Read Write Web has an article up titled “Why You Have To Jailbreak the iPhone” that goes into why people have to Jailbreak their iPhone. It’s a great article for peopl thinking about Jailbreaking their iPhone but didn’t really see the reason why they should. For example there is an Application that comes pre-installed when you Jailbreak your phone called Cydia. Cydia lets you install Third Party Applications on your Jailbroken phone. In the article they mention some applications that should almost be included by default.

The Best Jailbroken Apps

Obviously, a list of the best apps for jailbroken phones is one that is entirely subjective. However the apps listed here are the ones that add functionality to the phone that we wish had been included out of the box.

Record Video

The iPhone is capable of recording video, but there is no way to do so without an “un-jailbroken” device. One such application that allows you to record video is the Cycorder application. It records videos formatted as QuickTime (.mov) files which are stored in the iPhone at /var/mobile/Media/Videos. To get the videos off the device, you’ll need another application as described here, such as the iPhoneBrowser for Windows.

Upload to YouTube

If you upload all your videos to YouTube anyway, you may want to forgo Cycorder in favor of iPhone Video Recorder. There is both a 2G and 3G version of this application. With this app, you can record video, select your video mode (orientation/size), choose your encoder (MPEG-4 or MOV), and share the videos. Videos can either be uploaded directly to YouTube or shared via email.

Record Video and Stream it Live

Another video recording option is to stream live video directly to the internet. Two applications are available for this: Qik and Flixwagon. We’ve covered both of these applications before, including this “how-to” guide to using Qik. My personal preference is Qik, since I was already a member of the service. Qik also offers a higher resolution and frame rate.

A Zoomable Camera

The camera on the iPhone only does one thing: it takes pictures. Even though the iPhone camera is not the best, a few more options would be nice for those of us who are regular cameraphone photographers. An app called Snapture is a much better camera application. The free version adds 12 advanced camera features like gesture zoom, color modes, and multi-shot. A Premium version ($7.99) removes ads and enables an advanced QuickView System which allows you to sort through, delete, and email photos easily. Premium users also get access to the beta features first.

Use A Modem

If you’re used to tethering your smartphone to your computer as a backup or emergency internet connection, the iPhone leaves you without the option because, by default, tethering is not permitted. The iPhoneModem is an application that can help. With this app installed, you can share your iPhone’s internet connection with either your Mac or PC. It can even run in the background while you run other apps. If you make heavy use of this application, you’ll want to also download the helper app that automatically configures your computer and then reconfigures it back when you disconnect.

Add Themes

If you like making things your own, you may be disappointed that the only customizations you can make with your iPhone are changing the background and reorganizing your apps. Out of the box, the iPhone background only displays when your phone is locked – it does not show up behind your applications like desktop wallpaper would. To really customize your iPhone, you need an application like WinterBoard or SummerBoard.

We’re not sure what’s with the season-inspired names, but WinterBoard is definitely our favorite, as it replaces the apparently abandoned SummerBoard. With this app installed, you can change the entire theme for your iPhone including the homescreen’s background, the icons themselves, and the status bar. There are tons of themes to choose from, from your favorite movie to a stylized bookshelf. (Hack that Phone shows some screenshots as does Apple iPhone School – also check their related links for more).

Customize More

An app called BossPrefs is a replacement for the preferences settings on the iPhone. One of the most useful settings the application provides is a quick way to shut off the iPhone’s 3G service – a real battery drainer. With BossPrefs, it’s only one tap away from the homescreen whereas the iPhone native Settings app has it buried several layers deep. The other key feature of BossPrefs is its ability to hide icons – even the ones that shipped with the phone. Not everyone wants “Stocks” for example, so it’s nice to be able to clear some space for other apps you use instead. BossPrefs lets you configure a lot more, too, but we think those are the two best features it offers.

The list includes some Applications that I for one don’t agree are the best in their category or for the iPhone in general.

The iPhone Modem for one is actually not all that great compared to PdaNet which just got an update and can be used throug the iPhone->USB cable and iTunes but only on Windows at the moment. You can also share the WiFi on your phone with your computer using the cable. The only way I can see this working out is if your near a WiFi spot and you’re working on a Desktop Computer and want to provide it internet, since most laptops have a wireless card anyways. However its all again down to personal preference.

Themes are awesome,  Summerboard and Winterboard allow for loads and loads of customization. But in reality they actually slow down the iPhone, sometimes to the point where you think something is wrong. But lots of people have said they don’t notice this issue, where more and more are uninstalling it because they can’t handle the sluggishness.

BossPref’s is awesome, a great utility to customize your phone and turn off any uneeded features. But it also drains battery and slows down the iPhone.

There are some applications you can use, and they make sense and work very well. Some of them are awesome, but end up lagging the iPhone or draining its battery. At the moment I don’t really have much installed other than the following apps. PdaNet, ToneFX’s and SweetTooth.

---

Similar Posts:

None Found