- I have fallen in love with my phone all over again.
- Being a nerd is fun.
- I'm a badass.
After a brief stint of disappointment with the G1 due to decreased usability (primarily as a result of an uncalibrated battery), I have recently given my phone a true 'makeover' and truly stepped up my poweruser game.
With the help of the geniuses at xda-developers I acquired knowledge and software enabling me to 'root' my G1. Android is linux based operating system, but access to the root directory (like going to C:\ in DOS) is blocked by default by Google. The basic idea being that giving software access to root increases the number of things you can do with software while at the same time increasing the vulnerability/decreasing the stability of the system. IMHO, I think its was a safe (and prudent) move on Google's part to do this.
In earlier versions of Android (pre-RC30 for us in the U.S.) there were some software security holes that could allow a savvy user (or hacker, tomato tomAto) access to root, thereby giving him/her increased usability and other amazingultrasuperpowers. But Google has patched these out in recent OTA updates.
So of course, I ventured to xda to see if anyone had ripped the ROM off an early build of Android or even directly from a unupdated G1, and lo and behold I found a whole series of threads in which people had rooted their phones and installed ripped and cooked versions of the OS!!
After going through this long and tedious process of flashing my phone to a root access-enabled version of Android (lengthened by some telnet command issues. It's really a shame that i'm not familiar in linux) I am now able to do many interesting things, such as:
- Install Linux distros on my phone (cool, but not useful for me)
- Run Apps that require root (the most important thing, because this is the only way we'll ever get to harness the full potential of Android)
- Customize my own ROM (will be come very cool/useful as more apps/widgets come out)
- Full system backup (A feature that Google should seriously consider releasing)
- Install Apps to the SD memory card (to keep more space free in the partition that holds the OS, always important, in ANY OS)
- Turn my phone into a wireless router (omg, really?)
- And last but not least, wireless tethering. (O. M. G.)
The last of these is hands down the biggest reason to root your G1, and of course this is the first thing I did.
After installing Apps Installer, a free app in the market that allows you to install non-market place apps (*.apk files), I then installed Wifi Tether for Root Users, written by harry_m at xda. Setting up the app was a snap (the interface is very userfriendly)
I am actually typing this blog entry right now on my laptop through a tethered Wifi connection to my G1. I no longer have to pay for Wifi access at hotspots like airports and cafe's, I can browse the web while i'm on the bus or the train, and life as I now it is just a little better. :)
