Android Firmware, ROM and Kernel
In 2014, the increasingly booming smartphone users, ranging from children to adults almost all of them have such smart devices. Generally, the prices of cheap smartphones increasingly become a factor of proliferation for smartphone users. Because Android is an open source smartphone OS that is freely modified according to the needs of the user. For those who are familiar with Android may be familiar with the terms firmware, ROM, and kernel. Firmware is a read-only OS that is fixed and the user does not have access to modify the data. Modification of Firmware is still possible, just not as easy as normal usage.
ROM stands for Read – Only Memory. ROM technically refers to the storage media of a device which contains a file from the operating system that does not need to be changed at all during normal operation of the device. Therefore, from the definition of the ROM, such instructions are stored in Read- only memory, Which functions more like a non-rewriteable CD or DVD, to make sure no changes are made to the instruction because it can make the device does not function well . This concept is different from the hard drive, solid-state drive or flash storage on the PC that allows complete access to the activities of the read / write the data, even in the storage area that contains the OS files. Both the term Firmware and ROM basically refer to the same thing and can be used interchangeably when applied to a particular device.
When it comes to smartphones and tablets, the term refers to the firmware ROM is stored in the internal memory of the gadget, the internal memory is different from the internal memory where the general application or the data stored. If you are still confused different ROM and internal memory capacity on your device, you can take the example of the information contained in the application Titanium Backup. In the main view of this Android you can see the information capacity of the System ROM, Internal and SD card of your device. As described above, to change the ROM, it requires special procedures to make modifications.
Kernel is the core of an existing OS that is its main function is the link between hardware and software or an application used. Kernel charges Driver, Power Management, etc. Kernel is therefore not large enough to directly impact the performance of the Smartphone itself. Kernel can also be referred to as the heart of the operating system. The operations are run by the OS is processed by the kernel. The Android kernel can also be modified. And will certainly bring benefits to the operating system or custom ROM itself. Usually, people are developing their customized kernel with its custom ROM. We cannot just replace our kernel with other kernels that are not recommended by the manufacturer of custom ROM. at the moment we are flashing a custom ROM on Android handsets, in the custom rom itself, there is already available kernel. And sometimes the kernel has been modified. However, not all handsets provide a custom kernel.