Reply To: Samsung Tablets

[Spastic Hamburger]

Rooting does give you more access to the underlying Linux system and lets you do things you wouldn’t otherwise be able to do, such as interface with your computer. It’s mostly for tinkerers and not all devices are easily rootable. In order to continue to update the software, you’ll need to unlock the bootloader and then install a custom ROM which will wipe the system. I’m not sure if that requires rooting or not, though.

Yeah, e-waste is a big problem. Fortunately, there are recycling programs that exist (not too widespread, sadly). Generally, it’s recommended to contact the manufacturer to see what their recycling recommendations are. Often, you need to send them off somewhere which isn’t always practical.

It’s best to keep the old device online until you transfer all the credentials over. Newer devices do have a data transfer tool that will copy most things over but you’ll still need to set up some of the accounts afterwards 🙂