What does rooting get me?

[thecure13]

So I got my s4 a few weeks ago and have been more than satisfied coming from iPhone. I've noticed that for iPhone, jailbreaking basically let me do everything i can do now in Android without doing anything to the phone. My question is, being able to do so much without rooting, what does rooting get me? I'm not quite sure but is there where me wanting 4.3 come into play? I got a Nexus7 2 and I'm loving the firmware as it doesn't lag like I feel on my S4. If I'm correct, there's some new version of S4 that's running that firmware and that's what I'd like. But rooting is required?

 

[jeffreii]

So I got my s4 a few weeks ago and have been more than satisfied coming from iPhone. I've noticed that for iPhone, jailbreaking basically let me do everything i can do now in Android without doing anything to the phone. My question is, being able to do so much without rooting, what does rooting get me? I'm not quite sure but is there where me wanting 4.3 come into play? I got a Nexus7 2 and I'm loving the firmware as it doesn't lag like I feel on my S4. If I'm correct, there's some new version of S4 that's running that firmware and that's what I'd like. But rooting is required?

Rooting gets you deeper access to some Android functions. Many apps require root...some work without root but do even more/even better with root. The most common one is probably Titanium Backup, which is a great backup tool...but other apps like Helium and My Backup can do much of the same without root...they just require a desktop client to help perform the tasks.

Rooting also opens up your access to custom recoveries and custom ROMs, like the 4.3 Google Edition you're referring to, which is much more like a Nexus experience. You can read more about that whole world of fun stuff in my signature post.

Anyways, you didn't mention which carrier you're on...but you might be on a firmware that is currently unable to do anything more than root...meaning you will be able to use some apps that you otherwise wouldn't be able to...but custom recoveries and ROMs are totally impossible. If you're on that firmware, you also will not be able to unroot, like we usually can. If that's the case, I would suggest you refrain from rooting until a new bootloader exploit is found...

Post here what carrier/phone/build number you're on and we can help you identify what your current situation is.

 

[thecure13]

Rooting gets you deeper access to some Android functions. Many apps require root...some work without root but do even more/even better with root. The most common one is probably Titanium Backup, which is a great backup tool...but other apps like Helium and My Backup can do much of the same without root...they just require a desktop client to help perform the tasks.

Rooting also opens up your access to custom recoveries and custom ROMs, like the 4.3 Google Edition you're referring to, which is much more like a Nexus experience. You can read more about that whole world of fun stuff in my signature post.

Anyways, you didn't mention which carrier you're on...but you might be on a firmware that is currently unable to do anything more than root...meaning you will be able to use some apps that you otherwise wouldn't be able to...but custom recoveries and ROMs are totally impossible. If you're on that firmware, you also will not be able to unroot, like we usually can. If that's the case, I would suggest you refrain from rooting until a new bootloader exploit is found...

Post here what carrier/phone/build number you're on and we can help you identify what your current situation is.

S4 AT&T 4.2.2
BUILD: JDQ39.1337UCUAMF3
Thanks so much for all the great info!!!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

 

[jeffreii]

S4 AT&T 4.2.2
BUILD: JDQ39.1337UCUAMF3
Thanks so much for all the great info!!!

So you are on MF3 which means you have significant restrictions. As I stated you can root (but not unroot), but no custom recovery/ROM.

I hope those of you on MF3 get a new bootloader exploit soon but it does not seem promising so far...the devs seem to agree that they need a leak of some sort in order to make progress.

Good luck and remember to read the post in my signature if you want to learn more about the whole process, which unfortunately is more of a "this is what you're missing out on" for you.

 

[thecure13]

So you are on MF3 which means you have significant restrictions. As I stated you can root (but not unroot), but no custom recovery/ROM.

I hope those of you on MF3 get a new bootloader exploit soon but it does not seem promising so far...the devs seem to agree that they need a leak of some sort in order to make progress.

Good luck and remember to read the post in my signature if you want to learn more about the whole process, which unfortunately is more of a "this is what you're missing out on" for you.

Thanks so much. Hopefully soon I can get my S4 to Googleplay edition. I'm sort of tired of Touchwiz.

 

[saranghae]

I'm in the same situation (same phone and firmware version), and I'm pretty new to this stuff. I see posts on the CM wiki about using motochopper... I assume that's for versions other than MF3? Install CM for jflteatt - CyanogenMod

 

[jeffreii]

I'm in the same situation (same phone and firmware version), and I'm pretty new to this stuff. I see posts on the CM wiki about using motochopper... I assume that's for versions other than MF3? Install CM for jflteatt - CyanogenMod

Motochopper worked on pre-MF3 firmwares.

Read here for more info:
http://forums.androidcentral.com/sa...-root-new-root-method-found-mf3-firmware.html

And read the link in my signature if you want to learn more about the whole process - most of which won't work on MF3 for the time being.

 

[netaholik]

Thanks so much. Hopefully soon I can get my S4 to Googleplay edition. I'm sort of tired of Touchwiz.

Without installing a ROM, you can install a different launcher (the app that is essentially your "home" screen with all the icons and widgets). There are several to choose from. I used to use Apex, but recently switched to ADW. There's also the GO launcher, and others I'm sure. All you have to do is install one, then go into your device settings, More..., Application Manager, scroll over to the ALL list, then find TouchWiz Home. Click on that and scroll about halfway down and there's a button that says Clear Default. Now, when you click your home button, it will pop up a menu asking which launcher you want to use. You can try a different one and choose 'just once', that way next time you click home it will ask you again, until you're sure you want to use that one, in which case you choose 'always'. Then if you want to revert back to Touchwiz later, you can repeat the process and clear the default on whichever launcher you had set as default.

Basically the reason I like to use a different launcher is so that I can customize how many columns/rows are on each screen, to allow for more icons and bigger widgets. A lot of the launchers also support scrolling wallpapers, which I always thought was a cool feature of android, that a lot of companies have disabled in their versions.

 

[thecure13]

Without installing a ROM, you can install a different launcher (the app that is essentially your "home" screen with all the icons and widgets). There are several to choose from. I used to use Apex, but recently switched to ADW. There's also the GO launcher, and others I'm sure. All you have to do is install one, then go into your device settings, More..., Application Manager, scroll over to the ALL list, then find TouchWiz Home. Click on that and scroll about halfway down and there's a button that says Clear Default. Now, when you click your home button, it will pop up a menu asking which launcher you want to use. You can try a different one and choose 'just once', that way next time you click home it will ask you again, until you're sure you want to use that one, in which case you choose 'always'. Then if you want to revert back to Touchwiz later, you can repeat the process and clear the default on whichever launcher you had set as default.

Basically the reason I like to use a different launcher is so that I can customize how many columns/rows are on each screen, to allow for more icons and bigger widgets. A lot of the launchers also support scrolling wallpapers, which I always thought was a cool feature of android, that a lot of companies have disabled in their versions.

Thats something I recently found out about not too long ago and I've been using it. I can see it being way smoother than Touchwiz.

I will spit on your tomb!