Just after Apple released the 4.0.2 update to address the iOS PDF security issue, I decided to skip updating my iPhone 4 and jailbreak it. I’m not new to jailbreaking – my back-up first-generation iPhone is jailbroken and unlocked though the last time a jailbroken device was my main phone was back when I had the iPhone 3G and I didn’t keep it jailbroken for long. While I haven’t been exactly satisfied with how tightly Apple locks down the iPhone and limits what apps can do, I’d found that jailbroken devices were buggy and slow and the performance hit wasn’t worth it to me.
I did check around to see if a jailbroken iPhone 4 was fast and reliable since it is imperative that my primary iPhone be as rock solid as possible so I can test apps for my day job. With some great feedback from people at EverythingiCafe, I bit the bullet and pointed mobile Safari to jailbreakme.com and flipped the virtual jailbreak switch.
I admit that I am not horribly adventurous these days when it comes to jailbroken apps. I’ve played with themes before (the Glasklart theme remains my favorite to this day) but I don’tneed themes nor much of anything else, really. I’ve used SBSettings before and know that it is a popular add-on for most jailbreakers but I really don’t have a need for it. So far, I’ve only downloaded and purchased one jailbreak app through Cydia: LockInfo.
LockInfo is a fantastic addition that can put a plethora of information on your lock screen so you don’t even need to go past it to see new emails, text messages, upcoming calendar events, and more. This is the type of function that I wish Apple would offer or allow a 3rd-party developer to provide and it has drastically changed how useful my iPhone is to me. Its developer, David Ashman, graciously offers a free 14-day trial so you can see how it works for you. If you like it, you can buy it for $4.99 and even transfer the license to another iPhone when you upgrade or get a replacement iPhone.
Here is a screenshot (not mine) of what LockInfo looks like:
The only other utility I’m tempted to buy is TetherMe that switches enables the iPhones native tethering option without adding on the $20 tethering plan technically required by AT&T. I already have NetShare and HandyLight but TetherMe would be much easier since I wouldn’t have to monkey around with IP settings and such each time I need tethering.
I know there’s a ton more out there in the jailbreaking world but my needs are simple, really. Plus, I don’t want to increase the chances of my iPhone 4 slowing down or getting buggy with more and more add-ons and apps. So far, my iPhone has been just about as stable as it was before the jailbreak. I’ve had one heart-stopping moment when my iPhone was showing the NO SIM error but this might not have been related to jailbreaking at all and a reboot fixed it.
Oh, I should also mention that I’ve unlocked my iPhone 4 as well, though I haven’t tested it with another SIM to confirm. I downloaded the UltraSn0w package more out of curiosity than anything, not realizing that installing it is all it takes to unlock an iPhone. I don’t need my iPhone unlocked but it’s nice to know that it probably is should I suddenly have the need to leave the U.S. and use another SIM card to avoid AT&T’s sky-high international roaming charges.
