So, at the risk of voiding his terms a service, “a friend of mine” has spent the last few weeks with a rooted (read that as hacked) Android phone. Running the CyanogenMod firmware “my friend” has freed himself from the bloatware that is part of his provider’s pre-installed apps. He’s noticed a significant uptick in speed, a bump in battery life, and the ability to access the hotspot ability once reserved for those with extra cash in their pocket to pay for it.