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Xoom Lockdown

Hey guys, I have acquired a contract up here for several motorola xoom tablets but need to completely lock them down before delivering them to the end user.
By lock down I mean, remove almost all applications, settings etc so they can not be altered.
Can someone point me in the right direction. navigating these forums is just insane now! The community seems awesome though.
I'm not opposed to loading a custom ROM on the device, in fact would prefer that. The devices I have ordered are Xoom 3G 10.1" GSM Unlocked.

ulchm said:
Hey guys, I have acquired a contract up here for several motorola xoom tablets but need to completely lock them down before delivering them to the end user.
By lock down I mean, remove almost all applications, settings etc so they can not be altered.
Can someone point me in the right direction. navigating these forums is just insane now! The community seems awesome though.
I'm not opposed to loading a custom ROM on the device, in fact would prefer that. The devices I have ordered are Xoom 3G 10.1" GSM Unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, you made a commitment before researching how to fulfill the client requirements?
Seems a bit backwards to me.
The level of lockdown you're looking for simply isn't possible without extensive framework modification. Honeycomb's source isn't out yet, so it's not possible to modify the framework much.
The best you'll be able to do is remove apps, but that can make updating the device problematic.

Ya locking down the tab was an after thought and still is. It's not required for the immediate product launch but is something to be looking into afterwards. If the solution is just to remove apps that's extremely easy to do and I"m sure will be 'fine' for now. is everyone in the corporate world just giving these tabs to people completely wide open and letting them do whatever they want on the companies data plan?
How would I go about making a custom ROM of this after I have removed the apps I don't want and have the tab setup the way I would like.

Maybe looking for something along the lines of this?
http://www.air-watch.com/platforms/android/index.html

The device administrator stuff in Android is pretty crappy.
air-watch looks interesting if it works with honeycomb
As an aside, It's my experience that corporate clients hate the idea of rooting. It means voided warranties, and no support/accountability from a vendor.

Ya for sure I dont' want to root the device so much as lock it down however it seems that the 2 are kind of attached right now. Air-watch might be the answer I'll do some testing. Thanks.

[Q] phone newbie questions

I have never owned a cell phone before (yeah, I'm one of the last three who never has), and now am wanting to buy one. My preference is Android. I have some questions about this whole space:
* I don't want a contract. Is it generally true that I can buy any unlocked phone, and a prepaid SIM from Amazon or somewhere, and use them together?
* I'm old (early 60's) and have some generational cultural differences from many (but not all) of you that grew up with and accept social networking. Specifically, I have a zero tolerance policy towards my phone leaking ANY data, under any situation, and a zero tolerance policy for any outside control of the device. That is to say, I will not accept remote updates of software, nor any software which "phones home". I will only accept a phone that is 100% under my control. This seems to create complications, even under Android. If I run a custom firmware such as CM7, is this a goal that I can reasonably achieve? Perhaps with a local firewall on the device?
* I want to use the GPS for wilderness hiking, specifically, to retrace my (approximate) path in the unlikely event I become lost. Is the onboard GPS on phones adequate for such a purpose? I don't need meter-accuracy, but 10 or 15m accuracy would be nice, along with software that would sample my position every (say) 60 seconds and overlay this on a map that MUST be stored locally on the device. I will be out of cell tower range.
* These devices can carry a lot of data, but this seems dangerous on a device that may be lost or stolen. I know there can be a numeric code to unlock the device, but that provides no real security in practice. Is it possible for me to use encryption at the block level with a filesystem on an SD card? Conceptually, I want to mount that card through an encrypted loopback device, with a timeout that will unmount it after a period of inactivity. Possible?
* Specific phones: I liked the LG2X, but it seems many people have big problems with it. I liked the Sensation, but it has a locked bootloader -> nonstarter. So I'm looking at the Mytouch 4G. How big a limitation is GSM in practice, within the continental US?
* When 802.11 is available, will I be able to use my existing VOIP provider instead of a cell network to make voice calls?
Thanks for any help that anyone might give a complete phone newbie.

Is there perhaps a more suitable forum for me to ask "hey, I've never even owned a cell phone before" type questions? If someone could point me to a better place to ask my clueless questions, that'd be wonderful.

Maybe you will buy HTC HD2?
It's a good phone for start, and it has all of the things what you need

Thanks Rafal.Sw, but that seems to be a Windows Mobile phone, and I'd prefer to stick with open source operating systems.
In any case, I'm more after information here than specific phone recommendations. Thanks for your reply though.

But you can always install android on this Phone, i have it and it's wonderful for me

The specific phone model is really not my primary question. I'm looking for information on my questions above, or failing that, a place more appropriate for novices to ask such things.
Thanks...

Research is key. Search button is your friend and essential. friendly reminder as always
Yes unlocked GSM devices are able to connect to a compatible carrier / sim card. For instance I have an unlocked GSM from att but i hate contracts and burning a hole in my pocket. So.. i went to best buy and grabbed an h2o sim kit and poppeed. It in VOILA. Service= no contract = more money. Of course there are plenty others. With different. Pre paid plans. That's just one of many i use.
Alot of these devices will work around the world ESPECIALLY an unlocked GSM device. Of course they will have to have the WORLD phone type basebands. To achieve this if traveling the world.
GPS has come along way since eclair, and is getting signifucally better all the time. However this really depends on your device and its hardware/software When you see a phone you like find the oppropriate forum and thread and learn about that device. Here on xda.
As far as security with android its great and getting better and better. They stay up to date with the latest. The biggest RISK/ ONLY common are with an OPEN all wifi access connection. Also The problem lies when someone( the user) puts bad apps or pirate apps and files in the device making it vulnerable.
To keep data safe on your phone can be achieved in a number of ways, to name a couple, numerous locks can be applied on apps files even before the device boots up, there are also apps that will wipe every thing on your device if lost or stolen by using your computer to control it. Also apps that will track your phone so you can find it
I to are very strict on the control of my device and with that there are great apps with the kind of extra protection you look for ex. Firewalls, malwate spyware blockers etc. There is no need to unmiunt an SD card. Do you take out your harddrive on your computer when not in USE? "Rhetorical "
CM7 is built AOSP from the ground up. They are in no way or have anything to do with the carrier or its original manufacture. Its totally custom build. Extremely knowledgeable developers who take pride in their work for all of us for free. This is not for your average user. These builds are still in ongoing development and not available for every device. However these builds are very stable for and a daily driver
YES YOU CAN, For VOIP calls, there are apps for that and I've used it for a couple years now, alot of devices can and have already support it, and takes a litle tinkering to get them to work. Now days the Devices coming out have VOIP already ready for setup out of the box. With easy setup
If you want the the best bang for your Buck,
Samsung Galaxy S 2. Is what i recommend. It's truly the best of the best. Along with EVO 3d. And Motorola D3
Sent from SGS Captivate CM7 or MIUI with Escapist orTKGlitch using XDA premium app.

Search button is your friend and essential
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Click to collapse
<nod> I've done some, but there are things I can't quite find anyone discussing, like the use of GPS for wilderness hiking, or the details of block level encryption.
I agree with you 100% about contracts. I'm not sure why they're so popular. They seem more expensive overall, and less flexible.
There is no need to unmiunt an SD card. Do you take out your harddrive on your computer when not in USE?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, no, but I don't carry the whole machine around in my pocket, either. Somehow the only thing I really trust to keep my data secure is encryption, but then there's this issue of how long the data stays decrypted. You have to be able to use it, but if you lose the device, no one else should be able to see it.
CM7 is built AOSP from the ground up.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, which is why I'd trust it more than the carrier supplied software. I'm pretty much restricting my device choices to ones that CM7 supports, which does rule out several otherwise attractive phones.
Thanks - the Galaxy S2 does look interesting. Is it supported by CM7? Their "devices" page only lists the Galaxy S.
Thanks for the insights, rwells813!

YES, Samsung has sent a SGS2 over to an Cm7 dev. To play with. So i assume in do time it will be a supported mainline. I believe he has test builds for it already . I haven't tried them yet with mine yet. I stick with one dev. Phone at a time. My captivate is the Guinea. Pig. Good luck mate.
Sent from SGS Captivate CM7 or MIUI with Escapist orTKGlitch using XDA premium app.

TMO Not Helping - still having VM problems-Is it the SIM?

I know this has been discussed before, but I am looking for new ideas. My problem is that due to $!#&@ TMO (I doubt this is HTC 's doing) I cannot change my voicemail from "My Carrier" to Google Voice!!
I have tried everything. In fact supposedly everything should work correctly right now. When I look at Settings>>Call>>Forwarding, all of the forwarding numbers (I.e., when busy, or no answer, etc) all forward to my GV number...and this is what T-Mobile tells me too (as if throwing their hands up in the air in exasperation). BUT, my voicemail number still says "My Carrier"
I keep racking my brain trying to figure out why this doesn't take when I enter *004*xxxxxxxxxx#. It attempts to change it, but then less than a second later I get an error. The only thing I can think of is that the TMO voicemail number still shows on my SIM card.
I don't have a SIM card reader other than this phone. So I was wondering if anyone knows how I could change this info via ADB somehow.
My only other option is to go through hours of phone tech support with TMO since regular customer service gave up. I would like to avoid wasting a half day. I would rather spend the time trying to figure it out myself instead of telling a TMO tech-support person "I can't take the God-damn battery out of the phone...do you know anything about your own branded devices??!!"
Thanks...
Sent from my HTC One-S (rooted), stock ROM

syntropic said:
I know this has been discussed before, but I am looking for new ideas. My problem is that due to $!#&@ TMO (I doubt this is HTC 's doing) I cannot change my voicemail from "My Carrier" to Google Voice!!
I have tried everything. In fact supposedly everything should work correctly right now. When I look at Settings>>Call>>Forwarding, all of the forwarding numbers (I.e., when busy, or no answer, etc) all forward to my GV number...and this is what T-Mobile tells me too (as if throwing their hands up in the air in exasperation). BUT, my voicemail number still says "My Carrier"
I keep racking my brain trying to figure out why this doesn't take when I enter *004*xxxxxxxxxx#. It attempts to change it, but then less than a second later I get an error. The only thing I can think of is that the TMO voicemail number still shows on my SIM card.
I don't have a SIM card reader other than this phone. So I was wondering if anyone knows how I could change this info via ADB somehow.
My only other option is to go through hours of phone tech support with TMO since regular customer service gave up. I would like to avoid wasting a half day. I would rather spend the time trying to figure it out myself instead of telling a TMO tech-support person "I can't take the God-damn battery out of the phone...do you know anything about your own branded devices??!!"
Thanks...
Sent from my HTC One-S (rooted), stock ROM
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Service related issues like no data or the inability to make calls is their specialty. Software issues like freezing, crashing and touchscreen issues they can assist, but when it comes to an OS that doesn't allow you to change the Voicemail number natively, thats not something that t-mobile can override let alone be at fault.
It's crazy how many people believe that the carrier is at fault for not being able to integrate a third party service or feature into their phones. Remember T-mobile is a carrier not a manufacturer. They didn't develop the OS or manufacture the device. [I just want to help put this in perspective.]
The only way this is going to be resolved is if Google develops an app that will override the default vm number. Aside from this, the only thing left is rooting your phone and finding a hack to change the number.
Im not trying to troll your post or anything. Just trying to lead you in the right direction.

It doesn't really matter if your phone says "My Carrier" or "Google Voice"...if you have GV installed, it should still handle your voicemail. You can call T-Mobile and have your conditional forwarding number manually changed on their end to your GV number but the phone will still say "My Carrier". There is a trick though...if you select Google Voice, wait a sec, then hit Home before you get the Failed message, when you go back in the call settings it will say Google Voice...Mine does!

hybridmonk said:
Service related issues like no data or the inability to make calls is their specialty. Software issues like freezing, crashing and touchscreen issues they can assist, but when it comes to an OS that doesn't allow you to change the Voicemail number natively, thats not something that t-mobile can override let alone be at fault.
It's crazy how many people believe that the carrier is at fault for not being able to integrate a third party service or feature into their phones. Remember T-mobile is a carrier not a manufacturer. They didn't develop the OS or manufacture the device. [I just want to help put this in perspective.]
The only way this is going to be resolved is if Google develops an app that will override the default vm number. Aside from this, the only thing left is rooting your phone and finding a hack to change the number.
Im not trying to troll your post or anything. Just trying to lead you in the right direction.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think you are trolling, I just don't think you have your eyes wide open. Ask yourself... If the galaxy nexus from Sprint (also a carrier btw) can switch to Google Voice without a problem... Or even my TMO Androids in the past could switch from "My Carrier" (<<--hint hint, there is a test on this!) to Google Voice, but now suddenly on this new flagship TMO Android, I can't seem to switch it over... we have to ask ourselves the obvious question: if this could be done before, but now it can no longer be done, who stands to benefit from preventing Google Voice from being used instead of "My Carrier"? Ummmm.... Could it be MY CARRIER????
And please, I am not aware of the motivation which allowed your common sense to get off 3 bus stops ago but although TMO is not a manufacturer, do you think that HTC, out of some altruistic code of capitalistic benevolence, decided to generously install onto the One-S: Access My T-Mobile, T-Mobile Mall, MobileLife Contacts, Visual Voicemail, Bonus Apps, CarrierIQ, T-Mobile TV, Zinio, and Where's my Water? Each with their own HTC-designed garish magenta icons (where appropriate)? Or that HTC chose to make a many of these system apps and not regular uninstallable apps so that you needed to resort to ICS's "disable" feature (thank you Google), or, in the extreme case use Titanium Backup's 'Bloatware Melter' to rid your system of them?
Sure Google wrote the OS, and HTC was a little selfish in creating a mandatory integration of Sense into all Android phones (without having to root and flash another ROM which is not in everyone's ken), but I don't think Sense 4 is all that bad, so I commend them from removing their heavy hand at least compared to v. 3....
But without a doubt, the most greed-centric of this triad, T-Mobile, (while not a manufacturer, certainly has a few employees who can code I am sure), unilaterally directs, controls, or otherwise ordains that either HTC or another third party to integrate the above described software which has the sole purpose to create an unremoveable advertisement on your phone. This software therefore restricts, limits, egregiously impedes and restrains you from removing ~750MB from a phone which they marketed as having almost 30% more internal RAM then reality thereby duping the unenlightened masses from having full functionality of the phone they just spent $600 on.
Yeah.... You are right good sir!! T-Mobile is only a carrier... They would never try to make it difficult for a user to remove a component from the phone that only brings them value...you know such as their voicemail and visual voicemail.
I just must be a conspiracy nut.
P.S. My phone is rooted.
Sent from my HTC One-S (rooted), stock ROM

el_smurfo said:
It doesn't really matter if your phone says "My Carrier" or "Google Voice"...if you have GV installed, it should still handle your voicemail. You can call T-Mobile and have your conditional forwarding number manually changed on their end to your GV number but the phone will still say "My Carrier". There is a trick though...if you select Google Voice, wait a sec, then hit Home before you get the Failed message, when you go back in the call settings it will say Google Voice...Mine does!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow that worked....Incredible.

syntropic said:
I don't think you are trolling, I just don't think you have your eyes wide open. Ask yourself... If the galaxy nexus from Sprint (also a carrier btw) can switch to Google Voice without a problem... Or even my TMO Androids in the past could switch from "My Carrier" (<<--hint hint, there is a test on this!) to Google Voice, but now suddenly on this new flagship TMO Android, I can't seem to switch it over... we have to ask ourselves the obvious question: if this could be done before, but now it can no longer be done, who stands to benefit from preventing Google Voice from being used instead of "My Carrier"? Ummmm.... Could it be MY CARRIER????
And please, I am not aware of the motivation which allowed your common sense to get off 3 bus stops ago but although TMO is not a manufacturer, do you think that HTC, out of some altruistic code of capitalistic benevolence, decided to generously install onto the One-S: Access My T-Mobile, T-Mobile Mall, MobileLife Contacts, Visual Voicemail, Bonus Apps, CarrierIQ, T-Mobile TV, Zinio, and Where's my Water? Each with their own HTC-designed garish magenta icons (where appropriate)? Or that HTC chose to make a many of these system apps and not regular uninstallable apps so that you needed to resort to ICS's "disable" feature (thank you Google), or, in the extreme case use Titanium Backup's 'Bloatware Melter' to rid your system of them?
Sure Google wrote the OS, and HTC was a little selfish in creating a mandatory integration of Sense into all Android phones (without having to root and flash another ROM which is not in everyone's ken), but I don't think Sense 4 is all that bad, so I commend them from removing their heavy hand at least compared to v. 3....
But without a doubt, the most greed-centric of this triad, T-Mobile, (while not a manufacturer, certainly has a few employees who can code I am sure), unilaterally directs, controls, or otherwise ordains that either HTC or another third party to integrate the above described software which has the sole purpose to create an unremoveable advertisement on your phone. This software therefore restricts, limits, egregiously impedes and restrains you from removing ~750MB from a phone which they marketed as having almost 30% more internal RAM then reality thereby duping the unenlightened masses from having full functionality of the phone they just spent $600 on.
Yeah.... You are right good sir!! T-Mobile is only a carrier... They would never try to make it difficult for a user to remove a component from the phone that only brings them value...you know such as their voicemail and visual voicemail.
I just must be a conspiracy nut.
P.S. My phone is rooted.
Sent from my HTC One-S (rooted), stock ROM
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice rant...not useful, but I hope you feel better...meanwhile the OP has solved his problem..

el_smurfo said:
Nice rant...not useful, but I hope you feel better...meanwhile the OP has solved his problem..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well the rant has its foundations in a valid customer complaint...you just happen to trigger it. I like TMO, as they by and large area more hacker friendly and usually their plan prices + things like Wi-Fi calling raise them far above their competitors. But it is with 100% certainty that they read these boards and know we are above average customers... Who love the hardware but appreciate them just the same. Would it be unreasonable (I am serious... Is this just too honest for a carrier to do?) To have them offer a clean Sense only version for $60 more? I didn't run the math, but it would allow them to (i) expose a practice their customers hate but that all carriers take part in for purposes of revenue generation, (II) give customers the option of getting a "better" phone without these space-stealing, CPU-hogging apps or services and still make the money up on the front end?
I know why they might be disinclined... Because it would draw focus to the fact that--just like IE in Windows NT, they would be sharing on thin ice by forcing users to use it even tolerate these apps. This in turn would expose all carriers to the scrutiny of the public (and maybe even draw official inquiries) on these issues forcing them to probably remove them, however, they would have little justification for raising the price (if they were forced to stop this practice I mean).
They all got into a little hot water over CarrierIQ, and overall, they are pushing it again with these flagrant "value-added" non-removable (and possibly illegal) pieces of software..simply for revenue at the expense of the customer; it's really a bad business practice. If they had any integrity, they would continue to act pro-customer as they have been (comparatively) thus far and try to make the word "carrier" not such an offensive one.. in other words, be different. Stop doing it, and advertise that they have stopped. Tell the truth.
Sent from my HTC One-S (rooted), stock ROM

syntropic said:
Well the rant has its foundations in a valid customer complaint...you just happen to trigger it. I like TMO, as they by and large area more hacker friendly and usually their plan prices + things like Wi-Fi calling raise them far above their competitors. But it is with 100% certainty that they read these boards and know we are above average customers... Who love the hardware but appreciate them just the same. Would it be unreasonable (I am serious... Is this just too honest for a carrier to do?) To have them offer a clean Sense only version for $60 more? I didn't run the math, but it would allow them to (i) expose a practice their customers hate but that all carriers take part in for purposes of revenue generation, (II) give customers the option of getting a "better" phone without these space-stealing, CPU-hogging apps or services and still make the money up on the front end?
I know why they might be disinclined... Because it would draw focus to the fact that--just like IE in Windows NT, they would be sharing on thin ice by forcing users to use it even tolerate these apps. This in turn would expose all carriers to the scrutiny of the public (and maybe even draw official inquiries) on these issues forcing them to probably remove them, however, they would have little justification for raising the price (if they were forced to stop this practice I mean).
They all got into a little hot water over CarrierIQ, and overall, they are pushing it again with these flagrant "value-added" non-removable (and possibly illegal) pieces of software..simply for revenue at the expense of the customer; it's really a bad business practice. If they had any integrity, they would continue to act pro-customer as they have been (comparatively) thus far and try to make the word "carrier" not such an offensive one.. in other words, be different. Stop doing it, and advertise that they have stopped. Tell the truth.
Sent from my HTC One-S (rooted), stock ROM
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, the did allow HTC to retain the "disable" on most of the bloat, so all we're really talking about here is Carrier IQ, pushing their own voicemail service and a few other little items...I'd say pretty good compared to the red themed monstrosities I used to get from Verizon.

[Q] Can I root but still have most of Android/Samsung experience too?

I am accustomed to using and working within the generic android environment. I generally like it. I am pretty much exclusively a Samsung guy but I just recently got my wife a G3. I have read all the things about how I can make my phone lightning quick without all the bloatware and I can be entitled to all the event driven programming that stock android allows me but I have to say, I 90% like what I get out of the box. Sure, there are little annoyances that come up but mostly what I want to gain is the 10%. I don't want to reinvent the wheel and put in a new launcher and then have to get accustomed to a whole new way of doing things. Or worse, my camera might not work as well etc.
I am mostly sold. I don't care about voided warranties. I am going to drop $800 on a Note 4 in the coming weeks when it finally rolls out and frankly I would like to really access the power of that processor and ram (whether it is 3 or 4 gigs - only Samsung knows right now). A big part of my buying the phone is the compatibility with the SPen. I am a business man so it would negate me buying it, to root it and then see the SPen go bye bye. In short, this phone is to be a simple tool for my business but I am afraid of what I am about to get.
Let me go back a bit. Last week, I bought my wife a G3. Another top of the line phone. I bought it and am considering the note 4 for the same reason, they can do split screens. I thought I might be able to do limitedly with the phone on the go what I do with my laptop, drag and drop from email to email, files. The note 4 is going to be a powerful phone but who knows if we are there yet. Regardless, from these forums and around the net, it seem the technology is there. So what is there to do? I like the bulk of Samsung's programming but it really angered me when I started toying with the LG G3 and I discovered that I could not open all apps in their duel mode. I mean what the H E double hockeysticks! How does LG know what I would find valuable to have open at once?
So, I am committed to the Note 4 because I know I will get top of the line. I am assuming that I am going to be restricted from using the phone like I want, like the LG and will be faced with: to root or not to root. What I am saying is, can I root the phone and still keep all the stuff I like? yes I know one of you nifty busy-bodies have not even gotten your hands on the phone yet to discover how to mess with it and get by knoks etc but do you feel my pain and understand my quandary?
It is not that I am afraid to root. I am adventurous at heart but I need to make money. I am a business man. I don't make money by the hour but by the opportunity. When I see something that can help me be productive, I try to implement it into my way of doing things. I like tinkering like you guys. I appreciate you but I only have limit time to do these things, otherwise they become distractions. So I don't have hours to figure out why my main camera is now only taking selfies on the face of the phone instead or why the SPen doesn't work. I want what I want but the move needs to make sense to me.
So the basic question is: if I go down this path (with any phone) can I root and still have touchwiz experience, for instance just so I can mess with the phone ever so slightly? A side question would be - am I going to find many disadvantages for the right of having full control of my phone such as having to update the phone or having bugs? I guess, the simple short question is: Do the challenges outweigh the benefits?
I have currently an old S2 that is working. I am using a galaxy LTE awaiting, the note 4. But, I assume I am going to get pretty angry when I find that an $800+ phone won't what a hack can make it do. I just don't want to lose everything else for the sake of one entitlement. So, I can practice seeing what it is like doing these things with my S2 or even my recent LTE. I just have not seen anyone bring this up. People go on about the romance of blanking out a phone for total freedom but they don't tell me much about how close the new launchers are going to be to what I am used to.
Thanks, community for all that you develop. You are cool. I only wish I had countless hours to mess around with this stuff but money has to be made. Believe me, I am looking for any excuse to have a "lightning fast" phone or to do some funky things like you guys do, but give me the war stories. Tell me if I have to decide to compromise. Recommend a launcher maybe. Yes I know the Note can't even be developed yet but it will someday. Anyway, thanks.

I'm not sure you understand exactly what root does. Root gives you "root" level access, aka Superuser, aka Administrator access. Think of Android like a computer in a public library. Lots of things (settings, certain programs, certain directories mainly) are locked down and inaccessible by people who don't have the password or an admin account, because they don't want people messing around with them. Android is the same way. Many (most?) people think of smartphones as just that - phones. They don't think of it as a computer, even though that's exactly what it is, in every aspect of the word. Without restrictions, it would be very, very easy for the average user to completely screw up their phone.
And that is why Android comes with these restrictions (which carriers exploit to install unremovable apps). Rooting your phone removes many of these restrictions, which is also why rooting typically voids your warranty. You might want to root to get rid of useless bloatware like NFL Mobile or Verizon Navigation or Samsung's browser because you only use Chrome. But it's just as easy to (accidentally or stupidly) delete a core Android program, and now your phone is stuck in a crash loop and you've got a $700 battery powered paper weight.
That said, root gives you Superuser access. And that's it. Root doesn't change anything, for better or worse.
It's what you do with that access that matters. Freezing/deleting bloatware that would otherwise be constantly running in the background can improve your phone's performance. You can install the Xposed framework to clear up your notification panel and status bar, add functionality to your buttons, and port features from other brands to work on yours. Tasker is a very powerful (and very confusing) app that you can use to make your phone do things automatically depending on where you are, when it is, etc. You can block ads within games and browsers. You can do back-ups of your apps and data and share them between devices, or when moving from and old phone to a new one. With root sometimes you can bypass restrictions imposed by the carrier because they want to milk you for more money (like wifi hotspot).
I'm also not certain you understand what a launcher is. The launcher is merely the interface. Homescreens, app drawer, dock, icons, etc. I honestly don't know what a 3rd party launcher like Nova, Apex, or Go does to S-Pen functionality on the Note series. But it's merely a different interface, which can be disabled or uninstalled without issue.
What you might be thinking of is the ROM itself. ROM is a bit of a misnomer (meaning Read Only Memory, like a CD_ROM or DVD-ROM), but in the Android world, the ROM is what we have taken to call the operating system. For example, a TouchWiz ROM is heavily modified, and very different than the ROM of a Nexus, which is 100% "stock" Android. Then you have custom ROMs like Cyanogenmod. Installing a different ROM on your Note 4 will absolutely kill your S-Pen functionality, unless it's based on the stock N4 ROM (for example, stock, but debloated, streamlined, and tweaked a bit) and retains those features that Samsung built into it.
With a launcher you can make one phone's homescreen and app drawer look like another's. But when you go into the settings, they'll look different, because that's the ROM, not the launcher you're looking at.
One thing to nota bene is that Samsung has become increasingly restrictive about root and unlocked bootloaders. An unlocked bootloader is required to flash a different ROM (although running different ROMs in Safestrap is usually still possible). Samsung flagships from AT&T and Verizon are notoriously restricted. Google "towelroot" to find out just how restrictive they're getting. Of the "big 4" US carriers, T-Mobile is undoubtedly the least restrictive. With AT&T and T-Mo you also have the option to buy an "unlocked" device, but you won't get the pay-over-time benefits of a subsidy or payment plan. "Unlocked" refers to carrier compatibility, not the bootloader (although carrier unlocked phones are typically easier to unlock the bootloader). But if you subsidize a phone from VZW or AT&T, particularly one from the Samsung Note or Galaxy S line, it's entirely possible that root might never be achieved, or might take a long time. We're talking about rooting a phone that isn't even out yet, and we have no idea what kind of "security" measures are in store.
Root is a powerful tool, but the most powerful tool for your phone other than root is knowledge. Read, read, read, read, ask some questions, and read and read. Find some "for dummies" guides and read those. Watch some youtube videos. The problem with XDA, if there is one, is that stuff like this doesn't have a learning "curve" so much as a learning "sheer cliff made of buttered ice". Lots of acronyms, jargon, technical terms, and other gibberish. Grab some coffee or Red Bull, and start learning.

Hoping for suggestions on cracking a T-Mobile lock off my S8+

I swore-off androids (ADHD makes smartphones a very bad distraction for some, especially me) but my friend got a "buy one, get one" deal on the S8+ and, after putting a small edge-crack in the first one, just put it aside - she ended up giving it to me.
With her pins I removed the samsung/google accounts and did a hard-reset, then updated the system- my understanding was that, after doing this, that the phone would be 'open' for switching providers, so expect this is a different level of 'lock' (after hard-resetting, there was an App called 'device unlock', I had to connect to my wifi to get an answer and it said 'no', to contact customer service)
Am unsure if she can get them to unlock it, but even that is a major PITA (we don't see each other often nor do we live nearby), and I half-expect they're going to say 'no' to her anyways if she's trying to get them to let a 3rd party use it on a different carrier. So, I want/may-have-to crack it to get around this and while I'm guessing that a custom ROM will bypass this, I've read enough about there being something on the chip that'll be irrevocably 'tripped' when rooting the phone before flashing ROM's, and that once tripped it can't be undone and causes issues....so am wary!
There's also the idea of just flashing the regular G955U1 firmware but even w/ that I'm unsure if it'll 'trip' whatever the chip's protection from rooting is, I'd really like to get my service (Tracfone) onto it before doing more aggressive 'minimalization' of the system as I'd like to mess-around w/ a new android OS for a bit just to check it out (last time I used android, towelroot was the premiere go-to...that should give an idea how long it's been!)
Any/all ideas or tips or just keywords to get me pointed in the right direction would be incredibly appreciated, have spent many hours this week trying to get this thing working w/ my service, am awaiting my 2nd SIM card (my old phone, via Tracfone, was using verizon towers- so if I want to keep my #, I have to use the Verizon SIM they've mailed me that should be here any day) and, after that re-set, I'm expecting that even the new SIM will not be enough to get it working properly :/
(Something I think is important to point out, though it could be a fluke- during one of my tech-support sessions w/ the people at my carrier(Tracfone), the first one actually, we ended the call *thinking* it was fixed - the tech had finished on his end, asked me to make a call w/ the S8+, I called my landline and sure enough my phone# was calling my landline (via the S8+), however the tech said there were still issues and that he'd work on them, to call back in 24hrs. After hanging-up, I started testing and the first thing I did was to *call* my cell# from the landline and, sure enough, the old phone started ringing (the old phone is CDMA so it wasn't like I'd pulled its SIM), am unsure if I should take this to mean that it just let me dial-out as a fluke (I hadn't hard-reset the handset yet) or if it went wrong another way, but I *was* able to make a single outgoing call from the S8+ with my # so am getting the impression the lock isn't *that* unbeatable!)

Do a google search for UnlockUnit(.)com and check if your S8 qualifies to be unlocked.

Thank you!!
RossTeagan said:
Do a google search for UnlockUnit(.)com and check if your S8 qualifies to be unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TBH that seems sketchy to me but it's a fail-safe/last-ditch effort I'll do if/when the time comes....
I just got a 30d temp-unlock from t-mobile (after a conference call w/ them & my friend the prior owner & myself), so right now am thinking *maybe* I can do things as far as cracking that lock that i couldn't have before....I don't care if I hobble the phone, I only care if the cracked unit can do talk/text, if it loses data I'm fine with that (honestly I'd be looking for the most minimalist ROM if/when I get my non-t-mobile service onto this thing, am a linux person and hoping they've got linux-esque rom's at this point!)((yes, I know android is based off linux I just mean putting a super-minimalist 'basic mode' *nix setup, that'd be my ideal!!))
I know there's a 'trip' on the logic-board on the CPU but my understanding is that tripping it only ruins the ability to get samsung updates and things of that nature, but that it *does not* ruin the ability of the handset to call/text, or use wifi....am still just thinking there *has* to be a way to crack this thing if I'm willing to lose-out on every feature besides talk/text, honestly I've been considering going to this t-mobile location that I suspect is a franchise in a 'ghetto' area near me and trying to just slip their tech $50 or something to unlock it! Though I'd much rather just crack it at-home so I can have higher assurance it's not merely this 'temporary unlock' feature and that I actually get it truly carrier-unlocked....hate that they went so far to lock it out but am having trouble thinking it's unbeatable!
(regarding the pay-for-unlock-code types of operations like you linked, do you know of others' experiences like how reliable a service it is, something more like 50/50 or 95% reliable? Have read an anecdote of someone unlocking one that way, only for the handset to be locked again a month later.....presumably they paid for a temp-unlock, thinking it was a permanent one- but permanent is all that these services seem to imply they do!)