[BlackTigressTLB]

So I'm reading this article about how it's now illegal to unlock your phone. However, it says that it's still legal to Root or Jailbreak your phone.



What's the difference between Unlocking and Rooting your phone?

I want to try this mod on my phone, is this considered rooting or unlocking..?

[meyerweb]

I agree with your definitions, but will play devils advocate a bit. While it's true that you own the "phone," you only license the software, according to the terms of the license agreement. And while you certainly have the "right" to do whatever you want with your phone, the seller also has the right to specify limitations in the services and warranty they provide based on what you do. You have the right to take a hammer and smash your iPod (or phone). But don't expect the manufacturer to honor the warranty. Same with rooting. If you root, and delete critical system files that breaks your phone, the manufacturer and carrier are under no obligation to fix it for you. If you flash a new ROM, and brick your phone, again, you shouldn't expect a warranty replacement any more than if you run it through the washing machine.

Unlocking is a bit different, though. While you own the phone, you don't own the service, which is what unlocking is all about.

Whether the copyright office decision makes any sense or not is a different question. I'm just pointing out that "owning" a phone isn't quite the same as owning a book, or a hammer. The intellectual property owner has rights, too.

Oh, the linked video is rooting the phone, not unlocking it.

[droidmyme]

Rooting gives you access to the root of the Linux file structure which is / or the "root" so you have read/write permission on every file.

Unlocking a phone doesn't necessarily give you the file access, just means you can use the radio on different networks as someone else mentioned

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