n00b question- why root? - Optimus One, P500, V General

My only android experience has been rooting and modding my Nook color. I am considering getting an VM Optimus V, but have never experienced a smartphone AT ALL. The decision to root the nook was obvious since there was no ability to access the OS or apps at all without it, but with a phone the market is ready to go, what is the benefit of rooting (other than CPU tuning kinds of mods.) ?
Are there (market) apps that I may be running on my Nook that I won't be able to get running on the phone b/c it is not rooted?
I know this is a dumb question.
All I really use is dolphin, rock player, button savior, and some widgets. But I guess I am taking for granted the ability to use root explorer or a file manager to access files on my SD card.

Well one thing is that with rooting you can use the aospcmod rom which now allows you to receive MMS.

Related

[Q] just rooted phone......

I have had my Eris since launch and have never modified the phone in anyway. Well i figured i would try the one click root your eris and it ended up working. I now have wifi teethering and set cpu. What else can you do. How do you get apptoSD? Can you get Flash 10.1 to work? What is a recovery image? These are all questions i am trying to find and cant get answered HELP!!!!!
There are so many advantages to rooting that I lose track sometimes lol. Obviously you know the overclocking and tethering. Also being able to back up all your data and apps is handy(check out Titanium Backup, MybackupPro, or Sprite). Root Explorer is a great app that allows you to view, install, move, copy, make zip files, etc anything internal and external memory. Autokiller is a settings tweak for the Android memory management system. There are a couple of nice launchers like ADW and LauncherPro - they used to be root only and I've been rooted long enough to not keep up with nonrooted stuff so you might already be familiar with them... But the biggest thing is being able to flash custom roms. Now you can run the newest OS that Verizon didn't care to let us have: Froyo. I believe you should have recovery already. To test this, you can turn off your phone and then to boot into recovery, hold down the volume UP button and then hit power "End" and you should be presented with a black and green screen with a few options. I would recommend doing a Nandroid back up first. This saves your phone to the state it is in at the moment. Then if you flash a new rom that you don't like or doesn't work for you, you can just reboot into recovery, flash your back up and be right back where you were. Apps 2 SD is handled differently between 2.1 and 2.2 roms. 2.1 you need to repartition your card to have an Ext and in Froyo it is built in. There are plenty of other things to do, like Metamorph which allows you to theme different parts of the rom and icons so you can customize the way it looks infinitely. As far as Flash, it does work on somethings (and only on some roms, I believe) but generally, will make your phone laggy since it is a strain for our phones to run it. There is so much more, but you probably won't need to worry about that till you get to playing around with the different roms and run into other things. If you need more help, hit me up on your Talk app using my screen name @ gmail.com Hope this helps.
I rooted and flashed xtrSense and man the battery life is worlds of difference, plus the responsiveness is amazing too.

"to do list" for new x10/android owner?

after being a long time iPhone user, as well as windows mobile(1st gen HTC Touch/Diamond) user, I am finally making the leap to the Android O/S, via the SE Xperia X10. I know it's not the most popular device for the XDA crowd, but I do like it's fit/finish as well as the 8mp camera which will double as a temprary replacement for my recently stolen Sony T99.
what brings me here though is my high hopes that the developers will soon crack the bootloader(whatever that means), and allow us to upgrade the ROMs to Android 2.2. until then, I intend to just use the SE 2.1 firmware, unless someone can suggest a similarly stable alternative.
the reason for my starting this thread is relatively simple: I'm looking for software and/or app suggestions, software modifications, and a general "who's who" of common apps and programs that I can utilize to get myself up and running with, as well as accustomed to, the Android O/S.
any and all suggestions are welcome, but I please ask that we keep it respectable.
thanks in advance
Too many to list. Just got to the Android market and see what you want to install in your phone...
well yeah i understand i need to go through the app market to find things i like, im looking here more for things i NEED
Many users have switched to, use, and are very happy with the following mods/ changes.
ADW or Launcher Pro Plus to replace the default launcher - Both great but I now prefer LPP
Handscent SMS (possible problem with battery drain if SMS's left unread, but really great app)
K-9 Mail (I used it for ages but have recently switched back to googlemail)
Root your phone to allow you to delete any standard apps you don't need (saves internal memory and if you get rid of some of the biggies like timescape, then it helps to speed up the phone too).. also means that you can enable JIT which will speed up your phone.
Vignette is a good camera app which will take better pics than the standard one, but is a bit slow in saving the images because the file compression is lighter and therefore the files are larger..
There's loads more, but these are a good start I think.
That should give you enough to be getting on with!
once rooted, get root explorer, remove timescape and all that goes with it. frees up tons of memory and huge performance boost.
enable JIT
remove the other bloatware (moxier, sync, pc companion, etc)
thanks for all the suggestions gang. if/when i do root it and remove the bloatware or install a custom ROM, i will still have the option of reverting back to the SE 2.1 update, correct?
just read the "what is rooting" and "what is JIT" threads i could find, im REALLY trying NOT to get flamed with "use the search bar n00b" comments lol
have a look at this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=859571
i would reccommend to do this first, make a full backup then remove anything you want via titanium backup.if you dont fancy doing this then you can always use seus to get back to stock rom.
As for apps i would reccommend:
z4root
titanium backup
adfree android
poweramp
launcher pro plus/ADW
root explorer
terminal emulator
update:
installed global 2.1 ROM
installed ES File Explorer
installed Z4 root
installed Titanium Backup
..work in progress...
quadrant- 737
linpack - 17.505

[Q] First Android

Hi. The LG Optimus One form Koodo will be my first Android phone. I am upgrading from a Samsung Intensity. I am wondering what things I should do to it other then root it, install the milk_os thing to fix the touch screen, overclock it, and find a custom rom I like for it. Any app Suggestions? Or any rom suggestions.
Thanks
I suggest the app that has SuperOneClick forum, the rooms would not know friend.
I was just going to use z4root
I suggest you test the waters first. Just root it for now. Don't flash a custom recovery unless you feel the urge to do something more. It's much better than going straight into the world of custom ROMs and stuff
Optimus is my first Android phone too. I stuck with the stock rom and only rooted and flashed the overclock touchscreen fix kernel like it has been suggested to you. I wasnt up for custom roms since it was my first Android and I didnt know yet what I like and what not. I did some of the tweaks mentioned in the forum here like enable the jit compiler and hardware acceleration.
Apps that I installed and which i use:
Titanium backup --- Easy way to uninstall some of the bloatware apps and have backup just in case. I removed facebook, twitter, lg app advisor, lg notification, google feedback (com.google.android.feedback) and some which are in the german rom (studivz,xing).
Barcode scanner --- for all the QR codes and barcodes
Brightness level --- since optimus has no auto brightness that widget is a nice way to quickly change the brightness without digging in the settings menu
Skype --- no explanation needed i guess
root explorer and es file explorer --- for the exploration needs and sd card clean up on the run
K-9 mail --- email client for all your non google mail needs
netcounter --- to have an overview how much data was used ( i get throttled after a certain amount if you have real unlimited data it is useless)
SiMi Clock Widget ---- clock widget which also does weather and shows battery status in percentage
browsers --- I mostly use the Miren browser but do have Opera mini installed if reception is bad or i want to save bandwith and Skyfire if i desperately need to see a flash vid
I'm not in a position that i miss anything that i read about the custom roms.
I ended up getting this phone since it was the most feasible but on Telus. It's a great phone overall and i started out just rooting the phone since it was just one click using z4root. Later on I installed void's rom which was a great rom to go with.
Most people tend to stay with 2.2 for stability and also speed while 2.3.3 is for people that are really keen on using Gingerbread. Like said use nandroid & Titanium backup to test out different roms and just figure out what you like best.
Thanks everyone for the help. Can't wait to get it . Just wish it had flash support but one of my friends will help me try something. Its working on his ARMv6 cpu so ill let you all know if it works.

[Q] Remove VZW Cr*pware Without Custom ROM?

Just got a shiny new Fascinate, and about to start customizing it. I would like to remove most of the large collection of cr*pware that came pre-installed, bing included. Is it possible to install superuser and uninstall this stuff without risking bricking the device?
I'm a relative Android newb, and I'd rather not dabble in custom roms as this is an employer provided phone and I'm not comfortable blasting a new firmware on it yet.
Also, if I succeed in removing the aforementioned software, can / will it be restored by resetting the device to defaults, if that's even possible? Or will I need to root the thing in order to install backup software?
Lastly, if I want to use a keyboard other than swype or the default android, do I need to move the .apk to the /system/apps folder like I did on my Nook?
Yes, you can simply root your device and not install a custom ROM. Yes, you will have to root in order to de-bloat, so be aware, although it is very simple.
Rooting walkthrough: (very painless)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=948722
Once rooted, download Titanium Backup from the Android market and de-bloat to your heart's content.
You might want to consider downloading ROM Manager (from market) and making a full backup of your rooted phone (called a Nandroid backup)
Keyboard: you can search the market for alternate keyboards (easiest method) or use adb push to /system/app if there is one you really want to use.
Cool, thanks for the response!
I'd already rooted, which would have been completely painless if I were running winblows. Nevertheless, after getting adb functional on Ubuntu it was relatively simple.
I've removed all the 'stuff' I don't want, any idea how to reassign the search button so it isn't pointing to bing also?
With Titanium and ROM Manager, would I need CWR or some other alternative boot app installed to restore this?
Also, I see lots of references to odin which is apparently needed for flashing over USB in the event I decide to take the plunge and dabble in custom roms. Anyone know if there's an equivalent for linux / osx? It astounds me that an android dev community such as this seems to be so windows centric...
for linux and mac use Heimdall, an odin clone.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App
If you're still running EB01, then Bing search is hard coded. However, many custom ROMS remove this. I'm currently using SuperClean 2.9 and have both google search and google voice search (long press search button) set as my default.
A definitive list of Fascinate ROMS can be found here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1013312
To restore, I would definitely use CWR, as it is the recovery method used by ROM Manager. This is done either within ROM Manager (Backup/Restore) or by booting directly into CWM. Just make sure ,with a Fascinate, you only use CWR version 2.5.x.x, since version 3.0 doesn't currently play nice with the older amend type scripting.
It downloaded EA28 right after activation - I believe it said this is a corporate contract build, which is part of why I'm reluctant to burn a custom rom.
Outside of the bing search and the speakerphone being too loud, I really have no qualms with the phone at this early stage.
Thanks for the info about CWR and such - I've been lurking here for months and find the more I read the more confused I get.
Best not to go tinkering with corporate property- no sense in losing your job over a phone.
The speakerphone volume should be adjustable via the volume rocker on the side while activated.
Yes, there is a lot of knowledge available here, lol. Just remember, everybody here started somewhere.
Funny nick btw...
artvandelay440 said:
Best not to go tinkering with corporate property- no sense in losing your job over a phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not worried about that - they wouldn't fire me over a phone, I'm the guy that keeps their accounting system up at five nines. I just don't want to have to schmooze the office manager to get me a replacement if I brick it after less than a week. I'll let the new wear off a little first.
artvandelay440 said:
The speakerphone volume should be adjustable via the volume rocker on the side while activated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, but at it's lowest setting it's still loud enough to be heard 30 ft away. Not a huge issue.
Ok, last question and I'll start spending a little more time searching, I promise. What's the deal with wifi on these things? Can / will they go through the wifi to get to the cloud? It doesn't appear that mine is doing this when I'm at home where 3g is very hit-and-miss. Are there any settings to tweak? Or is wifi just there for the DLNA server and tethering? I guess i was a bit spoiled by my blackberry in that this functionality (wifi handover) worked very well on the curve.
I haven't noticed any issues with wifi and cloud applications (dropbox, evernote, etc)
If you just mean internet connectivity in general sucks on wifi, perhaps it is more a router/ISP issue and less of the phone. Might do you some good to download a wifi analyzer to your phone (market) and make sure your dB strength is adequate, as well as make sure your router is broadcasting on the least congested channel. Have you tried connecting on a different wifi network? (work, restaurant)
Already have my AP set to the channel with the best noise floor. So I don't think it's an RF issue - all my other wifi devices (two laptops, two Nook tablets, and formerly my blackberry 8320) all work as well as could be expected with the same AP configuration.
I guess what I'm wanting to know is if there's a way to setup the IP/PPP stack on the phone to default to wifi for data. I guess I need to delve into the innards of their network config to find this out. Just thought there might be a GUI config menu somewhere that I was missing.
I'm not worried about that - they wouldn't fire me over a phone, I'm the guy that keeps their accounting system up at five nines. I just don't want to have to schmooze the office manager to get me a replacement if I brick it after less than a week. I'll let the new wear off a little first.
Brick a Fascinate? Don't think its Possible, I have done just about every stupid thing you can think of to mine, including flashing Darky's 9.3 rom for the I9000 on it by accident. As long as I can get it into DL mode, odin or heimdall can fix my stupidity.

[Q] Joining the Root community - not sure what else to do

Well, I kind of know what I'm in for. Been following this forum for about a month now and reading all the stuff on the recent roms. Basically I'm experiencing all the problems that Ohmster has stated he looks for when testing a new rom: tap and wait delays, random reboots, reboots to fix super lag, things not responding at all, are the main ones. Also get the "insufficient storage" when updating apps, besides the running out of disk space warning. Also issues with tethering. I've been using FoxFi, but somethings it won't work if I've recently turned it off (WiFi or Bluetooth) without waiting a while or a reboot. I would've switched to a new phone right now, but I like having an SD card, and any phone out there that I've seen with one, has a smaller battery. Why I'm still sticking with this. Anyway, the plan:
Root using the method outlined on CM's website (with computer) or without as shown in this thread no computer thread. Is one method better then the other?
Install latest Version of Safestrap (3.75 i think) and Ti Backup
And back up like crazy
Now comes the part where I could use a little advise. In investigating ROMs, I was mainly leaning towards LiquidSmooth or CM11 (yes, sticking with KitKat). I think I've settled with CM11 mainly due to the wealth of information on it, and the excellent work Ohmster has done with his guide on optimization. I just want something that is going to work, and be reliable, but I'm open to ideas and willing to hear suggestions.
Apps?
I know rooting allows you to do some great things. I'll definitely be using Ti Backup, Gapps(pa-gapps) and Greenify, but not sure if there are other things that would be advisable to install. I've looked at a few "must have on Rooted" phone lists, but they all seem to be a little different. For example:
SuperUser or SuperSU
Root Explorer (I've always used Astro File manager. Does RE do more then that?)
Busybox
rom explorer
Thanks to anyone for the assistance.
dtiger
I personally prefer Liquid Smooth and AOKP over CM, as I like my led to blink with the screen ON.
As for the file manager, I also love Astro. Using a very old version. But it doesn't give you root access. I love Solid Explorer, as you can view and move apps easily thanks to their dual screen in landscape mode. I have tried most of them at one time or another..

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