Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 has been rooted, all is right with the world
By Tim Stevens 
posted July 10th 2010 1:31PM
posted July 10th 2010 1:31PM
Sony Ericsson's Xperia X10 has been out and about for some time, facing off against the competition and predictably getting ripped to shreds. Now it has reached the next natural step of its evolution: receiving the root treatment by a bloke at xda-developers. Users Jerpelea, biktor_gj, and Bin4ry over there have posted step-by-step instructions on how to locate your device ID, re-flash your phone, and then enable superuser abilities. It all looks particularly straightforward, as far as these things go, and so if you're looking for a bit more control this weekend don't hesitate to click on through.
I though Engadget wasn't going to post this. I've been running a rooted Xperia for two weeks now.
@edude05
Good for you. Now give yourself a pat on the back and a high-five.
@SamTime
Pat yourself on the pat for being another sarcastic online poster.
It is in fact interest that is has taken 2 weeks for this news to post on engadget. Myself, and I'm sure many other frequenters of engadget, "tipped" this news ages ago.
Seriously not trying to troll - but apple sneezes and it gets posted here. I was starting to wonder if the X10 was on some kind of no-fly list here.
@smarchan
*interesting
@smarchan
Xperia X10 is one sexy gorgeous device.
@edude05 Kudos to you. We've been waiting for a more user-friendly procedure.
@Revolutionary No its not, I had one on orange and got rid for the HTC desire, at least that stands a chance of been updated sooner And running 2.1 not 1.6
@edude05
Sorry, I only speak iPhone.
@edude05
Not surprised, it is not an iProduct, doesn't stay in Engadget's scope..
Mine's rooted for couple of weeks now too
@smarchan I guess it's because Android is so "open" that jailbreaking them is unimportant.
Yay for hackers!
Ugly, thick brick of a phone. And it runs Android clunkyness. Nuff said.
I'll end with this - but I also find it complexing that this article begins by saying that "facing off against the competition and predictably getting ripped to shreds". Ripped to shreds - in reality - linking to an article on disassembling the device. Generally speaking "competition and ripped to shreds" would suggest that a device got "owned". Misleading....
@smarchan Especially as the device getting dismantled is an X10 Mini, not the full size version.
@smarchan Double Entendre, google it.
@smarchan Looks like Tim Stevens is the new Thomas Ricker.
I was looking forward to this.
I know I said I'd stop there - but all perplexity aside I feel there are some things missing from the article.
The root was hardly evolutionary. As PS3 owners have experienced, Sony has an uncanny ability to lock their hardware down - and it was almost commonly thought that the X10 may never be rooted. The bootloader has yet to be hacked. So the big news is that a root that was thought to potentially be impossible has been achieved. Well, the big news 2 weeks ago....
+1 for Evangelion reference :)
You're still stuck running 1.6 (if you run a non SE version you don't get the advantages of the camera, the main feature of this device). When SE releases 2.1, it will be unrootable.
So this is really a small, temporary victory. The big victory will be more open (computer like) access to one's own handset.
@huh
Sorry to say, but you won't be getting computer-like access to your phone with Android easily, if at all. It simply wasn't made for that.
@Goc owners of the Nexus One and other fully rootable devices have computer like access to their handset. But if you want to keep apologizing for and living in a controlled world, go ahead.
@huh
Is that like jailbreaking an iPhone to gain computer like access?
At least Apple makes no pretence about the "openness" of their products.
Unlike Android which allows manufacturers and networks to lock down Android phones just as hard as iPhones, so much so that they require jailbreaks.
Now all the Android Evangelista can try and explain why gaining root access on an Android phone in order to modify it is different to gaining root access on an iPhone in order to modify it and why it isn't "jailbreaking".
@hill60 you do know that you can install apps outside the "app store" just by unchecking a checkbox on Android devices, I hope. (there is a recent device that disallows this. a bad trend).
The Nexus One was offered direct with a prescribed way to gain root and install the latest Android version. Granted, it's no longer an option and I agree that's a battle that would benefit consumers that is being lost.
What I don't understand is why consumers are so happy to roll over and play fetch when companies do stuff that works against them. With just a little complaining we can get what we want. Markets are not supposed to be about abuse.
@huh
Is that like using a webapp, you know like, from outside the Apple App store?
@hill60 no, it's an actual native app that can be installed to the phone like any other app. Of course in Android you can go past that to replace pieces of the system functionality using intents &c.
@huh "The big victory will be more open (computer like) access to one's own handset." is something that Windows Mobile already has and always been.
@eka does windows mobile 7 support it?
@huh You're an idiot if you truly believe that. Since manufactures are taking a premade OS that they know litte about and shoving it devices as fast as they can, I predict there will never be an end to "rooting" on production android phones.
Furthermore, linux has kexec now which lets you reboot the phone into a new environment (for example a custom rom) if you have "root"
are there some of the android cameras which have open source drivers that you can use on alternative linux platforms? (say, gumstix, beagleboard, etc). Specially the 720p cameras.
Oh Sony how I love your devices. If only I could get you on 2.1 and know that 2.2 was coming soon. I'd be all over you! But 1.6? Okay so you play Apple and I'll play flash.....neeever gonna happen.
(O.O) Me likes.
The Xperia never really appealed to me.
Kind of like the 30 MP3 players Sony currently has, and their 100 televisions.
OK ! So bring on the custom ROMS - PLEASE
This is a very fast phone I can't wait to see what a custom 2.1/2.2 ROM will do !
@fourthletter
Bootloader still not hacked sadly, so 2.1 and 2.2 will have to wait :(
I don't understand exactly how the X10 is being 'ripped to shreds' by the competition? Oh that's right...... it's not made by Apple...
If I was to choose an Android phone then SE's devices would be right at the top of the list.
The Xperia X10 is very popular here in Canada.. constantly sold-out.
Maybe it's not popular in the USA... because it's not sold there?
@eDan
It's really only popular in Canada because it's the best Android phone Rogers carries.
@eDan
The X10 is still not out yet in the U.S. under AT&T. Official stance is that is "still in testing". It should arrive any week now. My 2007 SE w810i bit the big one a month ago, and I'm using my old 2003 t616 until the X10 arrives on our shores. Painful.
Oh poor Sony, you were good back in the day...