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iPhone Jailbreaking Still Going Strong
snydeq writes "Despite the productivity promises of Apple's forthcoming 3.0 firmware update, jailbreaking should continue to push the iPhone's productivity envelope, as users increasingly demand the Holy Grail of smartphone power use: applications that run in the background, InfoWorld reports. Copy and paste, video recording and streaming, Internet tethering, and content search are just a few of the features over which iPhone users have sought to jailbreak their devices — a practice Apple itself has done little to crack down on. Jailbreak apps circumvent hardware and software restrictions that Apple says ensure a consistent, responsive user interface and optimal battery endurance. In particular, jailbroken phones can run apps in the background, a capability Apple reserves for its own apps but prohibits in third-party programs. Jay Freeman, creator of the Cydia iPhone installer and Cydia Store, however, believes a free-market approach is the best way to satisfy power users' demands for features without compromising the performance of their iPhones. And given Apple's App Store overcrowding, it seems likely that jailbroken phones and app venues like Cydia Store will continue to be popular with iPhone customers and developers, even after the 3.0 firmware ships."
Yes, and why should it not? It is similar to the how users run Mac OS on non-apple computers. If users want to do something, they should be allowed too! Consistency of user interface is no excuse, because it wouldn't even affect users with non-jailbroke phones. Apple just likes to control what users see and do, and jailbreaking is just evidence that some people don't like being told what to do!
Yes, that's right. You are being restricted for your own good!
It must be nice to be so naive...
"linux is just DOS with a UNIX like syntax" -- Galactic Dominator (944134)
Windows Mobile devices have had applications running in the background for ages and there have not been outbreaks of infections preventing people from dialing 911. Android phones are also very open and lack such absurd restrictions.
Enough with the strawmen arguements and just come to grips with the fact that sometimes Apple puts their business interests before the consumer.
"linux is just DOS with a UNIX like syntax" -- Galactic Dominator (944134)
Polished UI on a phone is worth something though. It's nice to have a phone that does fewer things but it's a pleasure to use. Like any phone, it's too small to do any serious work with, and the things I, and I dare say most other people, use it for the most often - email, sms, gps, internet (quick lookups, too small for anything else), ipod and (gasp) making phone calls - it does incredibly well, far better than any other phone I know of.
Yes, cut and paste and one or two other things are sorely missed, but honestly all these other features people are asking for just make me worried if the future versions will have the clean and beautiful interface like the last one. "Power users", while the most vocal, tend to be a small part of the market. Hope Apple keep their head and not trip over themselves trying to please that segment of the market and make the product cluttered, ugly and crash prone like all the other "smart" phones out there.
Negative moral value of force outweighs the positive value of good intentions.
You have to first jailbreak the phone if you want to unlock it. But I recently switched to Google Android so I don't have to deal with this. It's a less nice experience, but I imagine a lot of people who are willing to go through the trouble of jailbreaking a phone are also willing to put up with the less polished UI.
Given that Jailbreaking is essentially an O(1) operation over the life of the device, and day to day use is O(n), I'll take the better UI thanks!!
On Android you also still have to deal with hunting down apps not approved for the store, just like looking at Cydia apps on the iPhone...
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
2. Ad Block. Either by the shareware Adblock or a hosts file.
3. Emulators. The GBA emulator has gotten quite good.