walled garden not so bad after all..

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by scottjl

no. sorry. direct access to the networking hardware is a big NO with apple's approved programming methods. you can even use Firewall IP to block apple's advertising. lol.

Bummer. Thanks. I will keep in mind for later. When I upgrade tablets, I might try jailbreaking the older one, because then I will have at least one functioning tablet if I screw up the jailbreaking.

[scottjl]

note. ipad OS 3.2.1 can not be jailbroken at this time. only 3.2 can using the "spirit" jailbreak method. it's pretty simple. plug in your ipad, quit itunes if running, run the spirit app. it will make a connection to your ipad, run for a few seconds, then quit. your ipad will do some magic, then will restart, and you'll see a Cydia application. that's all that's needed.

if you ever decide to remove the jailbreak you simply need to do a full restore to your ipad. you won't have cydia any more nor any of your jailbreak apps.

the cydia app store is a little "wild west". they do try to keep some control on it (and have removed some rogue apps in the past) but pretty much anything goes. you will find pornographic material, apps that violate many of apple's policies (such as Firewall IP), and some low-quality junk. much of the offerings are free but some do charge a fee (one-time or subscription, depending on the app). most of the content is specific for a 3.x iphone, but there are more and more ipad compatible apps and things are getting updated for 4.x as well. there is no way to jailbreak an iphone 4 at this time.

cydia is the basic store app, but there are alternatives you can install as well such as the "Rock Installer" which is a little faster and little better organized.

just be warned there isn't as much hand-holding in jail-break apps as there are from the apple store, it's not hard to use, just that you need to be a little more aware of what you are doing.

if you want to get started with the "dark side" i'd suggest hanging out on http://modmyi.com/ it is one of the premier web sites for that side of things.

[Maggie Leung]

Thanks for all the info, Scott. I'm saving it for later use. I will hold off for now, because my vanilla uses aren't especially restricted by Apple walls. I can already get all the porn I want, without Steve Jobs, lol.

[Roger Parkinson]

Originally Posted by scottjl

this makes no sense. are you saying you can't write an app for android that google, samsung, or motorola likes so much that they start including it with their phones? and we know microsoft has never done anything like that..

It makes sense if you read the 'and won't stock yours' bit.
Yes, Google can steal my idea, I know that.
What they cannot do is prevent me distributing my version.
Apple can.

[scottjl]

actually, given their upcoming licensing copy protection scheme, they can. also, i've read that AT&T wants to lock down android apps to only their one official store for the phones they sell. microsoft is the only place to get windows mobile 7 apps. game over.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by scottjl

actually, given their upcoming licensing copy protection scheme, they can. also, i've read that AT&T wants to lock down android apps to only their one official store for the phones they sell. microsoft is the only place to get windows mobile 7 apps. game over.

It's only game over if every Android phone maker or network locks their customers to a single store. Customers vote with their wallets.

Graham

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by Graham

It's only game over if every Android phone maker or network locks their customers to a single store. Customers vote with their wallets.

Graham

I voted with my wallet in buying an iPad. I might go with an Android device next. Thing is, Apple can wall off all it likes, as long as customers keep buying. Given what I've read up on, Android is more Wild West. It's great for consumers to have a choice of a walled garden if they like.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by Maggie Leung

I voted with my wallet in buying an iPad. I might go with an Android device next. Thing is, Apple can wall off all it likes, as long as customers keep buying. Given what I've read up on, Android is more Wild West. It's great for consumers to have a choice of a walled garden if they like.

Yet, there's a lot of noise about how great it is to jailbreak the iPad...

Anyway, absolutely, consumers can choose the walled garden or not. But scottjl's comment that AT&T locking users to a single store was game over for Android choice was what prompted my reply.

Graham

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by Graham

Yet, there's a lot of noise about how great it is to jailbreak the iPad...

Anyway, absolutely, consumers can choose the walled garden or not. But scottjl's comment that AT&T locking users to a single store was game over for Android choice was what prompted my reply.

Graham

To me, you have a right to do whatever to a device you've bought, but a company has a right to sell what it wants and to not serve you beyond the terms of use.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by Maggie Leung

To me, you have a right to do whatever to a device you've bought, but a company has a right to sell what it wants and to not serve you beyond the terms of use.

Yes, but AT&T is just one company, and of course they can choose to do whatever they like. But there are a lot more networks and Android phone makers in the world, which was my point.

Graham

[scottjl]

forgot to mention motorola locking you down on the droid x with self-destruction firmware!

is android more open than apple's offerings? right now it is. but i doubt that will continue in the long term. it's only going to take a few more apps like the one noted in the article to scare customers off and force companies to start locking things down fast. no one is going to want to sell a phone that hands over your identity to a thief. not when it launches class-action lawsuits against the carrier, the manufacturer and google.

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by Graham

Yes, but AT&T is just one company, and of course they can choose to do whatever they like. But there are a lot more networks and Android phone makers in the world, which was my point.

Graham

Not clear here. OK, Apple has a lock on iOS. You appear to be saying that because of that, it should also sell what it doesn't want to?

[scottjl]

Originally Posted by Maggie Leung

Not clear here. OK, Apple has a lock on iOS. You appear to be saying that because of that, it should also sell what it doesn't want to?

no. i think he means that android phones are available from carriers other than AT&T. it is only AT&T who is looking to lock down android phones to their single app store, not other carriers. this could be good for AT&T for customers looking to have their hand held, or drive customers looking for more choices to other carriers who aren't so restrictive.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by scottjl

no. i think he means that android phones are available from carriers other than AT&T. it is only AT&T who is looking to lock down android phones to their single app store, not other carriers. this could be good for AT&T for customers looking to have their hand held, or drive customers looking for more choices to other carriers who aren't so restrictive.

Thanks scottjl, yes!

Getting late and tired here in the UK; I think it's time to wind down for the evening and start making sense again tomorrow!

Graham

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by scottjl

no. i think he means that android phones are available from carriers other than AT&T. it is only AT&T who is looking to lock down android phones to their single app store, not other carriers. this could be good for AT&T for customers looking to have their hand held, or drive customers looking for more choices to other carriers who aren't so restrictive.

Thanks, that makes sense. I would prefer a sort of AT&T approach. I realize many buyers wouldn't. Android is too uncontrolled for a tech bonehead like me.