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What does "ROOT" mean

It's the same thing as getting Admin access on your PC. The name of the admin account in Linux is root. From there we vary and use use it as noun, verb or adjective to save time.

With root access, you can remove carrier bloatware and make a full image backup of your phone to your SD card called a nandroid backup.

You can also try out complete phone software replacements courtesy of the independent development community. We call that act flashing a ROM.
 
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Root/Rooting- Getting the administrative control i.e, "hacking", "jailbreak", etc, etc...... Root is also defined as the base folder of your SD card. If you are told to place a file into root then this is what is meant. REMEMBER-root/rooting-admin control OR base folder on SD card. Please re read instructions you find in the forums throughly so that you may be able to save yourself some time and heartache. :)

Also note that, while rooting your phone allows you get more out of your phone, rooting usually voids your phone's warranty.:(

You'll probably find many terms related to rooting that don't make much sense to you. I've done a set of definitions related to rooting to help newbies (I'm also a newbie). It's in the Precedent All Things Root forum, but the terms apply to all Android phones.

Check out root term definitions here: http://androidforums.com/precedent-all-things-root/461024-root-terms-defined-rom-shell-s-etc.html
 
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It's the same thing as getting Admin access on your PC. The name of the admin account in Linux is root. From there we vary and use use it as noun, verb or adjective to save time.

With root access, you can remove carrier bloatware and make a full image backup of your phone to your SD card called a nandroid backup.

You can also try out complete phone software replacements courtesy of the independent development community. We call that act flashing a ROM.

Ok, I have a mac (yes I'm a traitor to Apple) and I'm the only user so no admin.

What is carrier bloatware and do I want a full image backup on my SD card? Why would I want to replace my software? Dumb it down more please.

This phone for me is a toy to entertain myself or if my computer needs to go to the doc. My life will not end of I can't load a program or do some crazy advanced stuff. I just want to surf the net, maybe email, text, pictures, play some games. I don't need or want to do fancy crazy advances stuff.
 
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Actually, just like Android is Linux, your Mac is unix. You get administration access on your Mac by default but you have to verify your password on things like update to activate it when needed.

Same thing on a rooted phone - you install a special app that activates it when needed.

Root isn't for everyone. Learn your phone first, then check out root.

With root, you have the power to turn your phone into an expensive, dead paperweight if you're not careful.

Let's cover the basics first, we'll still be here after you get the hang of the starting-out stuff.

I promise that's the best way.
 
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I agree that is way beyond me and my needs. I am so glad I found this site and these forums. Getting help from VM already has been "trying" so this is great. Hope everyone bears with me with while I figure this out.

My mac, which I got 3 years ago was my first computer. I had never even seen a Mac before I got it. I freaked out every time something I didn't understand happened. Still do.

Once I get my phone and play around that will help. So much to learn. things you pro's just know.
 
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I had never even seen a Mac before I got it. I freaked out every time something I didn't understand happened. Still do.

Please don't be intimidated by your Mac or your Android phone Mewkiss. They won't bite you. Everyone here had to go through the same learning process. Take it day by day. It's not as mysterious as you might think. Macs are extremely user friendly, and so are Android phones. I would recommend that you get a good backup program for your phone. It's good insurance to have. My Backup Pro is one of the more popular backup apps because it is very easy to use, but any good backup program is fine. Then if anything happens to your phone you are protected. Any questions about anything just let us know. We'll be more than happy to help you sort everything out. Pretty soon you'll be answering questions for others. Enjoy :)
 
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Please don't be intimidated by your Mac or your Android phone Mewkiss. They won't bite you. Everyone here had to go through the same learning process. Take it day by day. It's not as mysterious as you might think. Macs are extremely user friendly, and so are Android phones. I would recommend that you get a good backup program for your phone. It's good insurance to have. My Backup Pro is one of the more popular backup apps because it is very easy to use, but any good backup program is fine. Then if anything happens to your phone you are protected. Any questions about anything just let us know. We'll be more than happy to help you sort everything out. Pretty soon you'll be answering questions for others. Enjoy :)

Thanks so much to all of you! Once I get started, (I'm still waiting on day 3 for VM to port my phone number over) then I can actually start messing around. I learn by doing not reading.

I will take your advice re: backup program (I don't even backup my mac since it's not for anything major) but why again? Is that in case it gets corrupted, lost? I'm not getting insurance because I am home all the time except for maybe once a month so no risk of dropping it in a toilet or having it fall out of my purse somewhere.

First priority for me is just basic use. Then I can start to mess around with it.

Thanks again. Look forward to no longer being a total newbie.
 
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I will take your advice re: backup program (I don't even backup my mac since it's not for anything major) but why again? Is that in case it gets corrupted, lost?
Regarding backing up your Mac; imagine the hard drive going bad and you lost everything on your MAc, you couldn't even boot it up... now ask yourself, is there anything on your Mac that you wished was saved? Pictures, e-mails, any documents that you need for anything? If the answer is yes then you need to backup it up. If the answer is no then don't worry about it. Technically you already have a backup program already on your Mac (Finder > Applications > Time Machine) BUT it's not the type of backup that you really need. In other words, it won't let you boot your Mac if there are any hard drive issues with it. Instead it will save more of your files than your operating system. For a real backup (one that you can boot if there are any problems) you need something like SuperDuper. It's not only very easy to use but it's one of the best programs that you will ever buy for your Mac, and super cheap which is a nice plus. How often you backup is up to you, but you should always backup whenever you put an important file on your Mac. I back up everyday, sometimes more than once, and I even have a backup of my backup, but the frequency of backing up is really individual and up to you. Just remember that until you complete a backup, the important file(s) that might be on your Mac aren't protected.

Backing up for your Android is basically the same. Phone numbers, paid programs, e-mails, etc. that are irreplaceable to you all need backing up ASAP. You can never backup to often, and when in doubt always perform a quick backup. A backup for your phone will probably take just a few short minutes, and the time spent is one of the most important things that you'll do with your phone. After you backup you can take a deep breath knowing that your Android phone is protected from any pesky gremlins :)
 
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Thanks for the great explanation. I had a corrupt hard drive about a year after I got my mac. That is when I realized I have nothing I care that much about since it's for entertainment not business.

But I get why I want to back up my phone. It will be activated at noon today after my old number ports. At the time I'll ask about programs. I did find the Android Market but I don't even know how to load an app let alone which one to get. So then how often do you backup? daily, weekly? Again this is a toy for me to play with.

I'm good at entering contacts though.

Thanks again.
 
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I did find the Android Market but I don't even know how to load an app let alone which one to get.
You'll need to setup a google account. Your phone will be listed in it. From that point forward anytime you click "Install" when looking at an app at the Android Market, that app will automatically be downloaded onto your phone.

So then how often do you backup? daily, weekly? Again this is a toy for me to play with.
Depends directly with the importance of what is on your phone. For me it is whenever I send an important e-mail or do anything important on the phone. If you don't want to lose any of your contacts, then you need to back them up as soon as you type them into your phone. Backing up is your friend :)
 
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I already have a google account so that should be easy. What is a good backup program?

For a non-rooted phone (which is what you'll have) I recommend MyBackup Pro. Easy to use and works great. I think it's still on sale :)

I do want to know, if I get my emails on my phone then does that mean i don't get them on my computer?

I think this depends on where you view it first, either your Mac (which is on the iCloud) or the phone (which is not). If you delete it off your Mac and it hasn't yet sent it to your phone, then there's a good chance that it won't be sent to your phone at all. I'll have to run some experiments later today to know for sure. I'll get back with you on this :)
 
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Backing up for your Android is basically the same. Phone numbers, paid programs, e-mails, etc. that are irreplaceable to you all need backing up ASAP. You can never backup to often, and when in doubt always perform a quick backup. A backup for your phone will probably take just a few short minutes, and the time spent is one of the most important things that you'll do with your phone. After you backup you can take a deep breath knowing that your Android phone is protected from any pesky gremlins :)

Actually, your paid apps are kept track of attached to your Google account, so even if your phone has to be factory reset or replaced or something, you won't have to re-pay for those apps--you can just download them again whenever you want.

The main reasons to run backups are:
  • Save time if you ever have to set up the phone again (factory reset/replacement phone/etc.)
  • Safeguard information, pictures, files, etc. that you would lose if your phone were damaged, lost, stolen, etc.
 
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In case you haven't figured it out I am very low tech. I'm on a 3 year old macbook still using Leopard. I have no intentions of upgrading.

I think I know what icloud is but my use of my computer and phone is probably different from others.

It's more of a diversion than a necessity for my life to keep connected with the outside world.

I would prefer to keep my email on my computer unless my computer dies and then I can set it up on my phone.

Right now problems getting my phone activated so have to deal with VM yet again. Let me get my phone going. Then I will figure it out and get a backup app if someone can recommend one.

Thanks for the input. My brain is gonna explode!
 
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What is a good backup program?

I settled on AppMonster Pro, which simply stores your apps as APK files on your SD card, where they can be copied for further safety onto your PC/Mac. It is also one of many apps that can move new apps to SD memory. The knock on it is that settings and such are not included on the backups. And as you know, all your google sync stuff is already safe in some cloud.
 
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I was going to use Mybackup and then also get Applist backup. I don't think there is a place on my computer for an SD card so.

Oh, and I'm pretty illiterate when it comes to this stuff. Clueless on android and not at all up on the latest and greatest in computers. I don't know about google stuff being in clouds. In fact I don't know what google sync is. I think it has to do with my phone talking to my computer but that is all. I don't think I"m going to get email on my phone so that isn't a concern for now.

Also, I want a free apps. I won't pay for anything unless I absolutely have to. I'm "frugal".
 
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I don't think there is a place on my computer for an SD card so.

You could always make a folder on your desktop (or somewhere else) and just copy everything on your phones SD card to that folder. The free version is usually also the featureless version, so the app might be harder for you to use. Most iOS and Amazon apps are very reasonably priced. MyBackup Pro is just 2.99 :) Well worth all it will do for you.
 
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Hi, again, I have no idea how to get stuff from my SD card on to my desktop which is not a great idea because I don't back up my computer. I have no need. If my hard drive crashes there isn't anything I care about that will be lost.

I see your point about paying for a good app and I did read good stuff about Mybackuppro. Right now my phone isn't working. It will not connect to the internet. Once that is resolved I'll figure out backup apps.

I don't want to spend money until I know what I'm going to use and not use, stuff like that but backup I agree is worth it. Thanks
 
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