Tag Archives: bootloader
Moto X Developer Edition for Verizon now available for $650 (update: GSM and Droid Maxx details)
If you've been pining for the freedom of the Moto X Developer Edition, you can now pick one up. Motorola has started selling the Verizon model for $650; the company also lists a GSM version, although it's currently out of stock. Regardless of which version you buy, you'll get the same ROM-friendly unlocked bootloader, 32GB of storage and that unmistakable Developer Edition imprint on the back. That's a lot to pay for a Moto X that you can't even customize, but it may be worthwhile if you simply have to tinker with a smartphone made in the USA.
Update: Motorola has since mentioned that the GSM version will be available on Friday; a Droid Maxx Developer Edition is launching today. And if you're a Sprint customer, you don't have to worry -- your version already has an unlocked bootloader.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google, Verizon
Via: The Verge
Source: Motorola (1), (2)
Refresh Roundup: week of September 2nd, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile
Chromecast update breaks root-friendly exploit
We hope you weren't planning to tinker with your Chromecast this weekend. GTVHacker has confirmed that a recent firmware update to Google's streaming media stick plugs the bootloader exploit that many are using to get root access. Some XDA-Developers members have tried maintaining root by flashing recovery images and disabling signing keys, but those aren't reliable solutions -- we've seen a few reports of bricked Chromecasts. If you're cautious, it may be best to wait until more adventurous owners find a vulnerability in Google's newer code.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Google
Via: Android Police
Source: XDA-Developers, GTVHacker (Twitter)
Refresh Roundup: week of May 20th, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile
Google Glass rooted and hacked to run Ubuntu live at Google I/O
Today at Google I/O the company held a session entitled "Voiding your Warranty" where employees demonstrated how to root Google Glass and install Ubuntu on it. What you're seeing above is a screenshot from a laptop running a terminal window on top and showing the screencast output from Glass on the bottom -- here running the standard Android launcher instead of the familiar cards interface. The steps involve pushing some APKs (Launcher, Settings and Notepad) to the device using adb, then pairing Glass with a Bluetooth keyboard and trackpad. After this, it's possible to unlock the bootloader with fastboot and flash a new boot image to gain root access. From there you have full access to Glass -- just like that! Running Ubuntu requires a couple more apps to be installed, namely Android Terminal Emulator and Complete Linux Installer. The latter lets you download and boot your favorite linux distro (Ubuntu, in this case). You're then able to use SSH or VNC to access Ubuntu running right on Glass. We captured a few screenshots of the process in our gallery. Follow the links below for more info -- just be careful not to brick your Glass okay?
Filed under: Wearables, Mobile, Google
Source: Google I/O 2013
HTC One for AT&T currently has an unlockable bootloader, but that’ll soon change
If you're currently in the smallest (and most fortunate) of minorities to have an HTC One for AT&T in your hands, then you might want to go about unlocking its bootloader while the getting is good. As it just so happens, a few lucky individuals have already done just that, and to prove it's momentarily possible, they've shared their success within the forums of xda-developers. And if there was ever any doubt, we've confirmed this with our own review unit. Before you get too excited, though, HTC's affirmed to us that AT&T's One will not be supported by the HTCdev unlock service, which will effectively render its bootloader untouchable. As for the current discrepancy, one might speculate that the phone's identifier hasn't yet been blocked on the HTCdev site -- something that'd likely be resolved before the phone becomes officially available through retail channels this Friday. Naturally, if you're hoping to get in on the gravy train, it seems that your best bet will be to work your magic on an AT&T sales rep and then hope the unlocking service is still functional. Absent that, the HTC One Developer Edition seems just as tempting as ever.
Myriam Joire contributed to this report
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC, AT&T
Via: Droid Life
Source: xda-developers
HTC One Developer Edition announced, $649 with SIM and bootloader unlocked
HTC is getting into the Developer Edition trend -- a compromise necessary since CEO Peter Chou's plan to stop locking bootloaders entirely didn't stick -- as it's announced tonight that a variant of its new One that will be available with both SIM and bootloader unlocked. Due to arrive in the US at the same time as the standard carrier versions, it will keep the same powerful specs and slick design (no, the case is not transparent) we loved in our review, but without the restrictions. One thing it's missing? AWS HSPA/WCDMA access, which should limit its opportunities on T-Mobile until it rolls out LTE service. The price is $649 up front and it will ship in "limited quantities," so we'd figure that's just one more thing to keep in mind before the next Galaxy S is announced on Thursday.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC
Source: HTC Blog
Chromebook Pixel allows for custom bootloaders, is Linux-friendly
WiFi-only flavors of the Chromebook Pixel have only just started shipping, but if you're already itching to install Linux on one of them, you're in luck. Not only have kernel patches been submitted for the hardware, but Google's Bill Richardson has now laid out exactly how to load up the devices with Linux Mint. Richardson says that part of the Chrome OS BIOS is read-only, so changes to it are generally exclusive to new hardware. Pixel, for example, has been tuned to support user-provided custom bootloaders thanks to an unverified BIOS slot. Unfortunately, Mint doesn't support the laptop's touchscreen and trackpad because it leverages the stock kernel. Adventurous types looking to boot a Tux-powered OS on a Pixel can hit the neighboring source link for step-by-step instructions.
Via: Android Central
Source: Bill Richardson (Google+)
Linux Foundation finally gets Microsoft signature on secure UEFI bootloader
Whatever hoops the Linux Foundation had to waddle through to get an MS-signed bootloader for use on Windows 8 hardware, it appears to have worked. Whereas Ubuntu and Fedora already had UEFI Secure Boot support, and there was the Shim bootloader and other fixes for smaller distros, this official solution promises to be more user friendly and universal, albeit with a few caveats that are described by MJG59 at the link below. Once you're sure you want it, head over to the source with a USB key and do the honors.
Filed under: Software, Microsoft
Via: MJG59
Source: Linux Foundation