Very new android user. Please be gentle.

[martind3]

Hi, i've had my atrix for 2 weeks now and really like it.
I added launcher pro but to be honest the phone started to be really laggy and icons kept disappearing then reappearing at random. I uninstalled it and went back to the default motoblur, which is fine.
I've read a lot about rooting android phones. Bearing in mind i'm new to this sort of thing and not very technologically minded, what exactly is rooting and would it benefit me as a novice user?
Thanks in advance.

 

[chowmailap]

I've been using adw launcher since I got the phone and have never had lagging issues....maybe use home switcher and try the free version.....I only just rooted my phone myself and in still figuring it out so not gonna put my two cents in on that issue.

 

[lsutigers03]

Rooting gives you root access (like admin access for a windows computer) to your device. Some apps require root. Check out this thread and see if you want to use any of the apps listed in the first post. If you do you'll have to root. There are more root apps than what that threat shows but it lists a lot of useful apps. If you want to root xda has a thread with a one click root for 2.3.4.

 

[WolfmanRobby]

A couple of words of warning on ROOT for a novice.

-It gives you access to files and settings that, if you don't know what you are doing, can really HOSE your phone.

-So far, every OFFICIAL update from Motorola will not install if you have ROOT.

-Check with your carrier, some carriers consider "Rooting" the phone a warranty voiding action.

-When you ROOT your phone, it's just like running a PC (Windows as Administrator, Linux as ROOT). This means that, if you get a virus on there, it has the same level access you do, and it can do MORE damage if you are ROOT.

Am I saying NOT to do it? No. I'm just tossing out some words of caution for you.

As for the Launcher PRO, I run it with NO lag. When you say ICONs disappear, are you saying they are GONE completely, or they are replaced with a generic BLUE icon with a gear?
If it's the Blue Gear, that's a market bug, not Launcher Pro. It means the market app is not remembering you have that app installed. Sometimes you can just force stop the market app and restart it. Other times, a reboot and they come right back.

 

[martind3]

Thanks for the replies. I think i'll leave it in it's shipped form for now as i'm really happy with the phone as it is.
Regarding the launcher pro, i only installed the free version. Is the paid version THAT much better?

 

[WolfmanRobby]

Regarding the launcher pro, i only installed the free version. Is the paid version THAT much better?

As far as the CORE of the program, there is no difference between the free and paid.
The Paid version just unlocks some "Features." And, most importantly, puts money in the developers pocket to encourage them to keep up their hard work. -- Think of it as the "Tip Jar" at the end of the bar.