Searching is something we do day in and day out. It’s an integral part of the desktop experience, so it only makes sense that it’s something we do often on mobile devices as well.
Searching on the iPhone, while adequate, has always left a little something to be desired when compared to competing operating systems like Android. It only makes sense, considering Android is the product of Google — the creator of the world’s best and most popular search engine.
If you’re jailbroken, however, you have many more choices when it comes to search on iOS. There are search improvements for Spotlight, voice search enhancements, Notification Center search options, and much, much, more. Jailbreaking is a great way to get more out of your device, and that’s why we’ve taken the liberty to compile a list highlighting some of the best jailbreak tweaks for search…
Quick Google
On desktop computers we have the Spotlight cmd+space shortcut, and other apps, like Alfred, to help us be more efficient at searching. While the iPhone doesn’t have anything quite on the level of a desktop grade Spotlight, or a 3rd party search launcher, QuickGoogle might just be the next best thing.
QuickGoogle is a simple tweak that let’s you execute a Google search from anywhere by means of an Activator action. It’s probably one of the easiest ways to perform a Google search on iOS. For even more searching options, then you may want to give ActiSearch a go. It’s like QuickGoogle, except it features more search options like YouTube, Cydia, eBay, and others.
Price: Free
Repo: BigBoss
WebLeaps
Custom searches are nothing new in the world of desktop computers, again I feel obliged to namedrop Alfred here, because it does custom search so well. Basically, custom search allows you to create a search shortcut specifically targeted at one site in particular.
For instance, I have a custom search setup for Alfred on my MacBook Pro, which allows me to easily search the content of Lazyroar with just a couple of key presses. WebLeaps is a jailbreak tweak that allows you to create similar custom searches on the small screen.
Price: $1.99
Repo: BigBoss
WeeSearch Pro
WeeSearch Pro is unique, because it lets you perform all sorts of searches right from the comforts of your Notification Center. It even displays your search results right inside of Notification Center via a “mini browser”, making it self contained. The tweak features tons of options, and even settings for custom searches.
Price: $1.49
Repo: BigBoss
NowNow
Once upon a time there was a tweak called Voice Search that allowed you to search Google using your voice. That has since been supplanted by an even better tweak called NowNow, which meshes an Activator gesture with the official Google App’s voice enabled search capabilities.
Google has really impressed with the voice search integrated into its official app, but without a proper tweak, it can’t be engaged using the Home button similar to Siri. NowNow solves that issue, and best of all, it does so free of charge.
Price: Free
Repo: BigBoss
SLightEnhancerSearch
Despite its ridiculous name, SlightEnhancerSearch is a tweak that can make the boring Spotlight search on your iPhone more useful. It adds the ability to search Cydia, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and more — directly from Spotlight. Handy, no?
Price: Free
Repo: BigBoss
What do you think? Are you currently using any of the aforementioned tweaks in your day to day life? Did I miss a tweak that you feel deserves to be on this list? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.
