Flex 2: create your own jailbreak tweaks for iOS 7

When a jailbreak app inspires the creation of its very own subreddit, you know it's something special. Flex 2 is the follow up to one of the most popular apps of last year, and like its predecessor, it allows you to change the way your favorite apps look and feel without having to know the intricacies of iOS development.

To be sure, it doesn't hurt to have some knowledge of development in general, and the logic behind the way things work, but it's not a requirement. Flex features a well-designed and intuitive interface to help you easily modify the way your favorite apps work.

Flex 2 is a much-improved version of its predecessor, and has been re-built from the ground up for iOS 7. But even if you don't run iOS 7, Flex has maintained its compatibility with both iOS 5, and iOS 6, a remarkable feat for a jailbreak app of this nature.

For those of you new to Flex, you should watch our video walkthrough inside for a demonstration of how it works. If you're already a Flex user, then check inside for some of the vital upgrade details that make Flex 2 a worthy successor.

Good deal: 75% off this pocket-sized USB battery pack

One of the most popular tech gifts and/or stock stuffers, this past holiday season was the portable USB charger. I know I included one in my Holiday gift guide, simply because they're small enough to take with you when you're on the go and very convenient.

But for those of you who didn't score a new portable USB charger this Christmas, you may be interested to know that Stack Social is running a deal on the Keychain Power Bank. For a limited time, you can grab the 2600mAh battery pack for less than $15...

Twitter updates app with enhancements for Tweet replies and photo viewer

Folks who use the native Twitter app will be happy to hear that the social network has updated its official iOS client this afternoon. The update brings the app to version 6.1, and it includes a number of enhancements and improvements.

On the enhancements side, Twitter has made it so that users can quickly reply to a Tweet with a photo, as well as easily mention others when Tweeting a photo. And on the improvements side, it's made photo editing easier to do on the fly...

Convergance takes your Lock screen in a bold new direction

Apple has always exercised fine-tuned control over iOS by making it a relatively closed platform, at least compared to Android. That is one of the main reasons why jailbreaking exists in the first place, with a major draw being the ability to customize an iPhone or iPad far beyond what is traditionally allowed. Convergance is an upcoming project for iOS 7 that aims to do just that, taking the Lock screen in a bold new direction with a crisp design, quick toggles and more… 

Microsoft’s Bing Rewards program now available on iOS

Microsoft launched Bing Rewards in September 2010 in a desperate attempt to get people search the web with Bing. Bing Rewards provides credits to users of major desktop browsers through regular Bing searches and special promotions.

Today, Bing Rewards is going mobile as the program has just been extended to owners of iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.

Rather surprisingly, the Windows maker said that Bing Rewards was “coming soon” to Windows Phone devices. Bing Rewards replaced Microsoft's similarly conceived initiatives, SearchPerks! and Bing Cashback...

Apple releases iOS 7.0.5 with minor bug fixes for select iPhones

Apple has released a public update for iOS this morning, bringing the firmware to version 7.0.5. The release comes more than two months after iOS 7.0.4, and appears to only bring about a handful of bug fixes.

In fact, what the change log says is that the update is only available for certain models of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c sold in China—meaning many won't see it. It corrects network provisioning for the handset...

Automatic’s software update just turned your car into an iBeacon

Automatic's app-enabled smart driving assistant is genius. The $99.95 accessory connects to the mobile app to not only give you driving feedback and crash alerts, but also help diagnose check engine codes and lots more - because "small changes in your driving behavior can lead to huge savings over time".

And with the latest software update, every Automatic on the road has just became an iBeacon.

iBeacon, as you know, is Apple’s Bluetooth 4.0-based micro-positioning wireless standard. The new software opens the door to some pretty exciting possibilities, stuff like auto-payments for parking or gas fill-ups, for example...

AT&T offering $100 per-line bill credit to new and existing customers

Apparently in response to T-Mobile's ongoing Un-carrier initiative, the second-largest U.S. carrier, AT&T, on Wednesday announced a new time-limited promotion that incenitivizes both existing and new subscribers with a $100 credit.

Customers are invited to activate a qualifying wireless line for any smartphone, feature phone, tablet, wireless home phone, MiFi puck or other connected device to claim their $100 bill credit per each line...

Apple to participate in ConnectED program to help bring high-speed Internet to U.S. schools

Apple, along with other Silicon Valley titans such as Microsoft and carriers like Verizon and Sprint, is going to work with the United States government to help connect schools on America with high-speed broadband Internet. The Obama administration wants to connect as much as 99 percent of schools to high-speed Internet over the next four years and companies like Apple should help advance that effort...

This commercial replaces the drones in Apple’s ‘1984’ Macintosh ad with Wall Street men in suits

Apple ran its famous ‘1984’ Macintosh ad during the Super Bowl XVIII 30 years ago this month and advertising legend Lee Clow earlier this week hinted the company may be looking to advertise the Mac’s 30th anniversary during the Super Bowl XLVIII.

The $900,000 ad was also aired only one other time on television, on December 31, 1983 right before the 12:00 midnight sign-off on KMVT in Twin Falls, Idaho.

There have been countless attempts to copy the concept of Apple's award-winning commercial. Back in 2011, Motorola’s Xoom tablet ad played on the Big Brother theme, for example.

And now, financial services company Aspiration Partners LLC has created a take on '1984' which replaces the drones in Apple’s ad with Wall Street men in suits, watch it embedded right after the break...

Gmail bug may have had you accidentally delete emails, report others as spam

A nasty bug has been discovered in Gmail that may have had you accidentally delete your email messages while reporting others as spam, Google warned Wednesday. The issue occurred on the web, the Gmail web app and its iOS application between January 15 and January 22 and is now fixed, the Internet giant said. You may want to take a look inside your spam and trash folders for any messages sent between January 12-21 that don't belong there...

T-Mobile steps up rhetoric with newspaper ad likening AT&T to Death Star

T-Mobile persists in its anti-AT&T rhetoric and today marks a new chapter in AT&T trash-talking as the nation's fourth-largest wireless company puts out a press release ridiculing AT&T's $450 incentive for T-Mobile subscribers to switch.

Conveniently timed on the same day that AT&T released its Christmas quarter earnings report, the press release argues that AT&T's offer makes T-Mobile's own incentive to pay ETFs to switch a no-brainer because AT&T customers can now go to T-Mobile and then come back at no cost.

Seriously, if a customer takes advantage of T-Mobile's ETF offer and later decides he or she dislikes it for whatever reason, AT&T will pay $450 to take them back so they don't really lose anything. The Deutsche Telekom-owned operator has also revealed advertisements that should appear in print newspapers today to communicate this message nationwide...