My Android Glossary

As the title says, this is my Android glossary. I'll update it as necessary. :)

custom recovery

All Android devices ship with a recovery image that is basically a partition on the device's internal memory and can be booted into. The stock recovery of almost all Android devices provides a few basic options, mainly to factory reset your device. A custom Android recovery basically replaces the stock recovery with one that lets you do all you can do with the stock recovery, plus a plethora of more options for maintenance and recovery tasks to give you a lot more control on your device. In PC terminology recovery can be compared to BIOS with some added features. The general method of installing a custom ROM is by flashing it using a custom recovery. An example of a custom recovery is ClockworkMod Recovery. Also note that flashing a custom recovery requires a rooted device.

firmware

The read-only operating system that stays "firmly" in the ROM without modification access to the users of the device.

flashing

A special procedure to install or modify the firmware on a device's protected flash memory.

flash memory

A non-volatile computer storage chip that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed. Non-volatile means the chip keeps the saved data even if the device power is off.

ROM

Random Access Memory, a kind of flash memory. The internal storage of the device containing the operating system instructions that need not be modified at all during normal operation. When it comes to smartphones and tablets, the term ROM is used to refer to the firmware.

root(ing)

Android is based on Linux and comes locked with only standard user access given to its user. This laid basis for many potential abilities remaining dormant. The name root comes from the Linux operating system world, where the most priveleged user on the system (otherwise known as Administrator on Windows) is called root. Rooting essentially means gaining root-level access to your device. In other words, by rooting you get complete control over your device which means you can overcome limitations that the carriers and manufacturers put on your phone. Rooting the phone typically also includes an application called Superuser that supervises which applications are granted root rights.

Sources:

AddictiveTips, Android Police, GSMArena.com, Wikipedia, XDA-Developers forum