rom

Hack your Android like a pro: Rooting and ROMs explained

For all of the flexibility and customization that comes with an Android device, there are still plenty of restrictions in place. While Android technically is an open-source platform, the final product is still the result of a phone-maker's skin, the carrier or manufacturer's preloaded software, or even sometimes, a few disabled features.

There isn't anything wrong with most out-of-the-box experiences, but more daring and tech-savvy users who tire of being at the mercy and discretion of carriers and handset makers might be interested in pushing their Android devices to new limits. This is where the practice known … Read more

Auto Flasher ROM flash utility 0.9.3 Review

Flashing your BIOS on a computer is almost a rite of passage for super users. Now, you can do the same thing on your Android gadget with Auto Flasher ROM flash utility. It lets you update any part of your custom ROM if something goes wrong. It's also relatively easy for rookie rooters, but they should proceed with some caution.

Since Android doesn't let you flash stock builds, you need to root your phone to use this app. If you haven't rooted, the app will kick you out before you get a chance to explore anything. If … Read more

Customize your Android phone with ROM Manager

Android is the go-to for gearheads because of all the custom ROMs you can put on your phone. ROM Manager makes it even easier by taking the guesswork out of installing the Clockwork Mod, one of the more popular custom ROMs, on your phone. It lets you back up your installations, search for new updates, and more.

ROM Manager only works with the Clockwork Mod, so you have to have that installed for this to work. This app won't even let you do anything without already having rooted your phone. While it won't hold your hand through the … Read more

Troubleshooting power-up issues for Mac systems

Most troubleshooting for Mac systems revolves around software-based problems, be it bugs in the system software or a faulty OS configuration or installation; however, sometimes errors can extend beyond the operating system to the hardware itself, and when this happens, you may see no activity when starting up your system. However, even though the system may appear dead, it might have some indications of the problem at hand.

In the Mac's startup sequence the first step that occurs when you press the power button is all components such as hard drives, video cards, I/O controllers, and add-in cards … Read more

Got 'banned' on Android? There's an app store for that

As CyanogenMod skates past 1 million active users, making it by far the most popular custom flavor of Android around, one of its main developers has asked the Android community if there's interest in creating an app store for Android modders and their fans.

Koushik Datta suggested a marketplace designed for apps, ROMs, and emulators that Google refuses to host and carriers refuse to allow. Not surprisingly, the answer he got was resoundingly positive.

Dutta, also known as Koush, said in a Google Plus post earlier this month that the time was coming for an app store that specialized in rooted Androids. … Read more

The 404 832: Where we finally get our own 404 page (podcast)

Good news, 404 listeners! We've made it easier to tell your friends about The 404 show. Just direct them to CNET.com/ANYTHINGYOUWANT, because all CNET 404 error pages now contain a link to our page! In case you can't think of good filler, we recommend CNET.com/balls, CNET.com/horselips, and CNET.com/butterscotch.

Listen in to today's show to find out which app is absolutely crucial to install on your Apple laptop, why the Android marketplace is now devoid of emulators, and what it means to shoot a basketball "in the paint."

The 404 Digest for Episode 832

We got ourselves a 404 page! Go to CNET.com/insertarbitraryphrasehere. Console emulators removed from the Android Market. Install this program on your MacBook right now.

Episode 832 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Root, ROM, restore: How to hack your Android OS

In this first video, we show you how to gain root access on your Android phone or tablet using the program SuperOneClick (and we give a shout to Unrevoked for HTC phones). If you're not able to watch the video, check out our written instructions on how to root your Android device.

So you've rooted your phone. Now what? How to install a custom Android ROM video and instructions details how to install a custom ROM, which is a heavily customized version of Android. Using a custom ROM can give you super-Android powers, such as better battery life, … Read more

How to restore Android factory settings

You've rooted your Android device, flashed a custom ROM, and reaped the benefits of better power management, extra features, and the radiant glow that comes from treating that phone like you own it. Because you do own it, right? Now it's time to get a new phone. How can you make your old Android-powered hardware resalable?

We've got a way for you to restore the stock version of Android, thanks to the rescue guides at DroidForums.net. The procedure requires caution, because just like when you rooted your phone and installed a custom ROM, there's a … Read more

How to install a custom Android ROM

Congratulations, you've successfully gained root access to your Android device, maybe even using CNET's how to root your Android video as a guide. Now comes the hard part: installing a customized version of Android. We've got that covered in a video, but be careful: this one's for advanced users only.

Before we begin, let's review some of the reasons you might want to install and run a custom Android ROM. It's highly likely that there are Android features your phone company or hardware manufacturer has decided won't get pushed to your device, and … Read more

MAME tamer

ROMs are files that emulate and save data from read-only memory (ROM) devices such as video game cartridges, and most are just that: software images of old-time, old-school video arcade games, Atari games, and other obsolete gaming system cartridges that many gamers collect like trading cards. They use MAME (multiple arcade machine emulator) software to recreate the original software environment for realistic play and preservation. ROMs can pile up on your hard drive quickly. ClrMamePro is a free ROM management tool that makes it easy to keep your game collection up-to-date with each new release and every deleted set. It'… Read more