I am getting this phone tomorrow through Tmobile. I'm wondering if someone can help me and tell me what the favored ROMs are, the top kernals, mods, etc.
I know the info is all right here, but I just don't really know where to start with it all, you know?
So please post and let me know...
Oh and also if someone could tell me the best things i can do for my mom as she is getting the phone too, she likes note taking type apps, and generally stuff that just makes her phone easier and more obvious to use.
The second part is optional, but very much appreciated. Thanks
houseonfire said:
I am getting this phone tomorrow through Tmobile. I'm wondering if someone can help me and tell me what the favored ROMs are, the top kernals, mods, etc.
I know the info is all right here, but I just don't really know where to start with it all, you know?
So please post and let me know...
Oh and also if someone could tell me the best things i can do for my mom as she is getting the phone too, she likes note taking type apps, and generally stuff that just makes her phone easier and more obvious to use.
The second part is optional, but very much appreciated. Thanks
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Click to collapse
Okay. Here are some easy things to remember. First the easiest way IMHO to root is to look-up "RyanZA" from the market then download and install it. Load up the app and choose "One Click Root." Follow the instructions that follow. Second go to the market and download "Rom Manager." After opening "rom manager" go ahead and flash clock work mod recovery. Then you have to choose which roms you want. I personally use BIONIX rom, but Master Rom seems pretty cool too. BIONIX is like super optimized stock. Master Rom has most the bloatware removed and has tons of options to customize your phone. The best thing about these two ROMs is that you can just flash the zip file through clockwork mod recovery just like the G1. Some of the other variations require that you use ODIN and well getting into "download mode" is a quest all on it's own. Good luck and have fun!
here is a good place to start
http://ip208-100-42-21.static.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=771111
Some months ago I rooted my Vibrant, and realized that was all I had done...rooted it. I had no idea where I was going after that point, so I unrooted and went about my day. I am taking a new approach, I would like some advice in rooting. Pros and cons (other than by rooting I have the chance of REALLY messing things up...i know that thanks.)
I would like to know what exactly rooting does for me, and if there are any articles anyone can point me to I would greatly appreciate the links.
ALSO I am dipping my toes into app development. the best way I could think to do so was with Google Labs App Inventor, but I think ive read that it limits you as far as developing and then sharing through the market, if someone could set me straight on that I would appreciate it, but this also goes in hand with rooting, I have read that alot of people who develop have rooted their phones.
I appreciate any help that you can give me.
Gore
Pro : Access to all the amazing ROMs this community has to offer.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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Shortbus-Driver said:
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well, that was helpful...thanks. next?
First off if u didnt want to deal with something u could tinker with u could of gotten a iphone but u didnt? Androids are open source so u can tweak it the way u want it to be, leave it stock or u can add themes to ur stock froyo and make it look like u want it to. But if u want to go all the way and realy make the phone live up to its potential u can root it and do so many amazing things with it once its opened to the power of the Superuser. U can make ur phone run so much faster and once it runs that fast and smooth ull wonder how u lived with that dull slowness of ur phone before. And dont forget all the cool colors u can add to ur phone that dont come with just stock, ginger red theme, high voltage blue and so many more. And then theres the mods that u get with ur phone that the brilliant developers port from other phones. Theres just too many reasons to root and none not to. now u know...LOL
Let me count the ways...
You can install applications that need root:
* AdFree - block in-application ads
* Titanium Backup - backup/restore applications AND their data, and with the paid version you can also backup to your dropbox account
* Root Explorer: Lets you manage files that aren't in your user partition, including the files for the annoyingly loud T-Mobile jingle that plays on boot. Sometimes you do need to start up your phone discreetly, without letting everyone in a 50m radius know you're a T-Mobile customer.
You can also UNinstall applications that you don't need. Don't want T-Mobile TV cluttering your applications list? Gone. Don't want Slacker Radio? Byebye.
Also, you can flash ROMs (or just kernels) that are much faster than the stock, unoptimized Samsung one. There is a thing called the Voodoo lagfix that makes your storage access cached, so applications aren't held up by slow writes when they need fast reads. Some also come with kernels that support Voodoo Sound which makes the audio output sound much better by increasing the sampling rate on the DAC and tying the DAC to the clock to reduce jitter. Definitely a must whether you're an audiophile with $10k cans or just plugging the phone into a sound system.
Let's see, what else. With root, you can also add on wifi tethering without having to shell out more money to use T-mobile's version. You can also install Clockwork Recovery and use it to make a complete backup of your phone, so in case you break it and get another one, just root it, install clockwork recovery, and restore the image and you're back to your old configuration.
So yeah... hopefully at least some of this stuff interests you. If not... well, yeah there's really no point in rooting.
Root becuse your mom told you not to
Not to be rude but if you don't know why you should root then you shouldn't.
OP, if you want an answer to your question, read my Vibrant Guide (why root) and then the Noob root (detailed steps) guide if you need help doing it.
If you read anything on this forum...and still cant figure it out...then give up...you'll never understand
OP, rooting is for those who are not 100% satisfied with there phones. Samsung has given us an amazing device, but fell short in delivering in some areas. Rooting helps us add more functionality & personalization options. If you are happy with the phone and no issues using the way Samsung gave you the phone. Then I do not see a reason for you to root. But if you are like one of us, Then you need to get on the Root train and follow the wonderful guide maintained by "s15274n".
Statutory Warning: Rooting & flashing an android device is a serious addiction. Might lead to serious domestic and or job related issues.
Why shouldn't you?
Unless you want to become a flash junkie with an obsessive need to mod, update, enhance or customize; jonesin’ to flash something every few days, suffering from withdrawals if you ever have to ODIN back to stock due to error (has yet to happen to me, though), scrounging XDA daily for your next hit, do not concern yourself with something like AOSP. Simply turn away and do not look back.
rooting your hpone basically gives you Admin privalages.
You can install custom apps and ROMs with awesome features!
nomadrider123 said:
Not to be rude but if you don't know why you should root then you shouldn't.
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not to be rude but if you didn't have anything helpful to say then why say anything at all?
Thanks to most!
I thanked those who gave me some helpful advice. I do appreciate the insight. I guess i'll give this another crack.
By the By, with the exception of the handful of mildly entertaining comments, if you didnt have anything helpful to say, why say it? No one should discourage anybody from trying anything. Weighing my pros and cons was just a way to decide if its something I really wanted to mess with again.
SO again, thanks to all who did help, and thanks was given
^ I can't vouch for everyone, but the one you quoted I am confident didn't mean it negatively. Way too hard to decipher words on the Internet.
If you want additional features, you should root. If you are content, do not.
gorealmighty said:
not to be rude but if you didn't have anything helpful to say then why say anything at all?
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Thing was, nomad had a point. If you genuinely don't know why you should root--and a Vibrant, of all phones--you probably shouldn't. You mention the con of messing up the phone in your original post, and if you don't know the advantages of applying custom ROMs and kernels to the Vibrant, there's a decent chance you may well brick the device.
The Vibrant is a great phone, but tends to be so only after it's rooted and customized. Without the rooting and customization, there are problems with lag, gps, battery life, and myriad other functions.
By rooting and customizing, you're essentially updating the software in various ways that will help ameliorate those issues. My Vibrant was unusable to the point that I upgraded to a Nexus S. However, with the Nexus S, I got comfortable with rooting, unlocking bootloaders, adb, and flashing ROMs and kernels. It became rather routine.
It became routine enough, in fact, that I ended up going back to my Vibrant, because I was comfortable enough to experiment and attempt to make it better than it had been.
But if you don't know that you have to root to correct the lag, say, you may well be better off getting a more midrange Android phone that's more feature than super. You don't want to bork anything, after all.
Just do yourself a favor--understand that rooting and customizing are individual things, and that the forum is great for technical help but less so when you want to know things like which ROM is "best"; there's no such thing. If you root, play with the device, and play with the different ROMs. Give yourself a week where every day you use a different one so you can get a feel for which one's your favorite.
willentrekin said:
Thing was, nomad had a point. If you genuinely don't know why you should root--and a Vibrant, of all phones--you probably shouldn't. You mention the con of messing up the phone in your original post, and if you don't know the advantages of applying custom ROMs and kernels to the Vibrant, there's a decent chance you may well brick the device.
The Vibrant is a great phone, but tends to be so only after it's rooted and customized. Without the rooting and customization, there are problems with lag, gps, battery life, and myriad other functions.
By rooting and customizing, you're essentially updating the software in various ways that will help ameliorate those issues. My Vibrant was unusable to the point that I upgraded to a Nexus S. However, with the Nexus S, I got comfortable with rooting, unlocking bootloaders, adb, and flashing ROMs and kernels. It became rather routine.
It became routine enough, in fact, that I ended up going back to my Vibrant, because I was comfortable enough to experiment and attempt to make it better than it had been.
But if you don't know that you have to root to correct the lag, say, you may well be better off getting a more midrange Android phone that's more feature than super. You don't want to bork anything, after all.
Just do yourself a favor--understand that rooting and customizing are individual things, and that the forum is great for technical help but less so when you want to know things like which ROM is "best"; there's no such thing. If you root, play with the device, and play with the different ROMs. Give yourself a week where every day you use a different one so you can get a feel for which one's your favorite.
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with the initial quote in mind, I understand. But thank you just the same because this is in fact the kind of feedback I was looking for. DID get my phone rooted btw, now im just fighting with rom manager. I'm on my way though
gorealmighty said:
with the initial quote in mind, I understand. But thank you just the same because this is in fact the kind of feedback I was looking for. DID get my phone rooted btw, now im just fighting with rom manager. I'm on my way though
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Well good luck with it. It's a totally fun, very empowering process. And XDA is the Android equivalent of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; the users here are so knowledgeable and helpful, there's no reason to panic, ever. Pretty much everything you do to your phone will be mostly harmless.
Hi all,
I am getting my brand new factory unlocked white GSII tomorrow in the mail! I am incredibly excited, and also slightly confused. If the GSII is such a great phone, why root it? Also, if you rooted it, how do you even begin to decide what mod to use for it or what kernel?
How did you decide what mod and kernel you wanted?
Thanks!
J
The GS2 is a great phone. You don't need to root it you it satisfies your needs right-out-of-the-box, which it likely will.
Don't get the idea that everybody roots their phone just from what you see here at XDA. This is a geek community, afterall. We're the minority.
That said, everybody has their own reasons for rooting. I personally, just wanted to mute the camera sounds and use MarketEnabler.
People also root to use custom ROMs (as I do). Are custom ROMs better than stock? Perhaps. Do you absolutely need a custom ROM if you find the stock ROM just fine? Probably not.
As for choosing mods, kernals, ROMs, etc...no one can answer that for you. You'll need to pick and choose based on your needs...
I think every phone is worth rooting so you can delete those stupid apps that run in the background, delete those apps that your carrier might have put on there.
Oh and double your battery life. Not to mention cool themes. The guys making these roms tweak the **** out of the Samsung stuff to make it even better.
Plus you get that feeling of superiority when you use it-ok maybe not but whatever.
If you don't need root then don't do it. Don't bother try fix what isn't broken.
How do you decide which rom to choose from when there are so many out there? All of the descriptions seem the same to me (more battery, faster, fewer apps from carriers etc...). Is there really any difference?
Only way to find out is by trying them
Each to their own.
I like hyperdroid by the way.
If you need to ask this question, you will not need root or flash a rom. You should read a lot about the benefits and disadvantages of rooting and flashing. But at this point, you are not ready to begin messing with your phone. See this as an advice to save you lot's of trouble.
jbarol said:
How do you decide which rom to choose from when there are so many out there? All of the descriptions seem the same to me (more battery, faster, fewer apps from carriers etc...). Is there really any difference?
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Try the simple roms with less bull**** first .
Selection should be what is taken off this rom that i require and can i put it back followed by do i want what's been added and then do i like the theme .
Ignore the faster smoother better battery life bits .
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1317250&highlight=HyperDynamic+V+1.0
above customized is what i use until ICS
jje
Rooting isn't the same as flashing a custom ROM or kernel. I use the stock Samsung firmware on my SGS2 but have it rooted. This allowed me to run certain apps that require elevated access rights, such as Titanium Backup.
If you don't need to root it, don't do it.
Hi everyone, just a question thread in order to figure out what are some good things to do when you first get a new phone and you've rooted it. Other than the semi-obvious ones (flashing a new ROM/kernel) what else do you guys do? I'm about to enter the Android world and I'm wondering what everyone's favorite top apps are. In fact, not just the top apps, but are there any other things you could do with root that could be helpful to the phone? I see people editing "build.prop" stuff all the time, etc. I'm mainly looking for stuff that increases performance/helps battery life.
Also, I did look at the threads that came up in the "autosearch" when starting a new topic, and they're mostly old so I'm hoping for up to date stuff.
By the looks of your expertise, you probably want to stay away from build.prop for now.
If you want apps that require root, search for ROOT in the android market, the top ones are there for a reason.
For better performance, overclock.