iPhone 3G Jailbreaking

[Grant 4]

Hi All

As I am not the worlds most technical person, I would like someone to explain jailbreaking to me (or point me to somewhere that explains this in nice easy to understand english).

Specifically:

1) What exactly is it/does it mean?

2) Is it easy to do?

3) What are the risks to doing it? (apart from voiding the warranty).

4) Should I do it?

Cheers

Grant

[martyyn 2]

This is my understanding of it all.

The original iphones were locked so you could only add applications that Apple wanted you to add, if at all. The term 'jailbreaking' comes from the firmware upgrade that you do in order to remove this restriction from the iphone and therefore allow you to add third party applications.

It was the same for the itouch. With that (originally) you couldnt add any third party apps and you had to jailbreak it which basically requires you to reset the itouch and lolad some new firmware.

Once done you can add as many application as the memory will allow.

It took me about 5 mins to find all the details on the web (ziphone seems the best place) and another ten mins to have it all done. After that adding third party apps was as easy as pressing a coupe of icons and choosing what i wanted. It then downloaded via the wifi and installed itself. Its dead easy and mine even crashed the first time leading me to think Id just bought a very small brick, but another factory reset (within itunes) and I was up and running again.

Basically I would recommend it to anyone, but then not everyone is happy to do this sort of thing without having tried it before. Ive flashed lots of mobiles and played with lots of gadgets in the past so Im happy to give it a go.

Now in your case are you specifically talking about your new 3g phone ? If so then you may be in luck. Ive seen reports today that the 3g iphone has been already jailbroken and its only a matter of time before it hits the internet. This should allow yo to buy the phone in the States, ship it over, jailbreak it and run it on any network here that it can run on.

The 16gb is US$299 so convert that, add the cost of postage and your done.

[edit] sorry thats the cost of the phone if you buy a two year contract, I dont know what it is to buy it outright.

As someone has already mentioned, Telecom are currently building their 3G network but they are currently deciding on whether to bin the original plans and to put it onto the 850Mhz range. What this would mean is that rather than only being able to get 3G in the main centers (as with Vodafone currently) you will get it anywhere you can get a signal with Telecom.

Vodafone is on 2100Mhz (I think) which limits their 3g to the main centers only. Outside of that your back to bog standard 2G and GPRS

Hope that helps.

Edited July 16, 2008 by Penry

[Grant 4]

Thanks Penry - great answer.

From that am I safe to think that in my case, I really have nothing to gain from trying this as:

1) I have the phone already, bought it outright and just kept my existing vodafone plan (and added data). Therefore I don't need to unlock it for that reason.

2) With the iPhone 3g, you can easily add 3rd party applications to it already using the apps store (I have already added a couple and they are good).

Interesting your comments on Vodafone's 3G network. I can't get it in my office, which is at the top of Khyber Pass Road (so pretty Auckland Central). It is the same with my Vodem, it automatically reverts to the slower speed. Not that this is an issue as I don't need it when sitting at my desk.

Cheers

Grant

I think I am coming to terms with this.

[Driftit 2001]

Just remember. You void your warranty if you do it.

Personally I would wait a few months to see how the phones go. See what glitches and common faults they have.

But for a $1200 toy. I would want to keep that warranty.

[Grant 4]

But for a $1200 toy.

I don't know where this $1200 comes from. I paid $980 for a 16GB version, from a proper VF store.

A good price I thought, and more than competitive with the Blackberry or Trio's I was also looking at.

Cheers

Grant

[m325i 706]

Don't worry about you warranty as you can just restore the phone.

As above 'Jailbreaking' basically allows you to run and install stuff that is not signed by Apple.

Then there is 'unlocking' which allows you to use any GSM network. (previously needed to use an imported iphone in NZ).

You need to jailbreak, so you can run the program that unlocks the phone. Then came 'all in one' programs like zi-phone that did it all in one click.

DON'T USE ZI-PHONE! Zi Phone messes with you baseband version and my not be re-storable. Wait for the 'pwnage tool' to come out.

I have used the unlocks/jailbreaks on release day since 1.1.1 and have not had problems. It used to be quite involved, now there are 'one click' solutions.

The unlock/jailbreak has not yet been release for 2.0 firmware.

When available I would recommend doing it as you can get so many apps that aren't available in the App Store.

Also I would recommend adding these guys here to your 'installer' sources for NZ specific mods.

mod my iphone .com is one of the community sites.

BTW if you jailbreak you can then install Swirly MMS and you will be able to send and recive MMS / PXT messages.

PM me if you want set up info.

Edited July 17, 2008 by Nick G

[Driftit 2001]

I don't know where this $1200 comes from. I paid $980 for a 16GB version, from a proper VF store.

A good price I thought, and more than competitive with the Blackberry or Trio's I was also looking at.

Cheers

Grant

Sorry $980 Toy then.

[Gus 5]

Grant, have you used a blackberry? Can the iphone be used along similar lines?

[martyyn 2]

Sorry $980 Toy then.

[Grant 4]

Grant, have you used a blackberry? Can the iphone be used along similar lines?

Yeah - I had one at DHL, but ended up just turning it off, as I didn't want to be on call 24 hiurs a day.

I was after a phone/PDA that let me check an send email from anywhere, control my calendar, get onto the web and all of which had to be easy to use. Also it had to sync with Outlook easily.

The iPhone does all this very easily, and also has the mapping function, the iPod touch capability etc.

I also wanted something that I could use in the USA in a few months.

I am very rarely in my office (only in there about a day and a half a week), so need to stay connected when out and about.

The iPhone fits the bill very nicely and I am very impressed with it.

Cheers

Grant

[westy 614]

This is my understanding of it all.

The original iphones were locked so you could only add applications that Apple wanted you to add, if at all. The term 'jailbreaking' comes from the firmware upgrade that you do in order to remove this restriction from the iphone and therefore allow you to add third party applications.

It was the same for the itouch. With that (originally) you couldnt add any third party apps and you had to jailbreak it which basically requires you to reset the itouch and lolad some new firmware.

Once done you can add as many application as the memory will allow.

It took me about 5 mins to find all the details on the web (ziphone seems the best place) and another ten mins to have it all done. After that adding third party apps was as easy as pressing a coupe of icons and choosing what i wanted. It then downloaded via the wifi and installed itself. Its dead easy and mine even crashed the first time leading me to think Id just bought a very small brick, but another factory reset (within itunes) and I was up and running again.

Basically I would recommend it to anyone, but then not everyone is happy to do this sort of thing without having tried it before. Ive flashed lots of mobiles and played with lots of gadgets in the past so Im happy to give it a go.

Now in your case are you specifically talking about your new 3g phone ? If so then you may be in luck. Ive seen reports today that the 3g iphone has been already jailbroken and its only a matter of time before it hits the internet. This should allow yo to buy the phone in the States, ship it over, jailbreak it and run it on any network here that it can run on.

The 16gb is US$299 so convert that, add the cost of postage and your done.

[edit] sorry thats the cost of the phone if you buy a two year contract, I dont know what it is to buy it outright.

As someone has already mentioned, Telecom are currently building their 3G network but they are currently deciding on whether to bin the original plans and to put it onto the 850Mhz range. What this would mean is that rather than only being able to get 3G in the main centers (as with Vodafone currently) you will get it anywhere you can get a signal with Telecom.

Vodafone is on 2100Mhz (I think) which limits their 3g to the main centers only. Outside of that your back to bog standard 2G and GPRS

Hope that helps.

Wow! Even I can understand that!

[bravo 34]

Gus - do you mean in that your email is pushed to you rather than you download it from the server on demand?

I believe if you have microsoft exchange server you can have outlook push your emails to a mobile device, so in that case it would work if it isn't a built-in feature.

[steve R 0]

Gus - do you mean in that your email is pushed to you rather than you download it from the server on demand?

I believe if you have microsoft exchange server you can have outlook push your emails to a mobile device, so in that case it would work if it isn't a built-in feature.

iphone's push email on exchange servers. anything else uses fetch. blackberrys push for any email, like xtra etc