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CONS of hacking your iPhone?
- Thread starter DonAllen
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As long as you understand you may have to jump through some hoops to upgrade firmware, and don't rush to upgrade each time a software patch comes from Apple so there's time to get the hacks upgraded and tested, there aren't any major downsides. If you do ever have issues, you may need to revert to a standard Apple state to get warranty service, but it seems that hasn't been an issue for people who heed warnings about not upgrading firmware blindly.
Personally, I'm waiting to see what the SDK looks like and what people are allowed to do with it. We're in the very early days of iPhone programming and the platform, and it doesn't seem to me like anyone has done anything exceptionally compelling (though some things are certainly very impressive and appealing, like NES emulation, for instance, but on the whole it seems like there are more proofs of concept than useful apps). What are you planning on installing?
Personally, I'm waiting to see what the SDK looks like and what people are allowed to do with it. We're in the very early days of iPhone programming and the platform, and it doesn't seem to me like anyone has done anything exceptionally compelling (though some things are certainly very impressive and appealing, like NES emulation, for instance, but on the whole it seems like there are more proofs of concept than useful apps). What are you planning on installing?
Wait till Feb. when the 3rd party stuff ships.
Pro: Apps that are using the actual API so less of a chance of bad things happening.
Pro: You will be update to 1.1.3 and 1.1.4 (<---possibly needed for real 3rd party apps.) and you won't have to worry about the update fudging up your iphone.
I mean with the holidays and macworld coming, Feb will be here sooner then you think.
Simply Jailbreaking the device and installing Installer.app is completely reversible and undetectable by Apple. There have been Unlocking methods that change the Baseband and were difficult but not impossible to restore.
Just Do It! Its wonderful to be out of Jail!
Just Do It! Its wonderful to be out of Jail!
There's one huge con after jailbreaking the iPhone, that you'll discover only after extensively using the native apps thereafter: instability, and unreliability.
I experienced iffy behavior with both Mail, and Safari - more frequent crashes, and worse crashes (lost browsing history). Ultimately I restored.
I experienced iffy behavior with both Mail, and Safari - more frequent crashes, and worse crashes (lost browsing history). Ultimately I restored.
crap... and someone just posted a n00b's guide to unlocking with 1.1.2
I'm torn again... *sigh*
So when my iPhone is hacked and updates come out will I lose all my stuff? Will I have to restore it before and then after the update, add them back? Please someone clue me in. Also, are you sure I will be safe regarding my warranty if I restore my phone when I bring it to apple, att, etc.? I'm very skeptical about hacking my iPhone so please someone give me an honest answer on what I should do?
In my past experience Apple Stores don't know you have JB your phone, assuming you restored it prior to return. And just hacking, not unlocking, hasn't bricked any phones in the past.
You will only lose your hacks if you run an Apple update. Don't update and you won't lose anything. Remember, you don't have to run any Apple updates. If you run an update you will have to wait until the new JB method has been discovered; and that's anyone's guess.
If you are nervous about doing it, don't. If you are unfamilair with SSH, Terminal, sFTP, CHMOD, permissions, etc. wait until you have done more reading as you will need those skills. On the plus side, I learned a lot about UNIX and using Terminal specifically from hacking my iP.
The biggest CON I have noticed is the realization that stock iPhones are kind of lame.
You will only lose your hacks if you run an Apple update. Don't update and you won't lose anything. Remember, you don't have to run any Apple updates. If you run an update you will have to wait until the new JB method has been discovered; and that's anyone's guess.
If you are nervous about doing it, don't. If you are unfamilair with SSH, Terminal, sFTP, CHMOD, permissions, etc. wait until you have done more reading as you will need those skills. On the plus side, I learned a lot about UNIX and using Terminal specifically from hacking my iP.
The biggest CON I have noticed is the realization that stock iPhones are kind of lame.
if you are unfamiliar with SSH etc. then you should use iFuntastic as it basically does the whole process for you. The whole process took about 30mins and my iphone has been totally stable since the jailbreak...
You do realize that's kind of a silly question.
If you don't update you will miss out on whatever that update provides.
I'm not being evasive, but it really depends on the update. If its just stability and a new bit of functionality you may not consider it worthwhile, but if its Flash then you might. What the past updates offered is irrelevant because they're no indication of what features the next one may have.
Some of the past ones were extremely minor, some had a little more meat to them. Spend a little time googling about the previous updates to see for yourself.
Some of the past ones were extremely minor, some had a little more meat to them. Spend a little time googling about the previous updates to see for yourself.
Battery life may be effected big time... by SSH - unless you can turn it off *which I believe the 1.1.2 jb lets you do* but in 1.1.1 it may not do what you expect it to!
I would also strongly recommend doing the process on mac - as the PC methods use multiple different techniques which although they will work there is a greater chance of something going wrong - although the 1.1.1 TIFF method is the easiest if that does not work then you may have problems.
Independence on mac works very well and does the job and should your 1.1.1 jailbreak fail will let you jailbreak and activate that way.
I would also strongly recommend doing the process on mac - as the PC methods use multiple different techniques which although they will work there is a greater chance of something going wrong - although the 1.1.1 TIFF method is the easiest if that does not work then you may have problems.
Independence on mac works very well and does the job and should your 1.1.1 jailbreak fail will let you jailbreak and activate that way.
Services and iToggle both allow you to turn off SSH which really improves battery life. You only need SSH on when transferring files from your computer to the phone. Using Installer does not require SSH to be on.
MAYBE...
right now if you have a 1.1.1 phone you can upgrade to 1.1.2 and jailbreak/activate and keep everything including media, contacts etc...
But
Assuming your phone is already 1.1.2 then you will have to restore to 1.1.1 to jailbreak 1.1.2 and that will delete everything.
Possibly a new version of Independence MAY resolve that issue but if it requires something similar to oktoprep then you will lose everything.
But then again iTunes backs up EVERYTHING on your phone so if you did end up restoring all you have to do is restore it from the back-up and everything will be back!
right now if you have a 1.1.1 phone you can upgrade to 1.1.2 and jailbreak/activate and keep everything including media, contacts etc...
But
Assuming your phone is already 1.1.2 then you will have to restore to 1.1.1 to jailbreak 1.1.2 and that will delete everything.
Possibly a new version of Independence MAY resolve that issue but if it requires something similar to oktoprep then you will lose everything.
But then again iTunes backs up EVERYTHING on your phone so if you did end up restoring all you have to do is restore it from the back-up and everything will be back!
Your contacts and email shouldn't be stored solely on your phone so they will be fine. If you have to downgrade you will lose your notes, although with 1.1.3 you should be able to grab them (if the rumors are true).