Anti-Theft question

[japp]

What does it really mean: Root Installation. Install avast! Anti-Theft as rooted installation. THIS REQUIRES YOUR PHONE TO BE ROOTED.

Since I really don't understand what  this means/imply, I'm afraid of installing Anti-Theft.
Hope someone can explain this for me.

[Filip Havlicek]

Hi,

if you don't know what root is, just don't check the checkbox and all will be fine (if you check it and don't have rooted device, the installation will just fail at some point, no harm done).

Filip

[Werner]

Rooting is a process allowing users of mobile phones, tablet PCs, and other devices running the Android operating system to attain privileged control (known as "root access") within Android's subsystem. Rooting is often performed with the goal of overcoming limitations that carriers and hardware manufacturers put on some devices, resulting in the ability to alter or replace system applications and settings, run specialized apps that require administrator-level permissions.
These root privileges are needed for a few options within avast! Mobile Security - like the Firewall.
Please consult http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooting_%28Android_OS%29 for more information about rooted devices.

to find out how to root your device please perform an internet search:
<your device> root xda
you'll find good step-by-step-rooting-guides within the XDA developers forum. be aware that you will loose your warranty if you root the device and might damage it if you don't do everything right.

[Hermite15]

Android is a Linux OS. On Linux there are two access modes: as "root", ie as admin, or as "user". So a rooted Android phone means that you can access it with root privilege, ie admin rights. Now some features in Avast Mobile Security require that you have root access to your phone, which is not the case by default. Getting root access then, if you really want it, requires that you run some software first that will "unlock" your OS.

[japp]

Filip Havlicek, Werner and logos: Thank you for good information