Anyone rooted an Android phone?

[Whiskey]

I have a HTC Hero (sprint) and I heard rooting tends to speed up your phone and you can take all the unnecessary programs off (like Nascar! or whatever). Rooting probably voids a ton of stuff and i'm filtering through the million results on google looking into it.

What are the real pros/cons and methods that have worked (if theres more than one)?

[Pedersen]

Pros: You can tweak the phone to have only what you want to have on it. You can also update the ROM to be whichever version you want (and that can run on your phone). Depending on various criteria, that can also mean a massive speedup.

Cons: Well, for the most part, you're not going to run into this, since most custom ROMs tend to be pretty well tested, but... you can brick your phone. Usually not going to happen, and when there's an actual risk involved, you're going to see big old warning signs all over the page you're looking at, and you can easily steer clear. But it can still happen.

I have a G1, and it has been rooted. Doing this gave me some new features (the rooted ROM supports USB and WiFi tethering, the stock ROM does not, not on the G1), and was pretty painless. The particular ROM I'm using (cyanogenmod) does pretty well, overall, but is too aggressive in shutting things down (I used to be able to use turn-by-turn navigation while playing music, but cyanogenmod kills the music pretty quickly).

So, is it worth it? Only you can say for sure. It's helped me out, but I'm still replacing the phone shortly (simply due to the phone being *way* too slow overall, and I'm trying to do too much with it).

[technical.angel]

It's helped me out, but I'm still replacing the phone shortly (simply due to the phone being *way* too slow overall, and I'm trying to do too much with it).

If you like the G1, but not it's speed, check out the Mytouch Slide. It's SPIFFY!

[Pedersen]

If you like the G1, but not it's speed, check out the Mytouch Slide. It's SPIFFY!

Ah, actually, I've picked out my next phone. Was going to be the T-Mobile variant, called the Samsung Vibrant, until I noticed they removed the front-facing camera, the main button on the bottom, added some other silk screen buttons.

So, now it's going to be the unlocked Samsung Galaxy S. At least I've been saving up for a new phone for a while. This one is going to hurt

[Whiskey]

but... you can brick your phone. Usually not going to happen, and when there's an actual risk involved, you're going to see big old warning signs all over the page you're looking at, and you can easily steer clear. But it can still happen.

I have that fancy little "we'll replace your phone for 100 bux" sprint warranty that I pay for. Any idea if it'd cover bricking my phone? I could just say I lost it in the Holland tunnel or something, I suppose. Four whiskeys in and rooting my phone sounds like a fantastic idea.

Drunken nerd, ahoy!

[crashhelmet]

Rooting a phone typically voids the warranty. I'm sure Sprint is the same way.

CH

[Whiskey]

Pedersen needs to be online so he can help me finally get around to rooting my phone. It will be done tonight! (maybe!)

I need a reliable source to go by though. I don't want to pick the top # off google. if I'm going to risk bricking my phone, I want to risk it with a reliable source.

[roothorick]

There's only two downsides. One, if your phone gets bricked while it's rooted or flashed, for instance you drop it and the processor gets cracked or something, and the phone is still under warranty, you won't be able to flash the original ROM back onto the phone, covering your tracks; if someone at the provider or the manufacturer actually bothers to look, and finds your mods, they can use it as grounds for denying a warranty repair. Two, a rooted phone isn't as secure as an untouched phone -- more than a couple apps that shouldn't have root access, now DO. I hope I don't have to explain how that could be a bad thing, especially if you're not particularly careful about what you're installing on your phone.

Cons: Well, for the most part, you're not going to run into this, since most custom ROMs tend to be pretty well tested, but... you can brick your phone. Usually not going to happen, and when there's an actual risk involved, you're going to see big old warning signs all over the page you're looking at, and you can easily steer clear. But it can still happen.

With modern phones and their advanced bootloaders, even bricking isn't a risk anymore unless you're dumb enough to actually modify the bootloader itself (DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT). Worst case, the phone will hang after the manufacturer logo screen and you just have to re-do it through the recovery menu in the bootloader. Motorola in particular feels very secure in their bootloaders, allowing users to install updates that completely rewrite the ROM (e.g. the recent Froyo update) while on battery power! Five years ago that would've been death-wish territory.

[technical.angel]

Bumping an older thread.

Due to some issues, (bloatware, my phone occasionally forgetting it's a PHONE), I'm planning on rooting my MyTouch3G Slide this weekend.

Little nervous, but ya know, when I need to make a call, I need to make a call THEN, not 5 minutes after the fact. I don't have a home phone anymore, so this thing is IT. Which makes me even more nervous about rooting it...

ehhhhh...

[Der Cute]

http://www.xda-developers.com/

this is the place I go to get ROMS for my win6.5 phone. they do droids and others too.