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I've been afraid to modify my iPhone. By modifying, I mean UNLOCKING and JAILBREAKING the phone. First, doing so can void the Apple and AT&T warranties. If something happens to your iPhone, you're on your own. The other reason was that I couldn't see the point. So what if I could download programs developed by non-Apple supplies, I didn't need any more programs.

Short course: UNLOCKING means that the iPhone can be used on other companies' mobile networks, while JAILBREAKING allows programs developed by third-party programmers to be used on your iPhone.

But a friend gave me an iPhone with a cracked screen. It worked perfectly, so I decided to try it. I searched the web and found ZiPhone, billed as a simple, foolproof, one step program that unlocks and jailbreaks.

I downloaded it from the Web site (the program is free and comes in versions for PC and MAC), plugged my iPhone in, and ran ZiPhone version 3.0.

About 8 minutes later, after lots of lines of program codes scrolled across the screen, ZiPhone said that it had successfully run.

I put in another company's SIM card. It worked with one little problem: YouTube couldn't connect. Apparently this is a common issue because there is a troubleshooting item for fixing it on the ZiPhone help page (simply reset the network settings).

On the screen was a link to the ZiPhone site and an icon to a program called "Installer." I opened it and then saw a treasure chest of programs that I could put on the iPhone - eBooks, games, language dictionaries, a program that runs an internet radio.

Some of the programs look like fun. How could I have had an iPhone without them.

I'll be experimenting with some of the new programs and reporting back soon.