what exactly is gained by "rooting" a phone?

[glen]

What would be gained by rooting a phone?
What would be gained by rooting a G2?

 

[Bateluer]

What would be gained by rooting a phone?
What would be gained by rooting a G2?

In its purest form, rooting merely gives you super user rights. In effect, you get admin rights to your phone's OS the same as you would your desktop/laptop. Thats it.

What you can do with root, now, thats a different story. For starters, you could remove the carrier/manufacturer bloatware. My Thunderbolt, for example, has 8 pre-installed, unremovable apps from Verizon. Without root, its just junk taking up space. With root, I can remove them, clearing up storage space and potentially RAM. You can remove the manufacturer's craptastic skin, Sense, Blur, TouchWiz, Espresso, etc. Without root, you can only install another launcher to cover it up, with varying levels of success depending on the skin.

What most people do with root, though, is flash custom Android builds to their phone. These builds vary widely, but can simply be 'tweaked' versions of the stock build or they can be complete rebuilds compiled from Android source. Most of the builds for the Thunderbolt are tweaked stock builds at the moment, but all the tools are in place for full AOSP builds. Just a question of time really.

In the case of a TMO G2, its been out for a while, so you have wide options with builds you can flash to the phone.

Be advised, that this does void your warranty. If you brick your phone to an unrecoverable state, you're going to pay full price for a replacement. Some phones carry higher levels of risk with rooting, especially when the phone is 'young'. Others, its a walk in the park. The G2 should be pretty easy to root now.

 

[vshah]

here's what rooting and installing cyanogenmod will get you. in addition, after you've installed CM, you can flash custom kernels that will allow you to overclock the G2 to something nuts like 1.5ghz

CyanogenMod 7

7.0.0

• Common: Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) - Google
• Common: Fixes and changes from AOSP master - Various
• Common: ClockworkMod Recovery 3.0: Koush, Cyanogen, Zinx
• Common: Themes engine - T-Mobile
• Common: Performance enhancements for Qualcomm hardware - Code Aurora
• Common: New boot animation - 73v1n
• Common: Fix readahead values for NAND/MMC devices
• Common: Revamped notification widget - cvpcs
• Common: Updated various graphics for GB style - blunden
• Common: DSPManager updated for 2.3 - alankila
• Common: Restyled music app and forward-port of features - Jason Asher
• Common: Rotary answer in Phone app - James Peterson
• Common: BT VoiceDialer fixes - Matthew Sparby
• Common: Calendar enhancements - James Peterson
• Common: Stagefright fixes for 7x30, 8x50, and 7x27 - Zinx, arcee, Cyanogen
• Common: Pacman package manager - Kmobs
• Common: Workaround for unknown phone number - Jiri Tyr
• Common: Trackball answer/hangup - Juan Rodriguez
• Common: CMParts reorganization - Robert Burns
• Common: View ChangeLog via CMParts (System) - Wes Garner
• Common: Optional screen on/off animations - Diogo Ferreira
• Common: New browser incognito mode - optedoblivion
• Common: New trackball/trackpad wake - Zinx, Cyanogen
• Common: Legacy sensor/GPS support - arcee
• Common: Enabled v8 javascript engine on armv6 (msm7227/msm7225) - arcee
• Common: Customizable overscroll - arcee
• Common: Torch cleanup - defer
• Common: 2D compositor backwards compatibility - arcee
• Common: OpenGL backwards compatibility - Zinx, Cyanogen, Sileht, ezterry
• Common: SMS templates using gestures - Riccardo Ciovati
• Common: Phone Goggles - David Bidorff
• Common: Option to always show battery percentage on lockscreen - Robert Burns
• Common: Option to show music controls with compatible headset connection - Wes Garner
• Common: CPU frequency/scaling control in CMParts - Robert Ramiega
• Common: Option to pause/play music with camera button - cvpcs
• Common: Allow SIP User-Agent configuration - arcee
• Common (non-HTC): Fixed mobile connection suspension - arcee
• Common: New music widgets - Jason Asher
• Common: Updated FLAC support - cvpcs, Cyanogen, kroot
• Common: Updated wallpapers - Fitsnugly, Prash
• Common: Customizable search/long-press search - Sven Dawitz
• Common: New lockscreen styles - Rotary Revamped (default) and Lense - Sven Dawitz, Stefano Pignataro
• Common: Customizable app launcher on rotary lockscreen - Sven Dawitz
• Common: Now playing and album art on lockscreen - kmobs
• Common: GPS fixes - CodeAurora, arcee
• Common: Breakfast/Brunch - arcee
• Common: Statusbar battery percentage with mini icon - Sven Dawitz, design by Jazz Kalsi
• Common: SMS split for braindead carriers - Mike Wielgosz
• Common: MMS user-defined custom vibrate - Wes Garner
• Common: CMParts cleanup - Sven Dawitz
• Common: Notification profiles - Martin Long
• Common: TI wl12xx FM radio reverse engineering - Michael A. Reid
• Common: Tablet tweaks - Sven Dawitz
• Common: Revamped CMStats - Chris Soyars
• Common: Improved RTL text support and fonts - Eyad Aboulouz, Eran Mizrahi,
• Espresso/Legend: Enabled native WiFi tethering - Cyanogen, OMAPZoom.org
• Legend/Liberty/Buzz/Click: Enabled FM Radio - Alexander Hofbauer (libaudio patch)
• Z71: Enabled MPEG4/AAC video recording - arcee
• Z71: Enabled native WiFi tethering - arcee
• Passion/Bravo/BravoC/Supersonic/Inc: Kernel 2.6.37 - Google, Cyanogen, defer, Kali-, toastcfh, slayher
• Vision/Glacier/Espresso: WiFi calling compatibility and optimization - Zinx
• Vision/Glacier/Ace: Unified kernel - HTC, Cyanogen, Zinx, Kali-, defer
• Vision/Glacier/Ace: Fix FM radio on 2.3 - Zinx
• Vision/Glacier/Ace: Fixes for video overlay - Zinx, CodeAurora
• Vision: Only install WiFi calling on TMUS devices - attn1
• Espresso/Legend/Liberty: Unified kernel - HTC, Cyanogen, attn1, jznomoney, Alexander Hofbauer
• Supersonic: WiMAX support - HTC, Shinzul, toastcfh, shift, #teamwin, Cyanogen, Joey Conway
• Supersonic: HDMI mirror support: #teamwin
• One: Enabled native WiFi tethering - arcee

 

[jonks]

Sounds like for 99% of users there's no reason to do it, or rather, the seemingly humble rewards aren't worth the brick risk, small though it may be. I imagine that's not the majority opinion on a tech forum though.

 

[vshah]

a couple of the things in that list make it really useful for anyone.

toggles in the notification pull down, for example, means you don't have to go all the way back to your homescreen if you want to activate wifi or gps and forgot to before entering the app.

performance improvements, audio DSP (equalizer), nicer music app/widgets, automatic reflow after zooming in the browser are all things that one doesn't really think about when you don't have them, but are nice to have and hard to give up for almost anyone after using them for a bit

of course it still may not be worth the risk to you.

 

[MetalMat]

I rooted my HTC EVO 4G just to get the free wi-fi router.

 

[Monster_Munch]

I think if your phone doesn't come with a wifi tethering app pre-installed, you can root it and install something like this.

http://www.appbrain.com/app/barnacle-wifi-tether/net.szym.barnacle

 

[iahk]

Sounds like for 99% of users there's no reason to do it, or rather, the seemingly humble rewards aren't worth the brick risk, small though it may be. I imagine that's not the majority opinion on a tech forum though.

It's true.

Think of rooting as the ultimate form of following directions where the consequences are high. Not to scare you away from it though.

The G2 is actually fairly easy to root, although not as easy as the superoneclick routes. I rooted my evo and it's really fun to mess around with.

 

[Deeko]

Sounds like for 99% of users there's no reason to do it, or rather, the seemingly humble rewards aren't worth the brick risk, small though it may be. I imagine that's not the majority opinion on a tech forum though.

Yep.

toggles in the notification pull down, for example, means you don't have to go all the way back to your homescreen if you want to activate wifi or gps and forgot to before entering the app.

I'm pretty sure the idea for this came from TouchWhiz For as much crap as Samsung gets, it really does have some nice features - that one being my favorite.

 

[kowalabearhugs]

I rooted my HTC EVO 4G just to get the free wi-fi router.

This and the ability to overclock, block ads, sniff packets, etc.

edit* and remove bloatware.

 

[glen]

This and the ability to overclock, block ads, sniff packets, etc.

edit* and remove bloatware.

Packet sniffing?
Sounds dirty

 

[notposting]

Also as far as the bricking goes, do your research first and find out what the consequences and troubleshooting/fixing will entail.

For some phones, they will be nearly impossible to truly brick--I love my Motorola Droid for that reason alone--when all else fails flashing an SBF to it will save the day.

 

[Fire&Blood]

Common sense and research, that's all you need to avoid bricking. I had about 15 phones myself and worked and tweaked with numerous others since my Nokia 8110, never bricked a phone.

To address the naysayers, the risk of bricking the phone when rooting is the same when you are updating the phone with official, carrier approved updates.

However, the gap between regular and power users is closing as even average Joe's are starting to feel the restrictions imposed by the stock experience.

That being said, there are consumers that don't need the benefits of rooting. And of course, there are complete idiots that have perfected the art of bricking/damaging hardware. Not completely related but an example comes to mind, some genius sawed off a portion of his Nvidia video card ($$$) because it didn't fit in his case...

 

[s44]

I'm pretty sure the idea for this came from TouchWhiz For as much crap as Samsung gets, it really does have some nice features - that one being my favorite.

Yep, ripped from TW.

Anyway, tethering, sideloading (on AT&T), removing/freezing (with Titanium Backup) bloat, and blocking ads with a hosts file (either roll your own, use one that comes with a custom ROM, or get the AdFree app from the market) are the most commonly-used features. Oh, also the circle battery indicator with % (except on Moto phones, which only report in 10% increments).

 

[alkemyst]

another excuse not to go out and meet girls?

Seriously, for most people it's a waste or just a time killer to do it.

Otherwise unless you have a need, I don't see why you'd do it.

It's like the people that just download movies and porn all day because they can, yet never really watch any of it.

 

[Fire&Blood]

Don't stereotype like that. Back in the day, I was the 2nd coming of Peter North yet I kept up with my phone habits. So one rooting doesn't necessarily exclude the other kind of rooting.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Don't stereotype like that. Back in the day, I was the 2nd coming of Peter North yet I kept up with my phone habits. So one rooting doesn't necessarily exclude the other kind of rooting.

Don't get too worried about Alky's posts, he lives in a alternate universe

 

[alkemyst]

Don't stereotype like that. Back in the day, I was the 2nd coming of Peter North yet I kept up with my phone habits. So one rooting doesn't necessarily exclude the other kind of rooting.

That's why I followed it with "seriously".

Again to get back to the OP, if one has a need to root a phone then the reason is clear. If not, it's really not worth it. It's a lot of time investment (yes, for the first time you do it and figure out all the steps...it indeed is), you risk bricking an expensive device, and in the end you actually may give yourself LESS functionality and now if you even needed phone support you'd have a customized device that doesn't make the phone drone's instructions.

So my points were indeed factual and accurate.

People tend to do things because they have too much free time and want bragging rights, not for any real gain it seems. Most of the people I know that root their phones or try to overly customize are the ones that 'damn I blew my phone up again'.

I have tons of apps, my phone works perfectly for me the way it is, if I hack it sure I can run a light saber simulator and some other toys...but I have a PC at home and when I am not I am not needing to play with my phone to keep me entertained.

 

[Pliablemoose]

That's why I followed it with "seriously".

Again to get back to the OP, if one has a need to root a phone then the reason is clear. If not, it's really not worth it. It's a lot of time investment (yes, for the first time you do it and figure out all the steps...it indeed is), you risk bricking an expensive device, and in the end you actually may give yourself LESS functionality and now if you even needed phone support you'd have a customized device that doesn't make the phone drone's instructions.

There are quite a few one click methods to root android devices... It's not time consuming at all.

Alke, have you ever rooted an Android device?

 

[dguy6789]

Rooting most android phones is as simple as installing a free app and pushing a button.

 

[alkemyst]

There are quite a few one click methods to root android devices... It's not time consuming at all.

Alke, have you ever rooted an Android device?

If you have an application that can do it and trust it then that's a great option.

You still then have to set your phone up and it will not be a 'branded' phone then. The problem is support.

If one can do their own support and the like then that is no problem, if one can deal with sometimes things don't work right, then that is not a problem.

I haven't owned a droid personally, I used to support them extensively. I don't have a problem with someone rooting or jailbreaking, they just have to realize it's the post-root/jailbreak setup that becomes the issue.

It still goes back to the fact that if you don't have a need, there is no magical increased functionality these methods will give you. However, if there is some feature you need and it's not offered on the branded OS version, rooting can be great.

...until you find out they took the hardware out of the branded phone

 

[Pliablemoose]

snip

So, you've never rooted an Android phone or installed a custom rom?

Why are you even giving advice in this thread?

Cuz, I gotta tell you, you really don't know what you're talking about.

 

[ponyo]

So, you've never rooted an Android phone or installed a custom rom?

Why are you even giving advice in this thread?

Cuz, I gotta tell you, you really don't know what you're talking about.

:biggrin: Thought of the clip from the 40 yr old Virgin popped in my head reading his posts. The one comparing the feeling of boob to grabbing a bag of sand.

 

[zerocool84]

The same reason why people Jailbreak, gives you more functionality.

 

[alkemyst]

So, you've never rooted an Android phone or installed a custom rom?

Why are you even giving advice in this thread?

Cuz, I gotta tell you, you really don't know what you're talking about.

No I have helped in rooting and then trying to figure out what stopped working.

The release notes usually end up having this stuff listed.

For one it was camera issues. The camera did not work on the rooted phone. So we went back.

Another they went in and removed a bunch of stuff and then couldn't figure out where other stuff went.

Tons added customizations that then hid things they needed. Esp when adding unlocked Themes.

Not everyone follows geek forums all day to get all the inside info on the snags.

Most just go to google "and do something like FRODO 2.3 Galaxy UBER phone".

>Rooting your Galaxy UBER phone for FRODO 2.3


Then they scroll past all the details and warnings to the DOWNLOAD NOW button.

Then then don't read anything else before or after the PC install...hook up their phone and press the little button.

Yeah so it's all easy-peasy because no one has ever bricked their phone apparently here. I have had to deal with those too.