Jailbreaking

The list of options for custom ways to unlock the iPhone keeps growing thanks to the efforts of jailbreak developers. The tweak Genie provides an easy way to configure a gesture besides the standard slide to unlock movement to exit the lock screen. What makes Genie interesting is some of the toggles under Settings -> Genie.

In addition to choosing the custom unlock gesture from a list of 13 gestures, the default slide to unlock can be turned off entirely. This makes the secret gesture the only way to unlock the device. For those who are interested in going another route, the default unlock gesture can be kept active, but with a twist.

The iOS Camera app provides many easily-accessible features on its default interface. While the design might be slick and functional, in some situations the words and buttons can distract from previewing the scene in front of the lens. The jailbreak tweak MinimalCamera seeks to declutter the Camera app interface, temporarily hiding everything except the live preview.

MinimalCamera can not only be enabled or disabled under Settings, but the tweak can be switched on or off at any time from within the Camera app. First off, after installation the tweak provides only a toggle switch (enabled by default) and an option for iPhone 5 and 5s users (4-inch screens). Enabling Keep Ratio on larger iPhones will make sure the photo preview matches what is stored to the camera roll.

The computer that always listens for voice commands used to be the stuff of science fiction. Google has already initiated Ok Google as a code word to listen for further commands on Android devices, and now iPhone users have the jailbreak tweak OkSiri. Normally, Siri requires a long press of the home button to start listening. With OkSiri installed, an Activator gesture tells Siri to be ready for a custom code word.

Once installed, the first step is to define the code word that will invoke the main Siri screen. By default, this word is set to Ok Siri under Settings -> OkSiri. To change the work or phrase, enter the text and then activate and deactivate Siri the traditional way. With the code word configured, the next procedure requires assigning an Activator gesture to OkSiri. This makes it possible to switch the listening mode on or off.

While iOS makes it simple to change the volume when a function or app is in use, try to adjust these settings elsewhere and the iPhone comes up empty. Volume Mixer seeks to change all this by adding a comprehensive volume mixer to the Notification Center on jailbroken devices. The mixer is fully customizable, and brings volume adjustments across the board into one convenient location.

Once installed, the tweak must be configured to appear in the Notification Center under Settings -> Notification Center. Drag Volume Mixer from the DO NOT INCLUDE section to INCLUDE and the sliders will appear in Notification Center under the All section. Each audio component can be controlled independently with sliders that indicate the percentage of total volume currently selected.

While evasi0n will only jailbreak firmware up to iOS 7.0.6, others have already proven that later versions of Apple's mobile operating system can join the club. Developer ic0n1c (Stefan Esser) has worked his magic to jailbreak iOS 7.1.1 on an iPhone 5c, shown below running Cydia.

Describing the jailbreak on Twitter, Esser explains that the process "is not based on a long vulnerability chain. It uses a single beautiful kernel bug that goes from mobile to kernel." While all of this sounds interesting, the chances of a public jailbreak being released ahead of WWDC this June are slim. Apple is expected to reveal iOS 8 at the conference, which should prompt the jailbreak community to keep new exploits close to the vest.