Are you Jailbroken or Not?

[taroliw]

I have jailbroken my iPhone 3G almost as soon as it became available? Why? Primarily because there were applications that I needed that I couldn't get via AppStore (mostly because SDK didn't enable enough features for developers) or because Apple's implementation for functionality... well... sucks (e.g. Camera).

The applications that I use via jailbreak (some of which are commercial and I have paid more than $0.99 for) are:

* Backgrounder (which I use primarily with Beejive IM, an AppStore app)
* Cycorder
* Flashlight
* HPCalc (still my favorite for when I just need RPN)
* MobileTerminal
* NemusSync (OMG! Couldn't live without integration to GCal.. why pay for MobileMe?)
* Netatalk (you haven't lived until you mount your iphone over wireless and people ask where your server is... "um, over there on the counter")
* OpenSSH
* SMS2Mail (this should have been a no-brainer Apple)
* Snapture (night and day better is an understatement)
* StatusNotifier (tokens are great, if you spend all day in springboard... NOT)
* xGPS (up and comer... lots of promise... and again a total no-brainer for Apple)

And some jailbreak specific but useful items, such as when upgrading, making more filesystem space available

* AptBackup
* BossTool
* rsync

And then just fun stuff

* mame4iphone
* Macman
* Moon Phase
* RailWater

The only apps I have truly avoided up to this point are things that make major adjustments to the UI. I have thus avoided Winterboard, but then I know many people who run it happily. Just my comfort level, I guess.

My favorite jailbreak app story: I'm standing streetside watching the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco and I'm holding up my iPhone taking video of some portions of the parade. After a while I hear a surfer-dude type voice exclaim, "Hey man... you can't do that on an iPhone!" Without interrupting my recording or turning around I merely replied, "Go and google 'iphone jailbreak', and learn what Apple left out." He thanked me and was on his way.

 

[avatar test]

Wow non jail broken users may soon tie the jail broken users. Here is why I am not jailbroke.

First the story. I began "hacking" handhelds back when is was part of the norman developers sold commercial hacking software. My first device was a palm OS 4.1 Kyocera 7135 and we used jack sprat JackFlash/Sprat to remove OS programs. It was simple and what the heck,,,, the device was buggy even before hacking. It was common to use tealmaster to run hacks not allowed under normal operation on early Palm OS devices TealMaster Plus - Hack control panel - PalmGear.com: Download Palm Software for your Treo, Centro, Tungsten, LifeDrive or other Palm OS Device .

A year later it was off to the treo 650 an hacking with shadowmite. I strongly encouraged this and even made easy to use instructions so that more users would push the limits of the OS http://discussion.treocentral.com/treo-650/97527-custom-rom-dummy-4-dummies.html

A few years later I was using a different HTC device every 8 months and hacked them weekly with every updated xda ROM available xda-developers - Powered by vBulletin So I'm extremly comfortable with hacking. I've been doing it since back in the day when you had to know a bit about Java coding just to produce your hacked ROM.

I have hacked every device I've ever owned and with every device there has always been those little odd behaviors. Those OS quirks that make you wonder if you have messed up your device with the hacks. This came to a major screeching halt when the GPS on my FUSE would refuse to work. I thought it was the device and never blamed the the cooked ROM because I had become so comfortable with hacking. I warrantied it and what do you know,,,,, the GPS works fine in my refurbished Fuze.

My buddies PPC 6800 was fine after a custom ROM but months later when At&T made network changes in our area all of a sudden he got errors with data and SMS. His hacked phone couldnt handle the changes and his was the only one. We restored his original ROM which only produce other OS quirks.

I have reverted hacked devices back to OEM ROMs but but its not factory freash. Its hacked and then hacked back. It doesn't make the phone new again. I have also lost my taste for hacking. I have better things to do that read up on updated hacking procedure.

Having said all this I would hack another device if I had to have a function that the device didn't support but the hack did. For right now though the iPhone does what I need it to do. I'm sure I'll be messing up several devices in the future since I am in my second semester studying computer science and just recently bought a book on coding iPhone programs

 

[JustinHorn]

Look at the numbers now, 33 No to 35 Yes, now it's getting interesting. ilounge.com is running a similar poll and with 679 responses

Yes, I have both jailbroken and unlocked my iPhone.
8% (57)

Yes, I have jailbroken my iPhone or iPod touch.
17% (117)

No, I at one point jailbroke my iPhone or iPod touch, but have since restored it to normal.
9% (63)

No, I have never jailbroken or unlocked my iPhone or iPod touch.
56% (383)

I don't have an iPhone or iPod touch.
9% (59)

 

[Jeremy]

It's funny, looking at the poll results so far I see some forum members that I know for a fact are jailbroken now. Maybe when they voted they weren't but now are.

 

[Leanna Lofte]

It's funny, looking at the poll results so far I see some forum members that I know for a fact are jailbroken now. Maybe when they voted they weren't but now are.

Yeah, I'm one of those now lol.

 

[Jeremy]

Yeah, I'm one of those now lol.

Skewing the results of the poll...

 

[Stevie No-Wonder]

I can't help but wonder how many non-jailbreakers (who aren't registered in the forums) may have missed this thread because the blog announcement says "Jailbreak Edition" and they're simply not interested in reading further because they feel it doesn't pertain to them. I didn't read it because of that reason, but then saw that there was a poll in this forum. So, I usually vote on everything I see.

Guess there's just no way to know.

 

[taroliw]

Well, and in a larger sense, what is really the point of asking the question? Is it matter of validating the need for jailbreak by virtue of counting our numbers and holding that up to Apple to say "see? this matters!" If Apple didn't care the first time 'round, I doubt that would make much difference. They know better than we do, right?

Well, ... wrong. And their /competition/ is beginning to demonstrate this by bringing out devices that actually /do/ include many of the things we have been asking for (or accomplishing through jailbreak) and even a lot of things we might not have considered. I, for example, REALLY like the idea of a fully converged SMS, MMS, IM, Twitter, Facebook, etc functionality that we're seeing in some newer products (announced, if not shipped).

If Apple isn't paying attention to these things, they'd better wake Steve up out of his coma so HE can make sure they hear. Either way, we (customers) win... if Apple delivers it or not.

 

[Jeremy]

I can't help but wonder how many non-jailbreakers (who aren't registered in the forums) may have missed this thread because the blog announcement says "Jailbreak Edition" and they're simply not interested in reading further because they feel it doesn't pertain to them. I didn't read it because of that reason, but then saw that there was a poll in this forum. So, I usually vote on everything I see.

Guess there's just no way to know.

Actually this thread was put up before the post on the front page. And it's not in the Jailbreak section of the forums for that purpose. So with that being said, I meant it to be a thread to spark some good conversation among forum members.

 

[Stevie No-Wonder]

Actually this thread was put up before the post on the front page. And it's not in the Jailbreak section of the forums for that purpose. So with that being said, I meant it to be a thread to spark some good conversation among forum members.

Ahh... understood.

 

[Stevie No-Wonder]

... If Apple isn't paying attention to these things, they'd better wake Steve up out of his coma so HE can make sure they hear. Either way, we (customers) win... if Apple delivers it or not.

I'd find it hard to believe that Steve Jobs (and Apple) doesn't secretly enjoy seeing the things being done on Jailbroken iPhones. It only gives them more ideas of where to go (or where not to go) next, and how to better develop (or not bother with) their own versions of jailbreak apps.

Sure, Apple has a "We know what's best" attitude... but the thing is, they're usually right in the end, IMO.

Like I've said here before, however... Apple has a LOT more on it's plate than other companies who only focus on their phones. Not an excuse, perhaps, but still...

I have faith that they'll deliver... they always do (eventually).

 

[jamesus]

I am jailbroken. I can't help but hack my technology. It's an addiction.

 

[Rene Ritchie]

Apple has no carrier (yet) in China, so they sell officially unlocked iPhones in Taiwan and Hong Kong. They're fairly Sun Tzu, so parts of Jailbreak might appeal to them, especially if it lets casual users keep a clean experience and expert users get their hands dirty...

 

[avatar test]

Wow,,,,,, 44 to 44,,,, tied strait up.

 

[TheIphoneDude]

Yeah, personally I am. Needed to access xGPS.

 

[sil3ntrid3r11]

as Chad would put it on this one, "i am more of a purist" . haha everything we are gonna want is coming in 3.0 i can feel it!

 

[taroliw]

Maybe so... too bad Apple squandered an opportunity to build our ancticipation for real features at the last Macworld. I've gotten tired of speculating when Apple will get cedrtain things right though. I have succeeded in reaching full function on the things I need. My enthusiasm for 3.x is also tempered by knowing I will have to wait for it since Apple will invariably do something to try and prevent further jailbreaking... which for me means that it will minimally be a waiting period... and at worst become a decision of fixing myself at a point in time so I don't lose what Apple doesn't seem to want me to have -- a fully functional and usable Smart Phone. :-\

 

[avatar test]

OK subtract me from the pure list and add me to the hacked list. Gotta be able to run Pandora in the background.

 

[Jeremy]

Yeah, personally I am. Needed to access xGPS.

Great app! Especially after the recent update.

 

[Tramain]

Jailbroken or Not Jailbroken

Is your iPhone jailbroken or not or what is jailbroken and you restored it. And why did you not like it jailbroken?