Hey loyal blog readers! So the iPad 3 has been jailbroken for a little while now, and I thought that it might be helpful for some of you if I did a review of what are, in my opinion, the top 3 best sites to jailbreak iPad 3. I spent the past week shelling out mostly my own cash (thanks to all who donated to the effort!) and testing the biggest 7 iPad jailbreak sites out there that purport to have an iPad 3 jailbreak. Each of the 3 that made the cut for this review have a verified jailbreak for the new iPad that’s updated to the latest iOS, and each one of them uses automatic software to get the job done.
The ones that didn’t make the cut either turned out to not actually have a jailbreak for iPad 3, or the software was just so bad that it was nearly unusable. There was definitely a clear winner among the top 3, though, so make sure you read the reviews below. Of course, you can do a jailbreak on your own, but I don’t recommend it. It can be pretty frustrating to try and go all “hacker” and spend hours or days doing a jailbreak on your own. It’s worth ponying up a few bucks to use the automatic software and get your iPad 3 jailbroken in 5 minutes flat. Anyway, enough of this intro. Let’s get into the nitty gritty of the the review! Here are my top 3, in descending order of quality:
This site has to be seen to be fully appreciated. This is one of the biggest jailbreak sites for all devices right now, from the iPhone to the iPad 3, and with good reason. These guys have been my “go to” site ever since they launched back in 2009. I’ve mentioned if before on the blog, but I make a little cash on the side doing jailbreaks locally here in Denver. As of this week, I’ve used Jailbreak Plus on 87 iPhones, iPads, and iPods – all under the one time payment that I made back in 2009.
So after you sign up, it takes you to a screen where you choose your device (Pick iPad 3 if that’s what you’re trying to jailbreak). It then provides you with the software that you need to download and install. It’s a small download and took maybe 30 seconds. It walks you through the install and jailbreak process. From start to finish, it takes about 5 and a half minutes from the time you pay to the time you complete your iPad 3 jailbreak. After you get the software installed, you just launch the app, hit the “Start” button, and go grab a drink while it does everything automagically.
Unlike some sites, the jailbreak is untethered, which means that it’s complete jailbreak that you do once and never have to do again. Some sites offer tethered jailbreaks, which means that every time you reboot or turn off your iPad, you have to rejailbreak it – major pain the in butt if you ask me!
Jailbreak Plus takes Paypal and credit cards through a secure server on an https connection, so you know that your data is secure. What’s more, their checkout is right on their own site, letting you know that they have a verified merchant account the same as any reputable online business – a lot of these smaller jailbreak sites don’t, and they send you off site to some shady 3rd party payment processor because they can’t qualify for a merchant account. So if for some reason you’re not happy with your purchase (trust me – you’re going to like these guys), you can get a refund through Paypal or your credit card company.
They also offer a pretty sweet set of bonuses, with the best one being the package of essential apps for jailbroken devices.
I wanted to make sure that this review was thorough and professional, so I sent each of the companies that I tried out a “test question” to both their customer service and technical support departments. Jailbreak Plus did an A+ job on both questions that I sent them. The responses both came back in less than 30 minutes, and the answer was accurate and complete. Their employee who responded seemed like a knowledgeable professional, and it was obvious that they spoke English as a first language (some of these sites outsource their tech support to companies in India that barely speak English). These guys really are the cream of the crop, and I have no qualms about recommending them as my top pick. Overall score 9/10. You Should Click Here to Check Them Out Now
Note: This site is currently taking pre-orders for the iPad 3 jailbreak and should have it available in days. If you want to jailbreak iPad 3 now, check out Jailbreak Plus.
These guys are my #2 pick. A solid company, and a solid site, but not quite as slick or professional an operation as iPhone Jailbreak Plus. On this site, the jailbreak was automatic, just like on my top pick. The process was about 12 minutes from the time you pay to the time that you’re finished and you’ve done your iPad 2 jailbreak. Not too shabby. Their price is a little bit higher as well, although that might not be an issue for some people. They do take Paypal and all major credit cards, and they run on a secure https connection so that your data is safe.
One of my biggest beefs with these guys is that they only offer a tethered jailbreak right now. I don’t why some of these companies think that this is acceptable. Why would I want to rejailbreak my iPad 2 every time I reboot it or shut it off when I can go and use a company that let’s me have a permanent jailbreak? Oh well.
Just like with my top pick, the instructions were easy to follow, and the jailbreak went off without a hitch. And just as with all of the sites that I tried out, I sent them a couple of “test questions” to see how their support teams would respond. On the customer service question (I told them I was having trouble logging in), their response time was 4 hours and 22 minutes. For the tech support question, they got back to me after 7 hours and 18 minutes. The responses were professional and helpful, and seemed to be coming from native English speaker. Just a little heads up if you decide to go with these guys – the members area looks a little rough. They really need to pony up the cash to do a site redesign so that the members area doesn’t look like something from 10 years ago. Overall Rating: 7/10 Click Here to Check Them Out Now
Note: This site is currently taking pre-orders for the iPad 3 jailbreak and should have it available in days. If you want to jailbreak iPad 3 now, check out Jailbreak Plus.
This site was Ok, and is not a scam or anything, unlike some sites that I tested. For this reason, it gets my #3 nod. They offer an untethered jailbreak for the iPad 2, which I think is a must. However, the fact that this site made the top 3 goes to show you how bad some of the others were that I tested. For one, they don’t have a merchant account. They send you off to a payment processor called “Plimus Inc” where you complete your checkout. Is Plimus legit? They seem to be, but the transaction wasn’t processed over a secure https connection, which irked me a bit. I’ll be watching my credit card statement just to make sure there isn’t anything funny going on.
Their instructions gave me a lot of trouble. They were vague in a couple of places, which left me wondering if I was doing it right. I didn’t need to send these guys a test question for tech support – I had actual questions on how to get the jailbreak done using their software! They did respond after about 12 hours, which wasn’t terrible. However, this is one of those companies that I mentioned that apparently outsources their support to India. Obviously not native English speakers manning the support desk, which is so annoying. Regardless, these guys DO have an iPad 3 jailbreak available, and it works, which is more than I can say for some sites. As a result, they get an Overall Rating of 4/10.
Anyhoo, that’s all that I’ve time to write today. If you’re looking to jailbreak the new iPad 3, I hope that this review helps you separate the wheat from the chaff, so that you can pick a legit company and get your jailbreak done quick and easy. Stay tuned for another post in the coming week.
Until then, take care and enjoy that new iPad 3 – I know I’m loving mine!
- Andrew D’arcangelo
Editor and Chief Blogger
HowtoJailbreakiPad3.Net
