root
Latest
Atrix 4G's 4.1.57 update spruces up a few things, patches known root methods
The HSUPA-enabling update? No, not yet. The voice call quality fix? In the pipeline. The mission-critical Bluetooth multimedia experience improvements? Oh yes, we've got those right here! Motorola is preparing to deliver an imminent OTA update to its Atrix 4G super phone, which will fix up battery performance, overall software stability, and car dock, headphone jack, and fingerprint reader performance, but will regrettably leave the two major drawbacks to the AT&T-riding phone untouched. Alas, if you've rooted your Atrix, you'll have to pay a dear price to benefit from these upgrades as users over at xda-developers, who've obtained the pre-release build, report the new 4.1.57 update disables their previous superuser privileges. C'est la vie. Update: Word is this update will be released to the general public tomorrow. Sit tight. [Thanks, Daniel]
HTC Thunderbolt rooted for real, locked files nearly soured the deal
They thought it would be easy, but they were wrong -- AndIRC developers reportedly spent the last 72 hours readying the new HTC Thunderbolt for custom ROMs. Today, they emerge victorious, but that victory is bittersweet, because it may signify the end of a generally hacker-friendly era from the folks at HTC. While devices from the Taiwanese manufacturer have traditionally been easy to modify, the hacker community found Verizon's LTE flagship fully locked down, with a signed kernel, signed recovery image and a signed bootloader. FOF. Of course, if you're just looking for a way to overclock your Thunderbolt, you probably don't care about all that. You'll find all the (exceptionally lengthy) instructions you need at Android Police. Just be careful out there! [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HDMwIn adds full HDMI mirroring to your (rooted) EVO 4G
As fantastic a phone as the EVO 4G has proven itself to be, it's got a weak spot: out of the box, its HDMI-out capability only works for video playback -- you can't view stills or play games, which are pretty obvious applications for a phone plugged into a big screen. Well, as usual, the Android hacking community has come to the rescue: meet TeamWin's HDMwIn tool, which adds full HDMI mirroring -- anything you see on your phone, you can see on your boob tube. The hack requires both root and a custom kernel to function correctly; CyanogenMod veterans will feel right at home, but hacking newbies and the faint of heart might want to enlist a more experienced buddy to get this action going. And, of course, it's all at your own risk -- but playing Super Mario World on a 42-inch display without an SNES in sight is worth the trouble, isn't it? [Thanks, Ian]
Xoom gets USB host functionality, no thanks to Motorola or Google
The Xoom may have gotten a slight software update last night to prepare it for its long-awaited Flash playing capabilities, but some of the folks over at SlateDroid have an even more impressive -- though much less official -- update, bringing USB host functionality to Moto's slate. Tinkerer-extraordinaire roebeet is the man to thank, granting Xoom owners the ability to read media from USB drives, essentially giving you a limitless amount of storage -- provided you own the necessary microUSB OTG (on-the-go) cable and a rooted Xoom. If you've safely satisfied the pre-requisites, enabling the new-new is just a few file transfers and command line entries away. Full instructions available at the source link... if you dare.
Android Honeycomb's music app extracted, brings cloud sync and streaming to phones
Those who are familiar with Android Honeycomb might have already come across its music player's cloud syncing feature, though previous attempts to port said app to phones hadn't been successful. Whatever it was that kept crashing the app back then, it seems to have fixed itself -- after xda-developers member WhiteWidows slapped the leaked app onto his rooted EVO 4G, the phone started to automagically sync his tunes to his Google account. The modder then swapped in an empty SD card, but he was still able to stream music straight from the cloud after checking the "Stream music" option in the app. Pretty neat, eh? That said, we do wonder if Google will be able to handle the exabytes worth of high-quality Justin Bieber and Spice Girl tracks.
Motorola will upgrade your Xoom to 4G LTE -- even if you've rooted it
Happy news for Android tinkerers everywhere -- Motorola has officially confirmed it will attempt to perform its 4G upgrade on all Verizon Wireless-riding Xoom tablets it receives from users, whether they've been rooted, repainted, or accessorized with fluffy dice. Naturally, the company can't guarantee successful software updates on devices that have had their OS tweaked, so it asks users to be kind and rewind to the original firmware state. For those unwilling to stretch that far back, Moto will still give it a shot and says that it'll install the 4G LTE modem at a minimum. What a refreshingly open-minded attitude. Now if Moto could give us an open-minded bootloader on its phones as well, we'd be all set.
Google spikes 21 malicious apps with big download counts from the Market (update: Android 2.2.2 and up are immune)
We're sure that the debate of a carefully controlled and curated environment like Apple's App Store versus a free-for-all like the Android Market will rage on for years to come, but here's something to chew on: Google just removed some 21 apps from the Market in the last day from a publisher going by Myournet for doing all sorts of naughty things to your device. Offenses include attempting to root your phone, uploading phone information (including IMEI) to who-knows-where, and -- most egregiously -- adding a backdoor that allows additional code to be pulled down and executed. At least some of the apps are pirated versions of existing apps that have been re-uploaded at zero cost to the user, which makes them appealing... and the trick apparently works quite well, because the 21 managed to clock over 50,000 downloads before getting taken down. This isn't the first time malicious apps have shown up on smartphones -- far from it -- but it's probably the highest-profile case of a first-party app store being infiltrated by really bad stuff. If there's a silver lining, it's that Google was extraordinarily quick to respond once Android Police reported the situation -- the site says it took less than five minutes from the time they reached out to the time the apps actually went offline. Still, that's little consolation if you've already installed your "free" copy of Super History Eraser. Hit the source links for the full list of pulled apps. Update: Android Central points out that the type of root exploit used in these apps was patched in Android 2.2.2 and up, so Nexus One and Nexus S owners should be fine; everyone else is left out in the cold, though, thanks to the vexing third-party update lag. Thanks, Z!
Motorola Xoom overclocked to 1.5GHz, eats Quadrant and Linpack for breakfast (video)
Hold on to your hats, gents, because things just got real -- that's a Motorola Xoom in the picture above, clocked at a blazing 1.504GHz. While we highly doubt that's a new world record of any sort, the dual-core Tegra 2 inside seriously screams at that clockspeed, scorching Quadrant to the tune of 3105 (remember this?) and delivering 47 MFLOPS in Linpack. Oh, and in case you're curious, this achievement wasn't some random hack. It was perpetrated for our collective benefit by the master of SetCPU himself, and you'll find full video proof of his accomplishment below and instructions at our source link. Got root? Then you're on your way. [Thanks, Adam B.]
Sony Ericsson developer boss: 'in favor' of rooting option if done right
Is the tide about to turn in the Android hackability debate? Not long after Motorola indicated its willingness to start helping out folks that want unlockable bootloaders, Simon Walker, head of Sony Ericsson's developer program, has noted on Twitter that he's "actually in favor" of allowing some sort of rooting option as long as it's "done right." Clearly, manufacturers across the board are interested in getting tight and cozy with the developer community -- apps are the key to any platform's success, after all, and many Android devices have unique features that can take advantage additional custom coding -- so they're appearing a little conflicted about how to proceed on the dev-friendliness front without coming across as outright hacker-friendly (commercial developers and hackers are often at odds, after all). Walker says that he needs to "take the discussion" inside the company before any sort of decision is made, but at least we know there's a proponent up in the ranks.
Motorola Xoom rooted in two hours flat, sinister transforming exoskeleton jetpack returns in Verizon ad
What's the first thing you're going to do with your Motorola Xoom? If you're Koush, the answer's clear -- install your very own ClockworkMod recovery image and ROM Manager, and grant the latter superuser permissions. That's right, on the very day of release, the Motorola Xoom's all but ready for custom builds of Android and all the joy they bring. Meanwhile, Verizon's decided to bring us the latter half of the abruptly cut Xoom TV ad, which actually differs significantly depending on whether or not Spanish is your primary language. Either way, it's a fairly sordid affair, with no Iron Man feats of stratospheric skill to be found, merely a short demonstration of gaming with the accelerometer and a few quick swipes through Honeycomb. You'll still watch it if we tell you it's after the break though, won't you?
Motorola Atrix root found to be signed, hacking might not be so easy
That the Atrix got itself rooted before it was even available made us wonder just how... receptive it would be to the caresses of the hacker community at large. Sadly we're finding it's perhaps a bit more frigid than its friendly demeanor might have lead us to believe. User adlx.xda over at the xda-developers forums has found that the phone's system files are not encrypted, but they are signed. This will make the process of replacing them and loading custom builds and the like rather more complicated -- but surely not impossible. [Thanks, chaoslimits]
Motorola Atrix 4G already rooted, and it's not even out yet
If you thought the lack of root on the Atrix 4G was going to save you a couple hundred bucks next week... well, we hate to break the bad news, but you're going to need to find another excuse not to buy it (more on that in a second). Long story short, the phone's already been rooted by a gentleman over on the ever-resourceful xda-developers forums, which means you can do all the normal things that require root access like enabling the standard Froyo mobile hotspot feature, using root apps like Titanium Backup (pictured above), and generally looking 1337 compared to your friends locked up in their walled gardens. Now, the bad news: the bootloader remains firmly locked and presumably encrypted given Moto's track record, so custom kernels are still just a dream -- but hey, where there's a will, there's a way. Keep the faith! [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HTC Thunderbolt exclusively hits Best Buy for $250 at launch, rooted prototype provides hope for easy unlock
Though hard facts on the HTC Thunderbolt's availability were hard to come by, conflicting rumors were flying fast and strong -- now, a Best Buy ad seems to clear most everything up. Like we'd originally heard, the 4.3-inch LTE smartphone will launch for $250 on a two-year contract -- or a wallet-crushing $750 without -- but the key ingredients here are three words at the very top. The Thunderbolt is apparently a "national retail exclusive" for Best Buy, which explains how the device could simultaneously face Verizon delays and yet come in for a Valentine's Day landing at the big box store. You'll also note that the ad mentions Skype video and 4G mobile hotspot functionality, so we'd be surprised if the phone came without, though it's also possible that the whole kit and kaboodle has been delayed to match -- Droid-Life says this ad comes from a February 20th circular, so we might not see anything until then. In case you needed an additional reason to be excited about the Thunderbolt, the developers at AndIRC have some related news -- they've already rooted a prototype version (which just so happens to have the familiar codename Mecha) and believe the same technique will work on retail devices. Wouldn't it be nice to have root on day one... whenever that is? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Samsung Fascinate gets leaked EB01 Android 2.2 build, yours if you want it
So much for Verizon being the carrier of choice when it comes to accelerated Android updates, eh? Those who selected Big Red for their Galaxy S have been waiting on a Froyo build for what feels like an eternity, with our brethren to the north already enjoying the spoils -- things like Flash support and an integrated mobile hotspot. Of course, Samsung once promised that all Galaxy S phones (yeah, including the Fascinate) would receive Android 2.2 at some point in time, and while an official release is still eluding us, it looks as if the day is drawing ever closer. The fine folks over at Android Central simply couldn't wait any longer, and they're taken it upon themselves to wrap up the TouchWiz-infused EB01 build for all to enjoy. Naturally, you'll need to do a fair amount of hacking to get this up and running without anyone's consent, but all the details you're craving await you there in the source. Still unsure if it's worth the drive? Head on past the break for a quick video.
Does Google's new Android Market website ignore custom ROMs?
Now that the Android Market website has finally launched (and stabilized) we're beginning to see reports of rooted devices, and some running custom ROMs, not being recognized by the website. We're having the very same issue ourselves, where a pristine Desire Z running a factory installed copy of Android 2.2 Froyo is listed on the "My Device" page while an old HTC Hero hacked to run Froyo courtesy of FroydVillain ROM does not, even though it's logged in and syncing using the same Google login ID and the Android Market has been recently used from the device (as Google recommends on the "Trouble Downloading" help page). So what about you oh reader, oh rooter... what are you experiencing? %Poll-59627% [Thanks, Florian]
Nook Color meet Ubuntu, Ubuntu meet Nook Color
Although you won't hear this through official channels, Barnes and Noble's Nook has been plenty of fun for hacksters. And what spells fun better than U-b-u-n-t-u? Certainly nothing that we can mention in mixed company, that's for sure! If you pop over to the always lively XDA Developers Forum, you'll see a crazy little post wherein the author took inspiration from a Nexus One hack and decided to port Ubuntu to the Nook Color. And by jove, it looks like it's worked... even if it is by accounts "a little laggy" and not without errors. Please feel free to hit the source link if you'd like to take in the details on what made this work... and to keep abreast of further developments, to boot.
Nexus S has been rooted, let the madness commence!
Our good friends at xda-developers haven't kept us waiting long. Root access on the Nexus S has been achieved on the phone's day of release, and full instructions for replicating it are available at the link below. The Nexus S is the proud and so far only carrier of Google's latest and greatest Android software, so you're basically getting unrestricted access to the very best Mountain View can offer. Hit that source link. Do it. [Thanks, Brad] Update: An Android team member has written in to remind us that the Nexus S, like the Nexus One before it, is designed with a user-unlockable bootloader out of the box -- it's not a magic trick. Good to know they're keeping the tradition going.
Gingerbread ROMs start cooking for HTC EVO 4G et al; keyboard ported for rooted Androids
You can have your doubts about when your phone maker will finally get around to delivering an Android 2.3 update (March if you're with HTC, June if Samsung, 2017 if you're unfortunate enough to own a Sony Ericsson), but the smartphone dev community doesn't work that slowly. The guys who build custom ROMs just for the sheer pride of it have already begun work on delivering Gingerbread to owners of HTC's EVO 4G, Droid Eris, and Wildfire. It's all in the very nascent stages and warnings abound that you should only install these ROMs if you intend to contribute to the development process, but it does give us hope for a consumable new OS in the not so distant future. One thing that does look ready to be gobbled up, however, is Gingerbread's new software keyboard -- you'll find the download and installation instructions at the Droid-Life link below, just remember to bring your rooted Android phone along. [Thanks, Jacob]
Nook Color finds its roots? Angry Birds say yes
We already knew the Nook Color was capable of something a bit more than its initial offering, having seen Angry Birds run fairly smoothly on a dev unit. In fact, it's exactly what we want in between chapters of Animal Farm, and the xda-developers community, right on schedule, are providing pictorial evidence of its rooting conquests. So far we've seen the aforementioned game / addiction, a few other additions to the extras menu, and even Launcher Pro (image after the break). NookDevs has a page going with instructions, but even it admits to being a work in progress, so we're gonna emphasis a little stronger than usual: don't try this at home unless you're absolutely sure what you're doing -- or don't mind a broken tablet or two. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Android 2.2 update for Samsung Epic 4G leaks out
We're still waiting on official Froyo builds for the American Galaxy S variants, but they seem to be getting close. How close? Well, close enough so that you can taste a leak for the Epic 4G if you like to live dangerously. The binary comes conveniently pre-rooted by the source and has a handful of known issues -- most notably some sluggish / buggy web browsing -- but we guess that's the price you pay for stepping out on the bleeding edge. Let's hope an official release isn't too far behind. [Thanks, Caleb E.]
