gingerbread, bloatware, rooting OH MY!

[Guest JeffWininger]

Hey everyone...

Another newb here with questions in need of answers...

I always seem to have a decent phone, I have been there with the original Samsung Omnia, BB Tour, Motorola Droid 2 global and now I have a Samsung Fascinate.

I love the vibrant screen, and I am getting the hang of not having a keyboard, but I hate the swipe stuff, but I want to get the most out of my phone and keep it fast and fun.

Can someone please explain the following:

*gingerbread - what is it and is it something to try

*bloatware - which apps and stuff should I freeze....I purchased easy freezy and use dolphin HD and/or skyfire to search the web currently.

*rooting - what is it and what does it do?

Thanks and I looks forward to learning this and much more in the group.

Jeff

[Guest TheManicGibbon]

Gingerbread is the name of Android version 2.3.x. The versions are referred to both with numbers and names; 2.1(Eclair), 2.2(Froyo), 2.3.x(Gingerbread) and the yet-to-be-released Ice Cream Sandwich (which may be either 2.4 or 4.0). Gingerbread brings a new UI and some small changes to Android. Depending on what version you have at the moment, you may notice significant improvements in performance by installing Gingerbread. 2.2 Froyo brings a massive performance boost over 2.1(Eclair) but if you're coming to Gingerbread from 2.2 there will still be a boost, just not as significant.

Bloatware apps are really down to personal preference; I don't have any experience of Samsung devices but I would recommend freezing as opposed to uninstalling or deleting in case you come up against any problems. If you are unsure, Google a package name or ask on the forums.

Rooting gives you Superuser, or SU access to your handset. If you have a Windows Computer, it's a bit like being an administrator. It won't speed up your phone, which is a common misconception, but it will allow you to use root apps (Easy Freezy requires root) and install a custom recovery which will allow you to install Custom ROMs or themes, or make full backups of your phone.

Rooting is required for a number of apps and practices such as those detailed above. Be warned however, that rooting the device will void your warranty and may be a complex procedure depending on your device.

MoDaCo doesn't have a dedicated Fascinate forum, but XDA does and I see there are a couple of ROMs available:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=721

Asking in the general or other forums here though will still let you get some good friendly help :). The most active forum on here is the ZTE Blade.

Hope this helps, any more questions just ask