Tips

There are many ways to perform actions from the lock screen on a jailbroken iPhone. These can save time and effort, making iOS even more convenient in different situations. Knober is a jailbreak tweak that takes a simple concept and executes it well, making the lock screen more functional. Normally, sliding the lock screen knob does one thing, unlock the device.

With Knober installed, there are several different actions that can be performed using a special trick. Sliding the unlock knob to the right then back to the left in one smooth gesture will activate the shortcut of your choice. All this happens immediately without unlocking your phone.

AirPlay is a great way to stream music to your favorite stereo or Apple TV, but what if you don't have special hardware designed to receive AirPlay? Now any jailbroken iOS device can be used thanks to the tweak AirPlayServer. For example, an unused old iPhone can be set up as an AirPlay receiver, so that other iOS devices on the same Wi-Fi network can send audio to the unit.

This becomes especially handy when connecting the AirPlay receiver to a stereo or other external speakers. Instead of spending money on an AirPlay-specific accessory, simply plug the headphone jack of the jailbroken iOS device into the stereo for full sound. Any other iOS device on the network can be configured to send audio to the new AirPlay receiver using the built-in AirPlay menu.

There's nothing more frustrating than typing in those long iTunes gift card codes, especially when you make a mistake and have to start all over again. Thankfully Apple has decided to make the process easier by adding the ability to redeem a gift card by using your device's camera. Twitter user Beau Giles discovered the new feature and tweeted the screenshot below. iTunes 11 gave the same feature to Mac users who can now use their FaceTime cameras to redeem gift cards also.

To use the new iOS 7 camera gift card feature, go to the App Store app, and tap the Redeem button at the bottom of the Featured page. You can then choose to enter the code the old way, or use your iPhone's rear iSight camera to snap a picture. The gift card needs to have a "gift card with a box around the code” for it to work.

UPDATE: How to block calls and text messages with iOS 7.

One of the biggest features lacking on the iPhone is the ability to block incoming calls from specific people. Previously you needed a jailbroken device and an app called iBlacklist to block calls, but soon everyone will be able to stop their exes or bill collectors from contacting them. Developers found a new "Block Contact" option in the recently released iOS 7 beta. The new feature allows you to block phone calls, FaceTime calls and messages from a specific contact listed in your Phone app.

You can easily remove people from your blocked caller list by going to their contact screen via the Phone app. There is a "Unblock this Caller" option at the bottom of each individual contact card that has been blocked. Just tap the "Unblock" button and you will be able to receive calls from that specific person again. This is a great option for on-again, off-again relationships, and a new way to identify and ignore telemarketers.

Tired of pulling your iPhone out of your pocket every time you need to check for new notifications? Sure, you can set your device to vibrate on silent but then your phone will shake every time a new message comes in. There's another way, that's more discreet and allows you to take control of when you check for new messages, without even looking at the iPhone.

The jailbreak tweak PocketNotify has no settings to configure, simply install the package then set PocketNotify to an Activator gesture. This gesture should be a using a physical button, something like Volume Button Down Short Hold. Now whenever you short hold the volume down button, the iPhone will check for new notifications.