Imagine buying a computer where you were forced to only install software approved by the computer manufacturer. Furthermore, imagine if you could only buy that software from the computer manufacturer. Not many would be happy with that situation. However, that is exactly the situation when consumers brought an Apple iPhone (yes, the name is stupid, but there is no creativity at Apple). User's of Apple's iPhone could only install applications approved by Apple, and had to purchase those approved applications through Apple's Apps shop. Many users did not like these restrictions at all. After all, it was their hardware and they should be able to install whatever application they wished. Many of these dissatisfied users used a technique known as "jailbreaking" to get around the checks that Apple used on the iPhone to prevent installing applications they did not approve. Apple in turn voided any warranty of a jailbreaked iPhone and claimed such phones were in violation of the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act). Thanks to a new ruling by Federal reuglators, that is not the case; users of Apple's iPhone, and it also applies to any "smartphone" on the market, are not in violation of the DMCA if they jailbreak their phone. Apple can still void the warranty, but unless it is a new phone, who cares?

On Monday (7-26-2010) Federal regulators stated there is "no basis for copyright law to assist Apple in protecting its restrictive business model." Finally some common sense is prevailing. I am sure it was only a matter of time before Apple started suing over jailbreaked iPhones as the movement has been growing. There is no real basis for Apple to prevent users from installing non-approved applications except to control the marketplace. I hope to see many iPhone apps shops opening up reaching out both to the apps programmers that get denied by Apple and to users of jailbreaked iPones.

To assist users of Apple's iPhone to jailbreak I have included a couple of videos. Personally, the only way I would use an iPhone was if it was given to me; I certainly would not pay for one of the crappy devices.

Update: A new jailbreak has been release and to jailbreak your phone all you have to do is visit the website using your iPhone. Go here for information: http://www.jailbreakme.com/faq.html