Rooting Android

  • Thread starter Deleted member 210069
  • Start date
D

Deleted member 210069

Guest
Are there any potential legal issues with rooting an Android phone?

It seems like everyone on here has a rooted Droid.

For example, I saw people mentioning the tethering on the EVO 4G will be available on an app within a month for rooted phones (Sprint is going to charge $30/month for this feature).

I am in the market for an Android phone (will be my first smart phone), so these issues are a concern to me now. With a Linux kernel, it seems like it would go against the GNU license to ban rooting a phone (which has to scare carriers of these phones).

Edit: Also, are custom ROMs for Android phones illegal? I saw the Nexus One running a ROM with Sense UI, could HTC say this is illegal since they have the right to dictate how a Sense UI rom is distributed (yes, I understand the Nexus One is an HTC phone, but Google and HTC chose not to include Sense), or does the GNU license protect the user, as long as all credit is given to HTC.
 
I've got a rooted N1 -- nothing illegal about it, just that you'll void your warranty (carriers don't want to be responsible if you screw up your phone). Custom ROMs certainly aren't illegal, Android is open source and can be modified freely. HTC posts source for the various iterations of Sense, so I sincerely doubt there's anything illegal about sense in particular.

I'm currently running Cyanogenmod, but have enjoyed running Modaco's Desire rom as well (HTC Sense). Fantastic fun trying out all these different interfaces.
 
Check with your service provider, internet tethering is most likely not supported (unless you buy their service). If they think you're tethering they'll probably tack on fees (the $30 service).
 
quadnad said:
I've got a rooted N1 -- nothing illegal about it, just that you'll void your warranty (carriers don't want to be responsible if you screw up your phone). Custom ROMs certainly aren't illegal, Android is open source and can be modified freely. HTC posts source for the various iterations of Sense, so I sincerely doubt there's anything illegal about sense in particular.

I'm currently running Cyanogenmod, but have enjoyed running Modaco's Desire rom as well (HTC Sense). Fantastic fun trying out all these different interfaces.
Click to expand...

Great reply. I was hoping this is how it would be.

Glad to hear that HTC even post source for Sense.

Since my question seems to be answered...I have a random question: With a lack of mobile ads, how is Google making any revenue off of Android?
 
tissimo said:
Check with your service provider, internet tethering is most likely not supported (unless you buy their service). If they think you're tethering they'll probably tack on fees (the $30 service).
Click to expand...

Tethering works just fine with a rooted phone (it's an app, but root only).


Tsaar said:
Since my question seems to be answered...I have a random question: With a lack of mobile ads, how is Google making any revenue off of Android?
Click to expand...

Great question, unfortunately I'm not really sure. Android itself is entirely free for manufacturers to use as an operating system on their phones (modified or unmodified). I suppose at the very least it gets people running gmail accounts, but I haven't had much time to review what their proposition is. In the case of the Nexus one and probably a few of the other handsets (G1, perhaps Dream) I'm sure they make a certain percentage of the handset price as well.
 
I believe there's a fee for making a Google Experience(or something like that) phone and those are the only handsets that include the google apps and market.
 
Theres tons of ad revenue from the android platform... What the heck are you guys on about? XD
 
Android has plenty of ways to generate revenue through advertising for Google. Whether it be through ads on the web/applications or search.

The really point for Android as with all Google products is to get their userbase to use Google products and with mobile being the next "Big Thing" Google couldn't very well lose all their online users to a platform they didn't have a piece of.
Even if its not a huge revenue yet, it sure will be...and Google is all about making long term commitments for future revenues :) They aren't dumb
 
CopyCat said:
Even if its not a huge revenue yet, it sure will be...and Google is all about making long term commitments for future revenues :) They aren't dumb
Click to expand...

Then why did Google blink and exit China leaving Baidu as the only search engine for the largest untapped market in the world?
 
JaguarSKX said:
Then why did Google blink and exit China leaving Baidu as the only search engine for the largest untapped market in the world?
Click to expand...

Because China revenue all goes through the government and any revenue from China made up a tiny portion of Googles overall revenues.
The Chinese market isn't untapped...the Chinese Government has been reaping the profits from their own people for a very long time. So you can look at it one of 2 ways.

1. Google took the high road and wouldn't allow the Chinese government to control what it was showing to their citizens and decided it was best to leave all together because they didn't believe what the Chinese government should be allowed to do that.

2. Revenues through Chinese searches on Google.com made up a tiny part of their revenues despite the enormous population. From what I can tell you can't run a very profitable business in China without giving the government a huge hunk of that cash and giving up tons of rights.

This is a long drawn out thing that isn't worth explaining......I guess it has something to do with my post but not really.
 
So, just called Sprint and found out I get a 25% discount because of my employer (we also get a 20% data discount plus a 22% total bill discount with Verizon...I haven't contacted ATT or T-Mo yet, but not too interested in them).

If I get the everything data with 450 anytime (any mobile, any time), will my Google Voice number flag as a landline or a mobile? Basically, I am wondering if I can use my Google Voice number to get de facto unlimited minutes.
 
JaguarSKX said:
Then why did Google blink and exit China leaving Baidu as the only search engine for the largest untapped market in the world?
Click to expand...

They didn't, they routed it through their Hong Kong servers so that they don't have to do any censorship. Crafty bastards ;)

Anyway, the goal of Android is to tie you to Google's offerings. Market uses Google Checkout, for example, which Google helps itself to a percentage (just like Paypal, Amazon, et al.).
 
Custom roms are fine. I use ChevyNo1s Simply Stunning v3.1 on my Moto Droid. Having it rooted allows me to overclock my phone and use wifi tethering. There are just a few things to be aware. One, yes, it voids your warranty (unless you flash the official Moto software back on before you have the phone serviced ;) ). Two, the wifi tethering uses more bandwidth usually, so it can be easy to go over your data limit.
 
I use a Motorola Cliq which is not a Rooted Android but using tethering software called PDAnet. My TM plan gives unlimited data. I used 5 TB in one week and didn't get any warnings or fee increases with for my usage. Even at 3G speeds, the net will be good enough for daily stuff...

You own the phone you pay for, but the right to use it is based on the TOS of your carrier. I rooted my phone, just to add some security software and oc tool's. You don't need root access to tethering on Android phones.

Just my 2 cents.....
 
HardAllThaTimez said:
I use a Motorola Cliq which is not a Rooted Android but using tethering software called PDAnet. My TM plan gives unlimited data. I used 5 TB in one week and didn't get any warnings or fee increases with for my usage. Even at 3G speeds, the net will be good enough for daily stuff...

You own the phone you pay for, but the right to use it is based on the TOS of your carrier. I rooted my phone, just to add some security software and oc tool's. You don't need root access to tethering on Android phones.

Just my 2 cents.....
Click to expand...

5TB....in a week....typo?
 
DenniSTi said:
Is rooting an Android phone the equivalent of jailbreaking an iphone?
Click to expand...

Not exactly.
Android as an OS is completely open and therefore you are free to do with it as you please. In principal it is similar in that you are "unlocking" features that you may not have otherwise had.

iPhone "jailbreaking" is a hack to get around Apple.
Android "rooting" is like flipping a switch that Google put in place from the start.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top