Jailbroke'd

Test 001

2012-06-21T20:39:00.002-04:00

Old Fashioned Tweaking

2011-09-07T18:05:00.000-04:00

A while ago I wrote about some of my favorite Cydia 'apps'. These types of posts are good for people new to jailbreaking, or just missed some good apps in the past couple years. In this post I will cover some of my favorite tweaks.

1. MultiIconMover
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

MultiIconMover makes it easy to organize all of your home screens and folders. Normally you can only move one app from screen to screen at a time but this app changes that. When you make the icons wiggle all you need to do is tap all the icons you want to move, drag one of them wherever you want and press the home button. MultiIconMover will automatically move all of them for you!

2. FreeSync
Price: $1.00
Source: apt.modmyi.com

FreeSync allows you to continue to use your device uninterrupted even while syncing. Imagine coming home and plugging in your device. You want to use it right away but it always start syncing and you can't do anything. FreeSync fixes that. By default there will be no notification on your device that it is being synced but in the settings there are several different notification options like playing a sound or showing a 'pulsing bar'.

3. SwitcherMod
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

SwitcherMod allows you to customize your task switcher either by cleaning it up or helping you organize exactly which apps are actually running. A common use for this app is to go into the settings and under Recent App Icons set it to Remove. This will have the task switcher only show apps that are actually running, not every app you have opened. There are also many other setting you can tweak if you like.

These tweaks will make organizing your home screen faster, syncing less annoying, and switching tasks faster and easier.

MusicPost: When Sharing Just What You Are Doing Isn't Enough

2011-09-06T18:26:00.000-04:00

Some people are not social at all while others use services like Twitter to share everything they do. While people usually share what they are doing you may also want to share what you are listening to on your device as well. That's where MusicPost comes in.

When you are listening to music on your device you can open up MusicPost and quickly post what you are listening to on Twitter, Facebook, or both. This is where the features end. The tweets that it sends out not only tells your friends and followers what you are listening to but is also a major ad for the app. This is one of several reasons that I prefer qTweeter because it also allows your followers to buy the song you're listening to, as well as all of the other features that app offers.

If you want a simple way to post what you are listening to this could be the app for you, but if you don't mind paying $3.99 for qTweeter that offers many more features and is even faster than MusicPost I would recommend that. Luckily MusicPost is free, so you might want to check it out.

MusicPost
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

SnoozeOrStop: Making iOS Alarms Less Likely To Wake You Up

2011-09-05T18:27:00.000-04:00

If you are someone who uses an alarm on your iDevice sometimes you might just want to forget the alarm and go back to sleep. Or maybe you are awake and just want to stop the alarm fast without unlocking your device. SnoozeOrStop is the app for that.

With SnoozeOrStop installed when the alarm goes off you have have two buttons on the lockscreen to either snooze, or to stop the the alarm. If you select snooze the alarm will restart in approximately 10 minutes. This app has no options to configure.

By default Apple allows you to snooze the alarm by tapping a button, or to stop the alarm by using the slider. SnoozeOrStop takes what Apple has done one step further, making it easier to use your device as an alarm especially if you a some type of dock that allows you to reach your device when you are still in bed!

SnoozeOrStop
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

DoubleTapToOpen: Preventing Accidental App Opening

2011-08-31T19:44:00.003-04:00

When you are using your PC you are used to having to double-click icons to open applications. The same is not true on iOS or other mobile operating systems. On your iDevice if you are like me you may sometimes open applications without wanting to. While this is probably not really a problem (unless that app uses a lot of battery power) there are several tweaks to fix it.

DoubleTapToOpen does what it's name describes, having to double-tap to open an application, but not folders. It may take some getting used to but eventually you will always be double-tapping - even if you don't need to - but it still helps from randomly opening apps when you are holding your device against your touch screen.

If you would like an alternative to DoubleTapToOpen there is also LaunchConfirm. LaunchConfirm works a little bit differently. Whenever you tap on an app a message box will open asking you to confirm opening the app. It is less easy to get used to, and may take longer to open apps than DoubleTapToOpen but it is pretty much the same. If opening apps with out meaning to has ever been a problem before, there's no reason on why not to try one of these apps.

DoubleTapToOpen
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

LaunchConfirm
Source: apt.modmyi.com

VoiceKeys: When You Can't Type And Grammar Is Not An Issue

2011-08-30T01:18:00.000-04:00

VoiceKeys is an add-on utility for the iOS action menu that allows you to easily record voice for use as text input. The action menu is the bar where you are usually able to copy, paste, etc. Installing VoiceKeys will add an option to enable this add-on. The application will then record your voice to be used as text input. It uses Google's voice recognition so you will need to have an internet connection.

You may wonder how useful this app could be? For dictating long or multiple sentences this app does not do the best job (see image on right). For quick messages like 'I'll be there at five' or 'What's up' it can work quite well depending on your voice. It even recognized 'lol' pronounced lawl. However like most if not all voice recognition your will have to dictate punctuation as well as dialogue (eg. "I'm fine - period").

In your settings under VoiceKeys the app gives you options to capitalize the first word of sentences, finish with a period, and more. From this menu you can also disable it from showing up in the action menu if you like. It also lets you know that the app can also be activated with the proximity sensor by bringing your phone to your ear. This app does all it can to make Google's voice recognition usable, and it will only get better over time.

VoiceKeys
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

Three Good Ol' Cydia Apps

2011-08-29T00:25:00.001-04:00

Over the years that I have been jailbreaking there have been several apps that stand out for their usefulness, quality, and importance. These are three of those apps:

1. qTweeter
Price: $3.99
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

My all time favorite Cydia app that allows you to tweet or update your Facebook status from anywhere on your device by swiping down from the Status bar. It allows you to add multiple accounts as well as the ability to upload pictures, videos, maps, and more. It offers a very fast an easy to use interface and looks amazing.

2. SBSettings
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

Probably the most well known Cydia app. SBSettings allows you to toggle various setting on and off like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G, and more. It also allows you to kill processes, change screen brightness, write notes, and enables you to quickly turn on an off many tweaks you insatall through Cydia. It also has the capability of using themes. All of this with the the swipe of the finger along your status bar.

3. AptBackup
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

One of several Cydia app backup utilities. AptBackup creates a list of your installed Cydia apps that is synced to your computer after pressing the Backup button and syncing your device. When you update and re-jailbreak just restore from your backup, install AptBackup and press the Restore button and it will re-install all of the cool Cydia tweaks you had before. [!] Not recommended when upgrading major releases (eg. 3.x.x - 4.x.x) as some apps will not be compatible. [/!]

These apps will make your social networking faster, save time and battery life, and allow you to upgrade your device without having to reinstall all of your apps manually.

Android Delete: Stick it in the can!

2011-08-27T15:15:00.001-04:00

Android Delete is a paid Cydia app just just might make your iOS device more like Android. For $1.49 in the Cydia store you can switch from tapping the little 'X's to delete an app to instead dragging them into a trash can like the Android OS.

When you use this tweak by holding an icon on the screen like usual your dock will slide down in a very nice animation and show a trash can. In the settings app under Android Delete you can toggle this tweak on and off as well as change the animation speed. It will also let you know that if you want to edit your dock just tap on the garbage can and it will come back to edit.

Android delete is also compatible with CyDelete to delete Cydia apps as well as App Store apps. This tweak is genuinely cool but the question is, is it really worth your money just to get a garbage can. For many this will not be the app for you, but as a fan of Android this is something I can really enjoy.

Android Delete
Price: $1.49
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

CyDelete
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

Creating You Own Theme

2011-08-26T21:41:00.000-04:00

So you like the WinterBoard themes you see on Cydia but it's just not right? Maybe you think you have the photoshopping - or google image searching ability needed to make your own theme, but don't want to do all the other work? Well with a website named CodeThemed it's easy.

After creating an account click "Build a Theme Now!" Select which device you are making it for and press ok. The site may also ask you if you want your theme to be posted on to Cydia, so you have that option as well. Now you have the options to upload files for the icons, background, dock, and many more or even select from their gallery. Just upload the files you want to use and they will be resized. Remember that the image should be at least the same aspect ratio if you want it to look proper, but it generally does a good job at resizing.

Once you have finished your theme click save and give it a name, description, and category, and decide if you want it to be public on the site. Next, download the theme to your computer and unzip the folder. Finally copy the folder to your device in the themes folder (/private/var/stash/Themes.xxxxxx). If you do not know how to do that check out this post on how to transfer files. Now you can open up WinterBoard and use your new custom theme!

WinterBoard
Source: apt.saurik.com

iOS Hacker Comex Gets An Internship With Apple

2011-08-26T05:28:00.001-04:00

Nicholas Allegra more commonly known as Comex online, and as the creator of several jailbreaks since the beginnings of iOS - will now soon begin an internship with Apple.

He said on Twitter this Thursday:

Now I feel useless because I haven't done anything in 1.5 months. But...
It's been really, really fun, but it's also been a while and I've been getting bored.
So, the week after next I will be starting an internship with Apple.

His announcement was met with a generally positive response with replies such as

Congrats. I'm sure Apple is very happy to have you on their side, hope it leads to great things for you. Thanks for all the work!

But this could also be bad news for jailbreakers as he will surely be under an NDA when he begins working with Apple.

Comex has released such jailbreaks as Spirit (iOS 3.1.2 - 3.2), JailbreakMe 2.0 (4.0 - 4.0.1), and JailbreakMe 3.0 (4.3 - 4.3.3). He is definitely one of the best in the jailbreaking community and we can all hope for more great developers like him!

RapidContact: The Fastest Way To Call And Text

2011-08-25T17:29:00.002-04:00

RapidContact provides an extremely fast and easy way to text or call someone from anywhere on your device. It can be set to be activated in any way you wish and also offers a favorite number feature.

After installing RapidContact you will need to use the Cydia app Activator to set it up. If it did not come with RapidContact you will need to download it. In Activator choose the anywhere option and select how you want to activate RapidContact. I personally chose to use a short hold of the home button. Once you do that select RapidContact from the list and you're ready to go.

Rapid contact will allow you to quickly search through your contacts and easily send them a text or a phone call. It will automatically open the phone or sms app with the number ready to go. In your settings under RapidContact you can also set a favorite number that will come up automatically every time you open RapidContact. This app is very useful and hope to see it get more features over time. At some point I would love to have this work with email, Facetime, or even Skype.

RapidContact
Source: apt.modmyi.com

LSAlwaysShowMediaControls: Your Music Is Just One Click Away

2011-08-24T14:15:00.000-04:00

LSAlwaysShowMediaControls (Great name, huh?) is a tweak that allows you to control the playback of your music right from your lock screen any time without having to double click the home button or open the music app.

As you iPod normally does - it features volume, forward/backward and play/pause controls, and will also show the album artwork of the song your are currently playing. It also shows information on the song as well. What this tweak does? This information is always there, just one button press away.

There or no options to configure and this tweak really does save time by not having to double click the home button or open the music app to change the song or pause your music. There's not much else to say except this simple tweak is a must have!

LSAlwaysShowMediaControls
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

Transfering Files From Your Computer To Your Device

2011-08-23T20:40:00.000-04:00

To transfer files from your computer to your device the most difficult part is to jailbreak your device. Mostly likely you are already done that. Next, all you will need to do is download a program for your computer designed for transferring files to and from iOS devices.

For Windows I recommend i-FunBox and for Mac iPhone Explorer. The programs both allow you to connect to your device and transfer files over USB. i-FunBox also gives you easy navigation options to install apps, save your camera roll, and more. I have not tested iPhone Explorer but it should work in much the same way.

If in the rare chance that these programs are not working for you make sure that your iTunes is updated to the latest version. If that does not work installing afc2add from Cydia should enable transferring files over USB if it is not already.

BackForwardList for Safari: Your History Is Now Useful

2011-08-22T23:41:00.000-04:00

A while ago I wrote a post titled 'OpenTabBackground: Make Mobile Safari Closer To A Real Browser' that enhanced safari to give you a feature that you may have liked on your desktop. Well this add-on for Safari makes it even better adding yet another feature that Apple should have had in the first place, but may have left out for simplicity sake.

For those who do want it BackForwardList does as it's name says, it allows you to select from a list of back and forward pages as most desktop browsers do (usually by right clicking). After installing the add-on from Cydia simply tap and hold the back or forward buttons to be provided with a list of your most recently visited pages - reducing the need to continuously hit the back button or check your history for a page you were recently on.

BackForwardList is apparently one of several apps that do very much the same thing. If you are looking for an alternative to try out there is also BackForwardEnhancer that also does the same thing but uses a fancier style of list. While BackForwardEnhancer may look nicer, BackForwardList shows the URL as well as the title of the page making it a difficult decision of which one to use. What I do know is both of these apps offer a very useful future, and I know I'll be using one of them for a long time.

BackForwardList for Safari
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

BackForwardEnhancer
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

Alphacon: Your Icons Are Disappearing!

2011-08-21T21:18:00.001-04:00

Alphacon is a new free app that allows you to easily, and quickly change the alpha value (transparency) of the icons on your device. If offers fine control over which icons it affects and also offers the ability to hide icon labels.

After installing Alphacon find it's name in your settings menu. You can choose the amount of opacity with a simple slider as well as change whether you want it to affect icons on your home screen, folders, items in your task switcher, or the ones in your dock. The best part is that your changes will be reflected immediately!

The purpose of this app is purely cosmetic, and it's application is up to the user's personal opinion. I chose to set opacity to about 50% to give it a 'ghosty' type of look, but others may want to have very little transparency and remove icon labels to make their home screen look cleaner. The possibilities of this awesome tweak are endless!

Alphacon
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

Control Your Device From Your Computer

2011-08-21T00:51:00.000-04:00

Have you ever seen someone on YouTube showing off their devices on their computer screen? If you wondered how they did that the answer is simple: VNC. To use VNC on your iDevice you will first need to install the app Veency.

There is very little setup needed before you can connect to your device from your computer. First, go to the settings on your device and go to Veency and enter a password. Next you will need to download a VNC viewer for your computer. For Windows I recommend TightVNC and for Mac Cyberduck.

With the viewer install open it up and enter the I.P. address of your device (found in either Wi-Fi settings or in SBSettings) and the password you entered earlier. You can now control your device fully over your computer to show in presentations, on a YouTube video, or whatever you like.

Veency
Source: apt.saurik.com

No Status: Just A Useless Tweak?

2011-08-07T02:58:00.000-04:00

No, I'm not talking about your social status, rather the status bar you will see at most times at the top of your iDevice's screen.

This tweak is very simple. After installing it through Cydia and re-springing your device you will notice that your status bar that normally displays your time, battery life, and more is now magically disappeared. Why you ask?

This is an interesting question. Usually with a tweak like the the developer had a specific problem they were trying to solve. Most likely this tweak was not intended to be the most popular app on Cydia but rather to help anyone if they had the same problem.

Whether or not you have that problem, is for you to decide.

There is currently no SBSettings toggle or easy way to turn it off, so to get your Status bat back just uninstall it through Cydia.

No Status
Source: apt.modmyi.com

CustomGrid (Free): Want more Icons?

2011-08-05T20:32:00.001-04:00

CustomGrid Free is the free version of CustomGrid. The full version offers even more features, but be sure to try out the free version to see if you like it!

CustomGrid combines the features of various Cydia tweaks you may have used before like Five-Column SpringBoard and FiveIrows. In your settings under CustomGrid (Free) you will be given the options to change the number of rows and columns on your springboard, inside folders, and more. When you are done press respring to see your changes.

The developer recommends (as do I) to use an app like Bigify in conjunction with CustomGrid. Above are some examples of the extreme changes you can make using CustomGrid along with Bigify.

CustomGrid Free
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

Five-Column SpringBoard
Source: apt.modmyi.com

FiveIrows
Source: cydia.zodttd.com/repo/cydia

Bigify
Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

Downgrading Your Firmware

2011-07-26T19:17:00.006-04:00

For some time you've probably been hearing people say to "save your SHSH blobs" so you can downgrade if you happen to update to a new, unjailbreakable firmware. If you have updated to a firmware that is not yet jailbreakable and iTunes will not let you downgrade follow these steps to see if you are able to and if not learn how to get ready for the next jailbreak.

Saving your SHSH files put simply, is saving Apple's signature for that firmware, specifically to your device (a lot of people don't realize that it's device specific). Luckily Cydia will do this automatically for you by way of the 'make my life easier' option (see upper-left image). You will need these SHSH blobs for that firmware if you want to downgrade as well as a program named TinyUmbrella.

If you have the SHSH blobs for the firmware you want to downgrade to listed in Cydia open up TinyUmbrella select 'Start TSS Server'. Then in iTunes shift-click on restore in the device menu and select the firmware from your computer. If you do not have the firmware you can download it here. If you do not have the SHSH blobs for the firmware you are trying to downgrade to you are most likely out of luck. But what you need to remember to do is to "Save SHSH" for all of the firmwares you can. This way you will now be able to downgrade to these firmwares if you ever need to later on. If there is not a firmware you can downgrade to and jailbreak the best thing to do at this point is to upgrade and wait for the latest jailbreak.

OpenTabBackground: Make Mobile Safari Closer To A Real Browser

2011-07-26T18:13:00.000-04:00

OpenTabBackground is a very simple tweak for Mobile Safari that will open tabs in the background and let you continue to read the page you were currently on.

This feature is the same as the 'open pages in a new tab instead' option available in Firefox and other browsers on your desktop, now available on your mobile device.

To use it tap and hold on a link until the 'Open in New Page' option comes up. Select it and the tab will load automatically in the background. While this may not be the coolest tweak available it is certainly useful for some people, myself included.

OpenTabBackground

Source: apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia

Applecore Apps: A New Alternative To Cydia?

2011-07-20T20:57:00.002-04:00

Ever since the Rock app store was 'acquired' by Jay Freeman of Cydia only be be shut down, I have always been looking for a new app store to use either in addition to or instead of Cydia. Many of the early issues with the Cydia app are gone now. It is now much faster, and possibly more stable, but it still hasn't gained some of the features that I miss most from Rock: ratings, reviews, and a most popular section.

Today I just learned about a new (May 2011) app store called Applecore Apps. Currently in beta, this app store after filling out a simple registration and activating your account - has many of the features I have been waiting for ever since Rock was shut down.

Applecore Apps contains all the features I wanted but still being new it does have a few problems:

You have to log in every time you open the app
There is a very small selection of apps
You have to manually find the app to delete it

Besides this the app itself is very fast and easy to use. I can only hope that the developer will update this app adding a 'save my password' option and that current Cydia developers will submit their app to this store which is very easy to do. To delete apps installed from this store I recommend using CyDelete from Cydia, but once this store gets a better selection I would use this over Cydia any day!

Applecore Apps
Source: apt.applecoreapps.com