Showing posts with label Other. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Other. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
How to bypass the lock screen on Android
How to bypass the lock screen on Android KitKat (and previous versions)
If your device is running Android 4.4 KitKat (or anything before Lollipop) the method for retrieving your forgotten password or PIN number is relatively simple.If you enter the incorrect PIN, pattern or password five times, you will receive a “too many attempts” message on your display. From here, you will be prompted to enter the email address and password tied to your Google account to bypass the security screen.
How to bypass the lock screen on Android Lollipop
Bypassing the lock screen on Android Lollipop is more tricky, particularly if you wish to keep the data on your phone. Here are a couple of suggestions to start off with.Smart lock
The first is obvious. Did you set up a smart lock for your device? A secure location perhaps, or a recognized device, such as a wearable? If you did, then just make use of your smart lock and you will no longer enter a PIN code.This will only apply to a small number of users. Find out how to set up a smart lock at the link.
Third party security options
Some smartphone manufacturers bundle their own security software into their device, such as Find My Mobile by Samsung. Such features can be particularly useful for getting past the lock screen, but you will have to have set this up already.If you did, just visit the corresponding website from another device or PC and unlock your phone from there.
The last resort
The last resort is to conduct a factory reset. This will erase all the data on your Android device, so only do this if you really have tried all of the above options.The easiest method for doing this with a locked phone is by logging into the Android Device Manager online. From here you have the option to conduct a complete factory reset. Again, you'll need to have already been using Android Device Manager for this work.
Android Device Manager
If you haven’t used the Android device manager before, then
you must do a hardware reset, which means entering your device’s
recovery mode manually.The method for conducting a hardware factory reset differs on each device, but it generally involves holding down the power and volume buttons when your device is switched off. You can search through our website to find the factory reset guide for your specific device by clicking the link.
How to enable multi-window mode in Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Update: In a recent Reddit Ask Me Anything, Andrew from the Pixel C
team at Google confirmed that native multi-window support is coming in
Android N, which will be previewed at Google I/O 2016 and released later
in the year when the two new Nexus devices come out.
All you need to do is change a single field in "ro.build.type". / © ANDROIDPIT
2. Tap Save and then Yes to reboot your phone (this is necessary to apply the changes).
Change the Property Value to "userdebug", save your changes and reboot. / © ANDROIDPIT
3. Once you've rebooted, go to Settings > Developer options > Multi-window mode and flip the switch. (If you don't already have Developer options enabled, go to Settings > About phone and tap Build number seven times until you see the notification.)
Once you've edited the build.prop file, multi-window mode appears in Developer Options. / © ANDROIDPIT
You now have multi-window capabilities in Marshmallow. / © ANDROIDPIT
Once you've chosen your split-screen preference, the app
will always appear in that view. So, for example, if you've chosen
YouTube in top-half view then tapping YouTube in the multi-tasking list
will always bring it up in the top half. If you want to go full screen
you'll have to select that by tapping the square bracket in the top
right of the app card again.
Prerequisites
- A rooted phone running Android 6.0 Marshmallow
- A root file manager with text editor (like ES File Explorer) or Build Prop Editor
How to enable multi-window mode on Android 6.0 Marshmallow
1. Open Build Prop Editor and scroll down to ro.build.type. Tap it and change the Property Value from user to userdebug.2. Tap Save and then Yes to reboot your phone (this is necessary to apply the changes).
Using multi-window mode on Android 6.0 Marshmallow
In your multi-tasking view (or recent apps list), you'll now see a square bracket in the upper right of each app card. Tap the target to choose the split-screen view you want: upper half, lower half or full screen. Note that top and bottom switch to left and right in landscape mode.
How to hide files and apps on Android from prying eyes
AppLock
AppLock allows you to set passwords or unlock patterns for specific apps or areas of your smartphone, which is great if you don't want to lock your home screen but want to keep specific data safe.You will find a list of all the apps on the device in the AppLock main menu. Here you can decide which apps should be password protected and which should not.
AppLock is extremely quick and easy to set up, and you will
be able to restrict access to important items in no time at all. There
are also many customization options, such as the ability to lock off
certain phone features like accepting calls or accessing the settings.
Some of the advanced features are reserved for the premium (paid)
version of the app.Andrognito
This app is not only useful, but also pretty, thanks to its modern, flat design. Andrognito password protects your content and does it in a stealthy manner.Andrognito itself is secured by a four-digit PIN, with files being bound in three layers of encryption. You can use it to hide pictures, documents, videos, apps and more; data hidden by Andrognito will never appear in the recent apps list.
The Andrognito app itself does appear in the app drawer, but
you can change this by activating stealth mode in the app settings. Once
stealth mode is activated, you will only be able to open the app
by entering your PIN on the dial of the phone app and pressing call.Smart Hide Calculator
While the aforementioned apps will either encrypt or hide data, Smart Hide Calculator takes security a step further. When you open the app, Smart Hide Calculator masquerades as an unobtrusive, fully functional... yes, you guessed it, calculator.Upon first opening the app you will be asked to enter a number on the calculator screen: this will then act as your password. To access your data after this point, all you will need to do is type in that number and press the equals button.
How to get paid apps for free on Android
. If you're on a limited monthly mobile data plan, choosing the "free" version of an app may be a false economy.
Yes, there are even paid apps for free in Google Play. / © ANDROIDPIT
To access the Google Play free app of the week, use your device to visit the Family section of the Play Store. You should now see a banner promising a free app of the week. If you tap it you'll see an install dialog that tells you what the app is and what it normally costs. Even then you don't get an app summary, just the title and icon.
At last, Google Play offers free apps. / © ANDROIDPIT
With the introduction of Amazon Underground, the old Amazon Free App of the Day was killed off. To access Amazon Underground, just download the app from the Amazon website. Just bear in mind that to use Amazon Underground you will need an Amazon login.
Yes, funnily enough, Amazon is great place to get free Android apps. / © ANDROIDPIT
Make sure you go into the Security settings of your Android phone first, then check the box for Allow unknown sources and tap OK.
Once you have installed the app, go ahead and uncheck this button. In
the Amazon Underground app, you'll see a section for Underground Apps in
the navigation drawer.
There's also another way to get free apps on Amazon. If you're a member of its Prime program, which offers free next-day delivery on many items, opting for slower deliveries on your orders (on a per-order basis) can give you a credit against Amazon's digital content: not just apps, but music or video too.
The credits aren't huge – think a pound, euro or US dollar per slower delivery – but if you order a lot of Amazon stuff it soon adds up. Then again, if you aren't in a hurry, why are you paying for Prime in the first place?
Amazon underground offers hundreds of totally free apps. / © ANDROIDPIT
As with any deals program, the offers vary: some apps won't be eligible for updates, and some of the free apps probably don't cost anything to start with. Nevertheless, the AppGratis deals just keep coming and there's often some real gems in there. Also keep an eye on Freapp, which does basically the same thing.
AppGratis will deliver a free app offer to you every day. / © ANDROIDPIT
AppGratis - Cool apps for free
Freapp - Free Apps Daily
Simply install the Google Opinion Rewards app, fill in a short survey and collect your coinage. You're limited to one survey a week (so you won't exactly be able to retire early), and you don't always get paid for every survey, but you can earn up to a dollar per survey. Not bad for a few minutes of your time.
There's another app called Get Paid Apps Free where you watch short videos or download selected apps in exchange for credit that can be used to buy other apps in the Play Store.
Google likes to know things about you, and it is willing to pay you for it. / © ANDROIDPIT
Google Opinion Rewards
Get Paid Apps Free
Another great option is the Free App of the Day app for your country. Offering discounted apps for temporary time frames, Free App of the Day is pretty addictive.
App of the Day often includes free or heavily discounted apps for Android. / © ANDROIDPIT
App of the Day - 100% Free
AppSales. Best Apps on Sale
A couple of hours may not seem like a long time, but it's definitely long enough to get a feel for a game and know if you actually want to pay for it or not. And if you're really, really skint you could manufacture a night's entertainment out of just your phone and a stopwatch. Be warned though: dodgy behaviour could lead to Google flagging you as suspect and refusing to refund paid apps.
Google allows you to refund an app with two hours of the initial purchase, no questions asked. / © ANDROIDPIT
In this case, there's not a lot you can do. But one thing we would recommend is that you take a screenshot of the error message that clearly shows when you installed the app and when you were trying to refund it. This provides proof that you were encountering errors on Google's end within the refund timeframe.
Google Play free app of the week
Google Play has taken a leaf out of Amazon's book and introduced a free app of the week promotion, where a previously paid-for app is available for nothing. It's done a rubbish job of promoting it though, and it's hidden away where you're unlikely to stumble across it.To access the Google Play free app of the week, use your device to visit the Family section of the Play Store. You should now see a banner promising a free app of the week. If you tap it you'll see an install dialog that tells you what the app is and what it normally costs. Even then you don't get an app summary, just the title and icon.
Amazon Underground
The Amazon Appstore may be the oft-forgotten little brother of the Google Play Store, but one of the great things about Amazon being second best is that it has to try to drag your attention away from Google's monster market.With the introduction of Amazon Underground, the old Amazon Free App of the Day was killed off. To access Amazon Underground, just download the app from the Amazon website. Just bear in mind that to use Amazon Underground you will need an Amazon login.
There's also another way to get free apps on Amazon. If you're a member of its Prime program, which offers free next-day delivery on many items, opting for slower deliveries on your orders (on a per-order basis) can give you a credit against Amazon's digital content: not just apps, but music or video too.
The credits aren't huge – think a pound, euro or US dollar per slower delivery – but if you order a lot of Amazon stuff it soon adds up. Then again, if you aren't in a hurry, why are you paying for Prime in the first place?
Free App of the Day apps
AppGratis is one of my favorite apps because every morning I'm greeted by another new app for free. There's no overload of offers — just one app a day — curated by Sam, the ever-comical developer with the bad jokes.As with any deals program, the offers vary: some apps won't be eligible for updates, and some of the free apps probably don't cost anything to start with. Nevertheless, the AppGratis deals just keep coming and there's often some real gems in there. Also keep an eye on Freapp, which does basically the same thing.
Freapp - Free Apps Daily
Google Play surveys
We've written about Google's free Play Store credit in exchange for answering surveys before. If you're not aware of it yet, Google offers its very own rewards program because, well, it wants even more information about you and your habits.Simply install the Google Opinion Rewards app, fill in a short survey and collect your coinage. You're limited to one survey a week (so you won't exactly be able to retire early), and you don't always get paid for every survey, but you can earn up to a dollar per survey. Not bad for a few minutes of your time.
There's another app called Get Paid Apps Free where you watch short videos or download selected apps in exchange for credit that can be used to buy other apps in the Play Store.
Get Paid Apps Free
Discounted apps and sales
Some apps, such as AppSales, enable you to add apps you're interested in to a watch list, so you can be notified when they go on sale. It isn't exactly free, but it's still better than full price. Plus, AppSales does occasionally post free apps.Another great option is the Free App of the Day app for your country. Offering discounted apps for temporary time frames, Free App of the Day is pretty addictive.
AppSales. Best Apps on Sale
Google Play return policy
If you're interested in a game and don't mind spending a few bucks on it — but don't want to commit unless you know it's actually worth it — then you can take advantage of Google's returns policy for apps. When you pay for an app you've got two hours to test it out before you are stuck with the purchase.A couple of hours may not seem like a long time, but it's definitely long enough to get a feel for a game and know if you actually want to pay for it or not. And if you're really, really skint you could manufacture a night's entertainment out of just your phone and a stopwatch. Be warned though: dodgy behaviour could lead to Google flagging you as suspect and refusing to refund paid apps.
Troubleshooting: "Can't give you a refund at this time"
It may happen that you try to refund an app you just purchased only to be greeted by the message "Can't give you a refund at this time. Try uninstalling later." Of course, the refund clock is likely still ticking while you're blockaded by the Play Store and it's possible the refund window will close before the Play Store allows you to successfully uninstall and refund the unwanted app.In this case, there's not a lot you can do. But one thing we would recommend is that you take a screenshot of the error message that clearly shows when you installed the app and when you were trying to refund it. This provides proof that you were encountering errors on Google's end within the refund timeframe.
13 really useful Facebook for Android tips and tricks
1. Use the widget
Facebook's widget is simple but useful. It gives you a scrollable window for tapping through your friends' status updates without the extra adverts and other baggage in the full app.You can update your own status from the widget too, by tapping Share. It's a handy way of getting important information right there on your home screen.
2. Manage your notifications
Drowning in a deluge of updates and alerts from your friends? You'll be relieved to hear that Facebook actually makes it pretty easy to switch particular types of notifications on and off.Head to App settings > Notification settings and you'll be able to enable or disable alerts for wall posts, messages, comments, friend requests, photo tags, event invites and more.
3. Find interesting places nearby
The Facebook app for Android can do certain tricks that the desktop site can't — such as making better use of your location. Choose Nearby Places to find places around you that have their own Facebook Page.It's a handy way to discover restaurants, bars, shops or other venues if you're in an unfamiliar part of the world. Tap on any entry for more information about that place.
4. Filter the news feed
You don't have to settle for the standard news feed list of updates. The Facebook app gives you access to your customized lists from the main menu too. To change the list someone appears in, simply head to their profile and tap Friends > Edit Friend List.If you want to add or remove any whole lists ('family' or 'best friends', for example), you'll need to do this from a computer.
5. Share from other apps
Sharing across apps is one of Android's great strengths, so make use of it: tap the Share button while you're viewing a photo gallery, web browser or anything else, and Facebook will appear as one of the options.This is a great way of sharing something to your timeline without having to actually go into Facebook, and you still get all the usual status update options.
6. Stop videos from autoplaying
One of the most useful entries in the Facebook app settings is Video Auto-play. It lets you turn autoplay on or off, or enable it when you're on a Wi-Fi connection only.This will save on data usage while you're out and about, as well as stop your news feed turning into a dizzying list of looping cat clips and funny animations.
7. Save videos and links for later
So many friends to browse through, so little time in the day... luckily there's a solution to this problem. If you tap on the drop-down arrow next to a news feed post containing a video or link, you can save the content to come back to later.Bookmarked content is kept under the Saved heading on the main app menu (tap See All under Apps if it isn't visible) so you can return to it at your leisure.
8. Check your account security
From inside the Facebook app, tap Account Settings, Security and Active Sessions — here you can see all of the places and devices associated with your Facebook account.If you spot anything suspicious, click on the cross icon to log out from it. It's better to be safe than sorry: if you make a mistake and log out from one of your own devices or browsers, you can still log back in again.
9. Disable chat heads
Messenger is now a separate app on Android, and one of its most distinctive features is the way conversations appear as 'chat heads' above other apps on your device.If you don't like this behavior, you can turn it off — tap the cog icon inside the Messenger app to access its settings, then tap Chat heads to enable or disable the feature and tweak the way it works.
10. Pick your favorite friends
Your list of online friends is accessible via a tap on the portrait icon in the top-right corner of the Facebook app.Select Edit and you can bring the contacts you interact with most often to the top of the list, saving you the time and effort of hunting through the list to find your favorite friends.
11. Hide a friend's feed
Sometimes you may wish to stop seeing someone's updates without actually unfriending them or blocking them. You may wish to keep up the pretense that you are friends despite never wishing to see or hear from them again.To do this, go to their page, tap on Following, then select Unfollow. They won't know it, but you'll never see their posts, or posts they are tagged in again.
12. Prioritize a friend's feed
If you want to do the opposite of above, you can choose to see a certain friend's posts before all others. Simply go to their page, tap Following, and then See First.Any posts that this friend makes will jump to the top of the news feed so that you never miss them.
13. Use a lighter, third-party app
The Facebook app is not only enormous, but it is also a resource hog. You can save space and memory by using an alternative app, such as Metal or Tinfoil, which are basically custom skins for the web version of Facebook. Metal is a bit prettier and offers more features, such as a notification tab, and floating window.Otherwise, you can just add a shortcut to the Facebook website on your home screen and use that. In Chrome, you can also allow notifications from the site by heading to Settings > Site settings > Notifications and making sure they're turned on and unblocked for Facebook.
How to root Android: the ultimate guide
In the land of Android, rooting is the national
sport. It brings people together, is sometimes challenging but always
rewarding. If you're yet to be initiated into the world of Android root,
sit back while we explain the pros and cons of rooting an Android
device, how to do it for each smartphone manufacturer and how to tell
whether your phone is rooted.
What is root?
The term "root" comes from the Linux world. The root operation in Android is much the same as it is there: it gets you superuser rights and full access to the entire file system. This allows you to make profound adjustments and changes to the software.But for novice users, it also provides a great danger because very important system files can be just as easily be deleted as unimportant ones. This is one of the main reasons why Android smartphones are not rooted by default: to save the unwitting from unnecessary Android rooting nightmares.
Root access is often made by a script that you install in Android's download mode, which automatically executes itself, granting root access in the process. This script often uses a vulnerability in the operating system kernel by performing a so-called "privilege escalation".
As we said above, root privileges turn you from a regular
user to a superuser with access to the full Android system. The simplest
way to grant that superuser permission to apps as well is with an app
called SuperSU.You can do this on a case-by-case basis, for specific situations or for the long-term, to allow these apps to help you take complete control over your Android all the time. You can withdraw superuser permissions at any time too.
If you find any of the terminology confusing, we've outlined the most important terms in root and custom ROMs in the article at the link.
Will I lose my warranty if I root my Android?
We know many of you are concerned with the prospect of losing your warranty or guarantee if you root your smartphone. This a very real concern that those in our line of business tend to overlook because we can break phones and get new ones reasonably easily.Generally speaking, rooting your Android will void your warranty, but it's not always so clear cut. Some devices, such as those in the Nexus line from Google, are pretty much designed to be rooted and modified by Android developers in order to push the platform ahead, so you can't expect the same level of concern from all OEMs.
Manufacturer positions vs carrier positions
HTC is the only manufacturer we contacted that was absolutely accommodating when it comes to rooted phones. As you may recall, HTC famously decided to provide all HTC devices with an unlockable bootloader that would not affect the warranty.Unfortunately, even though HTC is happy to have you root your phone, carriers are not, and networks including AT&T and Verizon refuse to honor HTC's pledge by generally not stocking retail devices with bootloaders capable of being unlocked, preferring instead to offer Developer Edition devices instead that can only be bought outright, off-contract and unsubsidized.
HTC has a list of HTC devices with unlockable bootloaders but notes that there are some carrier restrictions and that if modifying the system software of your phone is deemed to be the cause of any problem for which you return the device, your repairs may not be covered under warranty.
LG, on the other hand, won't stand rooting at all. The company was very clear that rooting an LG phone immediately voids the warranty. Sony is less hard-line: “We look at these cases individually. If a modification [like root] is detected in the workshop that is not related to the defect being claimed, we tend to side with the customer.”
Samsung was less accommodating in its response though: “Since rooting modifies the device in ways that aren't allowed, Samsung won't grant any guarantees in these cases. As for the warranty agreement between the customer and the retailer, legal regulations apply, independently of Samsung's guarantee regulations.”
Is rooting Android legal?
That depends entirely on where you live. In the US, the modification of digital things like the software of mobile devices is covered by the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA). Critically, some exemptions to that law exist courtesy of the US Copyright Office and they include things like rooting.So while rooting in the US is technically illegal under the DMCA, one such exemption to the DMCA makes rooting Android devices legal “at least through 2015”. While this was a big win for fans of digital freedom back in 2012, it may not make you feel too secure as 2015 draws to a close.
For those in Europe, the case is much clearer: the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) has worked intensively around the root issue and, after a detailed examination, came to the conclusion that rooting a device and installing unofficial software does not impact on your rights to a hardware warranty.
The good news for those in Europe is that the burden of proof lies on the retailer or manufacturer to prove that it was a custom ROM or the root process itself that caused the problem and not on you, the customer, to prove that it wasn't.
In the US, things are much less well-defined and basically come down to a mish-mash of manufacturer, carrier and retailer positions. The simple answer is: don't root unless you're happy to accept a voided warranty.
How do I know if my device is rooted?
If you've bought a second-hand Android device and want to know if it was previously rooted or modified, the simplest way is to check for root with a simple, free-to-install Android app. Fortunately, there are a couple of great apps for checking root access.Jared Rummler from JRummy Apps is responsible for Root Check, a great app that not only tells you if your device is currently rooted or not, but also provides a nice glossary of terms and links to other good root apps by JRummy.
Root Checker is the default root check app from the developer
Joey Krim. Root Checker does pretty much the same stuff as Root Check,
but some features are reserved for the pro version. But even in the free
version, you'll get an explanation of things surrounding root and links
to other root apps.
Benefits of rooting Android
We've written a pretty comprehensive list in the past about why you should root your Android phone, so we'll keep this short. Besides access to the best root apps on Android, the power to uninstall pre-loaded bloatware apps and the world of custom ROMs, there are plenty more reasons you should root your Android phone or tablet.For starters, backups are easier with root access. If you have root, you can grant a backup app like Titanium Backup root level permissions and make complete backups of your system periodically, so no matter what happens to your phone, you'll always have an up-to-date backup to save the day.
Root access also allows you to change the tiniest details in
the Android system. Sure, you can flash a full blown custom ROM for a
complete makeover, but you can also make minor tweaks with Xposed Framework.
Maybe you just want to flash a new boot animation? Tweak some audio
settings? Or overclock your CPU by just a smidge? All of this is
possible with root.With root access, you can also get better battery life out of your Android, by undervolting your CPU or through automatic app hibernation with apps such as Greenify. As mentioned above, removing pre-installed apps also lessens the demands on system resources, improving battery life further.
Ad blockers and full system automation with Tasker are another two of the big reasons to root Android, but your reasons to root will be about as personal as the things you can do once you have root. Maybe you want to change everything, maybe you only want to change one thing. No matter what you want to change, if you want to change anything about Android, you'll need root to do it.
Why you shouldn't root Android
“If root is so great, why isn't everyone doing it then?” I hear you ask. A few reasons really: the warranty issue we mentioned earlier, the fact that it can be complicated and dangerous, and that in many cases you'll no longer automatically get over-the-air (OTA) updates.Once you're rooted it is also much easier to have that level of permission abused by a clever but ill-intentioned app. Granting root access to an app when you're rooted should be handled with much more care than the average person exhibits when blindly hitting Accept in the Google Play Store when the permissions list pops up.
It seems fair to expect that anyone interested in and capable
of rooting their phone would also be capable of updating their system
software manually, but it can be a pain to always have to update your
device yourself, especially if you own several, simply because you are
rooted.There are also more potential complications when updating a rooted Android device than when updating a non-rooted one. Again, these are perfectly workable, but are potentially more annoying than root is worth to the average person.
We've written about some of the other reasons you shouldn't root your Android if you're interested to know more of the disadvantages of rooting.
How do I root my smartphone?
Because the process used to root individual devices varies so greatly and changes so quickly, there's little point in providing dedicated links to tutorials on AndroidPIT. The simplest thing to do is hit the search button and look for a current guide. But read on for some general rules.How to root Samsung devices
Because Samsung devices are supported by the excellent Odin software tool, rooting Samsung devices is generally very simple. All you need to do is download the Odin program on your computer and flash the latest Auto-Root tool from the developer Chainfire.Other root methods for Galaxy devices frequently come up and occasionally CF-Auto-Root takes a while to appear for a new Galaxy device, but it's generally one of the better and more reliable methods if you're at all unsure about the process.
It should be reiterated here that Samsung includes a flash counter on its devices. This means that if you root your Galaxy device and flash anything on it and then have to return it for repair, Samsung might refuse your claim due to modifications being made that are not covered under warranty.
How to root LG devices
LG devices don't need a third-party program like Odin to root. All you need is a computer and some ADB commands with which to run a script or you can use a tool called One Click Root if you're a little scared of the whole ADB thing.LG notably provided official instructions for unlocking the LG G4 bootloader back in the middle of 2015, but with the caveat that you'll be voiding your warranty if you do so.
How to root Sony devices
Depending on which kind of Sony phone you have – one with an unlockable bootloader or not – the root process will be slightly different for you. If your bootloader is officially unlockable it's much easier to get a custom recovery on your Xperia and then make further modifications by flashing zip and image files.You simply need to check Sony's list of Xperia devices with an unlockable bootloader and, if your device is on the list, find a custom recovery for it. We'd recommend TWRP, which has a convenient supported devices page to make the search that much easier. From here all you need to do is grab a SuperSU exploit and flash it through recovery.
How to root Nexus devices
Google is in the business of helping developers and enthusiasts do what they want, so you don't have to request an unlock code or anything like that for a Nexus bootloader. Simply enable OEM unlocking in the Developer settings (if it appears on your particular device), connect to a computer with a USB cable, enter Fastboot mode and apply a simple Fastboot or ADB command (depending on which Nexus you have).How to root other Android devices
There are plenty of other ways to unlock your bootloader and root other Android phones. Motorola has an official support page to guide you through the bootloader unlock process and a quick search in Google or XDA Developers will provide the very latest root method for your particular device.As mentioned above, HTC officially supports unlocking the bootloader and provides information for doing so on its website. Unfortunately, rooting HTC devices can be a tricky business, with a bricked phone one possible outcome if things go wrong. Again, we advise you to trawl through the XDA Developers root directory for the latest surefire root methods.
Conclusion: should I root or not?
As you can probably tell by this point, rooting Android is not for the faint of heart. You need to be willing to risk voiding your warranty, will have to manually apply Android updates, are more prone to security risks and will have to research the latest root method and apply it perfectly to your device to avoid possible problems.But the benefits of rooting Android are manifold. You'll have complete control over your system, can uninstall bloatware, apply millions of system tweaks and create complete backups automatically. If you've got this far and can't wait for the next stage, hit that search bar, do some digging in XDA and start the next phase of your Android education. Happy rooting.
