Rooted or Unrooted?

[Squeak87]

I have been toying with the idea of rooting my Maxx now that I have ICS. I'm not much into custom roms and that bit but are other features worth rooting your phone for?

<--{Droid Razr Maxx °Celcius}-->

 

[JonRoberts238]

I rooted mine for free wifi teether. Other than that you could freeze unwanted apps to boost the phones speed, memory, and battery consumption.

 

[bsweetness]

I rooted mine for free wifi teether. Other than that you could freeze unwanted apps to boost the phones speed, memory, and battery consumption.

You can get free WiFi tether with FoxFi from the Play store, and it doesn't require root access. And with ICS, you can natively freeze unwanted apps.

I've rooted all of the 20+ Android phones I've owned...except for the RAZR MAXX. The system ran so smooth on Gingerbread, and continues to do so on ICS, that I've been more than happy with the performance. I've really not even given a custom rom a second thought because of that. While I'd prefer stock, I'm more than happy with Motorola's skin for ICS, and I know if I wasn't, I could quickly change most of that with a custom launcher. Most of the features I'd want root access for are native to the OS now (such as screenshots and freezing bloat), so there's really no need for me to even bother rooting. I never thought I'd say that, but with the MAXX on ICS, it's true.

 

[Rento]

...(such as screenshots and freezing bloat), so there's really no need for me to even bother rooting.

I'm agreeing with you. But how do you do both of these on the stock ICS rom?

 

[Squeak87]

Thanks for your input everyone. I already have some apps frozen and I do have FoxFi already. So basically unless you prefer custom roms there is no need to root. What apps should I avoid freezing though?

<--{Droid Razr Maxx °Celcius}-->

 

[bsweetness]

I'm agreeing with you. But how do you do both of these on the stock ICS rom?

For screenshots, just press the power and the volume down button for a few seconds.

To freeze an app, open your app drawer, long press on the app you want to freeze, and drag it to the top of the screen where it says "More options." Select App info. Near the top right, you'll see a box that will say one of two things. It will either say "Disable" or "Uninstall updates." If it says disable, tap it and disable it. This is the same as freezing it. It will also remove the app from your app drawer. If it says "Uninstall updates," tap the box to uninstall the updates. After it's finished with that, you'll now have the option to disable it. There are a few you can't disable, like the Emergency Alerts app, but I think it's only two or three that you're stuck with.

 

[bsweetness]

Thanks for your input everyone. I already have some apps frozen and I do have FoxFi already. So basically unless you prefer custom roms there is no need to root. What apps should I avoid freezing though?

<--{Droid Razr Maxx °Celcius}-->

Anything that you actually use.

You can't disable anything natively through the stock OS that will mess up the way the phone operates (except for the Phone app and the Text Messaging app, but those can be disabled in favor of using a third-party alternative), so if it's a pre-installed app that you don't or won't use, go ahead and disable it. You can always enable it later if you want to.

 

[Rento]

For screenshots, just press the power and the volume down button for a few seconds.

To freeze an app, open your app drawer, long press on the app you want to freeze, and drag it to the top of the screen where it says "More options." Select App info. Near the top right, you'll see a box that will say one of two things. It will either say "Disable" or "Uninstall updates." If it says disable, tap it and disable it. This is the same as freezing it. It will also remove the app from your app drawer. If it says "Uninstall updates," tap the box to uninstall the updates. After it's finished with that, you'll now have the option to disable it. There are a few you can't disable, like the Emergency Alerts app, but I think it's only two or three that you're stuck with.

Wait are you trolling about the power and volume down button? Doesn't that do the simulated battery pull?

 

[bsweetness]

Wait are you trolling about the power and volume down button? Doesn't that do the simulated battery pull?

No, I'm not trolling. It's all over the forums and the internet if you don't believe me. That's how you take a screenshot.

Notice I said to hold them down for a few seconds. You have to hold them down for longer than a few seconds to do a battery pull.

 

[Squeak87]

I have another question about freezing apps. After you disable them and it removes them from the app drawer how do you view them again if you wish to unfreeze them? I know someone asked this question on another thread but I can't find it.

<--{Droid Razr Maxx °Celcius}-->

 

[bsweetness]

I have another question about freezing apps. After you disable them and it removes them from the app drawer how do you view them again if you wish to unfreeze them? I know someone asked this question on another thread but I can't find it.

<--{Droid Razr Maxx °Celcius}-->

Settings -> Apps -> slide the tabs at the top to the far right and you'll see the tab for "All." Select the All tab, and from there, scroll to the bottom of the app list to see your disabled apps.

 

[Squeak87]

Settings -> Apps -> slide the tabs at the top to the far right and you'll see the tab for "All." Select the All tab, and from there, scroll to the bottom of the app list to see your disabled apps.

Thank you much! I should have known it was that simple. I think I'm getting lazy, instead of trying to figure it out I just ask on here. That's no good :/ lol

<--{Droid Razr Maxx °Celcius}-->

 

[Rento]

Oh wow... You weren't joking... This is way cool. Thanks a million!

 

[jtc303]

Rooted... mainly for freezing apps I don't use or want... prob wont be putting any custom roms on my maxx yet

 

[bsweetness]

Rooted... mainly for freezing apps I don't use or want... prob wont be putting any custom roms on my maxx yet

You do know, as has already been mentioned in this thread, that you can now freeze apps you don't want or use natively in ICS, right? You don't need root or a third-party app to do that any more.