What do these mean: "Modem," "Kernel," etc. (in Android context)"
The word 'ROM' is typically used in the smartphone world to refer to
the base firmware of a device as a package. The base operating system,
the firmware that runs the radios for voice, data, GPS, FM radio,
bluetooth, etc. in the phone (often referred to as the 'radio' or
'modem' component of the firmware), plus any software that the person or
company that created the 'ROM' decided to include all comprise a
'ROM.' The name is a throwback to the computing term, 'Read Only
Memory,' which is computer memory that is read from often but seldom (if
ever) written to. It's not entirely the correct terminology, but it's
been embraced by the community and has therefore become part of
phone-modding lexicon. The three distinct parts of a ROM (or firmware)
are the kernel, the modem (or radio) firmware, and the rest of the OS,
commonly referred-to as the 'ROM.' Confusing, I know.
'Flashing' is the act of updating/replacing software on the device while the operating system is not running. It's a throwback to a term that is typically used to describe the act of writing data to read-only memory. Flashing software on an Android device can typically done via USB using a computer (on the Vibrant the software used is called Odin, although there is a community-created package called Heimdall as well). Many ROMs (or firmwares) can also be flashed via a mini-operating system built into the device that's commonly referred-to as Recovery Mode. Using an enhanced Recovery Mode like Clockwork Mod Recovery (downloadable from the Market and usable if you root your device) you can flash many ROMs directly from your phone's SD card without using a computer.
A 'kernel' is the low-level core of a computer operating system. It typically handles things like memory management, access to hardware devices installed on the system, threading (juggling multiple processes being crunched by the system simultaneously), etc. The role of the kernel varies a little from OS to OS, but in essence it's a layer of abstraction between the hardware (CPU, memory, and other hardware) and the application software running in/on the operating system.
Modem firmware is usually interchangeable between 'ROMs' and can affect performance of radios on the device, signal strength, data speeds, etc. The modem can also affect battery life by causing the radio hardware in the device to be more or less demanding on the battery. Kernels are somewhat interchangeable between 'ROMs,' but unless a pairing of a ROM and kernel has been tested there is a chance to run into problems or even 'soft-brick' your device (causing the main OS to be unable to boot on its own). When this happens on the Vibrant the device can be recovered nearly 100% of the time (if not 100%) by flashing a known good and complete firmware (like the stock T-Mobile firmware for Vibrant, for example) via Odin or Heimdall. The kernel has the most potential to affect overall performance and battery life of the device, although settings in the rest of the ROM can have an effect on these things as well.
credit : Dex1701
Source : http://forums.t-mobile.com/t5/Samsung-Vibrant/What-do-these-mean-quot-Modem-quot-quot-Kernel-quot-etc-in/td-p/756017
'Flashing' is the act of updating/replacing software on the device while the operating system is not running. It's a throwback to a term that is typically used to describe the act of writing data to read-only memory. Flashing software on an Android device can typically done via USB using a computer (on the Vibrant the software used is called Odin, although there is a community-created package called Heimdall as well). Many ROMs (or firmwares) can also be flashed via a mini-operating system built into the device that's commonly referred-to as Recovery Mode. Using an enhanced Recovery Mode like Clockwork Mod Recovery (downloadable from the Market and usable if you root your device) you can flash many ROMs directly from your phone's SD card without using a computer.
A 'kernel' is the low-level core of a computer operating system. It typically handles things like memory management, access to hardware devices installed on the system, threading (juggling multiple processes being crunched by the system simultaneously), etc. The role of the kernel varies a little from OS to OS, but in essence it's a layer of abstraction between the hardware (CPU, memory, and other hardware) and the application software running in/on the operating system.
Modem firmware is usually interchangeable between 'ROMs' and can affect performance of radios on the device, signal strength, data speeds, etc. The modem can also affect battery life by causing the radio hardware in the device to be more or less demanding on the battery. Kernels are somewhat interchangeable between 'ROMs,' but unless a pairing of a ROM and kernel has been tested there is a chance to run into problems or even 'soft-brick' your device (causing the main OS to be unable to boot on its own). When this happens on the Vibrant the device can be recovered nearly 100% of the time (if not 100%) by flashing a known good and complete firmware (like the stock T-Mobile firmware for Vibrant, for example) via Odin or Heimdall. The kernel has the most potential to affect overall performance and battery life of the device, although settings in the rest of the ROM can have an effect on these things as well.
credit : Dex1701
Source : http://forums.t-mobile.com/t5/Samsung-Vibrant/What-do-these-mean-quot-Modem-quot-quot-Kernel-quot-etc-in/td-p/756017
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