BYTE -- Rooting your device is the first step toward gaining full control of it. And I say, you should make your phone your own. Here's how to do it.

I chose the Evo4G for rooting. For Sprint customers, the Evo4G is a great smartphone choice if you're looking for a big screen, snappy processor, and excellent hardware. And who isn't?

Here's how to root your Evo 4G using an Ubuntu Linux machine. First, download Unrevoked3 for Linux.

Unzip the contents of reflash.tar.gz either via command line or with a built-in archiving tool. Ubuntu uses Archive Manager as the default application for handling .tar.gz files. I recommend it.

Now for some prep work. You don't want to disturb the phone in any way while Unrevoked3 is doing its magic, right?

So first, make sure your Evo 4G's screen-dim feature is turned off. Do this now by going into Settings >> Display >> Screen Timeout and setting it to Never Turn Off.

It's also wise to put your phone in Airplane mode before you root it. Do this by going into Settings >> Wireless & network.

Check the Airplane mode box. This will shut off all wireless communication to your device and prevent anyone from calling or texting you during the rooting process.

Now plug in your Evo 4G via USB and select Charge Only mode.

Next, you'll need to enable USB Debugging. To do this, go into Settings >> Applications >> Development and check USB Debugging.

Finally, you need to open up a terminal to make sure that you have a root password set up. Skip this step of course if you've already set up a root password.

Type in the command: sudo passwd root

Then type your current password. The system will then prompt you to create a password for your root account. You'll need the root account and password for the rooting process.

Now that you have your root account password established, go to the directory where you unzipped reflash.tar.gz.

From there, type in the text: su

Hit Enter.

Type in your password when the system prompts you. Once logged in as root, type in: ./reflash

Hit Enter.

Now go do something for a few minutes while the rooting process begins and your phone goes through some changes. Don't sit and stare at it. Just walk away. It'll be fine.

After several minutes, you'll return to your newly rooted Evo. Only two more steps left for some housekeeping.

Reboot your phone. You'll notice that your phone is now in Clockwork Recovery mode, a fun little tool.

Hit the power button and select the Reboot System Now option. Use your volume up/down keys to move through the menu as needed.

There it is! Your phone now will boot into a freshly rooted version of the stock operating system that came with your phone.

The last step is to remove the root password that you established earlier. If you have a good reason for keeping it around, go ahead, but most people like me get by without the sudo command. It's good to clean things up.

To remove the sudo command, open up a terminal and type in the command: sudo passwd –l root

Hit Enter.

Type in your password when prompted and you're all set to go.

Enjoy your newly rooted Evo 4G. Now you're in control. Your phone is yours. Feels fine, doesn't it?

Based in Columbus, OH, Eric Finkenbiner is a senior contributor at BYTE. Follow him Follow him @mybrotherischad or email him at [email protected].