Jailbroken Pros & Cons

[samoan]

Hello All,
would someone list the pros and cons of being jailbroken. I have yet to understand this (new to the iPhone and this forum--but I have taken a liken to this place). Please note the facts about updates and how being jailbroke will not allow updates from iTunes - or can I still update with iTunes. Man I don't know:foot:...HELP

[OJsakila]

you have to rejailbrake each time apple offers an update. that's your one con.....

[kenneth]

you can customize just about everything. 1 for pro

[samoan]

you have to rejailbrake each time apple offers an update. that's your one con.....

thats not so bad, unless the process of jailbreak is like prison break on fox. oh yeah and as long as i don't lose my music, pics, contacts..etc.

[SmartAlx]

Not quite the only con. A much much bigger con is that you usually have to set up the iPhone as new and you lose your backups (notes, app information & settings, email settings, bookmarks, map bookmarks, contacts, etc.) Some you can recover, like contacts and bookmarks if you sync properly before you jailbreak, but you still lose app information and notes.

Sure, if you go from jailbroken 2.0.1 phone to jsilbroken 2.1 phone you can SSH to back up/restore the data manually but if you are going from 2.0.1 non-jailbroken then you lose everything.

[samoan]

interestn, my biggest reason of wanting to jailbreak is the change of my backdrop behind the icons - from black to a design. this makes me wonder how often in the near future we can expect more updates from apple>

thanks for your feedback

[aaronsiphone]

interestn, my biggest reason of wanting to jailbreak is the change of my backdrop behind the icons - from black to a design. this makes me wonder how often in the near future we can expect more updates from apple>

thanks for your feedback

Apple will never officially release anything to change the back drop of your phone, its so simple that if they wanted to they would have done already, So the only way to do it is to jailbreak and as a jailbroken pro, I really havent found any cons in jailbreaking. I have never lost contacts or anything come to think of it

[Saint]

I had my 2G jailbroken. No cons at all. I want to jailbreak my 3G, but for some reason have yet to do it. I dont know whats holding me back. So, what apps are out there now, that are particularly new that would convince someone to jailbreak?

[OJsakila]

Dude, I've jailbroken since the first time it was possible over a year ago. Yes, if you update, you have to rejailbrake....so what? Like reformatting the hard drive of a computer, it is healthy for the system. I enjoy tinkering with the phone. If you just want a phone and don't want to modify it or tinker around with it, get an LG. If not, then jailbrake and enjoy learning how to "personalize" youir device!

[Audiocave]

I have to say, as a PC developer...

I am *very* hesitant to use jailbroken iPhone apps. VERY hesitant... let me list why.

1. It's just too easy to grab and transmit data from the iPhone.
2. It doesn't give you any real indication when it's doing that.
3. You can't always be sure who is writing the apps and why.

All things considered, I *hope* Apple is at least testing the App Store apps for data security (not transmitting personal data in the background). So whom exactly is doing that with jailbroken apps? Nobody.

Example: I'm a data theif in Uganda or Russia. I write a nice useful iPhone app. Thousands download it. Down in my code is a date-based *trigger* to do the "nasty stuff" after a certain date, which hides itself from immediate network monitoring etc... say June 6, 2009 my program scans (via wifi) your computer for - whatever - and sends it to me via email in the background without you ever knowing... everytime you use it.

Or places a trojan on your real system via wifi.

No jailbroken apps for me... sorry. I have to trust that Apple is checking the apps I buy from their store. With Jailbreak apps from all over the world, you have no way of knowing what you may install.

[OJsakila]

I have to say, as a PC developer...

I am *very* hesitant to use jailbroken iPhone apps. VERY hesitant... let me list why.

1. It's just too easy to grab and transmit data from the iPhone.
2. It doesn't give you any real indication when it's doing that.
3. You can't always be sure who is writing the apps and why.

All things considered, I *hope* Apple is at least testing the App Store apps for data security (not transmitting personal data in the background). So whom exactly is doing that with jailbroken apps? Nobody.

Example: I'm a data theif in Uganda or Russia. I write a nice useful iPhone app. Thousands download it. Down in my code is a date-based *trigger* to do the "nasty stuff" after a certain date, which hides itself from immediate network monitoring etc... say June 6, 2009 my program scans (via wifi) your computer for - whatever - and sends it to me via email in the background without you ever knowing... everytime you use it.

Or places a trojan on your real system via wifi.

No jailbroken apps for me... sorry. I have to trust that Apple is checking the apps I buy from their store. With Jailbreak apps from all over the world, you have no way of knowing what you may install.

Yea you're right. I should just live in a cave.

[Audiocave]

?

You do what you like. I listed a possible con.

[Kevio]

There are no cons in the jailbroken world... :D

[Voltaic Shock]

Here is a link I found today:

http://sleepers.net/news/2008/09/06/why-jailbreak-iphone/

[Voltaic Shock]

I have to say, as a PC developer...

I am *very* hesitant to use jailbroken iPhone apps. VERY hesitant... let me list why.

1. It's just too easy to grab and transmit data from the iPhone.
2. It doesn't give you any real indication when it's doing that.
3. You can't always be sure who is writing the apps and why.

All things considered, I *hope* Apple is at least testing the App Store apps for data security (not transmitting personal data in the background). So whom exactly is doing that with jailbroken apps? Nobody.

Example: I'm a data theif in Uganda or Russia. I write a nice useful iPhone app. Thousands download it. Down in my code is a date-based *trigger* to do the "nasty stuff" after a certain date, which hides itself from immediate network monitoring etc... say June 6, 2009 my program scans (via wifi) your computer for - whatever - and sends it to me via email in the background without you ever knowing... everytime you use it.

Or places a trojan on your real system via wifi.

No jailbroken apps for me... sorry. I have to trust that Apple is checking the apps I buy from their store. With Jailbreak apps from all over the world, you have no way of knowing what you may install.

I am a PC guy myself, but you could turn this around on you.

How do you know this site isn't doing anything? How do you know they don't copy your password over before they hash it in the DB? Any site could be doing this.

[Audiocave]

I am a PC guy myself, but you could turn this around on you.

How do you know this site isn't doing anything? How do you know they don't copy your password over before they hash it in the DB? Any site could be doing this.

Why are you guys so sensitive? The thread asked for "Pros and Cons". I listed a possible con.

When I install things on my PC's my anti-virus apps scan them first to try to detect potential threats. I also have Internet protection on all of my PC's, reasonable measures to protect myself. We're not talking Internet sites, we're talking executable applications.

Now you tell me... exactly what does the iPhone have to do any of that? Anti-virus? What? Nothing that I can see. It will execute any code you install on it and try to do whatever the developer tells it to do.

Relax guys... I just entered a *possible* con. No big deal. It's not personal and it doesn't require a debate. Most devs are honest. Some are not.

[Voltaic Shock]

Why are you guys so sensitive? The thread asked for "Pros and Cons". I listed a possible con.

When I install things on my PC's my anti-virus apps scan them first to try to detect potential threats. I also have Internet protection on all of my PC's, reasonable measures to protect myself. We're not talking Internet sites, we're talking executable applications.

Now you tell me... exactly what does the iPhone have to do any of that? Anti-virus? What? Nothing that I can see. It will execute any code you install on it and try to do whatever the developer tells it to do.

Relax guys... I just entered a *possible* con. No big deal. It's not personal and it doesn't require a debate.

I take it your not a programmer? As you said this thread isn't about that so I won't go into mor details.

Here is a nice Pro:

http://www.mefeedia.com/entry/dock-3-0-demonstration/11043000/

[Audiocave]

I take it your not a programmer? As you said this thread isn't about that so I won't go into mor details.

Here is a nice Pro:

http://www.mefeedia.com/entry/dock-3-0-demonstration/11043000/

Not on the iPhone no... on the PC yes. Thanks for the link.

[Voltaic Shock]

Not on the iPhone no... on the PC yes. Thanks for the link.

Then you know that you could possibly save a password in clear-text before it gets hashed on the sever. There is no way your apps would know what the actual code is diong.

The Dock feature pretty much sold me on jailbreaking my phone.

[Audiocave]

Then you know that you could possibly save a password in clear-text before it gets hashed on the sever. There is no way your apps would know what the actual code is diong.

The Dock feature pretty much sold me on jailbreaking my phone.

Yes I know that. Again, you're talking internet passwords. I don't worry about my bank's website stealing my SSN, they already have it. I don't worry about this site stealing my password to this site, who cares? It won't work anywhere else but here.

I considered jailbreaking but I'm gonna wait awhile that's all I'm saying. For *me* (ymmv and does) it's an unnaceppatable risk right now.

Ok? Personal choice. Not an indictment of your choice. Ok?

Back on topic... what's the dock thing you talk about?

[Saint]

That dock 3.0 looks really nice....I think I will jailbreak tonight. Whats the best software to use for jailbreak now?

[samoan]

thats why i love this site and this phone - all the feedback

i feel a need to go to the dark side - i will be careful jedi masters

[Voltaic Shock]

Yes I know that. Again, you're talking internet passwords. I don't worry about my bank's website stealing my SSN, they already have it. I don't worry about this site stealing my password to this site, who cares? It won't work anywhere else but here.

I considered jailbreaking but I'm gonna wait awhile that's all I'm saying. For *me* (ymmv and does) it's an unnaceppatable risk right now.

Ok? Personal choice. Not an indictment of your choice. Ok?

Back on topic... what's the dock thing you talk about?

It's in that link I posted a few posts back.

[Voltaic Shock]

That dock 3.0 looks really nice....I think I will jailbreak tonight. Whats the best software to use for jailbreak now?

Yeah I will probably do this tonight too - :P

[psylichon]

Cons:
Warranty is voided until you do a full restore
Possibility of bricking your phone (honestly, this chance is nearly zero)
You must re-jailbreak after every update


Pros:
Apps can run in the background (a must for certain apps)
You have access to system-level functions from within programs (i.e. a flashlight app that's actually bright)
You can use SSH to access and change files on the phone
Apps can do other cool tricks that Apple would never allow (see Tunewiki)
Themeing is possible on pretty much every level.


Unless Apple does a complete 180, I think there will always be a need for a jailbreak on my phone. I prefer full access to my digital devices.

[Lincoln]

Pros:

• SSH access. When stock, you have no access to the iPhone's filesystem. When jailbroken, installing OpenSSH gives you full root access to the system.

• Background processes (stock phones can only use Push Services)

• Theming. There is no way to customize a stock phone, and when jailbroken, every element of the phone can be themed.

• Basically limitless possibilities. Some things - like video recording, theming apps, and SSH enablers - are not available in the AppStore but are for jailbroken devices. So, if the phone is capable of doing something, chances are there is a way to achieve it on a jailbroken device.

Cons:

• So long as the phone is modified in any way, your warranty is no more. Apple will refuse any and all service on the device and replacements for it. So, if you jailbreak, you do so at your own risk.

• Loss of jailbroken data in updates. All stock data (AppStore apps, contacts, etc) is stored on your computer. However, no jailbroken data is backed up, and is placed on the partition of the drive that is wiped out in a restore.

• Making the device permanently inoperable (bricked). There is almost always a way to fix problems on the device, but there is a chance that your phone will become unuable, unbootable, and completely unresponsive. As said above, jailbreak at your own risk.

• Increased risk of malicious apps. Things you download from the jailbroken community are not throughly scanned before they are put up for download. An app that ruins your device or steals your personal information is possible. This has happened before; an app was available for download that only displayed the word "shoes' upon launch, and when uninstalled, it removed several important lib files from the device.

[Saint]

I jailbroke my 3G last nite and Im so glad I did. Stayup up until 4am just modding the phone. The Winpwn is so simple and there is so much on Cydia to research and try out. Thanks guys.

[Witness]

What is the dock 3.0 I can't see the video on my iPhone. Anybody know the names of those keyboards on that link? Thanks.