Joe Rossignol

Joe Rossignol is a former iDB editor.

How to get the reflected iOS 6 dock back on iOS 7

For whatever reason — we're not judging — you simply don't like the blurred and translucent dock on iOS 7. We understand. A new jailbreak tweak by the name of ClassicDock is all you need, bringing the reflected iOS 6 dock right back to your Home screen on the newer version. It's that simple.

This is a fully plug-and-play extension that works its magic immediately after being installed in Cydia, with no options to configure in the Settings app. Read ahead for a few more details… 

How to dynamically change the Slide to Unlock text

We've kicked off the week with an influx of new jailbreak tweaks for iOS 7 devices, ranging from Controllers for All and Animer7 to Fancy and Pluck 2. Those four packages are very interesting in themselves, but a smaller extension by the name of DynamicText deserves a quick look too. As you would expect, the tweak allows you to dynamically change text on iOS 7. Take a look ahead for a closer look… 

Pluck 2 lets you pick songs to play directly from the Lock screen

I'm a big fan of listening to music, predominately while I am making the early morning commute to college on weekdays. As a Canadian citizen, however, fumbling with my iPhone to change the song while driving is illegal because of the distraction it presents to the driver. It's a good law, in my opinion, but one that can be understandably frustrating at times. And while a new jailbreak tweak called Pluck 2 isn't a full-stop solution for that problem, it is a useful extension that allows me to keep my eyes focused on the road… 

CamBlur7 adds blur to Camera app UI on iOS 7

While it is not the most groundbreaking jailbreak tweak on Cydia, CamBlur7 is a new package that works in unison with TransparentCameraBar to add a translucent blur effect to the top and bottom bar of the Camera app UI on iOS 7. The tweak has a number of options that are configurable through the Settings app for adjusting the blur level and hiding the blur in filter or video mode… 

Apptray lets you launch apps directly from Notification Center

There have been a handful of jailbreak tweaks released for Notification Center in the past few weeks, but perhaps none more visually appealing than Apptray, by software engineer Joshua Lee Tucker.

The tweak, compatible with all iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices, adds a fourth tab alongside Today, All and Missed in Notification Center for opening apps directly from the notifications pulldown. An unlimited number of apps can be added to Apptray, configurable from the tweak's dedicated menu in the Settings app… 

Aura is an upcoming custom icon theme that supports over 200 apps

While theme makers certainly face increasing challenges because of how iOS 7 is designed, we've still seen a handful of great themes for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Aura promises to be the next. The upcoming theme provides well-designed custom icons for over 200 apps and counting, despite its creators—a five-person group called the iApex Team—stressing that it remains in beta with a lot of work to be finished. Even in its claimed infancy, Aura looks fantastic.

Update: This theme seems to be a rip off of another theme called iMIUI we covered last year. We were not aware of that at the time of publishing and we'll not give Aura anymore coverage until its developers come clean.

The best Winterboard themes for iOS 7

The recent release of a Winterboard update with 64-bit compatibility marks a convenient time to reflect on some of the best themes for iOS 7 devices to date. It's important to keep in mind that a number of popular themes from iOS 6 have yet to be updated, although it is safe to assume that many designers will release new versions in the ensuing weeks and months. So, without further ado, take a look ahead for some of the best Winterboard themes for iOS 7 available on Cydia or elsewhere right now… 

iOS 7 presents new challenges for theme makers

While the release of a Winterboard update with support for 64-bit devices is very exciting, the entire process of creating a theme has been fundamentally changed because of how iOS 7 is built. The move away from so-called "skeuomorphism" in favor of translucency and vector-based design creates additional barriers that theme makers didn't face on iOS 6 and earlier… 

How to customize the Lock screen on iOS 7

One of the biggest advantages to jailbreaking an iOS device is the ability to customize nearly any aspect of the user interface. In fact, being able to customize or theme is one of the primary reasons that I jailbroke my first-generation iPod touch over six years ago—and I've been doing so ever since.

An important and sometimes overlooked element is the Lock screen. It can be a lot of fun to customize your Lock screen, and the results often look beautiful, so look inside for a few tips on how to perfect yours… 

Space Blueberry is a beautiful new theme for iOS 7

iOS 7 was the most controversial software update that Apple has ever released, primarily because it ushered in an all-new design that replaced detail and so-called "skeuomorphism" with flatness and simplicity. Fortunately, for those that don't favor the stock look, the arrival of the evasi0n7 jailbreak opens the doors to a myriad of new themes to choose from. Space Blueberry, for instance, is a beautiful new icon set for the iPhone and iPod touch. Take a closer look for yourself ahead… 

CyDelete for iOS 7 allows Cydia apps to be deleted from the Home screen

When you tap and hold on an app icon on your Home screen, wiggle mode is enabled and applications can then be deleted. That functionality doesn't extend to jailbreak tweaks, however, meaning that you have to go into Cydia to uninstall packages by default. To solve that minor inconvenience, developer Ryan Burke has gone ahead and updated CyDelete — originally by Dustin Howett — with both iOS 7 and A7 support… 

Swipey adds quick launcher for apps to the Lock screen on iOS 7

A much-anticipated release of Cydia Substrate for iOS 7 has prompted a number of developers to release or update jailbreak tweaks, and Swipey is among the latest to make the list. The new tweak, the work of iOS developer Tyler Nettleton, extends the functionality of the Lock screen with a quick launcher for accessing your favorite apps. A simple swipe to the right provides you with access to Camera, Instagram, Messages, Twitter or whichever apps you assign to appear…