Understanding customizations (ROMS/launchers/lock screen mods/etc

[seyhee0919]

As an iOS user (iPod Touch....maxed out at iOS 4.2 ugh), I jailbroke my iTouch after its warranty expired...after all i figured because the warranty was out I could tinker with it however I liked. And for the most part it's served me well. What I also liked about jailbreaking at my current situation was that because I had a 2nd gen iPod Touch, I couldn't upgrade to iOS 5...so I didn't have to worry about reverting to stock iOS, then waiting for a new jailbreak anymore, blah blah.

anyway, I'm thinking of getting an android...because I really do like to customize (themes/icon changes/lock screen/etc). My question is this: if I were to root my phone or unlock the bootloader (if they're the same thing, sorry....still don't understand the lingo quite comfortably yet), do I still need to un-root/relock the bootloader every time a software update becomes available? Obviously I'd like the ability to customize, but the ability to get software updates in a timely manner is more important to me...and if I have to go through some hassle just to get those updates, then to me Android sort of loses its advantage. Likewise, if I want to simply customize superficially...do I really even have to root/unlock bootloader? can I just use a launcher app to take care of my needs that way?

Sorry if I'm like using terminology in completely the wrong way...I'm admittedly a n00b at all this android stuff, but I want to learn! Thanks for all help in advance

 

[pazzo02]

Re: Understanding customizations (ROMS/launchers/lock screen mods

Okay, I'll try to answer as best I can. If you root your device, you won't receive OTA software updates anymore. You could always manually install updates if you really wanted. Usually, people root their devices so they don't have to rely on the carrier/manufacturer for updates. There have been occasions that these updates did more harm than good (see Inspire Gingerbread update). If you flashed a custom ROM, the ROM developer is who you would get your updates from.

In my opinion, the main reason for rooting is not just for the custom ROMs, but to unlock the true potential of the device. Most people will report that many custom ROMs with matched radios afford an increase in data speed over what was possible on a stock device. There are many more benifits to rooting, like the ability to overclock your processor. There are root-only apps like AdFree, an app that removes ads from most ad supported apps, and Titanium Backup, an all-in-one backup soution not available on non-rooted devices. I could go on but I think you get the picture.

As for your final question, you are correct. There is quite a bit of graphical customization that you can do without even rooting (launchers/themes/scenes/skins). That's what sets Andriod apart from iPhone

 

[androidmaster1]

Re: Understanding customizations (ROMS/launchers/lock screen mods

to answer your question in a quick simple way. if you want frequent updates, and are willing to install them yourself manually, than rooting your phone is the best way to go. the developers are always tweaking, changing and improving, the modems, roms, and everything else that you can do with android.