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iPhone Vocabulary: Explanations of iPhone Words and Phrases

There are many words and phrases used by iPhone users. If you are new to iPhone, this vocabulary will help you to quickly understand common unlock and jailbreak terms and enjoy using your mobile device.

  • Activation is a process that “awakes” your iPhone after it was purchased. Every new iPhone comes in an inactive state. You can use it for emergency calls but nothing more. Activation helps your iPhone operate fully. To activate your iPhone you need to connect it to the iTunes. Usually Apple verifies that you have activated your iPhone. However jailbreaking helps you to avoid Apple’s checks.
  • Baseband helps to control all iPhone functions. It controls voice and data traffic, locks your iPhone to the official Apple network carrier. By unlocking your iPhone you modify the baseband and it allows you communicating through different wireless carriers.
  • Blackra1n is developed by George Hotz as an alternative jailbreak utility. It can be applied to iPhone 2G, iPhone 3G and 3GS to Unlock iPhone 3.1.2 Firmware only. Blackra1n tool is designed for both Mac and Windows.
  • Bootloader is a hardware that helps to load iPhone software. You can get across two terms: baseband bootloader (3.9BL and 4.6BL) and ARM Core bootloader (for MACOS operating system). Hackers have released fake basebands that match any Apple firmware.
  • Cydia is an application developed by Jay Freeman. It is installed by default when you are jailbreaking your iPhone. Most apps in Cydia are completely free that is why it is so popular among users. This app also supports all iPhone Firmwares and it offers paid applications via Cydia Store.
  • DFU is a short form of Device Firmware Update. DFU Mode helps you to restore your iPhone when Recovery Mode cannot do anything. If you want to activate DFU Mode, you need to hold the Sleep/Wake and Home keys for about 10 seconds. You need to release the Sleep/Wake button before you see the Apple logo and continue holding the Home key until iTunes sets your iPhone in Recovery Mode. DFU Mode makes iPhone screen black.
  • EDGE stands for Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution. This is the Broadband cell network. Its standard is 2.5G. This cell network is created for iPhone users. EDGE speed is up to 384 kbit/s.
  • Emulators help you to run applications and games designed for different platforms on your iPhone/iPod Touch. Some examples of emulators you can play on your iPhone/iPod Touch are Playstation or Genesis.
  • File System is iPhone and iPod Touch memory. There are two file systems: private files (about 300 Mb for system applications and files) and the rest of the memory (for videos, music, pictures and other data).
  • Firmware is the iPhone operating system (Windows, Mac, Linux). The iPhone is now shipped with 3.1.2 firmware versions.
  • GSM stands for Global System for Mobile Communications. This mobile phone standard is used by iPhones.
  • Home Button is a round button situated at the front bottom of your iPhone.
  • Icy is an application developed by RipDev. It is an alternative for Cydia, and its developers claim that Icy offers better performance than Cydia. It is also said to be compatible with any Cydia package. Icy is installed during iPhone jailbreak process.
  • iPhone Dev Team is a hackers team who have developed different jailbreaking and unlocking apps for iPhone and iPod Touch devices. Many iPhone users consider Dev Team releases to be the most reliable.
  • Installer.app is a software based on UIKit designed for iPhones. It can be downloaded through Wi-Fi or EDGE. Alternatives to Installer.app are Cydia, Icy and Rock.
  • Jailbreak is a process that helps to get access to iPhone’s file system and install third party apps or unlock your SIM-lock and activate your device. By jailbreaking you can install, uninstall and change applications and files in your iPhone. You can avoid the App Store and fully control your iPhone by the help of jailbreaking. Jailbreaking iPhone helps to avoid Apple’s restrictions on the applications used on your device.
  • Power Button is a round button situated at the top of your iPhone.
  • Pwnage Tool is designed for Mac only. With its help you can jailbreak iPhones 2G, 3G and 3GS up to 3.1.2 firmware. Both QuickPwn and Pwnage Tool provide you build-in options to unlock the iPhone 2G. How does Pwnage Tool work? It creates a custom firmware (like IPSW) to jailbreak your iPhone. This is a flexible jailbreak tool that directly modifies the firmware file.
  • QuickPwn is a jailbreak tool developed for iPhone 2G and 3G. With its help you can jailbreak your iPhone up to 2.2.1 firmware. Today you can find both Mac and Windows versions and download them from iPhone Dev team. This utility is replaced by Redsn0w nowadays.
  • Recovery Mode helps to restore your iPhone system when your device doesn’t respond to you. In order to get into the Recovery mode you need to hold down the Home and Sleep/Wake buttons and wait until your iPhone reboots. When Apple logo appears, release the Sleep/Wake key but keep holding the Home button till iTunes logo appears on the screen. You can restore your operating system using iTunes.
  • Redsn0w has replaced Yellowsn0w and Ultrasn0w. It helps to jailbreak iPhone 3.0 Firmware. This utility is developed for all iPhone models. Today you can download both Windows and Mac versions of this tool.
  • Rock, Cydia and Icy are third party apps that work like the App Store but are not controlled by Apple.
  • SIM lock is a manufacturer limitation that locks your iPhone to one particular carrier. In the USA your iPhone SIM is locked to AT&T.
  • Springboard is a default app for iPhone.
  • SSH stands for Secure Shell. It runs on your device through port 22. Through ssh you can connect wirelessly to the Unix shell.
  • Unlock is a process that helps to open the iPhone for different GSM SIM-cards. Apple works with particular wireless carriers and it has limited iPhone for a few selected carriers. If you want to unlock your SIM-card you need to first jailbreak your iPhone.
  • Viruses are worms that can be harmful for your iPhone devices. The first iPhone worm was developed by an Australian student Ashley Towns. This happened in November 2009. This worm affects those users who are too lazy to change their iPhone default password when they jailbreak their iPhone. This first iPhone worm is harmless.
  • Warning is a problem that can prevent your iPhone/iPod Touch from working because third party apps and tweaks sometimes aren’t reliable. To fix your iPhone from warnings you need to follow helpful tutorials that you can find on our website.


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