Exactly what are the perks of rooting on Sprint?

[neversatisfied]

So far I know that rooting basically gives you Root access and gets the ability to control everything on your phone. But I don't see exactly what that would do for me? I know this sounds like the noobish question here, but the fact is I am a noob to android, and rooting on the Hero. But what would it let me do exactly? Can you name off some features? I just dont see how different a Rooted Hero can be from a non-rooted. Besides for the fact that you can update to 2.1 (which is what i would be doing if i did this).

Idk, I have a hard time even thinking of the words for my question, im that confused lol. I guess I want to know nearly everything that i can do with it as root.

 

[ccapasso]

Not to be mean or rude, but do some research. There have been several threads asking this exact same question. Please read around, and use search. Your question has already been answered several times, and I'm sure people get tired of writing the same thing over and over.

I think half of the people that come here think, oh I can root my phone, it is simple and there is nothing to it. When in fact there is a lot to it. You need to read how to, what it does/doesn't do. Everything about it. Do the research people. Search and/or Google is your friend.

 

[neversatisfied]

Ok well Im reading elsewhere about the HTC Hero root and it looks amazing since i could do Apps2sd. However. When it comes to sprint, will it mess up my contract or anything like that? I heard this will never mess up my phone even if it fails, so it isnt like a jailbroken iphone where you will brick the crap lol.

Also will it remove HTC Sense UI and all of HTC features?

 

[tatonka_Hero]

The Hero is virtually impossible to brick, unless you flash something designed for the GSM versions.

If you would read, I've posted the same thing in a dozen different threads. Rooting doesn't make ANY changes to your phone, except give you admin access. And if you're worried about sprint finding out you've rooted, then quit worrying. Yes, it apparently voids your warranty, but you can always flash back to stock with the RUU program. If you manage to screw your phone up to the point where even RUU doesn't work, then you didn't do your research well enough, and shouldn't have been messing with it.

 

[neversatisfied]

i have been trying to find everything out but i cant find a site that has all the info on it. can you provide any links?

 

[Kelmar]

xda forums

geekfor.me

STICKY at the top of the forum

 

[mysticmead]

i have been trying to find everything out but i cant find a site that has all the info on it. can you provide any links?

did you look at the sticky at the top of this forum?
http://androidforums.com/sprint-htc-hero/38911-guide-root-rom-faq-tutorial.html

 

[neversatisfied]

If you're referring to the Guide in the forum then i read that. Im just saying is there anything really SPECIAL about it besides for what im seeing? Like with a jailbroken iphone/ipod you can install cracked apps and play roms. But I can already install full apps on my hero and play roms so i dont see the REAL point to it.

I know it speeds up the phone. I know I can overclock. Those all seem nice. And I assume it will save battery life unlike the jailbroken ipods which decrease battery life.

Im not trying to criticize a rooted hero. I am actually thinking bout it myself, i am just trying to find out as much as I can before hand.

Where I could start I guess is a place that has rooted apps maybe? something to show me what rooted phones have that unrooted phones dont. I would love having the original Android bootscreen. And the original android lock screen as well as anything that brings my phone back to the original android with some few upgrades, but If i do void my warranty, and then switch it back to the original. Will my warranty be voided still? idk if they can trace if you rooted then unrooted or not.

None of this is coming out intelligent at all lol. I feel like such a nub.

 

[mysticmead]

If you're referring to the Guide in the forum then i read that. Im just saying is there anything really SPECIAL about it besides for what im seeing? Like with a jailbroken iphone/ipod you can install cracked apps and play roms. But I can already install full apps on my hero and play roms so i dont see the REAL point to it.

I know it speeds up the phone. I know I can overclock. Those all seem nice. And I assume it will save battery life unlike the jailbroken ipods which decrease battery life.

Im not trying to criticize a rooted hero. I am actually thinking bout it myself, i am just trying to find out as much as I can before hand.

Where I could start I guess is a place that has rooted apps maybe? something to show me what rooted phones have that unrooted phones dont. I would love having the original Android bootscreen. And the original android lock screen as well as anything that brings my phone back to the original android with some few upgrades, but If i do void my warranty, and then switch it back to the original. Will my warranty be voided still? idk if they can trace if you rooted then unrooted or not.

None of this is coming out intelligent at all lol. I feel like such a nub.

rooting does NOTHING to the phone other than grant you admin rights. that's it.. it doesn't make the phone faster.. it doesn't make the battery last longer.. nothing but grant admin rights to you..

what you do with those admin rights is what makes the phone faster.... if you root, I suggest flashing a custom ROM like Fresh 1.1... then flash the Gumbo Kernel... then SetCPU.. this allows you to set the max speed (528) and a minimum speed (so do 160 some do 245) this allows the CPU to slow down when the phone is idle..saving battery... then speed back up when needed.

by rooting you can also get rid of any Sprint installed apps that you don't want.. you can install Themes.. custom boot screens... custom lock screens..

to unroot run the RUU utility.. the phone will be just liek it came out of the box.. no one will be able to tell it was ever rooted..

 

[mysticmead]

forgot to mention one thing ya can't do unless you're rooted... that's wireless tethering...

 

[neversatisfied]

Wireless tethering?

If you're referring to connecting my cell to my laptop through the USB cord and giving my Laptop internet then thats wrong. All I did to get that was turn on Mobile Sharing and my laptop was on net but very slow.

But if you're talking bout making it the hero a wifi access point, then I never knew that.

I do plan on doing root just to see what its all about. And if i dont like it, i can always go back.

Wasnt there something I read that a rooted hero can get paid apps for free on the market? Or was that patched.

 

[tatonka_Hero]

no, you can't get paid apps for free. A few you can find online for free, yes, but donate to the damn guy if he's making an app.

Like we've said, rooting itself does nothing but give you admin abilities. Nothing, literally. It's what you do with that ability that makes rooting worth it. Flashing ROM's, kernels, tethering, themes, are what makes the phone faster. Not to mention there are a FEW apps that can only be used after rooting.

Read on geekfor.me, and Hero CDMA - xda-developers

When you've figured out rooting for yourself, then do it. We're getting tired of people asking the same question every other day...

 

[mysticmead]

Wireless tethering?

If you're referring to connecting my cell to my laptop through the USB cord and giving my Laptop internet then thats wrong. All I did to get that was turn on Mobile Sharing and my laptop was on net but very slow.

But if you're talking bout making it the hero a wifi access point, then I never knew that.

I do plan on doing root just to see what its all about. And if i dont like it, i can always go back.

Wasnt there something I read that a rooted hero can get paid apps for free on the market? Or was that patched.

yes... making your hero a wireless access point.. no cables needed.. hence the name wireless tethering..

getting paid apps for free is called stealing.. that's not what rooting does for you.. they don't cost that much... just pay for it if you like it..

 

[neversatisfied]

Id prefer paying for them in the first place, i was just wondering if it was possible. Because I read this one article saying that rooted phones could get paid apps on market. Think it was fixed since though.

 

[Syphon]

And I will repeat Mystic, WIFI Tether is making your phone a wireless AP.

I setup mine and have my computer and my fiance's computer connecting to it wireless and surfing the net at really nice speeds, normally 1.2-1.5mbps. Was showing it to a iPhone user last night and he connected his iPhone to my WIFI and he told me he has now decided my phone is officially cooler than his lol.

The other big thing with rooting is adding a custom rom and kernel with SetCPU to gain a very fast and snappy phone. Its sad that HTC/Sprint could not do this before because obviously the phone is powerful enough, their software and kernel just suck.

 

[derspiess]

Not to be mean or rude, but do some research. There have been several threads asking this exact same question. Please read around, and use search. Your question has already been answered several times, and I'm sure people get tired of writing the same thing over and over.

In his defense, there isn't really a concise, novice-friendly list of all the benefits of rooting, unless I'm missing it somewhere. There's a ton of information on *how* to do it, but not much IMO on the "why". I guess for most here, the "why" is already known or easily figured out, but for those who are new to Android, it may not be as clear.

 

[Kelmar]

Nothing against OP, just continuing the conversation...

^perhaps that's a good thing though. It could be like giving the keys for the car to a 7 year old. There is a chance that everything could work out but there is a bigger chance that there will be a big problem in the near future.

 

[khaag27]

The perk is just being cool

 

[derspiess]

^perhaps that's a good thing though. It could be like giving the keys for the car to a 7 year old. There is a chance that everything could work out but there is a bigger chance that there will be a big problem in the near future.

Fair point, but believe it or not there are some tech-savvy people who are unfamiliar with Android and its associated jargon.

 

[mehbones]

to tell you the truth i didnt think rooting was worth all the effort at first. i did it a while back when i first got my phone and messed a bunch of stuff up so i just went back to stock everything. last night i just rooted and got fresh rom with gumbo and i'll tell you it was definitely worth it. longer battery life as well as MUCH MUCH more snappiness. learn how to do it correctly, you wont regret it.

 

[Kelmar]

Fair point, but believe it or not there are some tech-savvy people who are unfamiliar with Android and its associated jargon.

Completely! Unfortunately, these threads that get started 5 times a day usually aren't the case...

to tell you the truth i didnt think rooting was worth all the effort at first. i did it a while back when i first got my phone and messed a bunch of stuff up so i just went back to stock everything. last night i just rooted and got fresh rom with gumbo and i'll tell you it was definitely worth it. longer battery life as well as MUCH MUCH more snappiness. learn how to do it correctly, you wont regret it.

I didn't think it was worth it (had it rooted about 2 months?) and unrooted. Never bothered to root it again.

 

[neversatisfied]

Sadly I might unroot mine. Not diggin the new theme (or whatever its called, i cant remember the name for it). But first i decided i was gonna do a gumbo installation and try to find more resources other than xda. Thats what my problem was to begin with. I was only going off 2 websites that didnt have as much as I expected so thats why I was wondering what the point was. Not to mention the lockscreen for Fresh 1.1 sucked so I had to get lockbot and even with the Hero lock it didnt feel the same so I had to switch it to Flun which is decent.

Battery life is good enough for me. The only problem with it so far is that the Wifi goes off and on sometimes since the root, but thats not a problem at all.

I really just expected something VERY VERY cool that I could do with my Rooted Hero. Nothing so far is cool.

And doesnt the Android 2.1 update give you root access automatically? I could have sworn I read that in some article on android central or another android site.