After weeks of using the stock myTouch 3G Slide operating system, Android users can rejoice. The phone has been rooted by an enterprising modder known under the handle Eugene373. The rooting process is a bit involved and inelegant, but myTouch owners can finally have some more control over their device. So if you have decked out your device’s exterior with all of the myTouch 3G Slide accessories and myTouch 3g Slide cases available, you can now personalize its interior with a custom Android operating system. But just what is rooting, however, and what does this mean for the average user?

At its most basic, rooting a phone is essentially unshackling it from any arbitrary restrictions that the manufacturer or carrier has placed on it. Rooting allows you to modify system settings that may have previously been locked, enable additional features, and even install custom ROMs (basically operating systems). Now for a lot of phones (especially non-smartphones) rooting serves little to no purpose. With the Android operating system, however, rooting provides scores of new possibilities for customization and added functionality. A rooted Android operating system will allow you to change system settings, delete obnoxious applications that came with your phone, backup your files and texts, and even potentially overclock the phone’s cpu to reach new levels of performance!

Plus, a rooted Android phone allows you to install new applications that you may not otherwise be able to. For example, with a tethering app you would be able to use your myTouch 3g Slide as a wireless access point for other WiFi devices! Root access also enables you to use more advanced versions of common utilities such as memory managers and backup software. So if you have decided to protect your device from scratches with a myTouch 3g Slide screen protector, why not go all the way and protect its data as well with backup apps?

If you do decide to root your myTouch 3g Slide, just be careful. Rooting a phone is not without its risks. It does, after all, require that you access critical system files and that you be familiar with command prompt. If you happen to make a mistake while rooting, it could damage your phone irreparably. However, if the benefits of rooting outweigh the risks for you, go ahead and go through with it. If you follow the instructions that have been posted by the original modder on various Android sites and forums exactly, the entire rooting process should go smoothly.

So if custom Android operating systems, improved functionality, and additional killer apps appeal to you, you may want to consider rooting your myTouch 3g Slide. If, however, the entire process seems a bit daunting and your phone already does anything you could possibly want; that’s fine too. The myTouch 3g Slide is still an exceptional Android device regardless.