Rooting is a fun, well-known techniques among Android users to exploit the system of their machine for more customization on all aspects. Its just like getting an Administrator Privilege inside your Windows, its just that you can do whatever you want without restriction from system. On Xperia Ion, we have a Bootloader that is locked and thus, prevent us from get rooted. And so, we need to get our Bootloader unlocked first and then flash the kernel with Root-Access kernel. Remember, it is UNLOCK BOOTLOADER --> ROOTING

Although, now there are method to bypass our Bootloaders and get rooted and its proven to works well with Xperia Ion LT28h/i/at..Refer next post for more information

Unlocking Bootloader will wipe out your data/apps/settings/contacts/sms in your phone, but NOT SD Card. So it is more safe for you to make a back up for your phone first before get to the deal. There's soo many ways to make a backup, like using Titanium Backup. This is for advanced user as it will back up your apps including the user data & system data, lets say its doing a copy of your whole phone. Same as what CWM(ClockWorkMod) recovery did, later once you've get rooted with CWM inside, I'd prefer CWM Recovery to be used as a backup & restore, much more easier + safer + secure

For a user who new to this back up thing, you can always have a better & easier way. That is making a backup using Sony's built-in apps " Backup & Restore ". It is soo much easier and its also get the job done. Backup & Restore will make a full backup of your Contacts/Msg/Browser/Clock/Calendar/Settings/Apps. You can choose the destination for your backup and this is the most important part, store it both in your SD Card and PC. Once finish unlocking bootloader and rooting, you can just open up this apps and hit Restore

Refer to this Official Guide : http://unlockbootloader.sonymobile.com/instructions
Important : Follow Instruction 1 until 7 ONLY !! Then follow my steps below

-Next, Download Fastboot Tools & Driver : http://www.mediafire.com/?dw77ineguikk7bo

-Unzip the Xperia_Ion_Fastboot_USBDriver.rar and unzip both files that came out
that is fastboot_with_Android_USB_file.rar and drivers.zip

-Turn off your phone, Disconnect from PC and after it turned off, push and hold the Volume Up button and at the same time connect the phone to the computer with a USB-cable. This will trigger FASTBOOT mode and windows will start driver installation, point the driver installation to that location of the files youve downloaded earlier, drivers.zip Folders
( This is the tricky part as you need to do it fast before the popup for Driver search gone )

-There is another way to install fastboot drivers , by go to "C:\Flashtool\drivers" and launch the Executable, thick ALL options and install, once done, restart your pc and reconnect your phone in FASTBOOT mode ( Download flashtool below )

-Download : Flashtool v0.9.10.1 [Flashtool]

-Once your windows finished installing the Fastboot driver, let it be and proceed to the folder where you placed "fastboot_with_Android_USB_file" folder. Open up " fastboot_with_Android_USB_file > fastboot ". Right click at the background of the folder while holding SHIFT button.

-Select 'Open command window here' and Command Prompt will pop out

-Make sure your phone is in Fastboot mode ( Blue LED color emitted at the Notification Light)

-In the cmd windows type in "fastboot.exe -i 0x0fce getvar version" and hit enter

-If a value is returned (it will return 0.5), it means the phone is correctly connected

-Type in "fastboot.exe -i 0x0fce oem unlock 0xKEY" and replace KEY with the key which you received earlier in the Emails. Hit enter

- Your Xperia Ion Bootloader should be unlocked now and can proceed for Rooting

If you cant understand the above tutorial, follow this : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1753261

Download : https://hotfile.com/dl/188244063/410c147/fl...indows.exe.html [Flashtool]
Download : http://www.mediafire.com/?32xqmdjo318390o [Stock Kernel + Root + Cwm + Init.d]
The kernel above is based on Stock version 6.1.E.3.7 ( " Stock_Kernel_6.1.E.3.7_Root.elf " )

- Navigate to " Settings > Xperia > Connectivity > USB Connection Mode " [ Enable the MTP Mode ]
- Navigate to " Settings > Developer Options > USB Debugging " [ Enable This ]

- Open up the Flashtool (flashtool-0.9.9.0-windows.exe) that you downloaded earlier
- Connect your phone with the USB cable, Dont turn your phone Off

Inside the Flashtool application
1- Click the Lightning icon.



2- Select the Fastboot Mode
3- Click Ok



4- Select Reboot Into Fastboot Mode Via Adb,wait for the phone to go into fastboot mode.(Blue led)
5- Ignore number 5 in the picture and proceed next
6- Click Select kernel to Flash



7- Navigate to the " Stock_Kernel_6.1.E.3.7_Root.elf " you downloaded earlier
8- And then click Reboot device into system



Your Ion should get rooted, and if you unable to follow these instruction,
Refer here : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1963961

Make Sure This :
- Enable the " Settings > Xperia > Connectivity > USB Connection Mode " [ Enable the MTP Mode ]
- Enable the " Settings > Developer Options > USB Debugging " [ Enable This ]
- Enable the " Settings > Security > Unknown Sources " [ Enable This ]

Download RootingKit - http://uploaded.net/file/ni1svkhk

Steps
1.) Download the above file
2.) Extract it to any location
3.) Plug-in your device
4.) Double click the RunMe.bat and follow instructions! ( Use Option Number 1 )

This step doesnt require user to enter Fastboot mode or any, just plug in your phone normally and run.
It will NOT delete any bytes of your data, means that you will NOT loose anything at all..Ive tested it myself on Ion's LT28h and Xperia S LT26i..

Xperia Ion Android Development :
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1659

Xperia Ion Q & A's
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1947

Xperia Ion Themes & Apps & Tricks/Add-On
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1951

Credit to XDA's Dev Websites

- Actually its quite annoying to press directly on top of it, its just not responsive at all. So found out a way to make it more responsive.

- Take your thumb top, and swipe it from down the notification light up to the softkey symbols.

- You will find this technique will show much more improved responsiveness

Improving Graphics Performance
- Navigate to " Settings > Developer Options > Force GPU Rendering " ( Enable This )
- This will smooth out all the transition within your phone, you will notice a much more smooth graphic transition

Improving Battery Life-span
Soo many ways to improve your battery life, some of them :

- Disable GPS when not in use
- Disable WiFi when not in use
- Disable Data Network when not in use
- Migrate network mode to GSM when Data Network is disabled
- Decrease screen brightness below 50%
- Disable any apps that runs on the background
- Disable notification of apps

Disable a Ram hunger Apps that Runs In the Background
Well, you dont need a Root-Access to do this because ICS giving access to the user to freeze their required apps.

- Navigate to " Settings > Apps > All " Depends on us on which Apps we wanna freeze
- Choose your apps that need to be freeze, hit Force Stop and click Disable button
- Below are MY list of apps that i froze ( On my usage basis ) :