Android phone Hacking/Customization.

[Udder Juice]

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So I have a somewhat low-end Android Phone.  The LG Optimus V.



I can live with the slow processor but the thing only comes with 512 MB internal memory, a ton of bloatware and severely limits what apps you can move to the SD card.  Also, Virgin Mobile does not seem interested in upgrading from Froyo to Honeycomb or Gingerbread.

So this weekend I got in up to my elbows with rooting my phone.  Its actually pretty easy now as there are some apps that do it for you.  Once that is done you can install an app called Super Manager that lets you uninstall apps that were built into the ROM but you never use, you can force apps to the SD card (as long as you don't plan on using widgets) and a bunch of other cool stuff.  Plus I did some serious customization.

My lock screen.


Home pages with custom clock and a few apps/shortcuts.






App drawer.


Next I might try to flash a custom ROM of Gingerbread but you have to wipe the phone to do that.  I've already made a backup but I'm just not sure if I want to go down that road yet.

Anybody else tricked out their 'droid?

[I am Canadian]

I have a phone I'd like to try this on Udder can you send me some links. Did rooting the phone help with the speed at all?

[Udder Juice]

Rooting the phone in and of itself doesn't do anything except give you access to modify stuff on the phone that you normally can't.  It took me a while after rooting to realize that I would need some other apps to actually make changes to the phone lol.

To get started you can download Super One Click.  If you read that whole post it'll tell you everything you need to know but basically you turn on USB debugging mode on your phone, unmount your SD card, connect the phone to your computer, run the program and click "Root."  It does the rest and installs Super User.  It works for most phones.

You then get various management apps that you grant "Super User" status too so they can perform tasks that are normally locked out.  I like Super Manager but others swear by Titanium Backup.

Here's a step-by-step for the rooting process.  http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/root-android-phone-superoneclick-2/

Just rooting the phone won't really speed it up but you can get apps and custom ROMs that will let you overclock your phone.  Let me know if you have any specific questions and I'll try to help.  I went very slow and did a lot of google searches to make sure anything I was about to do wouldn't kill the phone lol.

[SpeedRayza]

I would like to root my Tmobile my touch 3g slide, how do you do that??  My phone has been glitching out like the home screen or any screen for that matter scrolls either up and down or sideways.  But anyway how would I do this rooting of my phone?

[rePETE4x]

When my Atrix started acting up, and getting slow, I just did a backup and factory reset. Now I only install the apps I actually use, instead of trying so many I had it just about filled up and messed up. Still in the process of rebuilding it, but it is happier. The finger scanner, for example, had stopped working, but it is functioning again now.

I can't really see a need for me to root my phone; well, other than my being a geek and it would be a fun thing to try.

Peter

[ridethepiggy]

I spent hours last week trying to figure out how to root my Sprint HTC Evo 4G.

Turns out my Hboot was too new (H18) and I would need to revert to Froyo (H16) and then root.

I'll have to try this Super One Click, thanks for posting that Udder!

[Udder Juice]

If you have Gingerbread there is a similar rooting app called Gingerbreak.

Sent from my Android phone using Taptalk 2.

[ridethepiggy]

If you have Gingerbread there is a similar rooting app called Gingerbreak.

Sent from my Android phone using Taptalk 2.

"AGAIN, THIS DOES NOT WORK ON S-ON DEVICES !"



When I get home, I'll give that one click one a shot!