Any reason NOT to unlock/root?
- Thread starter STC09
- Start date
I haven't done much with rooting, but I don't think rooting affects the OTA updates. Rooting and flashing different ROM's and/or non-official upgrades will affect your ability to get OTA updates, though.
Ravynmagi
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- Nov 11, 2010
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I really see no reason to not unlock and root if you want to take advantage of the things you can do with having that freedom.
I think there have been instances where a developer won't allow an app to install on a rooted phone. Though that's very rare and I can't think of any at the moment. And you can easily unroot your phone if you encounter such an app.
Unlocking and rooting is automatic for me. I love being able to install ad blocking software and having a good backup tool like Titanium Backup. Was also nice having root so I could try out that DPI tweak to enable the tablet UI on the Nexus 7.
Of course another reason not to could be that rooted users tend to want to tweak and mess around more and you can certainly mess up your phone pretty good if you mess up with a tweak.
I think there have been instances where a developer won't allow an app to install on a rooted phone. Though that's very rare and I can't think of any at the moment. And you can easily unroot your phone if you encounter such an app.
Unlocking and rooting is automatic for me. I love being able to install ad blocking software and having a good backup tool like Titanium Backup. Was also nice having root so I could try out that DPI tweak to enable the tablet UI on the Nexus 7.
Of course another reason not to could be that rooted users tend to want to tweak and mess around more and you can certainly mess up your phone pretty good if you mess up with a tweak.
Don't know for sure on the nexus 7 but i had a samsung infuse rooted and i wasn't able to rent movies from the play store because of it. I've also heard google wallet is not supported on rooted devices.
Sent from my LG-P925 using Android Central Forums
Sent from my LG-P925 using Android Central Forums
dmmarck
Retired Moderator
- Dec 28, 2011
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There are a lot of extremely useful apps that require root. For that reason alone I would say rooting is completely worthwhile. I originally rooted my Bionic, which was my first Android device, to freeze all the crap Verizon puts on it. Obviously that's not an issue on the N7, but now I have so many root apps that it was a foregone conclusion this time around. As others have said, getting OTAs shouldn't be a problem unless you start tinkering with custom ROMs. Sometimes an update can break your root, but somebody figures out a way to fix it pretty quickly. It's rare for rooting to introduce compatibility issues; the only exception I've found is watching live TV on the Time Warner Cable app, which gives you an error message saying you can't do that on a rooted device.
As for unlocking, I'm not as sure. The Bionic has an encrypted bootloader that nobody ever cracked, so I haven't done much exploring in that area. I know you can load up custom kernels, which can provide various performance tweaks, but beyond that I'm not really familiar with the benefits of it.
Of course, before you do any real tinkering, you'll need to be sure you know what you're doing, how you're going to do it, and how to fix it if you break something (i.e. nandroid backups and factory images).
As for unlocking, I'm not as sure. The Bionic has an encrypted bootloader that nobody ever cracked, so I haven't done much exploring in that area. I know you can load up custom kernels, which can provide various performance tweaks, but beyond that I'm not really familiar with the benefits of it.
Of course, before you do any real tinkering, you'll need to be sure you know what you're doing, how you're going to do it, and how to fix it if you break something (i.e. nandroid backups and factory images).
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WUG Fresh's latest Nexus unlock/root kit now works with the N7 so I'm considering that so I can install Adfree and Titanium Backup.
No, but an OTA can break root. IMO, adfree alone is worth the trouble of rooting. Only reason not to root would be if you want to set it up and NEVER have to fiddle with it again, because you will eventually. Did that even make sense?
AlphaVictor87
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- Jul 5, 2012
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from what i've been told you can get the apex or nova launcher and both of those allow you to rotate the home screen
qnet
Well-known member
- Jan 21, 2011
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That's a awesome tool. I may not root for awhile. I usually don't root Nexus devices but, it is fun and much easier to do than other devices.
At the very least unlock the bootloader so you can root. If not you'll have to wipe it and start over later.
I would either do as mkiker says and just unlock the bootloader if you are unsure what to do. I love rooting but with my GN I haven't touched it because I couldn't think of anything I wanted to change that bad especially with JB.
qnet
Well-known member
- Jan 21, 2011
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Dang, I forgot about unlocking the bootloader.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums
I for one can't think of any reason to not unlock and root. The only disadvantage (other than ending up with a brick 
) I can think of would be if you were to "also" install a custom recovery like Clockworkmod or TWRP which would then stop the ability to get OTA updates. Someone correct me if I am wrong but I think that is right.
But there are many reasons to root. I like to replace the hosts file instead of using an adblocking app. I have a gps.conf file that so far always seems to work better for me than the stock file. If you need to free up some app storage space you can move the app updates from data/app to system/app. Any google apps you don't use can be removed from system/app which will also have the benefit of reducing apps trying to run in the background. Most all of the google apps are not bashful about starting up and running in the background for any little reason. Heck, if you're rooted it would take all of one minute to change one line in the build.prop file to get the tablet ui, reboot, done. But then of course there are some that just can't leave well enough alone.
) I can think of would be if you were to "also" install a custom recovery like Clockworkmod or TWRP which would then stop the ability to get OTA updates. Someone correct me if I am wrong but I think that is right. But there are many reasons to root. I like to replace the hosts file instead of using an adblocking app. I have a gps.conf file that so far always seems to work better for me than the stock file. If you need to free up some app storage space you can move the app updates from data/app to system/app. Any google apps you don't use can be removed from system/app which will also have the benefit of reducing apps trying to run in the background. Most all of the google apps are not bashful about starting up and running in the background for any little reason. Heck, if you're rooted it would take all of one minute to change one line in the build.prop file to get the tablet ui, reboot, done. But then of course there are some that just can't leave well enough alone.
Good news: changing DPI is no longer required for tablet mode. You can now have everything full sized, with no app problems at all
Check out Team Eos ROM if you're interested.
Sent from my Nexus 7
Hopefully, you've unlocked and rooted your N7 by now, but if not, I'm changing my answer. Wug's tool is so amazing and easy (stupid person..ie me..proof), there are 0 reasons not to root and a dozen or so why you should. Heck..if you change your mind later, all you have to do is click a button. just do it.
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