Jailbreak iOS 7: The Long Wait

What's been happening with the guys at Evad3rs? Either they've been stuck coding at some island, broke up with their girlfriends over at Comicon or just trying to evade the angry hoard of iPhone users still waiting for their next big jailbreak?

So really what's taking them so long? Without jailbreaking, Apple devices are just over-hyped products with a leash, you bought it and you can't entirely say you own the thing or enjoy its full range of functionality unless Apple says so. That said, Apple is a control freak when it comes to its latest and greatest. Apple will not allow root access to its consumers, which is why over a million users scour the net for the latest jailbreak.

Jailbreaking Smart Phones Legal, But NOT Tablets

In jailbreaking news, the Copyright Office within the Library of Congress has renewed its rules making jailbreak smartphones legit, no warranty void on that. However, the rules don't apply to tablets. Jailbreaking your tablet which includes your e-reader and game console is against the law.

Jailbreaking your gadget lets you run unapproved apps by Apple and break free from any carrier restrictions. Apple has a stringent monopoly over which apps shoul be part of its App Store. Jailbreaking opens up possibilities for your device such as running apps you can't find on the app store, but by jailbreaking your smartphone, Apple decrees your warranty void. Sometime a bootleg animation sticks, the main red flag that you've been jailbreaking your unit.

Technology regulators such as the DMCA are obviously waiting this one out. Who knows what the tablet or the new mobile incarnate will look like in a few years? Or if we even have that need to jailbreak.

How to Jailbreak your iPhone

As jailbreaking is hacking into a smart phone’s default OS, you can start by using the Spirit, Jailbreakme, RedSn0w jailbreaking app which also works on other Apple devices such as iPods and iPads.

1. Download Spirit, Jailbreakme, RedSn0w or any popular jailbreak tool of your choice as there are a lot of jailbreaking tools for Windows and Mac. But like any downloadable wares, there are risks involved and your iPhone may become prone to attacks. So be warned. You will also need a iTunes 9.1.1 (or higher whichever is the latest now) and yes, an iPod cable.

2. Plug your Apple device, wait for iTunes acknowledge the device is connected. Create a Back up of whatever you have stored on your device into the iTunes library, and sync it. This is safety measure, you can revert back to in case your first attempt wasn't successful.

3. Run your Jailbreak tool and wait for the menu window to appear onscreen, wait for the message that the device is properly connected. Then click “Jailbreak” or whatever button that signifies the jailbreaking processs to begin, this may awhile so wait until the screen prompts that that the restore is complete. When done, your Apple device should restart. It's that simple!

4. Upon rebooting, an icon called Cydia will appear on your screen, most jailbreaking tools will install Cydia. Cydia is an alternate app store where you can download free apps or pay for good mods and tweaks. Don't worry the original App Store will continue to be functional and yes, you can still shop from iTunes and the App Store after jailbreaking. There's not really much of a change except you just have a new app store called Cydia.

In summary, jailbreaking is quite easy that even a luddite can feel his way through. Like I've said, you just need to download a piece of software, plug your iOS device into your computer with a cable, and let the run software runs its course. There is no specific knowledge or skills required.