Five paid jailbreak apps you must have

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We've previously featured the ten free jailbreak tweaks to get, but if you're willing to spend some cash, there are very good jailbreak-only apps available that can change the way you use the device even further. If sending a text message from anywhere, including the Lock Screen, sounds intriguing, then be sure to read on. Note that if you do pay and install these apps, your iOS device will need to remain jailbroken for you to continue to use them. Upgrading to a newer OS without jailbreaking or restoring the device means you will lose access to the apps (until your iOS device is re-jailbroken.

Disclaimer: Jailbreaking isn't illegal. However, doing it wrongly may cause you to lose your data which will require performing additional steps to fix your iOS device. So before proceeding, be sure to back up your information. Also note that Apple will not honor the warranty for a device that is jailbroken, so users will need to perform a restore beforehand.

That said, we at CNET Asia do not condone jailbreaking your iOS device for illegal purposes such as the pirating of apps. Jailbreaking is a way to free up your device for the purpose of customizing your user experience and/or use legitimate apps that enhance your device. Also note that some tweaks may not be stable, so you should uninstall them if you find your experience less than satisfactory.

 BiteSMS US$9.99
BiteSMS
(Screenshot: John Chan/CNET Asia)
Probably the most life-changing app that you can install, BiteSMS (and similar apps like iRealSMS) lets you send text messages from anywhere, including the lock screen. With the app installed, there's no need to ever have to switch out of your current app to reply a message. Given its usefulness, it's surprising that Apple, for all its UI design expertise, has not yet implemented a similar solution in iOS 5, though there is a possibility this could be something the company will do in future iOS updates.

Cyntact US$1.00
Cyntact, the cheapest app in our list, adds portrait pictures to your contact list. It's a simple enough tweak, but quite handy if you're a visual person (or have too many Davids or Stephanies in your contacts).

Free trial: 14 days (Note that payment is through Paypal and does not use the Cydia Store to manage your license)

Multifl0w US$4.99
While it's been known for awhile that iOS was derived from the Mac OS X operating system, Apple chose to exclude some OS X features such as Expose. This app adds two different modes, a Card-style (similar to how you view tabs in the iOS Safari browser) and an Expose mode where you can drag panels to rearrange tabs.

IntelliScreenX US$9.99
IntelliScreenX
(Screenshot: Aloysius Low/CNET Asia)
Fancy a much-improved lockscreen with all the bells and whistles? IntelliScreenX could be the answer you're looking for. Add widgets, weather info, stock info, calendar appointments and more to your lock screen. While it's certainly quite expensive, IntelliScreenX also lets you view your Twitter stream and Facebook page without having to unlock your device.

Lastly, it has a built-in text reply service similar to BiteSMS (though it's in beta). If you want more out of your device, then the IntelliScreenX app package might be a better choice compared with BiteSMS at the same price.

Free trial: 3 days

3G Unrestrictor 5 US$3.99
3G Unrestrictor 5
(Screenshot: Aloysius Low/CNET Asia)
Hate watching low-quality YouTube videos on your iOS device while not at a Wi-Fi hotspot even though you have a fast enough 3G connection? Or don't you just hate the 20MB download limit imposed by iTunes when you're on the go and want that cool-looking app? 3G Unrestrictor 5 does away with all these limitations, and also lets you use FaceTime over a 3G network. It also bypasses the check procedure for apps that require a Wi-Fi network to work (e.g. games with an online component such as Modern Combat).

Aloysius Low
About the author

Aloysius Low is a Senior Writer at CNET Asia and covers all things mobile. A former World of Warcraft addict, he now dabbles in social media to stave off the withdrawal symptoms. As a lover of all things furry, he's also the unfortunate slave/minion of two adorable cats.

Aloysius Low, Senior Writer

Latest comments

My 8 top paid or free applications and tweaks for iPad2 MUST HAVE: 1- AnyAttach Attach any kind of file directly to the native Mail app, like on PC 2- iFile THE best file manager and now with Dropbox integration 3- Safari Upload Enabler Enable native file uploads or allows you to upload files on a webpage 4- User Agent Faker Makes Websites think you use a "real" desktop browser 5- MultiIconsMover It allows you to select multiple icons to move them to a different page on your springboard, not one by one only 6- Display Recorder Records anything on your screen in real time 7- RetinaPad Allows you to add Retina Display for iPhone apps running in 2X mode on the iPad 8- Action Menu extends the Copy and Paste functionality

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