Jailbreaking: the art of unlocking your iPhone to run programs that are not approved by Apple's app store. In the past, I would have never discussed a sensitive topic such as jailbreaking. Why?
- Reason numero uno: Apple is fucking crazy in the head. Did you hear what they did to that poor Gizmodo editor who got his hands on the iPhone 4.0 prototype?
- Reason numero dos: jailbreaking is (or should I say was) a worry-inducing process, in which you could lose all your information, or possibly even brick your phone
- Reason numero tres: jailbreaking is (or should I say was) illegal! Apple's got the Million Dollar Dream on everything they do, meaning fucking with them is a quick path to getting your shit deaded. I try to keep a low profile, ya know, cuz I got warrants!
But now, everything has changed. Last week, a ruling from the Library of Congress deemed jailbreaking the iPhone does not violate copyright laws. Fuck yeah! This makes me want to turn a new leaf in life. I will hereby make good on all of my outstanding warrants (that don't require me to pay more than $100 in fees.) It's a start, right?
To accompany the excellent news that the law is finally working in our favor, a new tool has been released that makes jailbreaking your phone as easy as pointing mobile safari to http://jailbreakme.com. Swipe your finger, and a minute later, voila! Your phone is now installed with Cydia, the black market App store that Apple doesn't want you to know about. And the best part is that this little maneuver works on all device and OS combinations. 3G, 4.0, GS, iPad, no problemo; http://jailbreakme.com, swipe, done.
There are sooooo many excellent and useful apps that can only be had on a jailbroken iPhone, because Apple is too tight-ass to relinquish their death grip on what can enter and exit the app store, which a lot of times are really innovative and handy user-created programs. So in essence, jailbreaking turns your iPhone into a open source device, similar to what Android handsets are. Fully customizable, the user experience designed the way the user wants it to be.
Now, go forth. Jailbreak. Make your phone more enjoyable. If you need a head start on some handy jailbroken apps, check this out.