What is rooting?

So what is rooting?

When you buy a cell phone (in this case an Android phone), that phone has passed through a long list of hands before it gets to you. First Google makes the Android operating system (like windows on a pc) and then they give that to the phone manufacturers (like Motorola or HTC). Those companies then install that on one of their shiny new phones but they also add their own little tweaks and changes to Android (like HTC Sense or Motorola Blur). They do this to add different features or to give it something that will differentiate it from the competition.

Next those phones reach the hands of the wireless carriers. These carriers will then also make changes to your phone to make it better suited to work on their network and to better control how you use the phone. For example, just about every modern Android phone has the ability to turn itself into a WiFi hotspot to get your laptop or other devices in the Internet using your phones data connection. However, the phone companies will block that feature so that then you have to pay a fee to them to use it. This usually appears as a monthly fee, typically in the $15 and up range.

So how does this relate to rooting? Rooting is simply the process involved in unlocking features and access to your phone that would normally be blocked. Once your android phone is rooted, you can then begin installing apps that will be able to change the settings on your phone that would normally be blocked, like adjusting how fast your phone works or being able to turn it into a wifi hotspot without paying your wireless carrier a fee.

The act of rooting your phone is in no way illegal, however it may violate your terms of service with your wireless carrier or phone manufacturer so check the fine print before proceeding. As with any modification you do to your phone, there is always the risk of permanently rendering it unusable, or "bricking" it.

If you have any questions about what rooting actually is, please leave a comment below.