The U.S. Copyright Office has ruled that it's no longer a violation to jailbreak your iPhone, that is, a violation of copyright law; it's still a violation of your agreement with Apple and will void your warranty. So now that the only risk is your relationship with Apple and the proper operation of your iPhone, why wouldn't anyone want to jailbreak their phone? Well we can think of a lot of reasons not to, like the fact that it could turn your iPhone into a nonoperational "brick" but maybe you're willing to risk it.
Now we would be the last people to suggest you do anything to violate your user agreement with Apple but just in case you want some tempting reasons to take a chance and hack your phone here you go:
(Remember, we warned you — you're on your own)
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Unlock Your Phone and Dump AT&T
Jailbreaking an iPhone can allow you to use a different SIM card. You'll still have to use a GSM carrier like T-Mobile but most of Europe uses GSM so you can save on expensive roaming fees when you go overseas.
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Use 3G or Wi-Fi with 3G Unrestricted
Normally, Apple and AT&T restrict some applications from using 3G connectivity forcing you to look for a W-iFi network instead. 3G Unrestricted allows you to use 3G connectivity for many apps that would normally be restricted to WiFi. We're not sure if this will allow FaceTime to work over 3G, anyone know?
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More System Info and Settings with SBSettings
SBSettings gives you quick access to settings for things like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or 3G that you can turn on and off with simple toggle switches along with lots of system info in an app that can be launched from almost anywhere. You can also change settings and timeouts that Apple doesn't allow you to access.
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Get the Real Google Voice Experience
Google no longer requires an invitation to use Google Voice and there already is a "legal" way to use Google Voice on your iPhone but it has limitations and you have to go through the Safari browser to use it. For the real Google Voice experience jail breakers should look at GV Mobile for the official, unofficial Google Voice app. It's available on the Cydia store.
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Re-Theme your iPhone with WinterBoard
iOS 4 allows you to do a lot more customization then before but with a jailbroken iPhone and an app like WinterBoard you can hack the screens to your heart's content and there are a lot of interesting themes to choose from.
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Haptic Feedback Makes Your iPhone Buzz
Adding tactile feedback to keyboards and tapping can make for a better experience. For $2.99 you can buy Haptic Pro for a jailbroken iPhone that uses the phone's vibrating feature to add sensory feedback to things you touch on the screen.
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Running "Cracked" Apps is Wrong But…
Disclaimer: Software publishers need to be compensated for their applications and we don't advocate running pirated software however, as reporters we feel it's important to point out that one of the more popular reasons for jailbreaking iPhones is running "cracked" versions of applications.
As we move from the world of hacking into the land of cracking we enter a world where politics supersede ethics. It's not hard to locate the popular sites where you can find apps that allow "trial" versions of commercial software to run on jailbroken iPhones for free.
Jailbreak at Your Own Risk
There you have it, some compelling reasons to break free of the Apple tyranny and run any app you want to, just don't blame us when your phone freezes and you have to restore it to factory settings. On the other hand, you don't have to jailbreak anything to find useful gadget info on Retrevo where you'll find reviews and manuals for all the latest gear including digital cameras, laptops, HDTV and more.
by Andrew Eisner (Retrevo.com)
