What happened to Android Cental?

[IsHacker]

So I saw many threads on AC from 2010-2019, and it seems like this forum was very technically advanced in the past, maybe even more than XDA at that time! People talked about rooting, custom roms and modding their devices in almost impossible ways, and still got answers! But now? I see people on this forum who barely know how to open settings, or even turn on a phone. And if someone talks about the rooting and custom rom stuff now, they get referred to XDA.
Why is this so? What really happened to Android Central?

 

[Laura Knotek]

My hypothesis is that Android has matured and developed to the point that there is no need for the majority of users to bother with rooting and custom ROMs. I was one of those who did indeed participate in those activities back in the day. However, nowadays I feel that those activities are more detrimental than helpful for my use case. For example, why would I root and install custom ROMs if that eliminated my ability to use Netflix and banking apps? Most likely, the majority of Android Central members have similar use cases as me.

 

[B. Diddy]

I've been here since 2012 (holy cow, has it really been 13 years?!?), and I can safely say that the Android Central forums have always been for the more general user, rather than the hardcore tinkerer. There's a wide range of experience in our community, from the veteran tech nerd to the absolutely noob, and unlike some other forums (both past and present), we have always tried to welcome everyone. XDA, on the other hand, has always been aimed at the very experienced techie, and for many years we have referred people there -- that's not a recent development.

I agree completely with Laura about the decline in rooting/ROMming interest in general.

 

[monsieurms]

I've been here since 2012 (holy cow, has it really been 13 years?!?), and I can safely say that the Android Central forums have always been for the more general user, rather than the hardcore tinkerer. There's a wide range of experience in our community, from the veteran tech nerd to the absolutely noob, and unlike some other forums (both past and present), we have always tried to welcome everyone. XDA, on the other hand, has always been aimed at the very experienced techie, and for many years we have referred people there -- that's not a recent development.

I agree completely with Laura about the decline in rooting/ROMming interest in general.

I've been here since nearly the foundation... What was that, late 90s? [A Palm OS thing originally, as I recall--edited]

I have resisted many people suggesting rooting but it is a sort of moot issue for me now. I agree with Laura too

 

[tube517]

I had the EVO 4G and the rooting/rom community was booming. Every android forum was into the hoopla
I also had a Toshiba thrive tablet and that ROM community was strong. As the devices got better and the phone manufacturers started making it harder to root, it all started to die down. There is still a community of rooters and developers but it is not as big as the early 2010s. They are all at XDA which has always been the forum to get first hand opportunities at rooting and custom roms.

I would stay up late flashing ROMs and rooting every device I had but that changed for me with the Samsung Galaxy S8+. That phone was so smooth at the time that I started to give up on rooting. I also wanted to have a functioning tap and pay - samsung pay or Google pay. I couldn't have that if rooted. As tap and pay started growing and is where it is at now, I gave up rooting.

 

[mustang7757]

XDA was the go to from the beginning for Root,custom Roms as Developers shared their work and a big part of the XDA Forums for what it is , we just learned from them and shared our experiences on Android forums such as here and other forums.
Time has changed and most don't want or really need to with how far phones are advanced today .

 

[Bkdodger1]

I think you will find that most of the people that are on here that do have the experience with the rooting and all the tweaks are no longer modding their phones. This place has always had a nice balance of both the experienced users and the casual users with help across all the devices. We would always recommend XDA since there are more current members there that do mod devices.

 

[Deleted member 1123572]

Well this place is more active that Android Forums is. It's actually called the Early Bird Club now. The owner renamed it hoping it would bring new life to the place and then bolted. There are honestly like 10 people left on the entire site. It's really kind of pathetic and sad. They actually are no longer accepting new members either.

 

[Deleted member 1123572]

I had the EVO 4G and the rooting/rom community was booming. Every android forum was into the hoopla
I also had a Toshiba thrive tablet and that ROM community was strong. As the devices got better and the phone manufacturers started making it harder to root, it all started to die down. There is still a community of rooters and developers but it is not as big as the early 2010s. They are all at XDA which has always been the forum to get first hand opportunities at rooting and custom roms.

I would stay up late flashing ROMs and rooting every device I had but that changed for me with the Samsung Galaxy S8+. That phone was so smooth at the time that I started to give up on rooting. I also wanted to have a functioning tap and pay - samsung pay or Google pay. I couldn't have that if rooted. As tap and pay started growing and is where it is at now, I gave up rooting.

Good to see an old AF name here and active

 

[kirk781]

Not to sideline, but how old is this forum in general [I am assuming the decade plus old layout would have been way different than today's] ? Also, I guess forums are fast losing user base. Compared to the past when forums were a more decentralized and often only mode of discussion; now more social network monoliths have taken that mantle.

 

[B. Diddy]

Not to sideline, but how old is this forum in general [I am assuming the decade plus old layout would have been way different than today's] ? Also, I guess forums are fast losing user base. Compared to the past when forums were a more decentralized and often only mode of discussion; now more social network monoliths have taken that mantle.

Android Central itself started in 2008, so I would guess the forum opened up within the following 1-2 years. I joined in 2012, and I think the basic format has remained similar throughout the years. There was a big switch to newer forum software maybe 7-8 years ago, but I think the format didn't change that much.

 

[monsieurms]

Android Central itself started in 2008, so I would guess the forum opened up within the following 1-2 years. I joined in 2012, and I think the basic format has remained similar throughout the years. There was a big switch to newer forum software maybe 7-8 years ago, but I think the format didn't change that much.

It had prior iterations as I recall. Pretty sure I was here on Treo central.

 

[Laura Knotek]

It had prior iterations as I recall. Pretty sure I was here on Treo central.

That was different. That one became webOS Nation.

 

[monsieurms]

That was different. That one became webOS Nation.

I thought the ownership was the same.

In any event, looked things up, to the extent I can, and my history is that I joined VisorCentral in 1999 as one of the earliest signups.

That was from Mobile Nations, which in 2014 (by then Android Central exists) sent me an email celebrating 15 years of my membership, which began at Visor Central in 1999. Of course Android Central did not exist in 1999. So there is some connection there. Visor was Palm OS.

I believe visor Central became treo Central.
In 2013, I changed my Treo central username on Android Central via email to Mobile Nations, which processed the change on Android Central. They seemed to be in control of my prior Treo activity.

I can't piece together how, but all three seem to be in the same group/evolution.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I thought the ownership was the same.

You are correct.

In any event, looked things up, to the extent I can, and my history is that I joined VisorCentral in 1999 as one of the earliest signups.

That was from Mobile Nations, which in 2014 (by then Android Central) sent me an email celebrating 15 years of my membership, which began at Visor Central. Of course Android Central did not exist in 1999. So there is some connection there.

In 2013 I had changed my Treo central username on Android Central via email to Mobile Nations, which processed the change. I can't piece together how, but all three seem to be in the same group/evolution.

I don't remember Visor Central, but I also have no clue what "Visor" is other than what is worn on the head to keep sun out of one's eyes.

I started with CrackBerry in 2009, then joined Android Central and Windows Central. I was also at iMore when it was around. I used to be a mod at Windows Central and iMore as well.

 

[Bla1ze]

You are correct.

I don't remember Visor Central, but I also have no clue what "Visor" is other than what is worn on the head to keep sun out of one's eyes.

I started with CrackBerry in 2009, then joined Android Central and Windows Central. I was also at iMore when it was around. I used to be a mod at Windows Central and iMore as well.

Visor was what essentially came before the Treo from Palm.

Fun Fact: The original "owner" of Smartphone Experts / Mobile Nations still maintains Visor Central although it is in a read only state. - https://www.visorcentral.com/. It was the site that kicked off the rest of them at the time.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Visor was what essentially came before the Treo from Palm.

Fun Fact: The original "owner" of Smartphone Experts / Mobile Nations still maintains Visor Central although it is in a read only state. - https://www.visorcentral.com/. It was the site that kicked off the rest of them at the time.

What was Visor in terms of a tech product?

 

[Bla1ze]

What was Visor in terms of a tech product?

It was essentially a PDA that could be synced to a PC via USB.

• Launch: The Handspring Visor was first released in 1999.
• Platform: It ran the Palm OS (so it was compatible with most Palm apps of the time).
• Unique Feature: It had a “Springboard expansion slot”, which let users plug in hardware modules — things like extra memory, MP3 players, GPS receivers, modems, even digital cameras. This modularity was its standout feature compared to Palm’s own PDAs.
• Models: There were multiple models, including the Visor Deluxe, Visor Platinum, Visor Prism (first color model), and Visor Edge (slimmer design).
• Legacy: Eventually, Handspring pivoted from the Visor line to its Treo smartphones, which combined PDA and phone functions and later merged back into Palm.

 

[Laura Knotek]

It was essentially a PDA that could be synced to a PC via USB.

• Launch: The Handspring Visor was first released in 1999.
• Platform: It ran the Palm OS (so it was compatible with most Palm apps of the time).
• Unique Feature: It had a “Springboard expansion slot”, which let users plug in hardware modules — things like extra memory, MP3 players, GPS receivers, modems, even digital cameras. This modularity was its standout feature compared to Palm’s own PDAs.
• Models: There were multiple models, including the Visor Deluxe, Visor Platinum, Visor Prism (first color model), and Visor Edge (slimmer design).
• Legacy: Eventually, Handspring pivoted from the Visor line to its Treo smartphones, which combined PDA and phone functions and later merged back into Palm.

Thanks! It sounds like a Palm Pilot.