Android ‘íng for beginners.
I recommend Android phones to lot of my friends. Many used to ask me how to get into serious customization of the phone and extract maximum out of it.
This article is a collection of useful information gathered from various sources and is for my friends who are introduced to Android by me. I do not hold any responsibility of any sort for the information provided here or if anything goes wrong with your phone by using the details provided. This article is based on usage with Samsung’s android phones. If you own any other brand phone the core concept will be the same but applications or procedures you have to follow may differ slightly. I will be using names of various applications I use, that does not mean they are the best applications or I am recommending them. Only way to get maximum knowledge applicable for your phone is through reading and learning.
Welcome to the world of Google Android. You made a smart move opting the Android phone. Android is full of options to customize and control your device as you see fit. There are a lot of ways to customize the phones starting from:
Adding and editing the shortcuts and widgets on your home screen
If you are very new to android, press and hold at any location in your home screen and you will get a menu, start experimenting from there.
Change your home screen application
Android permits you to change the home screen application itself. There are lot of home screen applications available with various features. Personally I use ADW Ex. It is a paid application.Before you start buying a spree of apps, try to use it or get a free version and test it. Explore and read about various home screen applications and identify the right one for your phone. Launcher Pro and Go Launcher are worthwhile home screen replacement apps to mention.
Rooting your Android Phone
Rooting your Android phone enables you to use the ‘superuser’, or ‘root permissions’ of the Linux-based operating system (OS). This gives you and apps that take advantage of the root permissions, more control over the Android operating system and the device. Rooting can be entertaining for techies, but there are also plenty of practical benefits. On simple terms: it gives you access to the system level applications and folders.
Before rooting, you should understand the two main risks. For starters, rooting can void your phone’s factory and/or service provider warranty in many cases. However, most rooting applications and methods can be easily reverted. Additionally, if the rooting process doesn’t complete correctly it could damage the software. This would require a factory recover, causing all data on the phone (contacts, apps, media) to be lost, or it may even render your device useless, to the point where it can’t be saved unless examined by a technician. However, if you follow the instructions on the rooting method carefully, you won’t face a problem. Of course, before attempting any sort of root or jailbreak, make sure your phone’s data is backed up
These are some useful articles on rooting and its benefits:
from Android Central
from Addictive Tips
If you decide to root your phone: First thing you need to do is google for “root ‘your phone model’. Read a couple of articles about benefits and risks involved and find the best method / application to do it.
If you don’t want to read further and get root somehow,you can use SuperOneClick, still I am saying, this may not be the best way to root your phone but it can only be a starting point. Here is an article that explains how to use SuperOneClick.
What can I do with a rooted phone?
First and foremost: take a full backup of your phone.
Once you root your phone you have access to alter any system files, use themes, change boot images, delete annoying stock apps and other various native applications that might drive you crazy (Footprints, Voice Dialer, etc). My suggestion to every android users is occasionally browse through your app drawer and check the applications installed in your phone and uninstall / freeze them if you don't want it.
There is plenty of information on the web on how to accomplish this.One of my favorite way is to use the Titanium Backup and freeze/delete the apps from there (root required, of course).
Read through the following posts for more information on benefits of rooting your phone from Androidpolice
Custom ROMs
Next level of customization of your phone is changing your ROM / Operating System itself. You need to get know about these following terms:
A stock ROM is the version of the phone's operating system that comes with your phone when you buy it.
A custom ROM is a fully standalone version of the OS, including the kernel (which makes everything run), apps, services, etc - everything you need to operate the device, except it's customized by someone in some way.
So what does the "customized" part mean? Since Android is an open source, developers are free to take stock ROMs, modify them, strip them of garbage, optimize them, add things, and pretty much do whatever their imagination and skills allow.
kernel is the main component of most computer operating systems; it is a bridge between applications and the actual data processing is done at the hardware level. The kernel's responsibilities include managing the system's resources (the communication between hardware and software components). It is a basic component of an operating system.
Make sure you read this article in AndroidPolice if you plan to start changing your ROMs.
The best community to start is XDA Developers, register a username and join the community. From here onwards it is all reading.. you are into serious Android’ing, in return you get one of the best phones out there.
Overclock – Under Volt ..
This is just a preview of what lies ahead. Once you start serious Android’ing now sky is the limit. You can do a lot of things with the device you hold in your hand. You can get into serious modifications of your hardware. Make the phone perform exactly the way you want it.
Two of the main concepts of these possibilities are: Overclock and Undervolt.
Overclocking is the process of making the processor operate faster than specified by the manufacturer by modifying system parameters. One of the most important techniques is running at a higher clock rate (more clock cycles per second; hence the name "overclocking")
Undervolting is a process which reduces the excess "voltage" given to the CPU using a software. By reducing the voltage fed to the CPU, it will run much cooler. It will also draw less power from the battery.
Why do you do it?
You fine tune your smartphone’s performance to be in exact sync with your usage and get maximum out of it.
I am not recommending or saying that you need all these to use an Android phone. This is just an introduction of what you can do with your phones. You spent on a device and is carrying it around most of the time. So why not get something better out of it and let it stand out of the box. Try it out. Happy Android'íng!
