To Root or not to Root

Caleb Stomberg · January 2012

I am waiting on, and probably will receive today, a Toshiba Thrive 16gb 10.1" tablet. I have been looking at a forum dedicate to this particular tablet, in order to get some understanding of what I am about to get.

It seems that Rooting seems to be all the rage, and there is a lot of developers of modified and stock rooted ROMs on the forum with lots of help for the inquisitive noob.

The main purpose for my buying the tablet was to be able to use Logos while on the go, and as an e-reader. I want to have some ability to create / modify documents and such, with use of things like netflix...etc...

My point is, that I don't have any major demands for the tablet. I am debating whether to keep it stock, or to use custom ROM's. I like the thought of having complete access to my tablet that you get with ROOTing, yet I am not sure I want to deal with the headache of having to go to outside sources for each update, since once the tablet is ROOTed, the standard updater will no longer function.

Anyway, I was hoping that you might be able to give me some advice on this matter. Let me know what you think, and what the benefits may be of ROOTing / not ROOTing.

Thanks

Garrett Ho · January 2012

This may not be the best place to ask this question. If you haven't considered it, perhaps post on the other forum that you mentioned.

Personally, I'd say that if you don't think you need to root it, then don't. I understand the desire for "complete access" to your device, but if you're not going to do anything with it and it'll just cause you more trouble, then it may not be worth it. I think you answered your own question:

I like the thought of having complete access to my tablet that you get with ROOTing, yet I am not sure I want to deal with the headache of having to go to outside sources for each update

Alan Charles Gielczyk · January 2012

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/326941#Comment_326941

What do you want to do that you can't with a phone that is not rooted? I rooted my old Android phone, before I upgraded to an iPhone, but I did that so I could tether my iPad. Updating the OS is a real pain and I would not root if I ever purchased another Android, which I find highly unlikely as the iOS is just better.

William Gabriel · January 2012

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/326947#Comment_326947

What do you want to do that you can't with a phone that is not rooted? I rooted my old Android phone, before I upgraded to an iPhone, but I did that so I could tether my iPad. Updating the OS is a real pain and I would not root if I ever purchased another Android, which I find highly unlikely as the iOS is just better.

I agree with Alan here. I am a developer/geek, and I have a high appreciation for the value found in rooting devices, but I have never done it to any of my iPods or Android phones. Why? Because there's nothing I want to do on them that I cannot already do.

The only reason I've been tempted to root my Android phone was to install a new Greek font in order to be able to read accented Greek characters in Kindle books (they appear as blocks, so these words have missing characters you need to guess at).

It's still an annoyance in Kindle, but Logos does a good job with things like this. If your primary purpose is to use Logos and eBook readers, don't chance bricking your tablet or making future updates more difficult to do something you don't really need to do.

BillS · January 2012

Let me know what you think, and what the benefits may be of ROOTing / not ROOTing.

Tooting it will likely void any warranty you may have. My counsel? Wait until it's out of warranty. Then decide. You'll know by then whether you need to.

Rev Chris · January 2012

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/327017#Comment_327017

Tooting it will likely void any warranty you may have. My counsel? Wait until it's out of warranty. Then decide. You'll know by then whether you need to.

I definitely don't suggesting "tooting" it! As for rooting, well I probably still don't suggest that. I have an Android phone and an Apple iPad. My phone is rooted, my iPad is not. That decision had nothing to do with the distinction between Apple and Android. Instead, I rooted my Android to give me tethering capabilities. IMO, there's not much else rooting is good for. I'm sure someone who is developing apps might disagree, but for the average user rooting is not worth the hassle (and especially so for tablets).

Dave Hooton · January 2012

My point is, that I don't have any major demands for the tablet. I am debating whether to keep it stock, or to use custom ROM's. I like the thought of having complete access to my tablet that you get with ROOTing, yet I am not sure I want to deal with the headache of having to go to outside sources for each update, since once the tablet is ROOTed, the standard updater will no longer function.

You've got access to Android Market, a standard Android Honeycomb v3.1 + 16 GB storage. Logos app will install without problems + download selected books. The forum has stories of difficulties with devices having a modified Android system and no access to Android Market, so many of them are "rooted"[:)].

DO NOT ROOT this device.