Jailbreaking is the same as  Rooting. It’s just a different way of saying the same thing for a different OS. On mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. Mostly iOS devices such as iPhone and Android devices such as EVO 4G. Rooting is the term most often used when referring to Android hacking. Rooting means to break the device  to gain access to the device and get better control of it’s functions.

[I] Customize the look

iDevices (any if Apple’s devices) all have very ugly home screens. The Android is not much better at this either. Jailbreaking and Rooting lets you customize the iPhone’s home screen. There are on the other hand a lot of home screen modification tools for the Android.

[II] You pick the Carrier

The iPhone is locked to AT&T’s  or Verizon’s network. International markets have unlocked iPhones. We are not so lucky in the US. Unlocking lets you use unsupported networks.  Android phones are available unlocked and if not most carriers will give you an unlock code.

[III] Custom ROMs

Rooting allows you to install custom ROMs onto your device. These are versions of Android your phone doesn’t officially support.. Custom ROMs allow future updates to run on devices that do not yet have official support.

[IV] Anything you can do I can do better & faster

Once rooted, you’re able to alter  CPU speeds with apps such as SetCPU. You can also change the performance of your iDevice too but only through the computer.

[V] Yes, it is legal in the United States

Originally, jailbreaking was illegal due to its contravention of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. However, following a request from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the US Copyright Office made it legal for iPhone owners to run non-Apple-hosted apps on their handset and use it on an unauthorized carrier. Apple filed comments to this exemption but they were not recognized. This exemption was a universal act that also applied to Android devices. Therefore, in the US, both processes are legal according to the US Copyright Office.

[VI] Yes, there is going back

If your iPhone is jailbroken and you have to take it back to Apple to have it looked at it’s pretty easy to do.  Just put the device into DFU mode by holding the power and home buttons for ten seconds. Then connect it to iTunes and restore. Now to un-rooting an Android device is not as simple. The process is different from phone to phone and you can brick your phone.

By Rubens Saintel

Proud father, #Haitian, photographer, consultant, writer & entrepreneur. I love video games, movies, plays, technology (surprise), beta testing apps and all things sci-fi. SaintelDaily.com |AppleWatch101.com | NBA101.com