I rooted my Android phone. What cool things can I do with it?

[Planterz]

My Droid Razr Maxx recently got its update to 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. Nice and smooth. Unfortunately, it also killed the free wi-fi hotspot app that I was using, FoxFi (trying to open the hotspot now just redirects to Verizon's own rip-off subscription service).

The answer was to root the device and use a different app. Which I did. The phone went out of warranty a week or 2 ago, so that's not an issue.

So now that I have root access, I'm wondering what else I can do to improve the performance and experience with my phone. But looking through forums like XDA or droidlife just makes my head spin with tech jargon that I just don't get.

I do plan on removing, or at least freezing the bloatware/crapplications that Verizon stuffs down their customers' throats. I've also loaded AdAway on it (only useable if you root your phone, this app kills all in-app adds that Google pipes through many free apps like Angry Birds or Words with Friends).

So what other cool things can I do with my rooted phone that I couldn't do before?

 

[rickdarris2004]

ROMS! Try Cyanogenmod 10.1. I just Rooted my HTC rezound and rommed it with CM. Roms will also fix the crapware problem. They are usually a version of vanilla android. You can also install this https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.googlecode.android.wifi.tether. This app will get you tether back on a native root. Lots of things to do on root

 

[sgi]

I've used root access to delete unwanted files, enable direct control over the Wolfson audio chip, ability to unlock phone from the original carrier. Nothing life changing. Think of it as having administrator instead of user access on your computer. Gives you full control over the system. Frankly I think its overrated unless you have a specific need. I probably wouldn't bother with my next phone.

 

[Galeocerdoshark]

Aptoide?

 

[Planterz]

ROMS! Try Cyanogenmod 10.1. I just Rooted my HTC rezound and rommed it with CM. Roms will also fix the crapware problem. They are usually a version of vanilla android.

I've been thinking about doing something like this. I've tinkered with Nova Launcher (I got the Prime on sale for $.99), but haven't really set it up because it it's a bit laggy running a launcher on top of the other launcher. The Droid Razr's UI is pretty close to stock from what I've read, but it doesn't offer the customization like icon/grid size, # of home screens, animations, gestures, etc.

rom what I can gather though, CM 10.1 is not quite complete for the Razr Maxx on Jellybean. Some camera issues or something.

You can also install this https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.googlecode.android.wifi.tether. This app will get you tether back on a native root.

That was the first thing I did. That was the main point of me rooting. I plan on getting a tablet soon, and want to use my phone's internet to provide wi-fi for it when I'm away from home. But I'll be damned if I'm paying for my data twice.

 

[jfever311]

I have been using, and will continue to use Go Launcher EX for years. Along with some of the plugins that go along with GL, it is by far the most complete, customizable, and most stable launcher on the market. It might take a little while to go through all the features and get it set up like you like it, but it will be so worth it! Make sure before you do anything else, you load either Safestrap or Clockworkmod. They are custom recovery programs that will allow you to make a backup of your entire system before you start making drastic changes. That way if you do brick your phone, you can boot into recovery and restore what you had. You also will use them to load custom ROMs and Kernels. Get some SetCPU in your life so you can overclock and modify your CPU settings. Once you really get into this, you'll be hooked. Trust me! One more thing.... XDA can get a bit techy at times. Try this place instead...

 

[bamahabir]

Get Paranoid Android, Franco kernel. Nova launcher works well. Have used the majority of others, and speed and stability above all else.

If your going to be playing around with ROMS get titanium backup, twrp, and goomanager.

I'd also suggest going to XDA developers forum for your specific phone. (ehh just read about it being confusing for you) Just take it slow and read all that you can.

P.S. Can't really judge something like a developer ROM for its completeness. They are always changing to either implement what their vision of Android should be. There's always going to be an issue here and there.

 

[Grubbster]

If you want complete control over your rooted phone get tasker. It allows you to do many things. On sale for $1.99 now too. It can be intimidating but there are lots of how-to videos.

 

[Planterz]

If you want complete control over your rooted phone get tasker. It allows you to do many things. On sale for $1.99 now too. It can be intimidating but there are lots of how-to videos.

I'm trying to purchase this app, but I can't. It keeps saying my order can't be processed and to try again. Tried to purchase something else and I get the same error. Whether I do it from my phone or the Play website.

Could this be an issue because I rooted or screwed up some setting?

 

[jfever311]

Remember to check the box under either security or developer options to enable third party apps. Google Tasker apktop. You can get an older version of the app for free, you then use the paid version of Titanium Pro to force link the sideloaded app to the play market. After your next reboot the sideloaded app should show up in your list of app on google play that need updated. This will update you to the latest (paid) version of the app.

 

[jfever311]

You might also need to log out of google play, reboot, then log back in. That should take care of any problems.

 

[HappilyGrim]

Really, with a rooted phone the sky is the limit. I rooted my womans S3 because she liked HTC's Sense set-up a lot more. Now she has the phone she likes with the functions she likes.

I'm getting the S4 when it comes out in April. Can't wait. Currently have the HTC Thunderbolt (about 3-years-old) and it's been nothing but trouble with a terrible battery.

 

[Tinbasher]

I thought this was going to be a real interesting thread to root something has a whole different meaning down here

Richard

 

[knifephan]

Not caused by rooting more than likely. Could be an issue with your bank. I had some issues with my bank blocking some app store purchases because they billed out of "known fraud countries". Maybe try a different credit card on the Google account.

I second the ROMs, check out XDA Developers for all that is available for it. I won't link it since that might not be allowed, though they don't sell anything and aren't knife related... A quick Google will take you there no problem. Now that you are rooted you can also "sideload" load apps that aren't from the app store, just be careful with that. Check out f-droid for tons of free apps that aren't in the Google play store. Another fun app you can look for is called Wifikill, it does what it sounds like, kills devices on a wifi network.

Oh, you mentioned running 2 launchers, not sure that is possible, but you should really only run one.

Anyway, enjoy your new-found freedom.

I'm trying to purchase this app, but I can't. It keeps saying my order can't be processed and to try again. Tried to purchase something else and I get the same error. Whether I do it from my phone or the Play website.

Could this be an issue because I rooted or screwed up some setting?

 

[Planterz]

Not caused by rooting more than likely. Could be an issue with your bank. I had some issues with my bank blocking some app store purchases because they billed out of "known fraud countries". Maybe try a different credit card on the Google account.

I eventually got it to work. I had to create another account, log in, log out, etc.

I second the ROMs, check out XDA Developers for all that is available for it. I won't link it since that might not be allowed, though they don't sell anything and aren't knife related... A quick Google will take you there no problem.

I
I've been poking around there, and a couple other places. Most of it's way over my head at this point, but I'm learning.

Now that you are rooted you can also "sideload" load apps that aren't from the app store, just be careful with that. Check out f-droid for tons of free apps that aren't in the Google play store. Another fun app you can look for is called Wifikill, it does what it sounds like, kills devices on a wifi network.

I'm very familiar with sideloading. TubeMate, Adobe Flash, Adblock Plus, AdAway, Lucky Patch (very nifty tool, by the way), etc. I've put FoxFi/PdaNet on a few friends phones/computers that otherwise block it from Google Play.

Oh, you mentioned running 2 launchers, not sure that is possible, but you should really only run one.

What I meant was that custom launchers like Go, Apex, and Nova run on top of the phone's stock launcher. While you're running one of those, the stock one is still running in the background. This was causing some lag or jumpiness at times when playing with Nova. The gmail widget that scrolls through my inbox was particularly jumpy. Now that I've rooted though, it's smoother, and gmail is speedy. I've also read that widgets sometimes don't update properly with 4.1 and Nova, but do if you're rooted. Honestly though, I'm probably not going to use Nova, or use it basically skinned as the default UI, just with a couple tweaks. The main reason I got it is so when I get a tablet I can make it look just like my phone, only bigger.

 

[n00b998]

For root:

- seeder removes any lag you ever had
- greenify can save you lots of battery power so it lasts longer (don't hibernate apps u need working in the background though obviously)
- androidlost can now be moved to system apps so that if ur phone is stolen, the app will survive a factory reset and you will still have access to the phone's location
- llama or automateit can now enable/disable gps automatically (or in the case of automateit - by an sms)
- adfree can remove most ads from ur apps
- droidwall can stop certain apps using wifi or data (or both)
- you can remove (or preferably freeze [by 'gemini'] apps you never wanted running and cant shut off)

- and of course custom ROMs and kernels. Don't forget to ALWAYS flash a backup of ur phone before changing ROMs so you can go back if the ROM sux or makes ur phone screw up.


and tasker is meant to be a pain to use. I never tried it.
I highly recommend llama (though you don't need to be rooted for it) - it's incredibly easy, amazingly versatile, and free, and it is easily the most used app on my phone. but again - this isn't specifically for rooted phones - though you can use locale plugins from there and being rooted lets you turn more things on/off via secure settings plugin if you are rooted.

 

[Planterz]

So...uh...

I had the issue again of not being able to purchase an app from my original google account. So I tried to get creative and re-install the Play Store. Didn't work. Every time I loaded it, it crashed. So I said screw it, I'll do a factory reset. I've been wanting to start afresh anyway, since I haven't done so since getting it a year ago. Like reformatting a harddrive and going with a clean installation of Windows. An electronic enema.

I do the restore, and Google Play isn't there. It's gone. Try it again. Still gone.

Whoops.

I took it to the Verizon store and they messed with it for a while, gave up, and said they'd send me a replacement. I didn't think I could get a replacement, and figured I was out a few hundred bucks buying a used one off eBay since my 1 year manufacturer's warranty ended on the 2nd. Or purposely breaking it and paying a $100 deductible for an insurance replacement. But apparently I've been paying a couple bucks per month extra for total equipment replacement and extended warranty (good for the life of the 2 year contract). And of course, they did ask me if I hacked it, to which I gave them my best look and said "hacked?". I do feel a bit guilty for my dishonesty, but if Big Red didn't force Motorola to lock the bootloader, I could have flashed the factory Rom and all would have been well. I'm sure there's a way I could fix my phone, but with a new one coming Tuesday, I don't have to bother. Plus the battery (sizable though it is) isn't what it used to be.

I'm still going to root the replacement, but I've learned my lesson in not getting overconfident and messing with things too much. I'd still like to tinker with a phone and make it "mine", but it'll have to wait until November when I can get a new one on contract, or I can pick up a different phone that's completely unlockable and recoverable. Too bad the Nexus 4 doesn't work with Verizon.

Ironically, the app I was trying to purchase was Titanium Backup Pro, which, had I been able to buy and download and use, could have corrected my FUBARing of my phone.



On a side note, while I was waiting at the Verizon store (Saturday afternoon, bad time to go), I was sitting next to a guy for a good 25-30 minutes who was ahead of me in the cue. When the service person came to help him, he told her his phone had been frozen on his home screen since the night before. She said that she'll have to look up some info to try to fix the problem. I recognized his phone as a Razr HD (can't remove the battery). I butted in and told her to just hold the power and volume down button for several seconds. The phone rebooted, she said "ah, well there you go". The guy said "thanks, which I would have said something earlier". Another person ahead of me had a problem with no data on his phone. He waited a good half hour or so. Turns out he turned off his data. 20 seconds of googling could have saved me (and them, but I have no sympathy for them) 20 minutes waiting at the store. Smart phones, dumb users. Not that I can brag much, given what I did to my own phone.

 

[Planterz]

For root:

- seeder removes any lag you ever had
- greenify can save you lots of battery power so it lasts longer (don't hibernate apps u need working in the background though obviously)
- androidlost can now be moved to system apps so that if ur phone is stolen, the app will survive a factory reset and you will still have access to the phone's location
- llama or automateit can now enable/disable gps automatically (or in the case of automateit - by an sms)
- adfree can remove most ads from ur apps
- droidwall can stop certain apps using wifi or data (or both)
- you can remove (or preferably freeze [by 'gemini'] apps you never wanted running and cant shut off)

I'll have to check these out.

- and of course custom ROMs and kernels. Don't forget to ALWAYS flash a backup of ur phone before changing ROMs so you can go back if the ROM sux or makes ur phone screw up.

Yeah...I don't think I'll be messing with any custom ROMs or kernels. If I can block ads, get free tethering, and run a custom launcher and use the widgets I like, I'm just fine with the mostly stock JB interface Motorola provides. Not until I have another phone to replace this one in case I screw this one up (again).

and tasker is meant to be a pain to use. I never tried it.
I highly recommend llama (though you don't need to be rooted for it) - it's incredibly easy, amazingly versatile, and free, and it is easily the most used app on my phone. but again - this isn't specifically for rooted phones - though you can use locale plugins from there and being rooted lets you turn more things on/off via secure settings plugin if you are rooted.

I purchased Tasker, messed around with it for a few minutes, didn't see anything I wanted to use (or understood enough to use) and then hit the refund button. I don't think I really need to mess around with these kind of apps (even the Smart Tasks Motorola phones come installed with). I bought the Razr Maxx because of the battery size, and in the year + 1 month I've have it, only couple times have I ever gotten below 20% battery, even after a day of lots of usage. I'm sure apps like these taskers and Greenify could help a bit, but 70-80% of the battery usage is the screen, and if I cared that much, I could just dim it a bit. Everybody at work is always fighting for plug sockets, USB ports, and USB cables. Especially the iPhools. But I go all day and all night on a single charge.

 

[Prodige440]

Try CM 10.1 that is awesome and at first put a host file that block ads (found on winhelp2002) and put it under etc at the root using root explorer or something like it. You must replace the existing HOST file. It speeds up browsing and there's no app running in background. I have an old Galaxy S and nothing lag.

 

[powernoodle]

Whoops.

Thats the very reason I won't root my phone. I love my S2 Skyrocket, even though it is a little too big for my liking. But the risk of bricking it, even if remote, for me outweighs the benefits. I sure would like to have admin privileges for my phone that I own, but I'm too chicken to mess with it.