How do I turn of these damn ads on my Note?

1. root your note
2. install adaway
3. there is no step 3

In laymens terms what is "rooting" your device? Is it only a mobile/tablet thing? What are the reasons to do so?

Thanks

It's gaining access to the bottom level of the device so to speak. You can get rid of manufacturer bloat and do things they turned off when they installed on the device.

The main reason I root is to block ads at the root level as mentioned above. It can even block ads in the free version of apps. You can also install a custom ROM if you like. It's like putting an entire new OS on your device, that isn't tied down with manufacturer or carrier bloat.

ETA: It's the main thing I look for in deciding on a phone. I rolled back to a later phone just because I got tired of seeing ads and nothing works as well as adaway, especially on phones.

It takes some tinkering though when you get in to installing custom ROM. It'll frustrate the hell out of you as you work the kinks out. But most people don't take it that far.