My experience with modding my iPhone (Verdict: Not worth it)

[mobilehavoc]

So after not modding my iPhone in any way for over 2 months, I decided to go ahead on the day Jobs decided to drop the a-bomb on the price. Coincidence? You decide.

I used iBrickr (Windows) to jailbreak it and install AppTap. Then using AppTap I installed some of the other apps out there. At first I was pretty happy having more stuff to mess with and control over my iPhone but that quickly went away...

The only currently available iPhone app I would use is a chat client so I installed both ApolloIM and MobileChat. Both sort of work although ApolloIM at least three times completely hard-froze my iPhone that I had to hold the buttons down for a full reboot - as a result missing some important phone calls since I didn't realize the iPhone was frozen for some time. MobileChat was flaky and unreliable as well. The other apps out there seem more like proof of concepts than practical for me...

I can see people liking Voicenotes, I never used this feature even when it came with a phone before so I could care less. LightsOff is perhaps the most impressive app out but gets old after a while as well.

In the end, knowing there's an iPhone update later this month and the headaches involved in updating a hacked phone, I restored my iPhone last night and it went amazingly well with everything being restored from a backup except my camera roll.

I think I'll wait a few more months for these apps to mature and perhaps something that makes it worth going through the process again. Just wanted to share my experience with others who've been thinking about doing the same but haven't....I think it's got a bright future but for me personally it's not worth (especially since it led to instability, etc.)

 

[lavrishevo]

I feel your pain. I have not had any problem with the iphone freezing, or hard freeze as you say. I don't use the chat programs just some games and BSD, SSH, Term, Srelay, and such and have not had any problems. I don't know if this has anything to do with modding from a mac or not, I kind of doubt it. I agree that certain apps are a bit unstable at this point and it is a pain in the butt to restore for every update. To each his own, personally I don't want to go back to stock features...

 

[mobilehavoc]

I think the best part of the iPod Touch announcement was the realization that it basically seems to run the same OS/software as the iPhone. While this is good for the iphone development community it's also great for regular users. Apple now has more motivation for adding their own apps to both the iPhone and iPod touch. I think the next update will add more than just the WiFi Store.

Look at this pic for the Wifi Store on an iPhone...I still can't figure out why the icon is all the way to the right. Could be on purpose or could be 3 other icons they've hidden for now that'll be part of that update!?

In your case since you're using SSH and such, I understand why it makes sense though.

 

[mpuck972]

I think the best part of the iPod Touch announcement was the realization that it basically seems to run the same OS/software as the iPhone. While this is good for the iphone development community it's also great for regular users. Apple now has more motivation for adding their own apps to both the iPhone and iPod touch. I think the next update will add more than just the WiFi Store.

Look at this pic for the Wifi Store on an iPhone...I still can't figure out why the icon is all the way to the right. Could be on purpose or could be 3 other icons they've hidden for now that'll be part of that update!?

In your case since you're using SSH and such, I understand why it makes sense though.

Everyone has been saying the same thing about the bottom row being empty so far. Fact is for some reason Apple is refusing to develop and release fun apps for the iPhone. If you look at the ones available out there now, there are certainly a few Apple could have developed by now. My guess is when they build new apps, you will have to buy them from iTunes.

 

[mobilehavoc]

Everyone has been saying the same thing about the bottom row being empty so far. Fact is for some reason Apple is refusing to develop and release fun apps for the iPhone. If you look at the ones available out there now, there are certainly a few Apple could have developed by now. My guess is when they build new apps, you will have to buy them from iTunes.

I would be perfectly happy with that. I know there's large part of the tech community that believes only in open-source and I understand their view.
However, I have no issue paying for QUALITY software. If Apple developed a kick-ass desktop-like chat client for the iPhone and charged $5 for it, I would totally do it.

I bought apps for my other phones (Blackberry, Windows Mobile,etc.) so not sure why iPhone would be different.

 

[hexonxonx]

Everyone has been saying the same thing about the bottom row being empty so far. Fact is for some reason Apple is refusing to develop and release fun apps for the iPhone. If you look at the ones available out there now, there are certainly a few Apple could have developed by now. My guess is when they build new apps, you will have to buy them from iTunes.

Yes, of course. That is what Apple designed the iPhone to do was to make money for Apple. They will not release new features for free, they will cost money if you want them. There were thousands of apps I could have bought for my old Treo 650 but I didn't need them because well, I mostly just needed a phone.

That icon could easily be placed on the left or even in the second or third space. Of course there will be other apps added to the iPhone, if and when we choose to purchase them through iTunes.