Ok so just earlier last month I went ahead and bought myself a Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_p620..._plus-4208.php , not really cutting edge or even the latest model but I just needed a reasonably performing tablet for a presentation I had for a client.
A few weeks after extensive use, I noticed the Android love growing on me.. and finally I switched my Blackberry for a Samsung Galaxy W http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_w_i8150-4114.php in an urge to have an Android phone.
Im loving every bit of it currently, just decently spec'd (supposed to be one step lower to Galaxy S2) and overall pretty fun to use. Could use a much better battery life though, but oh well. And after awhile, the wife also bit the bullet and we got her a Galaxy Pocket http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_gala...s5300-4612.php (probably lowest end, but she's happy anyways)
Now the thing is, although I am thoroughly enjoying the android exprience, the tinkerer inside me is nagging me on to root my phone and or tab.
I just need to know some good reasons and what are the real world advantages of rooting your android device? I've also been reading about rooting and it does seem daunting at first.. I just want to know if it's really worth it in the long run.
if you root, you can install flashy new ROM's to play with, without having to wait for the carrier to decide to get around to, if they do at all. some ROM's are better then stock / more updated (like cyanogenmod) and some are worse.
you can install titanium backup, which can backup state of any apps.
you can remove manufacturer bloat.
you can make changes to the system, many things like setting the read ahead cache for SD cards which can speed them up.
you can install apps not intended for that device (by spoofing the device ID).
you can get more internal storage space by installing apps to SDcard.
you can install a firewall, which prevents apps from going online unless you say so, which can greatly reduce the amount of data you use showing ads / dialing info back home. doing that can save battery life.
you can install adblocking (which requires unlocked bootloader as well on HTC devices)
if you root, you will be warned if a process wants superuser privelage, which is a good thing as if anything malicious got onto the phone through exploit, you'd (probably) know it was running SU. otherwise you wouldn't. that said root is a potential big security hole if you treat it the same way people treat flashing ads in internet explorer and just install things.
root is awesome for tinkerers.
in the long term, if you have a popular device with a dev community, in 3 years people will be wondering how you have later versions of android then they do on new devices, when you are running a 3 year old phone / tablet.
tldr; tinker away and root it, install cyanogenmod, droidwall, an adblocker and titanium backup. if you don't like it, go back to stock. you can unroot.
Thanks for all the info! After finding out about this : http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1441662 I was really decided in putting some time into rooting my phone and jumping onto this ROM this weekend, but was too busy , ill probably try next week.
I have an android device coming in the mail and I'm switching from a Blackberry too. I don't think I'll necessarily take advantage of all the things rooting can do, but I certainly plan to root it as soon as I get it up and running. I will at least install a memory optimizer and an adblock program for the browser.
Hopefully Blackberry 10 will bring RIM up to parity or even ahead of android and iOS.
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, ill probably try next week.
