Jailbreak - what is it?

"Jailbreak" is a term meaning to hack your iPhone (or iPod, or iPad.) Basically, it allows the user - you - to run applications and do thing that Apple doesn't normally allow the user to do. Hence, you're "breaking" your iOS device out of "jail". (This is actually a misnomer, which I'll go into later.)

Contrary to what Apple says, jailbreaking your iOS device does not void the warranty! It also does not harm your device in any way; it's a software hack; if jailbreaking your device voids your warranty, so does installing ANY application (even those authorized and sold in the App Store.) It's that simple! If you don't like the jailbreak, if you want to revert back to the "stock" operating system for any reason, it's completely reversible: you simply connect your device to your computer, and do a restore in iTunes. That's it. That's the same advice ("troubleshooting") that every Apple "Genius" will tell you to do if you have ANY problems with your device.

And it's completely free!*

What can jailbreaking your device do for you? First of all, it allows for a TON of tweaks and options. You use Cydia - the jailbreak community's version of the App Store - to install tweaks, applications, and whatnot. You can:

• expand the options available from Apple; the native folders now become full-screen and hold more apps, for example (that's the tweak FolderEnhancer in Cydia.)
• You can "skin" the native folders, so they each have a custom icon (that's the tweak Folder Icons in Cydia.)
• You can have the Weather app (or any other app) show the ACTUAL, REAL-TIME temperature in your location (that's the tweak WeatherIcon in Cydia.)
• You can "fool" every application into thinking it's on WiFi. Why is this important? Well, you can make FaceTime calls on 3G, even when you're not connected to WiFi! Or you can play games that require you to be connected to WiFi while you're on the go. (That's the app My3G in Cydia.)
• And, literally, dozens, if not hundreds or even thousands, of other options.
• Yes, you can even UNLOCK your device (some of them) to use on other carriers, and yes, you can get free apps (although this is a highly gray area, what with it being considered software piracy...)
• Last (sort of), but not least, the jailbreak community fixes many of the problems Apple devices have, and enhances many of the existing features.

How do you jailbreak your device? The easiest thing to do is go to http://www.JailBreakMe.com ON your device (using Safari.) It will tell you if you can use the website to implement the jailbreak, or if you have to go through the more lengthy process of creating a custom restore file. (Not every device and/or iOS has a jailbreak available, so results may vary.)

* Some tweaks, apps, and themes in Cydia do require payment.