Now that you’ve jailbroken your iPad 2 with JailbreakMe, you’re probably wondering what cool jailbreak apps and tweaks to install from Cydia.
If you’d like a little help with making your iPad 2 the best jailbroken device it can be, we’ve collected a list of 38 jailbreak apps that every iPad user should have…
The Basics
If you’ve just jailbroken your iPad 2, there are some basic things you need to get your iPad ready for primetime.
OpenSSH
This package allows you to SSH into your iPad from your desktop computer and edit/change/move files. Make sure to change your iPhone’s default root password through SSH so that you’re more secure.
Activator
Activator is one the most universally practical extensions available in Cydia. You can use Activator to set different gestures at a system level for various actions and apps throughout iOS. Lots of jailbreak tweaks require Activator to work, so make sure you become familiar with this one.
SBSettings
As a long-time favorite in the jailbreak community, SBSettings proves invaluable for quick access to system toggles and settings in iOS. Simply assign an Activator action for quick access to this invaluable extension. Also, there are plenty of themes to choose from, too.
CyDelete
CyDelete allows you to delete Cydia apps from the iOS springboard like regular apps from the App Store. Without CyDelete, you’ll notice that apps from Cydia don’t have the delete “X” when in jiggle mode. Installing CyDelete will fix that problem so you don’t have to delete jailbreak apps from inside Cydia.
PDF Patcher
When you used JailbreakMe 3.0 to jailbreak your iPad 2 on iOS 4.3.3, you took advantage of a PDF exploit that was used to let you jailbreak from Safari on your device. That same exploit can be used to target iDevices with malware, so you need to install PDF Patcher from Cydia to patch that exploit. Oddly enough, by patching the very exploit you used to jailbreak, you become more secure than a non-jailbroken iPad. Don’t worry, you won’t lose your jailbreak by installing PDF Patcher.
The Essentials
Now that you’ve covered the basics, let’s look at some packages from Cydia that are essential for an awesome, jailbroken iPad 2.
iFile
iFile acts as your iPad’s file manager and system access tool. The potential usage for iFile is nearly limitless, and you can even use iFile with Dropbox for cloud syncing and storage with your iPad. iFile can view and edit all kinds of files, and even be set up with a personal web server. It will cost you $4 in Cydia.
PkgBackup
We cannot stress enough that it is essential for you to back up your Cydia packages! Especially when you pay for things in Cydia, you don’t want to ever lose your purchased downloads by accident. PkgBackup will guarantee that you have reliable backups of everything on your iPad, and the app even works with Dropbox for cloud storage. For more information on how to use PkgBackup, check out our detailed tutorial.
iSHSHit
It’s also very important that you back up for SHSH blobs for your iDevice if you ever wish to downgrade to an older iOS version. There are several methods to backup your SHSH blobs, like TinyUmbrella, but iSHSHit remains the easiest way to do so from the device itself. You can email yourself the blobs for safe storage. iSHSHit is also a great way to ensure that your blobs are stored by online Cydia.
Winterboard
Winterboard allows you to theme and change the design of different iOS elements. Cydia has a vast collection of different Winterboard themes to install on your device, and the Winterboard app itself is also used by other tweaks for applying changes to iOS.
RetinaPad
Are you sick of iPhone apps looking pixelated on the iPad’s big screen? – RetinaPad to the rescue! This invaluable extension performs pixel magic by upscaling iPhone apps to run in fullscreen mode without looking pixelated. It’s one of those things you have to see to believe, so download RetinaPad for $2.99 in Cydia.
Speed and Productivity
Action Menu
This jailbreak extension takes the iPad’s cut/copy/paste feature to a whole new level. By adding an incredible amount of customization to what you can do with the iOS cut and paste interface, Action Menu is sure to save you time and make you more efficient. When you install Action Menu, head over to the extension’s Settings tab to see the impressive list of options to customize.
Also, you should really get the Plus Pack if you like what the extension has to offer. The Action Menu Plus Pack will set you back $2.99 for 6 more actions, including helpful ones like History, Lookup, and the option to tweet any text you highlight in iOS.
Xpandr
Few apps will save you more actual time on the iPad than Xpandr. If you’ve used TextExpander on the Mac or in iOS, then you already understand Xpandr’s purpose. This Cydia app allows you to set shortcuts for any word or phrase that can be used in any part of iOS. The benefit to Xpandr is that it integrates at a system level, while TextExpander’s iPad app is forced to sandbox itself inside the app itself.
Some partical applications of Xpandr would be adding the “sship” shortcut for your real shipping address. If you find yourself entering your shipping address often into web forms or email, simply type “sship” and Xpandr will paste the text right in. As you can tell, the possibilities are really endless.
Xpandr is available for $1.99 in Cydia.
MultiIconMover
This tweak allows you to move multiple app icons at once on your iPad’s springboard. Simply enter edit (“jiggle”) mode and tap multiple icons at once to see red check marks appear. Move the collection of icons you have selected to a different page and hit the home button. You’re done! Thanks, MultiIconMover!
Fast Copy
This simple tweak takes the lag time out of the copy/paste/select actions in iOS. There always seems to be a slight graphical delay when copying and pasting text, and Fast Copy fixes that by making copying and pasting seem much snappier.
FakeClockUp
If you’re really itching for some speed on your iPad 2, then you may like FakeClockUp. This tweak accelerates the UIKit transition animation for some super fast performance in iOS. The iPad 2 is already so blazing fast with its A5 processor, so you may find FakeClockUp to be a bit overkill. But for the performance junkies, this tweak may do the trick.
QuickGoogle
[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro2VtDqJr0Y[/tube]
This nifty jailbreak tweak lets you quickly search Google from anywhere in iOS, all via the magic of an Activator action!
ManualCorrect
[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HIPFCQL0N4[/tube]
Auto correct in iOS can be a huge pain when it keeps misinterpreting what you’re trying to type. ManualCorrect ensures that you’re in control of your iPad’s auto correct by reversing the way that the whole process works when typing. Instead of automatically correcting a word, ManualCorrect will merely offer a suggestion. It also underlines misspelled words in red for you to see, but doesn’t change them automatically like the native auto correct in iOS.
System Tweaks
Springtomize
Few tweaks pack as many features and customization into one package as Springtomize. This collection of tweaks brings an insane amount of tweaking to iOS. If you have a favorite tweak that customizes or changes your springboard, then Springtomize probably has that feature tucked away somewhere, too.
You can do all kinds of things with Springtomize, including disable Spotlight, hide page dots, customize icons/docks, resize icons, disable icon badges, manipulate the status bar, and customize the lockscreen- just to name a few. Springtomize is available for $2.99 in Cydia, and before you go out installing tons of system tweaks, you should give Springtomize a try.
Infiniapps
Chpwn’s Infiniapps suite offers three great iOS tweaks that have been around for a long time. Infinidock gives you an infinite amount of icons to add to your dock, and it lets you scroll through pages of icons like you would on your springboard. Infiniboard lets you navigate your springboard in a different way, by letting you scroll up and down- not just left to right. Infinifolders fixes one very annoying part of iOS by letting your app folders hold as many icons as you want; no longer will you be limited to just 15 apps per folder.
Each app from the Infini suite is available for $0.99 in Cydia.
Barrel
Barrel lets you change the animation that takes place when you switch pages on your iPad’s springboard. Instead of the normal, boring swipe from left to right, Barrel lets you have cool, 3D-looking animations. There’s a good amount of animations to chose from, and Barrel will set you back $2.99 in Cydia.
AlertArtist
Have you ever wished that you could change the look and feel of the push notification box in iOS? AlertArtist allows you to fully customize the color and shading of the iOS push notification dialog, so you can tweak the design to match your current wallpaper or Winterboard theme. This tweak is available for only $0.99 in Cydia.
Graviboard
[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzoYzKaOT3Y[/tube]
This tweak is one of those non-practical things to install on your iPad for the sole purpose of showing it off to your friends. Graviboard lets you send your app icons into zero gravity through an Activator action. For instance, shaking your iPad 2 can cause your springboard icons to start bouncing around to different sides of the screen as the iPad’s accelerometer moves. Graviboard is definitely eye candy, and it may annoy you after awhile, but this tweak could still be worth having for fun’s sake. It costs $2.99.
Gridlock
Icon placement in iOS can be frustrating because you’re confined to pre-set positions on the checkered layout of the springboard. Gridlock breaks all boundaries by allowing you to literally place your app icons wherever you want on your iPad’s homescreen. It’s pretty cool if you can think of some interesting layouts to complement a nice wallpaper/theme. You could even place all icons around the border of the screen to show off your wallpaper in the center. This tweak is available for $0.99.
Scrollingboard
Although Infinidock does give you unlimited app icons in the dock, Scrollingboard adds even more functionality to the iPad’s dock. With Scrollingboard, you can have “addons” in your dock like iPod controls, and even SBSettings toggles. System controls like brightness and volume can be accessed in the dock as well.
Scrollingboard is the ultimate jailbreak tweak for your dock, and it’s available for $1.50 in Cydia. The Scrollingboard SBSettings addon is available for free.
Multifl0w
Multifl0w is like Mac OS X’s “Expose” and “Spaces” in iOS. This tweak works great on the iPad’s big screen, and it lets you view your running apps in the same way that you browse multiple tabs in Safari on the iPad. This tweak can be triggered via an Activator action of your choosing, and even be used to replace the native method for multitasking in iOS.
Multifl0w is available for $4.99 in Cydia.
ListLauncher
ListLauncher makes it easy to launch apps from the Spotlight page in iOS. If you’d like to do something with the blank space in the Spotlight page under the search bar, ListLauncher can easily fill that space with a searchable list of apps to open. For those that think in lists, ListLauncher should be perfect. It costs $0.99 in Cydia.
FolderEnhancer
This awesome jailbreak tweak gives you a plethora of new options for managing iOS folders. You can have unlimited icons in a folder, have folders within folders, place folders in the dock, etc. FolderEnhancer is a great addition for any jailbroken iPad. It’s available for $2.50 in Cydia.
Pull to Refresh
The intuitive ‘pull to refresh’ gesture that Tweetie 2 originally brought to the table in iOS is now getting replicated in all kinds of apps. When loading new data in an app, it can be much more intuitive to just pull up on the screen to refresh the page and load new info. When you jailbreak, you can actually install this awesome interface in several apps that need it desperately.
Pull to Refresh Mail, Pull to Refresh Safari and Pull to Refresh Reeder will add the implied gesture to each app. Each tweak is also free.
Wraparound
[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-plebC696Xo[/tube]
This simple tweak brings infinite swiping to your iPad’s springboard. This should be a feature in iOS by default, but at least you can get this tweak from the jailbreak community. When swiping from left to right and vice versa, Wraparound will ensure that you never get stuck at your last page of icons. You’ll be able to swipe in a loop from Spotlight to the last page. Wraparound costs $1.99 in Cydia.
iPad 2 + 3G
PhoneItiPad
This incredible jailbreak tweak allows you to use your iPad’s 3G connection as a smartphone. By giving the tweak’s creators your device’s ICCID number, you’ll be able to make and receive phone calls like an iPhone. The magic of PhoneitiPad will set you back $20.
MyWi
[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R0kzsE6O2I[/tube]
If you’ve got a 3G data connection for your iPad, you may as well use it to share that data with your other devices. MyWi will allow you to create a Wi-Fi hotspot from your iPad’s 3G connection that other devices can connect to. MyWi costs $20, with an extra $5 fee for the intelligent “On Demand” functionality. It’s better than having to buy a hefty tethering plan from your carrier. Just make sure to be careful on AT&T.
3G Unrestrictor
This nifty tweak tricks iOS into thinking that you’re on a Wi-Fi network when you’re actually on 3G. This means that you can download items over 10MB from the App Store, and watch HD Youtube videos on 3G. FaceTime and other VoIP apps that are usually restricted to Wi-Fi for video calls can also be used over 3G.
3G Unrestrictor is available for $1.99 in Cydia.
Cool Apps
Display Recorder
[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfVOjxQzoGs[/tube]
Display Recorder lets you easily record your iPad 2’s screen. Some features include:
- Records directly to high quality AVI
- Web interface to manage recordings
- Adjustable framerate & quality settings
- Hardware accelerated video encoding
- Activator integration for quick access
- Remote control via web interface
This app is definitely one of the coolest things in Cydia, and it offers a lot of features and customization for screen recording. You can even control your iPad’s screen from your desktop browser! Display Record is available in Cydia for $4.99.
VLC Media Player
When the VLC Media Player app was pulled from the App Store and made available in Cydia, jailbreakers rejoiced. The VLC app on the iPad is basically like the native Video app on steroids. The biggest pro for VLC’s app over the native Video app is the plethora of formats that can be played back in VLC. Lots of video formats that can’t play in iTunes can be added to the VLC Media Player app for viewing on the iPad. VLC is available for free in Cydia.
That concludes our roundup of awesome jailbreak apps for the iPad! Some of these tweaks are technically compatible with the iPad, but they still run at the iPhone’s resolution. However, all apps and tweaks listed should work.
We think we’ve got a pretty good list, but we know we haven’t covered everything. Let us know what you think of the jailbreak apps we mentioned, and let us know what you’re installing from Cydia on your jailbroken iPad!