Question about custom ROMS...

[SwordOfWar]

I have heard people talking about the possibility of a multitouch ROM if root access is ever released.

My question however, is how would we then use the built-in update feature for the OS? Would we have to manually go out and get a new "custom updated ROM" each time an official update hits?

That seems like more trouble than using the phone without browser multitouch in my opinion. Multitouch browser support is nice, but not worth manually updating the ROM versus easy over-the-air updates.

Jump in and help me out if I am wrong on this.

 

[canyoufindben]

If the root processes changes things like rooting did to the G1, then yes you would have to manually get custom rom updates. While for some people it seems like a hassle, there are those of us who would do it willingly. And not only for the Multi-Touch in the browser, but for faster integration of newer Android OS features. For some of us, the joy of keeping up with the latest greatest outweighs the risk of us bricking our phones.

Admittedly, rooting and dabbling with custom ROMS is not for everyone. I would not do it on my wife's Droid, for fear of death if something went wrong.

Ultimately, it would depend on the rooting process, and the developer of the ROM. I believe that Cyanogen is now building automatic updates into his custom ROMS now. Of course his G1 ROMS are well past the "Official" Android OS 1.6 now. I'm sure he's now backporting 2.1+ features into his G1 builds.

 

[LordKastle]

Even when your phone is rooted its forced to work within the confines its limited to. So I wouldn't be too concerned...if you are delusional than yeah you will think it opens up "endless" possibilities...but reality check.

You can work out all day, every day...you still won't be able to pick up a train. If people begin producing multitouch capabilities that do not come stock...sooner or later they will find themselves in normal apps.

 

[canyoufindben]

Even when your phone is rooted its forced to work within the confines its limited to. So I wouldn't be too concerned...if you are delusional than yeah you will think it opens up "endless" possibilities...but reality check.

You can work out all day, every day...you still won't be able to pick up a train. If people begin producing multitouch capabilities that do not come stock...sooner or later they will find themselves in normal apps.

I think the main of his question was, if he rooted to get multi-touch, would he still be able to get OTA updates. As far as I know, that answer would depend on the developer and the rooting process. Now as far as multi-touch goes, the Droid has it. Several apps use it. The most prominent place that people would like to use it, is in the stock Browser. In the US, it is disabled (rumored for fear of infringing on an Apple pantent). However, the UK version "Milestone" has multi-touch in the stock Browser enable. It's not a restraint, of the phone's hardware, but rather the software. For an example you can download the Dolphin Browser and use the multi-touch pinch-zoom feature of the phone.

If my first post was wordy or confusing, I apologize. I would not wish to mislead anyone into thinking the phone will do anything it's not capable of. I was merely pointing out that, in the case of the G1 (I know not a Droid) custom ROMS have unlocked and produced features that the Official stock 1.6 ROM is not capable of, within the constraints of the phone's hardware.

 

[takeshi]

That seems like more trouble than using the phone without browser multitouch in my opinion. Multitouch browser support is nice, but not worth manually updating the ROM versus easy over-the-air updates.

If that's all you're after it seems that Dolphin would be a much easier option.

Even when your phone is rooted its forced to work within the confines its limited to. So I wouldn't be too concerned...if you are delusional than yeah you will think it opens up "endless" possibilities...but reality check.

Who in this thread said anything about endless possibilities (other than you)? All canyoufindben was saying that rooting is for those that would be willing to modify their device at the risk of bricking it and that manually updating versus OTA wouldn't be a big deal to such people.