If you reach the point where your iPhone will no longer get past the start screen, as it happened to me, Apple offers a powerful option. You may have tried to restore your iPhone touch screen try the following steps to force the device into recovery mode. It is helpful for new iPhone users to know how to quit applications if they get stalled. 
iPhone Recovery Mode
- Press home and sleep buttons until you see the phone power down.
- When power shuts down, let go of the sleep button but continue to hold the home button for a couple of seconds.
- Press the home button and connect it to your computer.
You will see the iTunes logo and USB cable appear on your phone in a fewsecond and iTunes will prompt you to restore the phone.
If iTunes and are unable to do so try this tutorial which will show you how to put your iPhone touch into DFU mode. Please read the instructions carefully when downgrading in order to avoid any problems along the way.
iPhone DFU mode
DFU mode is a mode where the iPhone will be made to force a restore of the firmware into whatever version firmware it is given. The DFU mode application is somewhat dicey and setting the time is essential to get it to DFU mode.
- First, Open up iTunes, plug in your iPhone to the CPU’s USB port. Turn on your CPU’s speaker and make sure you have the latest version of iTunes (8.0.2)
- Press the Home button at top right and the Power button simultaneously, until the screen goes black and the device turns off.
- Release the Power button, but continue to hold the Home button simultaneously. Your iPhone should have turned off and the screen should be off.
- After approximately 10-20 seconds, you will hear a beep from your CPU as if it had just recognized a new hardware device, now iTunes should recognize it in DFU mode.
After iTunes recognizes the iPhone, release the Home button. You will know when the display is blank that you have put your iPhone correctly into DFU mode and that there is nothing on your device.
