Congratulations, you've successfully gained root access to your Android device, maybe even using CNET's how to root your Android video as a guide. Now comes the hard part: installing a customized version of Android. We've got that covered in a video, but be careful: this one's for advanced users only.

Before we begin, let's review some of the reasons you might want to install and run a custom Android ROM. It's highly likely that there are Android features your phone company or hardware manufacturer has decided won't get pushed to your device, and many custom ROMs provide those. There are also features that modders have introduced into ROMs that aren't included on stock Android builds, such as adding a reboot option to the power button instead of just turning off the phone.

You're also likely to get significantly better performance from a custom ROM, especially when you load up your own kernel. Custom ROMs often support interface modifications such as themes, too. Basically, you get more control over your phone.

Oh, and in case you didn't know this by now: rooting your phone voids your warranty. Installing a custom ROM pretty much obliterates it. There are a few methods for downgrading your phone back to stock, and though they're not simple, CNET TV has a How To do that, too.

The custom ROM used in this video is CyanogenMod, which is in use on more than 125,000 Android devices and is one of the most popular ROMs. I'm going to install it on my colleague Antuan Goodwin's old Droid 1, mostly because that's the first spare phone that showed up. ROMs can be tricky things, so be careful that you use what I tell you here as more of an introduction or loose guideline for how to install a custom ROM. Definitely look up how to install the ROM of your choosing on your specific device.

To get started, create a backup of your system. Download and run a backup app like Titanium Backup, then download the ROM Manager app from the Market--either free or paid will do. Tap the app and then choose Flash ClockworkMod Recovery. Tap Motorola Droid and then give the app root permission, if prompted.

If the app crashes, just allow it to force close and run it again. If the flash was successful, you'll see a box that reads, "Successfully flashed ClockworkMod Recovery." ClockworkMod Recovery is a customized version of the Android default Recovery screen, and it allows for more choices such as Nandroid backups.

If you've bought the premium version of ROM Manager, there's a slightly automated way to do this. Jump into the app and select Download ROM. Tap CyanogenMod, and be sure to check the Google Apps option. After the install you can Backup Existing ROM and Wipe Data and Cache. If the Superuser asks for root permissions at all during the process, be sure to check Remember and Allow. From there, your Droid will reboot into recovery, wipe your data and cache, then install Cyanogen. When the install finishes, it will reboot directly into CyanogenMod.

If you didn't buy the ROM Manager premium, you can still install a ROM relatively easily. Go to CyanogenMod.com and download the latest version. If you use Google apps like Gmail, also download the Google Apps package. Cyanogen decided to spin off the Google-sourced apps to avoid rights conflicts with Google. Then connect your phone to your computer, enable USB mode, and place both the Cyanogen and Google Apps ZIPs in the root directory of your SD card.

Next, boot into ClockworkMod Recovery by turning off the phone, and restarting it holding down the X key along with the power button. Use the D-pad to navigate. Choose Wipe Data/factory reset, then Wipe cache partition, then Install ZIP from SD card. Select Choose ZIP from SD card, then go for the CyanogenMod update DOT zip. Then install the Google Apps update DOT zip. Once the installation has finished, select GO BACK to return to the main menu, and choose Reboot Now. Your phone ought to boot into CyanogenMod.

If it fails the first time but you can still navigate, reboot it again. Of course, if it doesn't do anything at all, you've probably got yourself a pretty little brick.

Sure, you can watch movies and TV shows on your iPhone or iPad, but there's always a catch--usually a monetary one. Hulu and Netflix cost money. PlayOn costs money and requires you to leave your PC on. The ABC Player is iPad-only and, well, ABC-only.

Enter Crackle, a new app that lets you watch dozens of TV shows and a couple hundred movies, all free of charge (but with ads, natch).

Available for iPhone, iPod, and iPad (the app is universal), Crackle delivers much of (but not all) the same content as its eponymous Web service. On the TV side, you'll find shows like "10 Items or Less," "Barney Miller," "Charlie's Angels," and AMC's new "The Killing."

Unfortunately, a lot of the available series are merely "minisodes," not full eps. At the risk of sounding ungrateful, I don't want 5 minutes and 30 seconds' worth of "Fat Albert"--I want the whole show. Hey, hey, hey!

On the plus side, Crackle recently added a batch of classic "Seinfeld" episodes, and plans to swap them for 10 different ones every month. I'm literally pausing my writing every few minutes so I can get back to watching "The Chinese Restaurant."

As for movies, they're mostly older titles, and mostly a mix of B-, C-, and D-grade stuff. I don't watch "Big Daddy" or "Joe Dirt" on cable, so I'm certainly not going to watch them here. What's more, a lot of the listed movies aren't full-length, but rather batches of clips. (Thankfully, you can filter the list to show only full-length titles.)

That said, there are a few gems to choose from: "Ghostbusters," "Easy Rider," "Starman," "Dr. Strangelove," and "A Few Good Men" are among those worth your time. (Underrated gem: "Go.")

The app is easy to use, smart enough to resume playback if you have to leave in the middle, and able to stream over 3G and Wi-Fi alike.

And did I mention it's free? Sure, the selection could be better, but if you're looking for something to watch and don't want to pay Apple, Hulu, or anybody else, Crackle can definitely keep you entertained.

While we're on the subject of streaming video, check out these related posts:

Watch recorded TV shows on your iPhone

PBS for iPhone streams public-TV shows for free

PlayOn Mobile hits the App Store

Hands-on look: Hulu Plus for iPhone, iPad

Originally posted at iPhone Atlas

As an avid Evernote user, I've really enjoyed watching both the service and its Android application evolve. That's why I was pleased today when I learned that the latest update would add security options, a new widget, and shared notebooks.

Likely to be the most welcome feature is the new ability to collaborate on notebooks using an Android phone or tablet. Mobile users now can search shared notebooks from other Evernote customers directly from their device, with full editing and sync capabilities. The person sharing the notebook must be a Premium subscriber to use the editing feature, but when you add in the other features that come with a Premium account (offline support, larger file size, note history), it becomes even more difficult to pass on the $5-per-month charge.

Evernote now gives users the ability to share notes, tasks, and more across Facebook, Gmail, and other apps. Much like the "share" option found in most Android apps, Evernote now lets you export your content to your favorite social networking and messaging clients.

Notebooks get a significant boost with the enhanced searching, creation, and editing. No longer confined to the desktop Web experience, Android users can create and edit notebooks on the go. And if you have a bunch of notebooks and notes, you'll be happy to know that your results are filtered based on where you are searching.

Care to see where you were when you created notes or took pictures? Luckily, the new Evernote allows for this, and more. Although tagging locations with your notes isn't new, the option to view them on a map is. This can be a handy feature when taking a business trip or vacation since you can add text to go along with those photos. What's more, you can enhance existing notes by adding location to them with a simple edit and the drop of a placement pin.

Finally, security-minded Premium users can lock the app with a PIN. The desktop widget still works the same as before with quick access to creating new tasks and pictures, but you just can't view your notes until you enter the PIN.

Originally posted at Android Atlas

First unveiled last October, Microsoft Office 365 is now officially available as a public beta. The service combines Office Web Apps with hosted versions of Exchange, SharePoint, and new collaboration product Lync, in an attempt to offer businesses a cloud-based alternative to some of its traditional desktop and server products.

For the security buffs in the house, this week also saw the release of Symantec's Norton Internet Security 2012 beta and Norton AntiVirus 2012 beta. The updates, while not ground-breaking, are definitely noteworthy, as support for Chrome has been added (a long-requested feature), and Insight 3.0, Download Insight 2.0, and Sonar 4.0 have all been improved.

Meanwhile, Mozilla has released a dev update of its own. More than a nightly build, but not quite a beta, the Firefox Aurora browser build walks somewhere in the middle of the road when it comes to stability and the latest innovative features.

And mobile users, be sure to check out this week's iPhone Picks as well as a fresh video walk-through for rooting your Android device.