iPhone Tweaks

Looking for a new way to display the volume level on iOS? The default heads-up display (HUD) pops up right in the middle of the screen every time the volume level is adjusted. Now thanks to developer Alan Yip, there's a good looking tweak that moves the volume indicator to the status bar.

Once installed, tapping the volume up or down buttons will no longer block the center of the display. The volume HUD appears right in the status bar. When an app is in full screen mode, the status bar will even slide down as the volume is being changed, then slide back up out of the way.

Instagram's video feature has been gaining in popularity since its release, making it possible to capture videos to share instantly from any iOS device. Of course jailbreakers are always on the lookout for how an app can be improved. Now the tweak InstaChooser does just that, and adds the ability to import existing videos directly from the iOS Camera Roll.

Once installed, InstaChooser can be enabled or disabled via the Settings. When enabled, the tweak adds an Import button to the Instagram video capture screen. Just tap this button and a video less than 15 seconds long can be imported directly into Instagram from the Camera roll.

Keyboard tweaks designed for jailbroken iOS devices can increase efficiency and make typing on the virtual keyboard easier. Examples such as The Quick Brown Fox, AltKeyboard and SwipeSelection all have their own unique enhancements to the iOS keyboard. Now PredictiveKeyboard adds a popular Android keyboard feature to the list.

Once installed, the tweak adds a fifth row of keys to the pop-up virtual keyboard in all iOS applications. These keys adapt to predict words, which can be entered with one tap just like any other key. The best part about PredictiveKeyboard is that the tweak will learn new words and suggest the most commonly used words to speed up typing on your device.

Not too long ago developer HASHBANG Productions brought iPhone owners the jailbreak tweak LiveWire, a free mod that changed the iOS unlock animation. After all, on every iOS device the animation that happens when unlocking to bring up the home screen is exactly the same. Now the same team has released LiveWire Pro, with even more creative transitions for unlocking.

Besides requiring a jailbroken device running iOS 5 or later, LiveWire Pro costs $0.99. So what does one get for their money? The pro version offers no less than seven different unlock animations to choose from, all configurable from the Settings once the tweak is installed.

Quick Response (QR) codes are supported by many iPhone apps, but iOS has no built-in ability to read or generate the codes. The jailbreak tweak NativeQR seeks to change all that, by adding native QR code support to iOS. After installation, the stock Camera app will include an option to Enable QR in the same menu as HDR and Panorama.

Turning this on makes it possible to scan and recognize a QR code directly with the camera, no third-party app required. As soon as a QR code enters the field of view and is recognized, the link appears and an option to copy the text is presented. If you're not interested in the QR code just tap Cancel. No special action besides focusing on the QR code with the camera is required.