5 killer apps for jailbroken iPhones
Some argue that jailbreaking your iPhone isn't really necessary anymore. These five apps beg to differ--especially if you're into free tethering.
So you decided to jailbreak your iPhone using the fast and easy browser-based method that's been making headlines all week.
Now it's time to stock up on the apps Apple doesn't want you to have, mwa ha ha! (Don't you just love thumbing your nose at authority?)
As a first-time jailbreaker (finally got the aforementioned JailbreakMe to work early this morning), I've been test-tapping some of the most popular apps on my newly liberated iPhone 3GS. And already I'm wondering how I got along without them. Here are my five must-haves.
(Note: the links below all lead to the Web pages for each app, but to actually get them on your iPhone, you'll need to go through the Cydia and/or Rock store apps.)
1. iD3 The beauty of a jailbroken iPhone is that you can skin it like crazy. iD3 ($1.99) gives a gorgeous high-tech makeover to your Lock Screen, icons, and even various built-in apps (like Calculator, Dialer, and iPod). It also customizes user-interface sounds. It's just one of more than 100 available themes; pick any of them to give your iPhone a fresh, distinctive look.
2. IntelliScreen The iPhone is long overdue for some kind of functional, Windows Mobile-style "Today" screen. IntelliScreen ($9.99) brings your calendar, e-mail, and text messages to the Lock Screen, plus custom news, sports, and weather. Setting up your layout can be a bit tricky, and the screen can be slow to populate, but it's still the best use of the Lock Screen I've seen to date.
3. My3G Assuming JailbreakMe didn't wreak havoc with FaceTime on your iPhone 4, this app lets you make and take FaceTime calls over 3G--no Wi-Fi required. It does this by tricking apps into thinking they're on Wi-Fi networks. Not a bad bit of prestidigitation for $3.99
4. MyWi 4.0 Price of AT&T's tethering option: $45 per month. Price of MyWi 4.0: $19.99--and worth every penny. It not only turns your iPhone into a mobile 3G hot spot, but also supports USB connections so your laptop can get in on those AT&T Wi-Fi hot spots usually reserved for your iPhone. I tested MyWi with my Wi-Fi-only iPad; it was just like having the 3G model. This app alone is worth the "price" of jailbreaking.
5. Wi-Fi Sync Who knows why Apple didn't add Wi-Fi syncing to iOS 4. Just outright meanness, I'm guessing. Thankfully, the aptly named Wi-Fi Sync ($9.99) gets the job done. You can read more about the app in my earlier post; I'm glad to report that the required desktop utility is now available for Windows as well as Mac. Syncing without wires FTW!
Okay, those are my picks. What jailbreak apps are rocking your iPhone? Hit the comments and name your favorites.