Please Call or Text Us:
Jailbreaking Problems in IOS Phones
Apple owners who may want to make modifications to iOSsettings and features (a ‘hacking’ procedure commonly known as jaibreaking) can experience several difficulties and put into jeopardy their device’s safety, security and normal functioning. It is important to note that jailbreaking may come with some apparent benefits, yet the truth is that jailbreaking your device can seriously mess up your phone, opening the door to much vulnerability, shorter battery life, as well as instability. Let’s take each problem at a time in order to discover how jailbreaking (in favor of phone unlocking) can harm your device.
Security problems: When deciding to jailbreak your phone, you ought to bear in mind that this process can eliminate the security layers which are implemented in order to protect your iOS device. By taking down the necessary security features, your phone will become prone to identity theft, network attacks, malware introduction, spyware and viruses of any kind. Jailbreaking your phone is sure to come with these consequences, as you mess with certain areas of the phone which would not normally be ‘open’ for altering.
Instability: When you gain access to the entire filesystem of your device, you will cause the following actions to happen: slower functioning of the phone, crashes, freezes, data loss, sudden crashes of Internet connections, inaccurate location data, dropped phone calls, unreliable data connections, delay of certain commands.
No more software updates: If in the past the phone could benefit from updates, this is no longer the case, as, once the device has been ‘broken into’, it becomes permanently ‘damaged’, inoperable and unable to be upgraded.
Service disruption: More than a few apps will be affected by the ‘side effects’ of jailbreaking. For instance, services like Weather, Stocks, Visual Voicemail or apps like Apple Push Notification will either be paused or no longer work on the device. Other problems can respond in a slow manner, as well, or get out of sync, both of these scenarios clearly bringing a lot of dissatisfaction to the user.
Free Applications with Over 100 Million Downloads
As you might already know, Play Store represents a platform operated by Google which offers digital distribution and free or paid applications. If you are interested in knowing which kind of apps from Play Store have more than 100 million downloads by users on their unique phones or tablets (and less than 1 billion), check out the ranking below:
1. Angry Birds– surprisingly, this catchy game featuring birds ‘attacking’ pigs and destroying various buildings in detriment of winning more points, is amongst the most downloaded apps on devices, both smartphones and tablets. Developed by Rovio Entertainment Ltd, Angry Birds was released in December 2009, immediately attracting public attention.
2. Skype– Developed by Microsoft, Skype is a free app created by Priit Kasesalu and Jaan Tallinn. It was first released in August 2003 and 65% of its shares belonged to eBay, which decided to sell them. The total value of this telecommunications software and video chatting app thus reached a staggering amount of US$2.75 billion.
3. Talking Tom and Friends– This game mostly appealing to children, pre-teens, but, also surprisingly enough, to adults alike, has risen to success thanks to the main figure, Tom, also characterized as world’s most popular cat. What is appealing to the general public is that users are allowed to play with the animals, make them repeat their words/ phrases and command other actions. This fully animated interactive 3D game was firstly launched for iOS devices in 2010.
4. Instagram– Instagram.com photography app is amongst the most downloaded due to the fact that it combines the instant camera shooting options and the possibility of ‘telegramming’ the pictures to your friends and posting them online, for everyone to see. This social networking service was firstly released on October 6, 2010, being developed by Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger. It received the nomination “App of the Year” for 2011 and was granted the second prize for the “Best Mobile App” category at the 2010 TechCrunchCrunchies.
5. Avast Mobile Security & Antivirus– Developed by Avast Software, this antivirus and premium app for mobile security is to be used freely on any Android devices. The novelty of this app is that it has a protector, a network meter, app lock, app manager options and a virus scanner, these being the main benefits which led users to download it on their phones and tablets.
Cell Phone Freedom Act (Bill C-343)
In case you do not know what the title of this article is about, then you should bear in mind that it is a law related to the obligations/freedoms of an individual when deciding to purchase a new phone. It is important to keep in mind that Freedom Act (also called Bill C-343) was firstly introduced in June, in the year of 2010 by Bruce Hyer, a Canadian political figure and Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Superior North, also known for being leader of the Green Party of Canada. Hyer initially introduced this bill in the House of Commons carrying the name C-560. However, it changed its name along with the episode in which, following the 2011 government defeat and Cell Phone Freedom Act reintroduction.
Here is why this bill would interest you: its provisions are strongly related to the phone unlocking procedure and also revolve around Wireless codes. Companies which deal with offering wireless devices must legally unlock handsets should customers request this. Furthermore, it would be important to bear in mind that the rate is to be specified by the provider. Also, wireless phone distributors are obliged to unlock handsets upon request, at a rate specified by the provider, when a consumer finishes the agreed contract. The proposed legislation also ensures the following: locks can still be made available for wireless service providers under contract. However, it would be highly unlikely to affect the contract based supply of subsidized phones. The regulations for locked device providers involve unlocking the phones or offering clients the means to unlock their device, of course, at an agreed rate, at no later than three months from the start of the contract. Service providers will do the next thing for unsubsidized devices: unlock them or give the new phone owners the means to unlock the devices at a rate specified beforehand, upon request.
Following the introduction of this bill, the public started to put a lot of pressure on service providers and, as a result, in December 2010, Rogers Communications, made it official to start unlocking all possible handsets for a small, unalterable sum of 50 dollars. Bell or Telus (which are other major service providers) stated that they would also appeal to the new Bill and please customers who would like to have their phones unlocked. Their only condition was for the handsets to operate on their own network and customers to have a postpaid account for at least three months.
4 Things Missing in Windows 10
Phone or smartphone enthusiasts and technology connoisseurs usually also pay attention to the upgrades of various devices, programs, software and so on and so forth. This is also the case with the highly mediatized Windows 10 release.
It would be important to keep in mind that the much-anticipated release of Windows 10 also came with the confirmed assumption that it will be the last incarnation of Windows, the golden system developed by an American multinational technology company with headquarters in Redmond, Washington. In simple words, users will not experience the release of Windows 11 or 12, just stick to the last version and receiving, of course, often updates and needed extra features. Despite all the above, there are some things clearly missing from this 2015 personal computer operating system. Here they are:
Features of continuity– it is true that the new Windows 10 is an avant-garde functioning system, a new product of Windows, yet there are no versions of continuity, meaning that there is no seamlessness between mobile and desktop devices. Apple intelligently created a type of ecosystem carrying the exact same term previously mentioned (‘Continuity’), which representsa number of characteristics to enableeasy and efficient interoperability between two operating systems.
The capacity to highlight/color highlight and tag files– Unlike Mac, which enables users to tag their files stored in various folders, Windows 10 has no such function, despite the fact that its previous version, namely Windows 7 had this much-needed ability.
Improved Skype integration– As we all know, Skype is an integral and encompassing part of Windows, yet has proven that it does not work that well on the improved computer system. Granted, the bugs can be from the part of Skype, yet a better coordination between the two teams is highly needed.
Male voice for Cortana– Cortana is the female voice of an intelligent personal assistant developed by Windows (very similar to iPhone’s Siri) which helps you perform various tasks, add reminders or search any kind of information you may please. Why shouldn’t Cortez exist? Is it that unappealing for a robot to have a male voice?
WhatsApp Curiosities
We have all longed for instant and efficient communication with our loved ones without having to pay a small fortune for our calls/text messages. We must all agree to the fact that we highly need to keep in touch with our friends, mere acquaintances or distant relatives. Luckily for us, in order to benefit from fast connection and free of charge calls and instant messages, videos, photos, as well as voice messages, we can appeal to the popular messaging app available for Windows Phone and other smartphones called WhatsApp.
What we do know about WhatsApp is that it represents a great instant messaging app for smartphones which operates under a business subscription model. Furthermore, we might also know that it works on phones which run on different operating systems, including Android, BlackBerry OS, iOS, Windows Phone, Symbian, Tizen, as well as Nokia Series 40. It has a Freemium license and is written in Erlang (a general runtime system and programming language created by Mike Williams, Joe Armstrong and Robert Virding.
An interesting fact about this application is that it recently reached up to 900 million users, thus becoming the most widely used and most globally popular app. Another curiosity about WhatsApp is that it was created by two former Yahoo employees who wanted to make it big and asked for a job at Facebook, the popular social network. However, Jan Koum and Brian Acton were turned down. The two created the instant messaging app for smartphones in 2009, soon discovering the peak of success. Ironically enough, Facebook ended up acquiring WhatsApp for the staggering amount of US$16 billion last year, being its largest purchase up to date.
The acquisition of the aforementioned app caused a significant number of users to migrate or try to find other interesting messaging services. The results of new users were the following: according to Line Corporation, a proprietary application for electronic devices instant communication, 2 million new users have taken up WhatsApp. Also, the instant messaging system dedicated to monitor and assess availability on multiple platforms and privacy issues called Telegram revealed the fact that, immediately after the Facebook acquisition, 8 million users downloaded the app on their devices. CEO Mark Zuckerberg claimed at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (Feb, 2014) that the instant communication application purchase was very similar to the Internet.org vision. His view upon it was that people need an internet service that can be free of use, a ‘911 for the internet’.
Now, one of the WhatsAppcreators, Koum, is in the Forbes top 400 richest Americans (at the 62nd position in the ranking).
Electronic Serial Number and IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)
ESN is an abbreviation which stands for Electronic Serial Number, a unique identification figure which is to be found on a microchip in wireless devices, being embedded by manufacturers. Being created by FCC (U.S. Federal Communications Commission which is designed in order to check and regulate interstate communications via various means, including wire satellite, TV, cable or radio), ESN is represented either as 8 digit hexadecimal figures or as 11-digit numbers. When it comes to decimal format, the first three figures are the decimal representation of the first eight, whilst the following 8 come from the remaining 24 figures. Being instantly directed to a base station whenever a phone call is made, the ESN can also be caught upby the service network’s switching office. It is important to note that the figures can also be utilized in order to track registration or time attendance.
IMEI is an abbreviation which stands for International Mobile Station Equipment Identity. This represents a figure (in general unique) used in order to identify3rd Generation Partnership Project(GSM, LTE or UMTS) phones and iDEN devices (Integrated Digital Enhanced Network), as well as satellite smartphones.
IMEI can usually be seen printed inside the phone’s compartment for batteries, yet some manufacturers also include it on-screen. You can dial the following code *#06#on the dial pad in order to retrieve your IMEI. Sometimes, phones contain the above-mentioned International Mobile Station Equipment Identity in the Settings menu. Just navigate to the General settings, then tap on ‘About’ and scroll down.
It is essential to note that the IMEI figure can be utilized in order to track valid devices and prevent phone robberies (by accessing the network). For instance, should your device be stolen, you can call your service provider and ask to ‘blacklist’ your phone using the IMEI digits to be found as described above.
All You Need to Know About MEID
MEID is a common abbreviation for mobile equipment identifier. This represents a unique figure which is associated to a physical piece of mobile equipment station in relation to CDMA (a term which stands for code division multiple access). This unique code/ identifier (which is 56 bits long) for mobile devices is practically an electronic serial number (also short for ESN).
Whilst ESN figures have more than one format (quite several, to be more precise), MEID identifiers have multiple formats, such as MEID DEC or MEID HEX. Furthermore, it is important to keep in mind the fact that the HEX format, for example, represents a mix of numbers, as well as letters (in comparison to DEC values which are all about numbers). MEID numbers were designed in order to replace ESNs, which were originally formed in November 2008. What is more, it would be important to note that a mobile identifier consisting of 14 hex digits also has three fields, including an 8-bit regional code (best known in correlation with the following abbreviation RR), a 24-bit manufacturer-assigned serial number a 24-bit manufacturer code. You should bear in mind, however, that the CD (an abbreviation which stands for check digit is not considered part of the MEID.
It is important to note that Mobile phones that are on one of the CDMA networks (Verizon, Sprint, US Cellular) come with a 14 digit MEID. If you wish to be able to find your own MEID digit on your personal phone, then it is important to keep in mind that there are more than a few manners to pinpoint your mobile equipment identifier. However, taking into consideration all of them, it would be advisable to go with the easiest and most common way, namely to dial the universal code. On most phones, you just have to type in the following: *#06# and that will help you get the answer you needed.
Unlocking Your Device Before Selling
In addition to doing a hard reset on your phone before selling it or giving it to someone you actually know, it is also essential to unlock your phone. Whilst proceeding with a master reset can enable you to delete any personal information you may have on your device (including your contacts, your music, your videos, your photos or notes), unlocking the phone can help you get rid of the restrictions set by a service provider and avoid bringing such dissatisfactions to the next person who will use the device.
Also, perhaps you have just ended a contract and need to be ‘set free’, without getting tied down to a single network and accepting all the restrictions set by various companies.
What people often fail to realize is that devices are made with unlocking in mind, thus you are 100% allowed and entitled to break all the limits set by your service provider. Before selling your device, it is important to unlock it and to make sure you do it in an efficient and safe manner. It is advisable to appeal to a team of specialized phone unlockers who fully comprehend how each model can be unlocked and how this process can or cannot affect your contract and settings. As a rule of thumb, you should never try to unlock your phone by yourself or appeal to an unauthorized individual. Why? The reason is that this can physically damage your SIM and alter with your phone settings, changing some of them and causing even greater problems with respect to optimal functioning, Internet connectivity and so on.
In addition to making sure the phone is clear and no restrictions are in place by any service carrier, unlocking your device will enable you to get more out of it, as hard resetting it and unlocking it will increase the phone’s value. Once all the limits and restrictions are broken, the device can be easily used by anyone on alternate GSM carriers. And there are, indeed, plenty of national or international service providers to choose from.
Reasons Not to Jailbreak Your Device
Despite the fact that most individuals appeal to jailbreaking, it is important to keep in mind that this process can open up so many doors, but also so many grey dimensions. This method of unlocking a device can cause a lot of issues and alter with your phone’s settings and disturb your device’s stability, as well as safety. Here is a complete list of reasons for which you should not jailbreak your phone:
1. No more safety or Stability
Unlike phone unlocking, jailbreaking is a process which works by breaking off carrier limitations consistently, yet changing itself little by little with each iOS upgrade. Despite the fact that jailbreaking can offer you a myriad of options when it comes to boosting phone functionality, it can also open the gate to a wide range of stability and safety issues. Furthermore, it is important to note that its add-ons and extensions can definitely cause the phone to work in a rather unexpected manner. For instance, applications can crash with no reason whatsoever, solving any small problem becomes the most difficult process in the world and all the effort you put into fixing things seems not enough. Indeed, troubleshoot problems can be solved by appealing to various tools, yet jailbreaking can cause so many issues that you will be left with the impression that getting your phone to what it used to be is an 100% impossible favor.
Furthermore, a number of security specialists state that jailbreaking your phone is certainly not ideal from a security standpoint. Breaking down some limitations (imposed by service carriers) and opening up your phone to new possibilities also entails getting it ‘ready’ to new vulnerabilities in terms of security and functionality.
2. You will not be able to update it as easily
If you wish to jailbreak your iPhone, for instance, then it is important to note the fact that whenever you may need to upgrade and test all the new possibilities, features or applications, then the jailbreak will be lost, thus putting you into a very uncomfortable position of retrying to break all limitations and restrictions, getting frustrated of re-jailbreaking and so on. Of course, there are a few tools which can help make this entire process easier, such as PkgBackup, yet it will not be the same as having a normal iOS upgrade and update.
3. Phone restore will be often and frustrating
Despite the fact that jailbreaking is far from being considered rocket science, sometimes, for reasons that can seem rather , this process fails, thus making you, once again, to try to restore your device and lose precious time solving some problems that should have not existed in the first place.
4. Jailbreak applications are expensive
When taking the decision to jailbreak your device, you ought to keep in mind that giving up the state of getting tied down to a single network or service carrier comes rather pricey. For instance, you should note that the most effective jailbreaking apps are those which cost more than those which are found, on average, on iTunes.
How Safe is Unlocking Your Phone?
Despite the fact that technology has advanced quite a lot and we currently live in the digital age, many people still do not know much about unlocking their devices and about how safe/unsafe this process actually is. We have previously tackled what unlocking a phone entails or how it can be done, yet much can be said regarding how safe it is.
Unlocking a device is not illegal in the sense that it does not fall into the criminal law area of expertise. There are no laws which mention the fact that you are, under no circumstance, able or allowed to unlock your device. Unlocking, nevertheless, is said to belong to the civil law domain. This field has slightly to do with settling when it comes to agreements or contracts or other legal issues established by courts. What the above-mentioned means is that there will certainly not be the case for someone to hold you responsible for taking the decision to unlock your phone and not remain tied down to a service carrier.
You should not be afraid of proceeding with this step, as no legal body will come after you, irrespective of how much dissatisfaction is brought to the initial carrier. Nevertheless, you should take the time to dig into the matter, as each carrier contract or service agreement is different, depending on each company’s policy. This will help you become aware of the possibility of breaching a carrier agreement by tampering with your phone. This is why you should read the Terms and Conditions section of your contract.
Unlocking your device is without a shade of doubt safe solely in the case in which you discuss with a professional in the field. Instead of dealing with this issue by yourself or appealing to a high street unlocker, you need to get in touch with a company or a team of experts who can provide safe, efficient and affordable factory unlocks for all Apple iPhones and Android Phones from all major brands. Despite the fact that there may be a few phone models which cannot be unlocked, the majority of them can be dealt with safely by a specialized crew.