On most phones, one must root to delete preinstalled apps, even if significant system changes aren't desired. However, the reason I discourage rooting for noobs is because most of the modifications most new users are looking for can be accomplished without rooting. Re: recommended apps, the best thing to do is explore the market, getjar, appbrain, etc. A discussion on apps is like a discussion on bike tires, everyone has their preferences, and reasonable people may disagree. For example, I think it's a bad idea to install an automatic task killer, but obviously others disagree.