Is rooting worth it?

[Tadas]

Hi!

 

So I have had my S2 for almost a year now, and I am really happy with it, but I want something more, I dont know, I dont want to change my phone now, becouse this one works just perfect ( little lags here and there, but c`mon its touchwiz, it happens ). So what do you get from rooting? I mean, of course, now I could install CM Kit Kat, but I dont really like the interface (I like just simple google os without any addition of other developer, but it looks awkward on S2). And also what are the risks?

[snes]

Definitely worth it. It's a requirement for Titanium Backup which will will make backups of your data and restore your apps and settings after flashing a rom, which can save you a lot of time.

 

My own phone is more than 3 years old and 4.4.2 runs well on it. I'm using the Google launcher, so no CM. The only lag (doesn't bother me) I could find was caused by the animation when exiting the app tray. Otherwise it's butter smooth. It almost makes it feel as if I was using a brand new phone. It's just that very demanding apps will take a few seconds to load due to the old hardware.

 

Risks? You could brick your phone. Don't worry too much about it. Just make sure to follow the steps of whatever tutorial you're using and charge your battery before trying to root your phone or flash a rom.

[Project37]

I am looking to run a new ROM on my Note 2, fed up with TocuhwiZ being buggy.

 

Definitely worth it. It's a requirement for Titanium Backup which will will make backups of your data and restore your apps and settings after flashing a rom, which can save you a lot of time.

 

My own phone is more than 3 years old and 4.4.2 runs well on it. I'm using the Google launcher, so no CM. The only lag (doesn't bother me) I could find was caused by the animation when exiting the app tray. Otherwise it's butter smooth. It almost makes it feel as if I was using a brand new phone. It's just that very demanding apps will take a few seconds to load due to the old hardware.

 

Risks? You could brick your phone. Don't worry too much about it. Just make sure to follow the steps of whatever tutorial you're using and charge your battery before trying to root your phone or flash a rom.

 

Do you run a lot of Gapps, like play music, I have there all access and want to make sure it will work.

[snes]

The only ones  that I personally use are Google Now, Maps, Chrome, Calendar, YouTube and the Play Store. They all work well. I tried the others and they too do work. It's just that I prefer using other Apps.

I use PowerAmp as my music player, MySMS instead of Hangouts for texts and MailDroid instead of the stock Mail App or Gmail.

 

Make sure you flash the right version of Gapps. Which one you need will depend on the rom you want to flash. There's usually a link in the XDA threads.

[TriBeard]

If you do root, you can get access to an app called xposed framework. Be careful what you apply from it, as it can break your phone (nothing you can't fix via a factory reset though), but you can change your status bar icons, remove ads from youtube, enable 1080p full screen youtube over HDMI, and all sorts of other cool stuff.

 

Also, you can tether your phone to your laptop if you need internet in a pintch, which is always nice.

[TopWargamer]

You get more features and apps and the ability to install custom recoveries and custom ROMs. The only downside is that it voids your warranty, but on some phones there is a way to unroot it, so that your warranty is still valid.

[Murdoch]

Yeah it's completely worth it. The question should be, why are phones locked down in the first place.

 

It's so Google and other carriers can prevent you from doing things they don't want you to do.

 

Installing any custom Rom (OS) you want, when you want.

Allowing Wifi tethering.

Installing apps that require root access, such as backup apps.

Basic functionality like Firewalls.

Privacy Apps - spoofing data or preventing access rights to apps that don't need it..

Adblockers.

Customisation of interface.

Removing Bloatware & Manufacturer's custom UIs.

[Satlen]

Yeah it's completely worth it. The question should be, why are phones locked down in the first place.

 

It's so Google and other carriers can prevent you from doing things they don't want you to do.

 

Installing any custom Rom (OS) you want, when you want.

Allowing Wifi tethering.

Installing apps that require root access, such as backup apps.

Basic functionality like Firewalls.

Privacy Apps - spoofing data or preventing access rights to apps that don't need it..

Adblockers.

Customisation of interface.

Removing Bloatware & Manufacturer's custom UIs.

These are all great reasons to root, plus you do not have to install an AOSP rom, there are many roms that take TW stock builds and tweak them to make them faster and better.  Risks are dependent on every phone since every method is different, but as long as you read carefully and backup whenever you flash something, you should be fine

[DLM_012]

General rule is:

 

stock Android - don't bother

 

skinned Android - do it ASAP

[paras]

It's a good thing.But people who try to do too much they usually end up in trouble.

[Tadas]

Is it hard? And is there a way to unroot s2, and make it exact same like it was?

[tomburnes]

Is it hard? And is there a way to unroot s2, and make it exact same like it was?

Depends on how technically proficient your are. Yes, you just flash the stock ROM. I doubt you will ever want to flash stock again though.

[tomburnes]

Yeah it's completely worth it. The question should be, why are phones locked down in the first place.

 

It's so Google and other carriers can prevent you from doing things they don't want you to do.

 

Installing any custom Rom (OS) you want, when you want.

Allowing Wifi tethering.

Installing apps that require root access, such as backup apps.

Basic functionality like Firewalls.

Privacy Apps - spoofing data or preventing access rights to apps that don't need it..

Adblockers.

Customisation of interface.

Removing Bloatware & Manufacturer's custom UIs.

Google doesn't care if you have root. The carriers care only because they don't want you to install custom ROMs. You have to remember that most users should not have root, because they will just fuck up their devices.

[Murdoch]

Google doesn't care if you have root. The carriers care only because they don't want you to install custom ROMs. You have to remember that most users should not have root, because they will just fuck up their devices.

 

Yeah they probably don't. But they also don't want the average user to be able to install adblock. Or give you much control over your privacy.

[bmxtricky5]

Its very worth it I have a nexus 4 so its practically mandatory to root and flash a ROM

[Foxxer]

Yes, I was saying meh, it preformed better, faster and battery lasted almost a whole day on normal usage on 3G less on LTE. 

 

And no it's not hard just follow videos and stuff, trust me, if I did it you can do it lol. 

[Tadas]

Is there any tutorials on unrooting it to the stock touchwiz? Becouse if it is not like uber hard, I would like to try it  

 

P.S

Can rooting mess up some apps? Maybe not mess up, but not open them properly, etc.

[Tadas]

Is there any tutorials on unrooting it to the stock touchwiz? Becouse if it is not like uber hard, I would like to try it

 

P.S

Can rooting mess up some apps? Maybe not mess up, but not open them properly, etc.

Or crashing them all the time

[TheGamingBarrel]

Google want you to root. The carriers care only because they don't want you to install custom ROMs. You have to remember that most users should not have root, because they will just fuck up their devices.

Fixed