Now though there is a new kid on the block and it’s looking pretty impressive. Dreamboad is a new themeing solution that enables even more customizations and some stunning designs that can be changed on the fly. Dreamboard can be downloaded from Cydia as can the various Dreamboard theme’s and once you’ve done that a new icon for Dreamboard will appear on your Springboard. Launching Dreamboard will allow you to scroll through your downloaded themes although one them is provided so you don’t have to download any additional themes if you don’t want to.

Within Dreamboard you can easily scroll though all the themes that you have and apply them by simply selecting the one you want and hitting Apply.

This will apply the theme immediately without the need to re-spring the device as Winterboard requires which is a nice touch and so it’s ready to use immediately.

All the themes while looking beautiful offer different features out of the box, these include Facebook and Twitter widgets and weather widgets.

Editing the themes is relatively easy too, you can add apps to the various screens and pages depending on the them and set the weather location. Although it has to be said that up to this point while I can replace apps I’ve not been able to find how to delete them.

The Dreamboard is easy to use and edit it’s not going to replace my Winterboard theme at the moment as I’ve found that it too frequently crashes the springboard, something that Winterboard never does for me.

Dreamboard is $2.99 in Cydia and while it’s not going to replace my Winterboard theme quite yet it’s great fun to play with and has a lot of potential which I hope will be fulfilled.

Last month we reported that Comex was working on a Flash port for the iPhone and now it is available as Frash. It is worth mentioning that the current build of Frash has not been very stable for many users so you might want to wait for a stable version or try it out with caution.

Installing the app on a jailbroken device is very easy:

1. Open Cydia > Manage > Sources
2. Edit source and add http://repo.benm.at
3. Search Frash and install it.

Frash would only work on ARMv7 processors so iPhone 3G users would not be able to use flash on their devices.

Are you excited about Flash on iPhone? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

But first, some background.

For those new to the ecosystem or not in the know, jailbreaking describes a process where the locks on the iPhone OS are overridden. Apple is a firm believer in the managed user experience. They implement locks on the operating system to ensure every iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch only runs approved applications. Only approved applications are listed in the App Store and this is the only source of applications. To receive approval an application must adhere to the rules and regulations Apple makes rules regarding application inclusion and then be vetted and approved by a Human who ensures those rules are met. This is in contrast to an ecosystem like Android that has a central application store called the Marketplace but that also allows applications to be installed on the operating system by simply clicking a link. Apple maintains this is done to ensure a consistent user experience that adheres to Apple’s own application development guidelines.

Jailbreaking then takes software that has been written to override and replace Apple’s locks on the operating system so that any application can be installed. A couple of popular jailbreaking applications are Spirit and Redsn0w. While each implements their overrides in different ways and to different effect, the end result is the same. Once the locks are broken, the user is free to install any application they desire that has been written for the iPhone environment. A popular app store for jailbroken devices is Cydia. Cydia comes installed with a lot of jailbreaking applications and is typically available on the device at the end of the jailbreaking process.

The question remains then, why would someone jailbreak their device? The most common answer is to bring applications or features that aren’t otherwise available. Because of the closed, and sometimes restrictive, system Apple implements there are programs that aren’t available any other way. One I saw that has gotten some press lately was the Wi-Fi Sync app from Greg Hughes. It allows a jailbroken iPhone OS device to synchronize over a local Wi-Fi connection instead of through the USB cable. I also saw Backgrounder (multitasking) and Categories (folder-based icon management). All bring functionality to the device that isn’t otherwise available. A native Google Voice app is another example of a rejected application available on jailbroken devices. People jailbreak their devices either to gain this functionality, make a political statement about Apple’s practices, or a little bit of both. The problem with jailbreaking is, should your hardware fail and you seek a replacement from Apple, you will be rejected. Jailbreaking contravenes the terms of service of the iPhone OS and breaks the warranty on the device. It’s true you can restore the device back to its previous state but apparently traces are left behind that Apple can use to prove your previous deeds.

If part of the movement behind jailbreaking is a reaction to the features the iPhone OS does not currently support, it will be interesting to see what effect iPhone OS 4.0 brings. With native multitasking and icon management, two of the prime features jailbreaking offers will be built in. Although it is unlikely Apple will open up its processes any more in the new operating system, if two of the main jailbreaking features are natively available it makes sense many will opt to stay with the native operating system. Some have also speculated that Apple rejected Mr. Hughes’ app because they had native support in the works. Wouldn’t that be interesting? I’d like to see how the jailbreaking numbers skew before and after the official release of iPhone OS 4.0 with all the goodies and features Apple hasn’t included yet.

While jailbreaking can bring some interesting and different functionality to your iPhone OS device, it is also fraught with disadvantages. It is not a decision that should be taken lightly. Personally, I’m going to hold out to see how iPhone OS 4.0 operates on my device before I decide whether or not to go down the road of my friend. Native, unaltered operating systems are always the most stable and I’m not personally convinced it’s for me.

What do you think? Would you consider jailbreaking your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch? If you have already, would you consider sharing your experience in the comments section? Did you find it to be a positive experience or negative? Would you do it again? Leave us your comments on this and anything else pertaining to jailbreaking you’d like to share.

Poll Question

Cast your vote!

Apparently the iPhone Wi-Fi Sync app communicates via a desktop client app, and the two work together to talk to iTunes, and spoof it into thinking it is connected to a device via USB in some way. There are various ways this can be done. But the end effect is an iPhone, iPod or iPad is talking to iTunes using the protocols it is supposed to.

At the time I had this to say:

Being pessimistic I can certainly see Apple taking a close look at how this desktop client bridges the connect between iTunes and the iPhone, and how the files are transferred. But it is certainly possible it is not breaking any rules that Apple has set, or are that concerned about enforcing. But app approvals are a rocky unpredictable road sometimes with Apple. And reasons given for rejection are not always very clear or transparent initially.

Even though we were optimistic about Wi-Fi Sync’s chances we always knew Apple would take a long hard look at it. And when they did, they rejected it.

Engadget have spoken to Greg and quote his version of the explanation he got from an unnamed Apple representative.:

While he agreed that the app doesn’t technically break the rules, he said that it does encroach upon the boundaries of what they can and cannot allow on their store. He also cited security concerns.

So there you have it. Clear as mud. But not a huge surprise.

Greg has subsequently released the App for $9.99 on the Cydia network. If your iPhone is jailbroken and you want this functionality it’s available there now.

Are you disappointed that Apple rejected this? Can we perhaps expect this to be provided by Apple in iPhone OS 4.x in future? Or not? Let us know in the comments.

Spirit jailbreaks any device running iPhone OS 3.1.2, 3.1.3, and 3.2. In addition to breaking the protections Apple has placed on their devices to guard against unauthorized applications, Spirit also installs the Cydia application. Cydia is an alternative to Apple’s App Store application. It lists programs for purchase and download on the jailbroken device. Cydia is mostly a directory of programs rejected by Apple’s app approval process but also includes original content. For example, the Cydia store contains an app called Backgrounder that implements multitasking on version 3 of the iPhone OS. Official support for multitasking will not be available for the iPhone OS until the release of version 4 later this summer.

As we reported in our earlier article, some main points of the Spirit jailbreak include:

• Spirit is an untethered jailbreak. This means you won’t have to jailbreak your device whenever it needs to reboot or runs out of battery power.
• Spirit works on all devices.
• Spirit does not include a carrier unlock.
• Spirit requires your device to be activated or hacktivated.

While jailbreaking your device is a personal decision I won’t offer an opinion on, the Spirit jailbreak does seem to be the easiest means possible to accomplish the task. I’m sure Apple will analyse this latest offering from the iPhone hacking community and try to provide some sort of countermeasures against. I expect iPhone OS 4 will contain some of those countermeasures but by then the hackers may have already circumvented them. I look forward to watching this ongoing battle with interest.

Do you plan on jailbreaking your iPhone or iPad? Would you consider it to gain more access to your device and the applications provided by Cydia? Leave us your thoughts in the comments section.