran, we've got you covered in our jailbreak forums. Hit the link below for a walkthrough of how to jailbreak your iPhone 4S and iPad 2.

Forums Link: How to jailbreak iPhone 4S and iPad 2 via Greenpois0n Absinthe

iPhone 4S and iPad 2 users have reason to rejoice today - you can finally untethered jailbreak! They stated earlier today the jailbreak was almost complete and ready for release. It didn't take very long as the tool is already available.

As a note - this jailbreak will support iOS 5.0 and iOS 5.0.1. Here are the requirements for each device -

• iPhone 4S - iOS 5.0 or iOS 5.0.1
• iPad 2 and all GSM and CDMA wifi only devices - iOS 5.0.1

iPhone 4S users that would like a software unlock should stay on iOS 5.0 for now. You can grab the Mac and Windows versions from our downloads page link below.

Source: Greenpois0n.com

• Download Absinthe - iMore downloads page
• How to jailbreak iOS 5.0 & 5.0.1 via Greenpois0n Absinthe
• Jailbreak help and discussion

With Apple's education event not far off and an A5 jailbreak lingering, the forums have been a very busy place the past little while.  If you're looking to discuss those things and more -- we've got plenty of room in the iMore forums for your voice to be heard, you can register now to get started today and check out some of the threads below:

• iPhone 4S Forum: Sideload eBooks to Kindle app?
• iPhone 4 Forum: Issues with WhatsApp now that I'm on iOS5
• iOS 5 Forum WiFi Sync is garbage!
• Apple iTV Forum Would you buy an Apple iTV television?
• Jailbreak and Unlock Forum Untethered jailbreak for the iPhone 4S

If you're not already a member of the iMore Forums, register now!

If you plan on jailbreaking your iPhone 4S or iPad 2 as soon as a jailbreak for Apple A5 chipset-powered devices is released, update to iOS 5.0.1 ASAP if you haven't already.

If/when Apple releases an iOS 5.0.2 patch or iOS 5.1 they'll most likely stop signing iOS 5.0.1 pretty quickly. iOS 5.1 patches the current exploit used on iOS 5.0.1. That means if you don't update before then, you'll be stuck waiting for jailbreak developers to find a new exploit for iOS 5.1 and we have no idea how long that'll take.

So the moral of this story is if you'd like to jailbreak sooner rather than later, update your devices to iOS 5.0.1 now. If you've got an iPhone 4 or other Apple A4 chipset device, you can jailbreak untethered now on iOS 5.0.1.

Firecore has released an updated version of its aTV Flash (black) software that runs on any jailbroken second generation Apple TV. The new update, version 1.2,  adds in some nice new features like video zoom options, grid view, watched icons, quick access to recently visited browser pages and a huge raft of bug fixes.

• Three all new zoom options (Normal, Crop, and Stretch) allow you choose how videos are displayed. You can keep videos in their native format (widescreen or pillar box) or crop/stretch them to fill the entire screen.
• Watched indicator icons have been added to the grid view. These icons allow you to quickly see which content is new and ready to be enjoyed. (Note: These can be disabled through the Media --> Settings menu if desired)
• Couch Surfer now displays thumbnail images in the 'top shelf' area of the main menu, which allows you to quickly get back to recently viewed pages.

• Added video zoom options (available through Playback Menu)
• Added watched indicators to grid view
• Added 'Recently Visited' section to Browser top shelf
• Added support for MicroDVD .SUB files
• Added screensaver during pause
• Added file delete option
• Added activity indicator for metadata clearing
• Added 'tune' icon placeholder for audio files without metadata
• Added episode number to the fetched name the list view
• Added Reload Metadata' option in contextual menu for folders
• Added 'no items' message to the 'Unwatched' filter of the list view
• Added gray ticket image caching
• Added loading screen when opening Manage Extras menu
• Improved scrubber bar logic
• Improved audio feedback for watched and pre-playback screens
• Improved poster loading for large folders
• Improved support for DVDs without menus
• Improved subtitle support for right-to-left languages (e.g. Hebrew)
• Improved installer device detection
• Resolved minor memory management issues
• Resolved issues with subtitles settings while playing a playlist
• Resolved issues with yellow subtitles displayed for movies converted with Handbrake
• Resolved conflicts with default audio player
• Resolved issues with passwords that contain @ symbols
• Resolved issues with metadata loading for files that contain '/' in folder or file name
• Resolved buffer overflow in libafpclient observed when navigating folders with long names
• Resolved issues with installer Bonjour detection
• Resolved rare crashes during web browsing
• Changed metadata format to S.# / Ep.# for TV Shows
• Disabled metadata processing during movie playback
• Corrected audio feedback when pressing Menu while in grid view
• Minor UI improvements
• Other miscellaneous bug fixes

If you’re not already jailbroken, you can jailbreak your AppleTV via Seas0nPass. You’ll just need the most recent version of Seas0nPass and a micro-usb cable. For help, you can check out our guide on how to jailbreak the AppleTV second generation. All the steps will remain the same as long as you grab the correct version of Seas0nPass for your AppleTV firmware.

Source: Firecore

Chronic Dev Team member pod2g has again teased everyone waiting for an iPhone 4S and iPad 2 untethered jailbreak. This time he has released a picture of an iPad 2 running Cydia after being jailbroken by the soon to be released untethered iOS 5.01 jailbreak.

We have already seen a demo video of an iPhone 4S running with an untethered jailbreak a few days ago and we were told then that we only had to wait a few more. Now with this release, all we hear is “No more to say!” We assume that this means that the untethered jailbreak for A5 devices is now complete and may be released as early as this week.

Non-A5 iPhone and iPad owners can untethered jailbreak iOS 5.0.1 right now.

Source: pod2g Blog

Popular iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad jailbreak tool, redsn0w has been updated to version 0.9.10b4 and now includes a fix for the iBooks issue that has long been plaguing jailbreak.

The b4 version of redsn0w incorporates the 5.0.1 fix for iBooks, and also for sporadic problems with launchctl. Thanks to @xvolks for merging the iBooks (sandbox) fix from @comex’s github into the overall corona untether from @pod2g! As usual, you can choose to install the fix either by re-running redsn0w over your existing jailbreak (de-select Cydia if you do that), or by installing the corona package from Cydia (it’s the same set of files no matter which way you choose).

If you need help, check out our redsn0w 0.9.10 how-to and our jailbreak forums.

Source: iPhone Dev-Team via @musclenerd

pod2g has updated his blog with a video by Chronic Dev Team member, DHowett, running an untethered iPhone 4S jailbreak on iOS 5.0.1. The video runs down everything you'd expect from rebooting the device to show an untethered state and launching Cydia and showing that the device ID is indeed an iPhone 4S. Considering the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 both run the Apple A5 chipset and weren't vulnerable to previous exploits.

pod2g says this means we should only have a few more to wait now. Not sure if "a few more" implies days, months, light years, or some other measure of time. For now, we'll just have to sit back and be patient for what should be just a little while longer. Non-A5 iPhone and iPad owners can untethered jailbreak iOS 5.0.1 right now.

Source: pod2g

SuperSwitcher is a new jailbreak mod in Cydia that offers extended functionality and settings access to the Fast App Switcher on your iPhone.

Don't you just hate searching for your favorite app icon in between so many Springboard pages? Wish you could just "bookmark" your favorite apps in the multitasking bar? Now you can with SuperSwitcher!

With SuperSwitcher you can bookmark your 9 favorite apps in the menu above the multitasking bar, and the apps can be set through Settings. But that's not all! You can also change the system settings right from the menu above the multitasking bar!

• Toggle Bluetooth
• Toggle WiFi
• Change volume and brightness settings
• Respring
• Reboot
• Safe Mode
• Tweet, SMS, Mail or Call anyone on the fly

SuperSwitcher takes your multitasking bar to the next level!

This is a really great mod that adds a lot of value to the Fast App Switcher. You can customize your favorite apps for instant access, control brightness and other settings on-the-fly and then some.

If you run into any trouble you can always jump into our Jailbreak and Unlock forums or post it in the comments!

• $.99 -- Cydia Store Link

And we're out of the sandbox with @saurik's invaluable help! (well, at least there's a PoC) Turning out more complex than X-Gold 618.

Snappy5 for iOS 5 is a new jailbreak mod in Cydia that brings instant access to the iPhone camera no matter what you're doing.

Never miss a photo opportunity again!

It is a camera application that launches quickly, without having to exit your currently running application. This is a free upgrade, but it is not compatible with 3.x and 4.x iOS versions.

Although Apple does include camera access from the iPhone lock screen in iOS 5, the app still technically needs to be launched before you'll be able to snap a photo. As such, it still takes a measurable amount of time to launch the camera.

Snappy5 rids this issue by implementing a mobile substrate extension tie-in, which gives near-instant access to the camera no matter where you are. Another great feature is snap on launch, which takes a photo the moment Snappy5 is called up. If you're in an app, at your home screen, or have your iPhone locked - you won't have to worry about missing that special moment with Snappy5.

If you run into any trouble you can always jump into our Jailbreak and Unlock forums or post it in the comments!

• $.99 -- Cydia Store Link

Notorious iPhone hacker pod2g has updated the community letting everyone know a jailbreak "dream team" has been assembled to help tackle a sandboxing issue in the Apple A5, a vital part of the exploitation process necessary for an iPhone 4S and iPad 2 jailbreak.

@planetbeing, the legendary hacker behind iPhone Linux and lot of jailbreaks has joined the A5 research!

The famous @MuscleNerd, the leader of the iPhone Dev Team, who did a lot of tests for Corona and whom integrated it and made it simple in redsn0w is willing to help also.

And last, but not least @p0sixninja, the leader of the Chronic Dev Team, and my partner for years on iPhone security research has started to code and fuzz the Apple sandbox.

We now have a dream team to find a path for a public release of the A5 jailbreak.

Cross your fingers.

Most of you in the jailbreak community should instantly recognize these names, and the fact that they're now all together working in unison towards the same goal means an A5 jailbreak shouldn't be too much further out.

Source: pod2g

Mail More Photos is a new jailbreak mod in Cydia that aims to get rid of the five photo per email limitation on iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.

Mail More Photos allows you to attach as many photos as you want to email. The default limit of 5 photos is removed from the Albums and Places views. The title bar is also updated to show the total size of all selected files.

The added value of showing how many photos you've selected, along with the total size of the photos you'll be emailing is really great. Mail More Photos requires iOS 4 or higher, and is the perfect extension to an already useful feature.

• $.99 -- Cydia Link

As we noted earlier, next week is all about CES 2012 and we'll be there gathering the best content we can find for you all. It's sure to be a great time so make sure you follow along here on the blogs and especially in the forums. The forums are a great spot to discuss all things Apple in a better way then what the comments section can offer and we've got a spot just for you, you can register now to get started today and check out some of the threads below, today:

• iPhone 4S Forum: What job do you have, that you use your iPhone 4S?
• iPhone 4 Forum: Excessive data usage, any help is appreciated
• iCloud Forum Unable to restore app data after reinstalling app
• iPad 2 Forum Can you lock out certain apps?
• Jailbreak and Unlock Forum How do I remove my Jailbreak?

If you're not already a member of the iMore Forums, register now!

Following the hack that allows fullscreen apps to run on the Apple TV, developer Jack Perry, known as @Jackoplane on Twitter, decided to try porting his own apps to the bigger screen.

A quick preview of Frequencies for AppleTV... Waiting for @stroughtonsmith to test it on a real device.

The tweet was followed up by Steven Troughton-Smith showing the app running at full 720p on an actual Apple TV.

Some Beautiful AppleTV apps coming together right now; this one from @Jackoplane is nice.

The app, Frequencies, is a simple internet radio tuner, but demonstrates how the idea of fullscreen apps might work on the Apple TV. And it's really quite exciting.

Source: @stroughtonsmith, @Jackoplane, Jackoplane Blog

Pod2g has decided to share a little more information on the hopefully soon to be released iPhone 4S and iPad 2 jailbreak. In a blog post, pod2g has answered a couple of questions that may have been on your mind as you await its release. One of the questions is how he has managed to get an untethered 4S and dev teams still haven’t released tools to achieve this at home?

The exploit I used to inject the untethering files to the 4S relies on having a developer account, and can’t be released publicly.It’s the same reason why @MuscleNerd has an iPad 2 tethered jailbreak but couldn’t distribute it. So, we need to find a distributable exploit to remount the system partition read/write and to set Corona files at the correct places.

Source: Pod2g Blog

While CES is never really a big show for Apple, they do manage to seemingly always find a way to make some Apple news happen during the event. Like always -- there is plenty of Apple rumors happening right now but they do seem to get more plentiful as we get closer to CES. Looking to discuss CES, Apple rumors and more? We've got a spot just for you in the TiPb forums, you can register now to get started today:

• iPhone 4S Forum: Odd thing at the Apple Store...
• iPhone 4 Forum: Need help fixing an iPhone 4
• iCloud Forum Can't seem to get PhotoStream working, any advice?
• iPad 2 Forum Just how do you get college books on an iPad 2?
• Jailbreak and Unlock Forum A5 Jailbreak, on it's way to 5.0.1 users?

If you're not already a member of the TiPb Forums, register now!

Zephyr by chpwn has been updated to version 1.0.2-1 with a few more enhancements. For starters, you can now disable gestures in any app you choose. This is handy for games and apps that may cause you to unintentionally invoke a gesture. It looks as if he's gotten help with this feature from Ryan Petrich, creator of Display Recorder, one of my favorite jailbreak apps.

Other features added include the ability to enable per-gesture commands as opposed to them all being global by default. So if you want multitasking gestures on your iPhone, you can find Zephyr in Cydia for $2.99.

A couple of quick updates for those still waiting on Apple A5 device jailbreaks -- namely iPhone 4S and iPad 2 -- as well as an iOS 5.1 jailbreak.

For iPhone 4S and iPad 2 devices, @pod2g just tweeted the following:

made a step today for the A5. With some luck we could expect a release in a week.

As to iOS 5.1, @i0n1c seems to have something in the pipeline, so 2012 could get off to a strong start for team Jailbreak.

For more discussion and help, head on over to our Jailbreak Forums.

Source: @pod2g

We're now fully into 2012 and already, we've been hearing about some great things to come from Apple. Of course, we'll have to wait and see what turns out to be true and what turns out to just be rumors but that's part of the fun. Looking to discuss all things Apple? We've got a spot just for you in the TiPb forums, you can register now to get started today:

• iPhone 4S Forum: So.. I did a hard reset and.....
• iPhone 4 Forum: Getting control of auto sync activity
• iCloud Forum Calendars issue With iPhone 4S and iPad2
• iPad 2 Forum Email security in WiFi zones
• Jailbreak and Unlock Forum Positives and Negatives about JailBreaking your iPhone?

If you're not already a member of the TiPb Forums, register now!

pod2g has updated his blog with more details on how the Corona untether actually works. If the deep inner workings of exploits such as this interest you, it's definitely something you'll want to check out.

Using a fuzzer, I found after some hours of work that there's a format string vulnerability in the racoon configuration parsing code! racoon is the IPsec IKE daemon (http://ipsec-tools.sourceforge.net/). It comes by default with iOS and is started when you setup an IPsec connection.

Now you got it, Corona is an anagram of racoon .

Corona will untether all current A4 devices that were previously tethered under iOS 5.0.1. Still no more news on when a jailbreak will be available for A5 devices, namely the iPhone 4S and iPad 2.

Source: pod2g

Zephyr by chpwn has been updated to version 1.0.1 to add a few enhancements and fix a few existing bugs. Among the changes are fixes to disable multitasking gestures within apps such as Cut the Rope or Words with Friends where you may not want gestures to be active.

For those not familiar, Zephyr adds multitasking gestures to the iPhone similar to those found on the iPad. It registers bezel to screen swipes to allow a much easier way to multitask and switch between apps than the options you are given stock. If you're jailbroken, you can pick up Zephyr from Cydia for $2.99. You can check out all the changes and enhancements to Zephyr via the Pastie link below.

Source: @chpwn via Pastie

iOS and jailbreak developers Steven Troughton-Smith and Nick, who goes by the Twitter handle @TheMudkip have now managed to get iPad applications running on an Apple TV; in full screen mode running on a 720p HDTV. We told you yesterday how they were working on a way to bring iOS apps to the Apple TV. Well they have now moved a step closer to making this a workable solution.

The first Apple TV port enabled iOS applications to run in a windowed mode on the Apple TV; this allowed multiple applications to run side by side. Now however they have discovered a way to run iPad applications in full screen mode with a resolution of 720p.

The port is far from being ready for primetime however it doesn’t stop you dreaming about the possibilities of running iPad apps natively on your Apple TV. Apple has long been rumored to be bringing an App Store to the Apple TV platform. Maybe something like this will force its hand to get it done.

Source: 9to5Mac

iOS and jailbreak developers Steven Troughton-Smith and Nick, who goes by the Twitter handle @TheMudkip, have hacked together a working window manager for Apple TV, paving the way for the possibility of iPhone and iPad app compatibility on the non-touchscreen device.

I rewrote SpringBoard from scratch using only QuartzCore. MobileX isn't linked against UIKit.

[The control scheme involves] remote events from an iPad. Or a cursor controlled by an apple remote.

It might be a while before we actually see this publicly available but the idea is as exciting now as the original jailbreak apps were back in the early days of iOS, before the introduction of the iOS App Store.

Source: Steve Troughton-Smith, @theMudkip

• AirPlay Mirroring: Now with video mirroring – wirelessly stream what’s on your iPad 2 screen to your HDTV.
• Photo Stream: View photos recently taken on your iOS device and pushed to your Photo Stream in iCloud.
• Trailers: A whole new way to browse and view hundreds of the latest theatrical trailers.
• National Hockey League: Watch live games. View highlights, scores, and more.
• Wall Street Journal Live: Watch up-to-date news, business commentary, and financial analysis from leading experts.
• Audio output: Addresses an issue in which audio may not play through the optical port when the TV is turned off.
• Netflix: Added support for Netflix in Mexico and Latin America.
• Stability and performance: version 4.4.4 includes general performance and stability improvements, including a fix for an issue that displayed an error when playing some video content.

[fireCore]

SwitcherLyrics is a new jailbreak mod in Cydia that offers the ability to view lyrics for any most tracks stored in your iPod music library.

With SwitchLyrics you can have your song's lyrics and information right in your Multitasking bar. You just have to double tap the Home button to make it work. SwitcherLyrics takes the song's lyrics from the iPod.app library. If iPod.app doesn't have any lyrics, SwitcherLyrics will search it on the web automatically.

This is a great mod in theory and brings with it a lot of added value --when it actually works. I noticed a lot of bugs right out of the gate when playing around with it. For example, when I tried messing with the settings to reveal more information in the Fast-App Switcher tray, my phone locked up completely and required a reboot.

This is one of the reasons the video demonstration was short in duration. I didn't get into any of the additional settings for fear of locking up my iPhone again, but in any event, when I played a track without lyric support in the video it still ended up locking up on me.

It's a great idea, but I'm going to wait it gets some bug fix updates and runs more smoothly before trying it again.

• $.99 - Cydia Link

Lock Screen Weather is a clever app that allows you to display local weather information and graphics on the iPhone Lock screen without requiring a jailbreak.

• Current weather conditions on your Lock Screen
• Optional five-day weather forecast displayed below current weather
• Tens of thousands of cities around the world supported
• Current weather and forecasts updated automatically and according to where you are (optional)
• Background sounds captured right in the nature (optional)
• Both Fahrenheit (℉) and Celsius (℃) scales supported
• Originally designed graphic assets reflecting every significant weather change

The way it works is by playing a silent track through the iPod app, then using the album art for the track to display the weather based on locations you set within the app settings. Because of the dynamic abilities of how album art is displayed in the iPod app, and subsequently shown whenever you lock your iPhone or iPod touch, this app essentially tricks the iPhone into displaying updated Lock screen weather without breaking any of Apple's strict developer guidelines.

The only drawback is, whenever you have the app running to display weather on the Lock screen, you won't be able to listen to any music from the iPod app (or any other App Store app that uses audio output or album art, such as Pandora). This is, however, a very adept workaround and gets the job done without the need to jailbreak and install apps like IntelliscreenX.

• $0.99 -- App Store Link

Having trouble finding what you need in the app store? Send us an email to news@tipb.com and let us know what you’re looking for, and we’ll do our best to find you just the right App for That!

My most-used apps of 2011 consist of some of Rene's favorites, and for good reason. Like Rene and Leanna, I'd also prefer to list some of the great default apps included in iOS like Mail, Reminders, Safari Browser for iPhone and iPad etc., but that would just be boring. Instead, here's a list of some of the most-used iPhone and iPad apps I spent the majority of my time with this year.

Reeder

Reeder is how I consume my news day in, day out -- it's really as simple as that. It's one of, if not the best news and RSS feed readers available for the iPhone and iPad (there is also a Mac version available in the Mac App Store). Reeder incorporates a stylistic ZEN-like design with multi-touch gestures making news consumption something I consider to be fun, when previously I used the default Google Reader webapp layout from the browser -- and I think we all know what kind of experience that can be like. With Reeder, I can jump in and jump out and get the job done quickly and efficiently, while also having a fluid experience at the same time. I prefer the iPad app, but when I don't have my iPad handy, the iPhone app is top-notch and has the same look and feel of its iPad counterpart. If you're looking for a better way to consume news, look no further than Reeder for the iPhone and iPad.

• $2.99 -- iPhone App Store Link
• $4.99 -- iPad App Store Link

Netflix

Netflix has definitely been a lifesaver for me on more than one occasion. Whenever I'm out and about or just at home in bed dying of boredom, I whip out my iPad and jump into the Netflix app to watch my favorite TV shows, movies or documentaries. The great thing about Netflix is the content, in that it has the best-of-the-best content (at least in my opinion) and beats out competitors like Hulu with ease. They've recently updated the iPad app with a better layout, making it easier to navigate to your favorite content and start streaming away. Diving into what I love to watch and forgetting about my worries wouldn't be possible in certain scenarios without Netflix on my iPad 2, and even when I forget to pack up my iPad with the rest of my gear, I always have access to the content they provide via my iPhone 4.

• Free -- App Store Link

Tweetlogix for Twitter

I know there are a number of really great Twitter apps out there, but my personal favorite is definitely Tweetlogix for the iPhone. Developed by Onloft Software, Tweetlogix is probably one of the fastest Twitter apps I've ever used, which is probably of the main reasons I ended up switching back to Tweetlogix from Echofon Pro in the middle of the year. I wouldn't be able to say it's a straight-split between the two, because Tweetlogix excels in too many places where other Twitter apps are simply lacking. You have the ability to adjust font size, view inline images in your stream, mute people you follow who you don't want cluttering up your stream, and a whole lot more. And again, when I say this app is fast, I mean it's really fast. Sending a tweet -- even over 3G or edge -- takes what seems like milliseconds. Just tap the 'Tweet' button and you won't have to deal with the dreaded loading wheel ever again!

• $1.99 -- App Store Link

Navigon

I've been using Navigon as my main GPS app all year, and then some. It's one of the best GPS navigation apps available for the iPhone and can even run on the iPad 3G. Navigon provides quick access to Google search, subsequently making it a breeze to search for your desired location (restaurant, gym, grocery store, gas station, whatever) and it also offers in-app purchases for things like 3D terrain mapping in a panoramic view, live traffic and even police radar location information. I'm sure some of you have personal prefecences for other GPS apps, or maybe even prefer a standalone device, but for me, Navigon does the job perfectly.

• $38.99 (North America Only) -- App Store Link

Evernote

Want to make sure you never forget anything? Enter Evernote, the best note-taking app available for the iPhone and iPad. Just snap a photo of whatever you need to remember, add a label, tag or just leave it blank, and you're good to go. Evernote will sync that information across all your iOS devices (even your Mac!) making it easy to access no matter where you are or what you're doing, and they update the app with added value and additional features on a regular basis. Although the layout has changed significantly over the past couple of years since its debut in the App Store, the basic concept remains the same. iChadman put together a great How To on getting things done using Evernote, and after going through some of the pro-tips in that post, it's easy to see why Evernote is one of the best apps for getting things done (and remembering things, too!).

• Free -- iPhone App Store Link

• Free -- iPad App Store Link

If you jailbreak you may soon be able to add even more functionality to Siri via SiriPrefs. While A5 devices aren't jailbreakable yet, jailbroken A4 devices have the ability to run Siri via the Spire port.

If we hear about a release, we'll let you guys know. In the mean time, check out the demonstration video above.

Source: iPhoneIL

Some of my most-used apps have managed to stay the same year after year, but app updates and new contenders are always finding their way onto my device. While there are tons of great apps in the App Store, these are the apps that currently earn a place on the homescreen of my iPhone or iPad, or even both.

BiteSMS

I can not even express how great of an app BiteSMS is. While iOS 5 made several much needed improvements to the messaging app, I still need my quick reply. I desperately miss this functionality on my iPhone 4S and can't wait for a jailbreak for A5 devices to be released so I can have it back. Until then I'll have to enjoy using it on my iPod touch.

• $9.99 - Cydia Search Link

SBSettings

SBSettings is by far one of the most useful jailbreak tweaks ever created. It's made my list year after year ever since its conception. I realize how much I miss it every single time I have to launch the Settings app on my iPhone 4S just to change the brightness level on my phone or toggle off wi-fi. If you jailbreak and haven't picked up SBSettings, what are you waiting for? It's free.

• Free - Cydia Search Link

Reeder

Reeder has been one of my all time favorite apps on both my iPhone and iPad. While apps like Flipboard are great for casual reading, Reeder allows me to read when I want without missing anything. I can set up options for how many days worth of content I want to see when I load it and know I'm still up to date. More importantly, Reeder is a surprisingly beautiful client for one that provides so much functionality. Often times you see a great UI go bad when too many options are added. Reeder is a shining example of an exception to this rule.

• $4.99 - iPad App Store Link

• $2.99 - iPhone App Store Link

Google Currents

While Reeder is the app I'd turn to when I actually want to sit down and catch up on my news for the day, Currents is the app I turn to when I just want to view headlines or pick and choose what I want to read. It has one of the most beautiful interfaces I've ever seen in a news app and it really is a joy to browse through, especially from the iPad. I think Currents will give Flipboard a run for its money. I actually already prefer it due to blogs being able to customize how their content is presented.

• Free - App Store Link

1Password

1Password has a well-deserved spot on every single device or computer I own. Lets face its, most people are terrible at remembering passwords. We all know it isn't safe to have the same password for everything but who can remember all those passwords? Enter 1Password. Not only does it remember all your passwords or generate impossible to guess random ones for you, it does it across all platforms seamlessly. I have 1Password installed on my iPhone, iPad 2, iPod touch, iMac, and MacBook Pro. Never again will I forget a password or have to worry about not having the one I need nearby. While you can purchase them separately for iPhone and iPad, I suggest picking up the Pro version to cover all your iOS devices. It's currently on sale for the holidays for only $8.99, down from its normal price point of $14.99.

• $8.99 - App Store Link

Zephyr, by jailbreak phenom chpwn, brings iPad-style multitasking gestures to the iPhone.

From swiping up to show the multitasking switcher or quickly swiping to a different app, Zephyr is all you need to quickly and easily control multitasking.

Zephyr registers bezel-to-screen swipes, which makes sense given the smaller surface area of the 3.5-inch iPhone vs. 9.7 inch iPad display. While only the 2 gestures listed above are currently supported, anyone already familiar with their iPad counterparts will realize the efficiency boost they can provide.

If you're jailbroken, you can grab it now from Cydia for $2.99.

No Uninstall is a A jailbreak mod in Cydia that prevents 3rd party apps from being deleted from the Home screen on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

This tweak removes the "X" when uninstalling an iPhone app. Good for pranking your friends and preventing accidental app removal.

No Uninstall requires iOS 4 or higher (got that wrong in the video -- sorry!).

You can do this on a stock iPhone via the Restriction Settings, but if you're running an older version of the OS that doesn't support the app deletion restriction -- or you just want to have some fun at a friend's expense -- give No Uninstall a try.

• Free -- Cydia Link

While jailbreaking already provides tons of functionality, there's still room for improvement and expansion in 2012. Last year I did a list of jailbreak concepts Apple should implement and low and behold, they implemented quite a few of them. But that's part of the game. Part of what spurs more innovation is creativity and pushing boundaries. And at the end of the day it's really the user base that is the most useful when it comes to helping developers out. They can't create it if they don't know we want it. So this is our list of the top 5 things we'd like to see jailbreak accomplish in 2012.

A jailbreak for A5 devices

We already know pod2g is working on this. While we will most likely get one in 2012, I'm not excluding it as one of the biggest wants for many users. We just received an untethered jailbreak for A4 and older devices. Hopefully a jailbreak for the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S aren't that far behind. While an untethered version would be epic win, I'd take a tethered version for starters.

Cydia updates

While Cydia is probably one of the most used apps on my iOS devices, it can become rather frustrating at times. Saurik made some updates to Cydia in 2011 but nothing to get too excited about. Cydia could use a facelift and some speed enhancements.

While it may not be at the top of saurik's list right now, I know Cydia is frustrating for many users on a day to day basis. Not to mention the organization of packages is rather daunting for many new jailbreakers. They have no idea where to start or what apps they should be downloading. Sure, they can always come to TiPb but for those not familiar, how about adding a jailbreak starter pack in Cydia? I know several new users revert back to stock quickly out of confusion and frustration.

I'd like to see Cydia step up its game to show users what jailbreak is all about. It isn't about pirating apps and installing illegal software at all. It's about enhancing and customizing your experience.

More iPad compatible apps and tweaks

While there is support for jailbroken iPads, it's very minimal. I'd really like to see that change. As of right now, I really can't find a good reason to jailbreak my iPad. A lot of this could have to do with the lack of support for current iPad 2 users. Jailbreak developers may not want to put the time and effort into supporting the low number of jailbroken iPads.

Hopefully a jailbreak for A5 devices will create more interest in jailbreaking the iPad. Even though there are a few good reasons to jailbreak the iPad, I'd like to find a reason I can not live without. I'd like to have a reason or find a jailbreak application compelling enough to make me not want to live without my iPad being jailbroken.

If I'm missing out on some to die for jailbreak utilities for iPad, please let me know. I've yet to find them.

More support updates from developers

After iOS 4 was released, Cydia was plagued with tons of apps and utilities that were never updated to support it. Even though jailbreak tool after jailbreak tool was released supporting almost every device on the market, tools were left to collect dust. Some of them were actually very useful utilities that I really missed using after updating. Things like changing keyboard styles were little tweaks that were left untouched for months.

Some developers are extremely good about updating their tools. Others are not. Where that happens, I'd really like to see new jailbreak developers step up and come out with new solutions. Heck, just improve upon someone else's idea. It seemed as if the jailbreak community was left with a ton of tools that were left in limbo. A package may work, it may not, it may just crash your springboard. I'd like to see less of this.

Maybe this is something that needs to come bundled with updates to Cydia. This is another reason jailbreak may be off-putting to some new users. They download tweaks that aren't compatible with their devices and when it isn't stable, they restore and never give jailbreak another chance. We need to avoid experiences like this as developers.

A more unified jailbreak process

This one may be asking a bit too much but heck, I'll throw it out there. While redsn0w and tools like it are pretty user friendly to begin with, there are tons of tools out there and that's confusing to new users. What tool do they use? Is one not compatible with their device? Programs like ipswDownloader aim to make it easier for beginners, but a lot of beginners won't know what an IPSW is let alone what the tool does, where to find it, or know why they need it.

If jailbreak developers could come together to make a great tool that accommodates all users, I think the jailbreak community would see a great benefit and many more users. I see tons of people in my office every day that bricked their device or jailbroke it with an incorrect tool. I also see people that searched and researched jailbreak online, became overwhelmed, and would rather come and pay me to do it correctly than mess something up themselves. I know there are tons of other users out there that are put off by the overwhelming amount of information and tools out there. Working together to find a way to make the process more streamlined would be time spent that would pay off in the long run.

Bottom line

I think my overall outlook on jailbreak is this - people buy Apple devices because of the experience and the ease of use. If jailbreak complicates things too much, they'll stray away. Of course there will always be power users and ninjas that will put in the time to make it work. But the bottom line is that most iOS users just want their device to work and work well. If jailbreak developers can find ways to make the process and overall experience better, I think they'd see a lot more users willing to give it a try or a second runaround.

What do you guys want to see jailbreak developers aiming for in the coming year? Let us know!

Heard about the untethered jailbreak for the original iPad, iPhone 4, iPod touch 4, and older models running iOS 5.0.1 and curious how to use it on your own device?. This jailbreak won't yet work with newer, Apple A5 chipset-powered devices, namely the iPhone 4S or iPad 2, but if you own anything earlier, you're in luck.

Supported devices

• iPhone 4 (GSM & CDMA)
• iPod touch 4th generation
• iPad (orignal model)
• iPhone 3GS

What you need

• A supported device - please note this will not work for iPhone 4S or iPad 2
• A Mac or PC
• redsn0w 0.9.10b1 - Mac, Windows

Untether via the Corona Cydia package

If you're already tethered jailbroken on iOS 5.0.1, you can untether your jailbreak using the Corona package in Cydia.

Untether via redsn0w

If for some reason you'd prefer using redsn0w to untether, you may do so. Just run the version of redsn0w linked above over your existing jailbreak. When prompted what you want to do, just uncheck Install Cydia since you already have it installed. Let redsn0w do its thing and you should be untethered when it completes.

Jailbreak your device

If you're not jailbroken at all, perform the following steps -

1. First Launch redsn0w

2. This version and other newer versions of redsn0w should automatically detect what version of iOS you are running. No need to manually browse to a firmware file this time. Just click Jailbreak and follow the prompts.

3. Next redsn0w will prompt you to only continue when your device is powered off. If it isn’t already, power your device off while it’s connected to the computer.

4. Next you will be guided through putting your device into DFU mode. Follow the steps and redsn0w will take care of the rest.
5. After redsn0w finishes doing it’s thing, you’re done!

Common issues and how to solve them

Stuck on Apple logo or in recovery mode

Some users seem to be experiencing this issue. Performing a clean restore in iTunes and then attempting to jailbreak after a clean install should alleviate this issue.

redsn0w fails

First attempt to select a custom IPSW under Extras in redsn0w and navigate to the iOS 5.0.1 IPSW to see if this fixes the issue. If it still fails, try a clean restore in iTunes and then attempt to jailbreak again.

If you're running into other issues, make sure to check out our jailbreak and unlock forums for further help troubleshooting common and not so common jailbreak issues.

Daily Tips 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 dailytips@tipb.com.

Thanks to pod2g and all his hard work, an untethered jailbreak is now available for the original iPad, iPhone 4, iPod touch 4, and older models. Both redsn0w and Corona have been updated to support the new, untethered jailbreak.

A few days ago, @pod2g gave the untether to both the iPhone devteam and the chronic devteam. We’ve put it into redsn0w 0.9.10 and PwnageTool, and the chronic devteam put it into a Cydia package (the same set of exploits is in all three).

Unfortunately, Apple A5 chipset-powered devices, namely iPhone 4S and iPad 2, are still in jailbreak limbo.

Because those devices cannot use geohot’s limera1n exploit to inject the untether, they require exploits above and beyond those used for this release. Keep following pod2g on twitter or his blog for any progress reports!

Hit the source links below to start jailbreaking iOS 5.0.1 untethered, and if you need any help jump on into our jailbreak forums.

Source: Dev-Team Blog/redsn0w, Chronic Dev-Team/Corona, donate to @pod2g

iPhone jailbreak developer chpwn, along with the help of planetbeing and Ryan Petrich, have released Spire -- a legal way to port Siri to currently unsupported iOS devices like iPhone 4 and iPad 2.

Spire uses a new method to obtain the files necessary for Siri, so it doesn’t have the copyright issues encountered by previous attempts. Similarly, rather than directing all traffic through a specific proxy server (and the associated privacy issues), Spire allows you to specify your own proxy server.

Available in Cydia now, and if you need extra help, jump into our jailbreak app forum.

Source: chbwn blog; proxy FAQ

Rene, Georgia, and Seth talk Santa Siri commercial, sexism charges, AT&T and T-Mobile deal, Nuance buying Vlingo, how to replace your iPhone 4 vibrator assembly, jailbreak, Facebook Timelines, Kindle updates, FPS games, and more. This is iPhone and iPad Live!

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Jailbreak/Mod/DIY

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pod2g has handed over his A4 untethered jailbreak to the Chronic Dev Team in order to concentrate on Apple A5 chipset devices, namely the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S. The Chronic Dev Team will test and finish his A4 untether for release as soon as possible.

I need to focus on A5 and hope I can find a path quick, and I have the feeling that chronic-dev could help me. I gave all the details to the chronic dev team so that they can finish, test, integrate and release the A4 jb ASAP. I'll put all my energy from now on on the A5

This comes after accomplishing an untethered jailbreak for all A4 devices as well as overcoming a cache issue for A5 devices.

There are tons of users on both Apple A4 chipset and A5 chipset devices. While many people are waiting for an A5 jailbreak, A4 users have been waiting even longer. It also makes sense that no jailbreak developer wants to burn an exploit that Apple may patch in iOS 5.1. I see this as being a good scenario and the best option for both A4 and A5 users if it results in jailbreak tools for both even faster.

redsn0w has been updated to version 0.9.9b9d in order to fix a few bugs. This update comes right after an update to ultrasn0w and after adding support to redsn0w for iOS 5.0.1.

iPhone3GS owners in our comments section below noticed a problem with the untethered jailbreak available for the old-bootrom 3GS. We’ve corrected that problem in 0.9.9b9d. If you have an old-bootrom 3GS and have already used last night’s redsn0w on it, you can re-run it again without losing anything. Just use this new version, go to Extras->IPSW and manually select the 5.0.1 IPSW, then go back and Jailbreak it again (but you can uncheck Cydia because it’s already installed).

Keep in mind this jailbreak is still tethered unless you have an iPhone 3GS with the old bootrom. You can grab the updated version via the links below then check out our guide on how to jailbreak iOS 5.0.1 via redsn0w. If you have questions or run into issues, check out our jailbreak and unlock forums as well!

Download links: Mac, Windows Source: Dev-Team blog

SwitcherCleaner is new jailbreak mod in Cydia that changes the behavior of the multitasking Fast App Switcher to only show apps that are actually running in the background, and keeps the quit button visible at all times.

• *Requires iOS 5 or higher
• SwitcherCleaner contains two features of SwitcherMod for iOS5.
  • RemoveRecents: show only running apps
  • AlwaysAvailableQuit: show quit button anytime
• No icons added to the homescreen
• No options to configure

In addition, SwitcherCleaner helps save time for power-users with the AlwaysAvailableQuit function, removing the requirement to tap-and-hold an icon before you're able to kill the app.

It's a great tool for anyone who wants to keep their Fast App Switcher clean.

• Free -- Cydia Link

pod2g has shown off an iOS 5.0.1 untethered jailbreak running on an iPhone 4.

Here is a new video demo of the current status of the 5.0.1 jailbreak running on an iPhone 4. This is meant to reassure people that were thinking it only works on older iPods. The jailbreak is near ready for prime time (excluding 4S and iPad 2).

Hopefully iPhone 4S and iPad 2 owners won't have too long to wait, however, as he previously said he'd overcome the cache issues on A5 devices -

Either way, looks like they're finally nearing the end zone in the land of untethered. Don't forget to support jailbreak devs and donate when you can if you find their tools useful.

Source: pod2g