Jeff Benjamin

Jeff has been with iDownloadBlog since 2010, acting as resident video specialist, and tutorial expert. He earned his degree in Computer Network Systems back in 2001, but decided Cisco routers and the like just weren’t for him. Since then, he’s been heavily involved with online writing. He’s written for numerous tech and video game sites since the late 1990′s, and has a knack for explaining things in a simple, clear, and concise manner. Jeff works primarily from the east coast on his Retina Macbook Pro, and shoots video with a Canon DSLR. During downtime he likes to travel the world, visiting the various Apple Stores across the globe. You can email him at jeff [at] idownloadblog.com and follow him on Twitter @JeffBenjam or on Google+.

Netflix++ is a jailbreak tweak that adds trailers to the Netflix App

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Netflix is a wonderful entertainment resource. It's always good for an obscure move that you've never heard of. I highly recommend Funky Monkey.

But one of the most baffling things about Netflix is the lack of trailers and previews. Instead, you have to exit the Netflix app, fire up YouTube, watch your trailer, and then head back to the Netflix app with decision in hand. Yeah, that makes no sense.

Fortunately, jailbreakers no longer have to deal with that nonsense. Netflix++ is a new jailbreak tweak that integrates YouTube trailers directly into the Netflix app. That means that people like our very own Cody can watch a snippet of Justin Bieber's movie before sitting down to enjoy it. Have a look inside for the video details...

‘ForceGoodFit’ is reason enough alone to jailbreak the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated June 21, 2018

It's been well over a month since the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus officially touched down in retail stores, and even longer since iOS 8 became available. Still, as seems to be the case with each new major iPhone and iOS release, there are developers who take a while when it comes to updating their apps.

Sometimes the delays are legitimate—updates aren't easy—and sometimes it seems like the delays are extended with little reason. Whatever the case may be, it makes for a less-than-desirable experience on the user end. With a device like the iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus, such delays are especially glaring, because the apps that haven't be updated stand out like a sore thumb.

With that in mind, wouldn't it be nice if you could force an app that hasn't been updated to run as if it had? That's the underlying premise behind ForceGoodFit. It forces apps that haven't been updated to fit the screen resolution of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. It basically makes apps that haven't been update look much better than they did before.

Have you been looking for a good reason to jailbreak your iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus? Then look no further.

iFile is now available for iOS 8 and the iPhone 6

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated June 11, 2018

Legendary file management app, iFile, is now available with several notable updates in tow. Most importantly, the Finder-like tool for iOS has been updated for iOS 8. Secondly, support has been added for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

iFile is one of the most important apps that you can download on Cydia. It brings true file management to iOS, something that just isn't possible with native App Store apps. Have a look inside for the full change log and more iFile love.

How to jailbreak iOS 8 and install Cydia using Pangu 1.1.0 on Windows [Video]

Jeff Benjamin ∙ October 31, 2014

The definitive version of Pangu for Windows is here. This version, as you've likely read, is complete with a bundled Cydia installation and English text. There are also a few differences in some of the screens that you'll encounter during the jailbreak process.

If you've yet to jailbreak iOS 8, then you no longer need to wait around for anything (outside of a version for the Mac). This is the complete version of Pangu, that makes it super-simple to jailbreak just like jailbreaks of old. Pangu 1.1.0 is a great tool, and it works very well.

Check out our final complete Pangu 1.1 iOS 8.x jailbreak video tutorial inside. It only takes 8 easy steps.

Pangu 1.1.0 update adds highly anticipated integrated Cydia installation, English translation, says Mac version is coming

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated June 12, 2018

It's been a bit of a wait, but the wait is finally over for those of you who want the absolute simplest way to jailbreak iOS 8. Yesterday, Pangu updated their jailbreak tool to allow users to install Cydia manually, but today as promised, the Pangu team pushed an update to the actual Pangu install tool, bringing an automatic Cydia installation to the table. It also beings native English text to the tool as well, so that we can easily discern error messages, and removes the wretched PP installer option.

Cydia Installer updated to 1.1.15 to fix bugs, removes landscape mode from unsupported devices

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

For those of you who were excited about the landscape mode in Cydia, I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that landscape mode works gloriously on iPads and the iPhone 6 Plus. The bad news is that landscape mode has been removed from all other devices.

Landscape inclusion in unsupported devices was apparently a bug, not a feature, and Saurik has fixed it accordingly with Cydia Installer 1.1.15. But that's not all the latest installer fixes, check inside for the full change log.

How to jailbreak iOS 8 and install Cydia the easy way

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Now that Pangu has been updated with Cydia Installer support, it's just a matter of jailbreaking with the Pangu tool, and installing Cydia from the Pangu app. It's extremely easy, and extremely straightforward.

You'll still need a Windows machine, or at least a virtual Windows machine, but other than that, it's as simple as simple gets. Inside, I'm going to show you how to jailbreak your iOS device and install Cydia from start to finish.

Pangu updated with Cydia Installer

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

There you have it, folks. As we reported just an hour ago, the Pangu jailbreak with Cydia installer was imminent. Now it appears that Pangu has flipped the switch on the update, and added the Cydia installer, which installs the latest awesome version of Cydia, directly to the Pangu jailbreak package.

This now means it's possible to jailbreak iOS 8 and install Cydia without resorting to any confusing SSH or terminal commands. Have at it...

UntetheredHeySiri: Use Hey Siri without needing a power connection

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

And the good times keep rolling. A new jailbreak tweak has popped up on the Cydia Store from well-known developer Hamza Sood. The tweak, entitled UntetheredHeySiri, lets you use Siri hands-free without needing to be connected to power.

It's an obvious want for those of us who jailbreak, and Sood quickly addressed the issue. In fact, it's the way that he implemented the tweak that impresses me most. Head inside and watch our hands-on video to see what I mean.

Pangu team: Cydia integration with the Pangu jailbreak is imminent

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

It's been a busy day with regard to jailbreaking. Tons of tweaks are being updated, Cydia just got its biggest update of all time, and now the team behind the Pangu jailbreak is about to push an update to integrate Cydia into the package.

If you've yet to jailbreak, your reasons for not doing so are slowly starting to run out. Pangu says that if testing goes well, they will release the updated version tomorrow...

Cydia Installer updated to 1.1.14 to fix passcode issue, adds multitasking, iPhone 6 support, and much more

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've been waiting for. Cydia Installer just received a 1.1.14 update to fix the lingering passcode issue. You can now update Cydia on your jailbroken iOS 8 device and use a passcode without any side effects.

More impressively, perhaps, is the introduction of new multitasking capability! Yes, true multitasking with Cydia is finally here if you're jailbroken with iOS 8. Amazing.

Then, there's support for the iPhone 6 Plus! That includes rotation support.

Watch our video walkthrough inside for an overview of the new changes, and then head over to Cydia right now and install the update if you're jailbroken. If you're not jailbroken, follow our tutorial inside to jailbreak and install Cydia.

Using the new Today View in OS X Yosemite’s Notification Center

Jeff Benjamin ∙ October 30, 2014

The Notification Center in iOS 8 received a significant revamp, and the same can be said about the Notification Center in Yosemite. New in this year’s OS X revamp is the appearance of the Today View.

The Today View contains pertinent information about your day from your Calendar, Stocks, Weather and more. It even has the ability to host widgets—both stock and third-party—directly within Notification Center. Watch our walkthrough video inside to see what I mean.