YES, rooted 1. Can run Avast firewall 2. Can run Adaway which is the HOSTS file updater (banned from google due to their new policy of not allowing ad blockers but existing users still function fine updating from the MVPS list and few others) 3. Can get rid of tons of OEM installed trialware junk in order to save space 4. Can use CWM for a complete system and data image and recovery 5. Can use Titanium backup to be able to freeze, uninstall, restore applications 6. Can load different systems for fun or necessity when manufacturer stop supporting a device (which seems to be happening a lot) 7. If skilled in Linux, can do many things at the root level - give folders R/W permissions, move files etc. 8. Can install applications which require root and offer great monitoring or improve existing tools ... and few more reasons I no longer remember
No. I don't see the point of buying an Android device, my laptop is more powerful and more versatile (and can run a nice, friendly GNU/Linux userspace instead of a crazy-weird Java one). Maybe I'll buy one at some point... If it can run a decent GNU/Linux OS, and has a USB port for a real keyboard. (Not a bluetooth one, I don't trust those.)
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2013/12/ubuntu-touch-android-dual-boot-preview-released Also, when plugged into a computer it runs full desktop Ubuntu.
I have always rooted my Android phones, mainly to block ads but also to give me full control over the file system. Yes I do buy apps from Play Store but there is an increasing amount of paid apps that include ads. Not used the bloated Touchwiz Samsung rom's for years, they take the nice slim quick Android OS & bloat it out with S this & S that. To give you a idea, the custom rom I use is called SlimBean 4.3.1 & weighs in at 101MB, the latest Samsung version of Android 4.3 (MK6) weighs in at 1.37GB. Rooting your phone also doesn't make it less secure IMO, in fact any app that needs superuser permission prompts for it.
I do not plan on rooting my device (google nexus 5) since I already have the latest version of android and do not have any apps that require root.
Don't trust UC Browser at all, just like Opera Mini it sends pages to UC HQ to be compressed then sent to the phone plus it requires permissions it plainly doesn't need like read email attachments, record audio, take pictures & videos & read phone status & identity without any notice. Rooting & using AdAway blocks all ads system wide ie apps & games etc.
The UC mini compresses, the big UC doesn't. What browser do you use then? Some Google variant? Bty - Firefox also has a adblock add-on.
I mainly use X-Scope Pro on my S3, also have Chrome (don't use it much due to bad rendering on a lot of sites) & Opera Mobile (webkit) which renders the pages that Chrome has issues with with no problems at all. Have tried the mobile version of FF many times but it still slow, is rubbish text relow or tap to zoom & like Chrome the rendering of web pages ain't that great.
There are actually quite a few more ways to block ads without root: #1. A custom DNS like FoolDNS or BA.net. #2. A browser extension like Adblock Plus for Firefox Mobile. #3. A custom proxy like Adblock Plus for Android. #4. Urlfilter.ini for Opera Mobile. #5. Opera Mobile Labs 12, which supports Opera 12.x extensions like Ghostery and NoAds Advanced. Abandonware though. As for bloated TouchWiz, you can replace most of it with another launcher like Smart Launcher and disable some components in Application manager > All.
Ditto on Firefox, slow even with the adblocker. I mainly use my tablet on wifi - McDonalds, Starbucks,etc., and UC is the only browser that smoothly connects right up. My coffee, food gets cold waiting for Chrome, Dolphin, android stock browser to connect. I'll try the Opera webkit. Thanks!
My cheap tablet doesn't have enough processing power to handle Firefox with (or even without) Adblock Plus, but Opera Mobile Classic with Tamil's urlfilter.ini blocks about 95% of the ads for me. http://my.opera.com/Tamil/blog/ad-block
