[vivek615]

Hi all I am a user of Samsung/Google's LTE/CDMA Galaxy Nexus on Verizon Wireless...

I have had a few bugs (but it seems that app updates have fixed all that) and sometimes seems to run a bit on the slow side... but overall I'm extremely happy running this thing on stock. (I would really love to try Google Wallet but that trick on the Google Play doesn't work anymore )

I have had Android phones before (Droid and DroidX) but have never rooted though.

I keep hearing that the Nexus is not achieving its potential without being rooted though.

I do have a couple questions that searching hasn't availed me of.

Is there a safe way to get Google Wallet without bricking the "secure element"?

How do people justify rooting and then unrooting to gain warranty in an ethical sense?

[epidenimus]

Hi all I am a user of Samsung/Google's LTE/CDMA Galaxy Nexus on Verizon Wireless...

I have had Android phones before (Droid and DroidX) but have never rooted though.

I keep hearing that the Nexus is not achieving its potential without being rooted though.

I do have a couple questions that searching hasn't availed me of.

Is there a safe way to get Google Wallet without bricking the "secure element"?

How do people justify rooting and then unrooting to gain warranty in an ethical sense?

I cannot speak to the question about Google Wallet, as I do not find the concept of that technology very ethical.

Stock ROM = Supported Environment

Regarding the rooting, it's not an issue of ethics, it's mostly a matter of a software support agreement. The OEMs produce a locked-down ROM where everything should work; they support only this release because it has a rather finite set of variables to troubleshoot for less saavy users. In IT, we pretty much do the same thing for our users to simplify troubleshooting, expedite the discovery of true problems and mitigate their impact. If you are running stock on your Android device and you call your carrier complaining that your text messaging is not working, they will more than likely start by having you do a factory reset to eliminate variables. (That way, they don't have to know Handcent, Go SMS, and Chomp inside and out and be able to figure out if it's a setting within one of them that you have wrong.) Further, if there is an issue with their software, they have to be able to reproduce it in order to support and/or patch it.

Rooting, by itself, does pretty much nothing. The door that it opens, though, is a gateway to lots of variables, both opportunities and pitfalls. It is a control mechanism that the user opts into to do things for himself instead of relying on the limitation and stability of the carrier's supported software product. It's taking off the training wheels to ride free, accepting that you may fall off without mommy to comfort you.

The hardware is still under warranty, as it should be. Custom ROMs and themes often have bugs where some things don't work, but they don't destroy a screen, a button, a radio device, etc. Reverting to stock just proves that it's not a software issue that is causing something not to function. You can't say definitively that that is the case if you bring it in with, let's say, a CM9 alpha build ROM that you found on the vast interwebs. A carrier tech is not responsible for getting 3rd party software working for you.

And that is where the forums here come in. This is where the DIY-er can find tips and tricks to get more out of their bike, find out the best way to make it sound like a motorcycle without ruining the back tire, to lighten it up and reduce drag, and install a saddle bag and keep a spare tube in case you get a flat (nandroid!).

That's a long answer to basically say that: Using source-built or modified software is in no way unethical, it is your right. You just can't expect full support from the carrier while it is in a modified condition, so if you want their help, you have to revert it to a condition that they can support with confidence.

[ajonesma]

The galaxy nexus probably has the most ROMs out of any other Android device. So surf sites like XDA, RootzWiki, and Droid Hive and you'll find tons of ROMs to put on you GNex.

[tony bag o donuts]

Welcome to AC!
You will find all you need (or at least links to) the answers you seek

[pkcable]

Welcome Vivek! And epidenimus, that was VERY nicely explained!

[vivek615]

Hi everyone and thanks for the replies!

Epidenimus thank you especially for that very detailed explanation..

I personally agree that we should be able to use products we own as we see fit, understanding that it is not the manufacturers responsibility to support riskier activities.

Am I correct in understanding that if one reverts to stock unrooted... that any persisting hardware or software issues are generally not be things "caused" by having previously been rooted?
(A fairness issue I'm wondering about is someone with hardware damage from overclock claiming warranty)

I'm not the biggest fan of the corporate structure, but I was concerned that if people pervasively were to damage phones and then claim warranty it could make Android phones costlier for everyone... Either way I'm thinking I may just give root a try.

BTW I'm also curious as to what's unethical about Google wallet?

[epidenimus]

Am I correct in understanding that if one reverts to stock unrooted... that any persisting hardware or software issues are generally not be things "caused" by having previously been rooted?
(A fairness issue I'm wondering about is someone with hardware damage from overclock claiming warranty)

I'm not the biggest fan of the corporate structure, but I was concerned that if people pervasively were to damage phones and then claim warranty it could make Android phones costlier for everyone...

If you push the overclocking too much, then your device usually just restarts without explanation. Many overclocking utilities (I can testify to CM7 tools) have a checkbox option that you must set manually to have your "testing" settings persist after a reboot, thus breaking what might otherwise be a cycle that could do damage. Keep your overclocking setting at about +25% and it should be fine. You may be surprised to note that custom processor settings also tend to focus even more on scaling down the processor more efficiently to prolong battery life. The device remains cooler, in part, because it is idle most of the time and it can idle at a lower speed with custom governors. There is always glorious gaming, but very little transcoding or compiling operations occur on Android devices. Most folks just want a short bump in speed to render some graphics or open an app. And if you were somehow to manage to fry your CPU, it won't much matter what ROM you had or intended to install on it. That is an example of when a tech might investigate and find a warranty claim void.

Either way I'm thinking I may just give root a try.

Go for it! And no one said you had to overclock it anyway. It really is noticeable on a less-than-premium device like my Optimus S (default clock speed is 600MHz), but it may not be that great a gain on a Nexus. And it is your Nexus, so you can run whatever you choose.

BTW I'm also curious as to what's unethical about Google wallet?

Cashless society control grid sold to the populace as a nifty feature. In terms of personal liberty, I feel this is an overreaching step in the wrong direction. Google does not need to know everything we do and be involved in the transactions.

[vivek615]

Thanks again for the useful info..

And I definitely see the point on wallet, though my curiosity also is pulling at me

I've definitely got a lot of learning to do, and I'm looking forward to it!

[epidenimus]

Thanks again for the useful info..

And I definitely see the point on wallet, though my curiosity also is pulling at me

I've definitely got a lot of learning to do, and I'm looking forward to it!

You're very welcome! Thanks for reading my diatribes on the philosophy of modding.

My view and relationship with Google is a love-hate thing at this point. I love that they have a pervasive in-your-face approach to showing people what has been possible for a long time with open source software and a departure from the Microsoft model. That is a great thing for everyone in terms of free market principles and competition; everybody wins--even if you prefer their competition. IE9 is the most standards compliant product Microsoft has ever produced, in many ways attributable to the quality products Google and Mozilla offered us.

The downside comes when you rely on any one company for too many services/products. Just this morning, I was reading how users were concerned because Google Music (yes, they want to be your TV provider, your bookstore, and now local record store, too...) was putting a cap on device deactivations, which is a real problem for the tinkerers and testers among us. And all I could think was: Why would any ***** buy music from them in the first place??

Google is great for some things, but lately, they seem to have the same hegemonic approach to the market that they once sought to displace (and gained a huge userbase and stock price in doing so). At some point we have to draw the line, just like we did for Time-Warner-AOL-Earthlink a decade ago. They have their place in the market, but they must not own it--or us.

[vivek615]

Yeah I totally see your point on Google and am scared about some of what i'm hearing

i felt the same way when I looked at Google music, even though I do like the idea of storing music on cloud, but maybe Google should let other company's rent some of their massive space instead of running it all themselves.