Put it simply, flashing just upgrades your firmware. It's a different thing compared to rooting. Rooting allows you full access to all the deeper levels of the phone and you will then be able to install and use apps that need root to work (e.g. Titanium Backup, AutoKiller, AdFree, MarketAccess, ClockSync, SetCPU).

Let me try to summarize:

Flashing - imagine updating from WinXP SP2 to SP3 (however, on the SGS, you lose all installed apps and data)

Rooting - imagine you suddenly have the administrator access/password to your XP (assuming you have only a normal user account before that)

BTW, don't stress yourself out worrying too much about this. If you're not sure, don't root.

This post has been edited by kmrdeva: Sep 24 2010, 11:23 AM

Once rooted, you can run all the apps or utilities that require root access (I've given some examples in my previous post, Google the app names to find out what they do).

You don't actually need a custom ROM to enable rooting.

I believe a number of other forums have discussions on these things.

http://android.modaco.com/category/434/sam...s-s-modaco-com/

http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=656

You just need to be more diligent and spare some time to scour the net i.e. do your research.

Am I the only person who finds all this endless Desire vs SGS comparisons to be non-productive? I had thought that this thread was for discussing SGS issues, tweaks/fixes and news..

I have an additional calendar called 'contacts birthdays and events' enabled in my gmail, which gets sync'ed over to my phone. So, in the calendar app and on gmail calendar, I can see the birthdays of my contacts (i.e. contacts with birthday dates).

However, at this current time, no reminder feature.

Welcome, please read the first post of this thread, there are loads of useful info there.

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Added on September 26, 2010, 2:54 pmLook on the bright side, you'll just have to wait another month plus for it.


This post has been edited by kmrdeva: Sep 26 2010, 02:54 PM

Not sure about the SEA release, I am actually eagerly waiting for an official Froyo release (any region will do). Using UGJH2 (Canadian, I think) right now.

Not sure about appbucket.net but I use appbrain. Appbrain just manages what I've installed and also gives me better ways to find and update apps - in the end, it still takes me back to the Android Market to install/buy stuff. OK for me since my phone is rooted and I have MarketAccess installed to emulate US SIM.

Without rooting, can 'Get' or 'Buy'?

Must be the 80-20 rule. 20% of Android users pay for apps, encouraging further development of the platform. The other 80% use free apps or 'freed' (ahem) apps.

You're probably right there. Works very well, though.

Why do you want to keep the fake provider in your sim? I know that MarketAccess has the option to enable emulation at boot, but currently I only emulate when I wanna buy apps.

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Added on September 27, 2010, 11:31 pmI think rooting an Android phone is similar to jailbreaking an iOS phone, but not 100% sure as I've never actually owned an iOS device before.

Bricking incidents? Plenty, in my experience. Just today, I bricked my SGS about 3-4 times but I only needed to boot into download mode to re-apply firmware (i.e. very light bricking, perhaps..).

Was trying to ditch JH2 firmware with Voodoo Lagfix 3.0 (noticing high batt consumption since I loaded VL) and go to JM8 firmware with OCLF 2.1.2, messed up a number of times before I got things right (itchy backside, didn't read instructions before attempting f/w and lagfix change)..

This post has been edited by kmrdeva: Sep 27 2010, 11:33 PM

I think Handcent can do this.

I think Handcent can only protect the whole message database with a password or PIN, which can also protect the default Messaging app. Not sure what app can actually hide/protect specific messages, sorry.

A sudden thought just came to me.. Has anyone tried flashing Galaxy Tab's (P1000) firmware on his/her Galaxy S (i9000)?

The fear is strong, but the curiosity is powerful too.. Hmm, should I risk it with my RM2599 baby?

If you mean custom as in on top of normal firmware, yes, I am running Tayutama 1.1 on top of JM8 (rooted and running voodoo lagfix, the JM8 standard kernel one, not supercurio's custom kernel). Not liking it too much, am thinking to remove Tayutama now after barely 2 days of using it.

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Added on September 28, 2010, 5:57 pmMy blackberry is dead so I am a bit too afraid to mess around too much with my current primary phone, the SGS.

This post has been edited by kmrdeva: Sep 28 2010, 05:57 PM

Whoa, scary.. Gave it a go, tried flashing the Galaxy Tab's firmware (P1000OXAJI5) on my SGS, with ODIN 1.3 and 20100803 PIT file. Flashing itself completed successfully, but bootup was screwed.. Lines all over the screen, didn't successfully boot up to the OS.

Hehe, back to JM8 now.

Ha ha yes i'll make it to mars, but likely forget my oxygen tank..

Aiya, didn't try with the 512 pit. Too late now, i'm back in the safe arms of jm8..

But seriously, in my experience, it's very hard to irreversibly brick the SGS. I've always managed to boot back into either recovery or download mode, even when I screwed up with supercurio's voodoo lagfix (i.e. forgot to undo before flashing new firmware, phone will be stuck at the S logo, just need to boot into recovery and wipe the phone data). Based on that, I had decided to try flashing to Galaxy Tab firmware.

This post has been edited by kmrdeva: Sep 28 2010, 09:35 PM