Jailbreak iPad: theory, practice, and does it make sense?

Let me remind you that the iPad - a fact stretched once commercials in six iPod touch and operating system data from similar gadgets. It is now called iOS, only the versions are different: at the moment the player in 3.1.3 and 3.2 of the tablet. Once at the base, we have the same software, and then he cracked about the same, in fact - with the same tool. But is there any sense in the iPad hacking - that is the question. Let's try to understand together.

Story

To begin with, a little theory. The roots of iPhone OS goes into NIX-systems and to be able in this software environment to play tricks, you must have full access rights to all, including the system partition and files On him. Full access, also known listed as root-dustup, means that you can look through any drive partition, including the system, perform write operations, delete, create files, folders, and so on. D. anywhere where pleases and the system "foolproof" in this case does not work. That is, you can delete important system files and waving your device handle - it will cease to work to reinstall your operating system or firmware in the case of the iPhone / iPod touch / iPad.

On the other hand, access to the system partition enables you to implement their own modifications, add new operating systems, are not provided by the developer and the possibility to expand the functionality of the device. Actually for this work and enthusiasts, creating a utility providing root-access to the gadgets based on the iPhone OS. Operation full access in this case is called jailbreak (from the English. "The jailbreak", which literally translates as "Jailbreak").

In times of aluminum iPhone 2G jailbreak of the procedure was a harsh necessity, otherwise the phone could not be made to work with any SIM-card, in addition to the US AT & T. With the release of iPhone 3G, this device has spread around the world, and were not presented locked on a specific operator models, respectively, had a choice - crack unit or not. In favor of breaking said delicious OS modification, and - against the potential instability of the device, reduced productivity, reduced battery life (Especially heavy software likes to hang out in the memory, "eat" system resources, to strain the processor and as a result, increase the level of the device power consumption even in a mode expectations).

Do you need it?

What speaks in favor of iPad hacking? In fact, the reasons can be many and fundamental worth considering separately. first - a longed multitasking. Confirmed that popular on the iPhone and iPod touch utility Backgrounder successfully works on the iPad, but the GUI for it, like ProSwitcher - no. As a result, we have the opportunity to leave some application or more run in the background, but to open them again, will need to tap on the appropriate icon on your desktop - it's not very conveniently. Also, do not forget that hanging in the background of the program are constantly using memory and close them automatically to release the RAM, if you suddenly needed, the system can not. The result of this - or freeze brake device.

I myself have a lot of experimenting with such modifiers OS in the old days, when he was closely involved reinsertion and setting iPhone. As a result, I made for myself concluded that the Backgrounder and everything connected with it, in the end, only brings problems. I do not just faced with a very unstable job of gadgets, as well as increased battery discharge. My opinion - Backgrounder for iPad is useless, especially in light of the release of iPhone OS 4 for the iPad in the fall, where multitasking is implemented beautifully and correctly.

The second reason - the ability to view video files in any format, the most common, and not just in MP4. This on the iPhone provides vlc4iPhone program and it runs on palanshete.

The problem is that the iPad is not adapted and works in a small window, or in a large - stretched twice. However, for the purity of experiment I installed OpenSSH in the tablet and download it to a few videos in different formats. Yes, here are dancing with a tambourine need - files are downloaded through back manually using a third-party apps (downloaded via WinSCP from your desktop PC, as the entire media library stored there) and about any HTTP- and FTP-servers within the speech program is not goes.

I can not fail to note a "huge" download speed of 700-900 kilobytes per second, but this can be forgiven. But the fact that uploaded videos hopelessly retarded (AVI and WMV) can not be forgiven. As a result, the ability to run video in virtually any format such as is, but benefit from it a little.

The third reason - Activator application, which, judging by the feedback, too, works well to the iPad. It allows you to configure the hardware buttons or some gestures on the launch of various applications to perform certain actions (reboot, respring, the transition to a safe state, and so on. D.). Well, that's a good reason, although I personally fully satisfied with the standard tablet interface and it controls. In addition, the use of their own gestures can cause various incidents on the big screen of the tablet, such as triggering a particular function when it is not required. Well and criticism on the stability of the program among its users is also available.

The fourth reason - Wireless sync with iTunes over Wi-Fi using the Wi-Fi Sync program. In the App Store it has not started Apple, although the application was written by all the rules and using only permitted tools. In the end, it turned out in Cydia. The product really works, but it requires the installation of special client on the PC. In addition, the fee-based program, it is worth - $ 10. Well if you have the opportunity to pay for it (via Paypal or Amazon), but personally I have sworn never to buy anything after the unofficial history with i2Reader, when a software company collapsed, its repository was eventually closed, and had to buy the app again, but already in the App Store. About nested at the time had $ 35 in the annex, of course, be forgotten.

The fifth reason - Categories. The program now allows you to organize the scattered across the desktop application icons into folders. In general, convenient, but in the next firmware such functionality will be built initially.

The sixth reason - installation of compromised applications from the App Store. In fact, the vast majority of users do Jailbreak - this is the main reason for the modification program gadget. I can not say that it is justifiable, but often there are situations when purchase program by virtue of certain circumstances just do not have the possibility. In addition, it is a good way to properly test the product before buying. I myself follow the "white side of the force" and officially buy the most interesting to me personally, programs and games for the iPad. I will not hide - many of them were tested at the beginning is not quite an official way and only then were purchased.

The seventh reason - Connection of third-party dictionaries, such as the Anglo-Russian to read English literature, or smart. Process vividly describes on Habrahabr.

The practice of jailbreaking

Well, the reasons are set out, and if the decision of the jailbreak, you should know how to do it. The process is really simple to outrageous, although there are some nuances. First you need to download the app Spirit for that operating system, in which the environment will be done to jailbreak iPad. It supports Windows, Mac OS and Linux. Then you need to unzip the program and run it. Then connect the tablet to a PC, in the Spirit window button will become active «Jailbreak». Push it and wait, and now an important point! Do not rush after that to press the button that appears «Quit». At first, wait for the iPad will restart successfully. During the reboot will psychedelic picture - this is normal. Behind it lies a text command line interface to run scripts jailbreaking and Cydia installed. After the tablet has completely loaded, you can safely exit the program.

Myself witnessed a situation where after the release of the Spirit to a complete restart iPad (and iPhone 3GS as well), the gadget hung on a rotating stage "Daisy" and its manual reset by clamping the two hardware buttons for 7-10 seconds only leads to eternal hanging on a black bullseye background. To revitalize the device had to reflash it. However, when I hacked own tablet, then with casus I not encountered, though, and left the Spirit as soon as there was a corresponding button. But it is better not to risk it. For greater clarity, watch the video:

Summarize

What we have in the dry residue? And we have what is really possible to find a reason to jailbreak the tablet, but with the entry of iPhone OS 4 will be much less. Basically hack your device enthusiasts and the urgent need for this, at least in the case of the iPad does not.