Review

Shrink the size of iOS’ notification banners with Nanobanners

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 3, 2019

Veteran iOS users probably still remember the day when Apple introduced notification banners to their mobile operating system to replace the intrusive notification alerts that used to pop up in the middle of your display. But it seems like modern banner notifications are a lot taller than they need to be.

Those interested in shrinking down the size of their handset’s incoming banner notifications will come to appreciate a newly-released and free jailbreak tweak called Nanobanners by iOS developer Nepeta. This tweak takes a no-BS approach to making your handset’s banner notifications more tolerable, as shown in the screenshot example above.

This tweak gives your iPhone’s power-down menu a Samsung-style makeover

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 3, 2019

You can access the power down screen on any iOS device with a hardware button gesture that varies depending on the handset, and while it comes in handy at times, many would agree that the interface is somewhat lacking and leaves a lot to be desired.

Here to help in this department is a newly-released jailbreak tweak called SamsungPowerDown by iOS developer DevNTNghia, which as the tweak’s name implies, gives your handset’s native power down screen a Samsung-esque makeover.

Jailbreak tweaks of the week: BetterAlerts, Chameleon, Sareth, and more

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 2, 2019

Those who've jailbroken their iPhones or iPads using any of the latest jailbreaks are likely itching for new ways to make their handsets stand out from the crowd, and that's why we show you so many jailbreak tweaks throughout the week.

In this roundup, we'll discuss all the jailbreak tweaks released from Monday, May 27th to Sunday, June 2nd. As always, well kick things off by showcasing our favorite releases and then wrap things up with an outline of the rest afterward.

Review: the new iPod touch vs. the previous model

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 31, 2019

Out of the blue, Apple delivered a seventh-generation iPod touch media player earlier this week, a repackaged version of the 2015 predecessor sporting an updated processor and double the flash storage rather than a thorough revamp with an edge-to-edge display, Face ID and so forth. The refreshed device still has a lot going for it so we thought we'd review the new iPod touch for iDB readers who might be in the market for an affordable iOS gadget.

Augment the Spotify Music app with Improvify

Anthony Bouchard ∙ May 31, 2019

I like to use Spotify more than Apple Music, and for jailbreakers who are in the same boat as I am, it’s always exciting when new jailbreak tweaks get released with a primary focus of improving the Spotify app experience.

It was only yesterday that we showed you a jailbreak tweak along these lines called Spos, but today, we’ll be looking at a newly-released tweak called Improvify tweak by iOS developer LacertosusDeus.

Customize Control Center in new and exciting ways with Sareth

Anthony Bouchard ∙ May 30, 2019

Apart from selecting the toggles and shortcuts you use the most, Apple doesn’t provide a whole lot of customization for iOS’ Control Center interface out of the box. This is a particularly good example of how having a jailbreak can pay off.

A newly-released and free jailbreak tweak called Sareth by iOS developer iKilledAppl3 now allows users to colorize Control Center‘s module groups and configure a custom background image for the interface.

Give iOS’ alert system a fresh coat of paint with BetterAlerts

Anthony Bouchard ∙ May 30, 2019

iOS’ native alert system leaves a lot to be desired, particularly because its aesthetics are somewhat antiquated. With that in mind, wouldn’t it be great if you could give them a fresh coat of paint?

Now, with the help of a new jailbreak tweak release called BetterAlerts by iOS developer Adam Seiter (eXqusic), you can!

Chameleon lets you colorize different aspects of iOS to your liking

Anthony Bouchard ∙ May 29, 2019

If you’re looking to add an extra splash of color to your jailbroken handset, then you just might enjoy using a newly-released jailbreak tweak called Chameleon by iOS developer Sean Caissie.

At its heart, Chameleon is a full-fledged system colorization tweak for your iOS device. With it, you can colorize a plethora of different elements found in your handset’s operating system, including but not limited to:

This tweak lets you return to the first page of your Settings app with less effort

Anthony Bouchard ∙ May 29, 2019

Diving deep into your Settings app can be an easy thing to do, especially if you venture into your handset’s Accessibility options. But jailbreakers often install jailbreak tweaks with extensive preference panes, which can sometimes make backing out to the primary Settings page a chore.

If you find yourself in the latter category more often than you’d like to admit, then you just might come to appreciate a newly-released free jailbreak tweak called Return2Prefs by iOS developer thazsar, as it puts a convenient shortcut in the Settings app’s Navigation Bar that makes returning to the original page a breeze.

Hidden Cam snaps a selfie when someone enters your passcode incorrectly

Anthony Bouchard ∙ May 28, 2019

If you’re like me, then you probably don’t appreciate it when someone grabs your iPhone and tries to guess your passcode. Fortunately, a free jailbreak tweak called Hidden Cam by iOS developer Baw Apple can help you determine who’s doing this when you aren’t looking.

Hidden Cam works by snapping a selfie every time your passcode gets entered incorrectly. This method is incredibly efficient because it won’t use any system resources if your passcode or biometric authentication succeeds.

A-Font: A font-customization tweak with support for A12(X) devices

Anthony Bouchard ∙ May 28, 2019

One of the coolest things you can do with a jailbroken device is to change the system font to something a bit more exotic than what you’d typically observe on a stock handset. But not all font-swapping tweaks support Apple’s latest A12(X) handset varieties.

Here to help with the dilemma above is a new free jailbreak tweak release called A-Font by iOS developer Baw Apple.

BinaryPasscode replaces your passcode buttons with binary-centric dots

Anthony Bouchard ∙ May 28, 2019

It was only yesterday that we showed you a free jailbreak tweak called CodeScrambler 12, which randomized the positions of the number keys on your Lock screen’s passcode entry screen. But while we’re on the topic of obfuscating the passcode entry screen, why not check out a new free release dubbed BinaryPasscode by iOS developer eskimo_dev?

As shown in the before and after screenshot examples above, BinaryPasscode replaces the typical numbers that appear inside each of the passcode entry buttons with binary-centric dot patterns. BinaryPasscode should look familiar if you’ve ever used a similar tweak such as BinaryKeypad before.