5 ms·

Is there a phone or tablet you can buy which comes fully unlocked and rooted by default? Something I can install KDE Neon to?

jug5 10y ago
No devices come rooted
NeutronBoy 10y ago
Nexus devices are the closest you'll get - can be unlocked by a vendor supported, fully reversible ADB command.
- 77pt77 10y ago
  I have a Nexus 7 II (2013). I can reversibly root it?!
  - NeutronBoy 10y ago
    I mean, I'm pretty sure you can lock the bootloader again after you've unlocked it.
- e12e 10y ago
  From what I've read and seen, nexus devices are in general best supported for development (ie: custom software). I've had some success running custom roms on an old HTC phone, various Samsung devices (the original i9000 Galaxy, a Note2 and 3). After looking for a while into various phones, I ended up getting a Sony Z3+ -- as it combines many things I want (water proof, memory card slot) with a pretty strong commitment from Sony: http://developer.sonymobile.com/open-devices/ http://developer.sonymobile.com/open-devices/ Ironically, I've yet to actually experiment with different roms and other software on my Sony phone, but there it is.
  - voltagex_ 10y ago
    What happens when one day http://developer.sonymobile.com/unlockbootloader/ http://developer.sonymobile.com/unlockbootloader/ isn't available any more? (see also similar pages for Xiaomi and Motorola) The code "protecting" the bootloader is good enough that it could be very, very difficult to unlock your bootloader without official support.
    - e12e 10y ago
      I'm not particularly happy with Android as a platform in general - it is way too "open on paper, closed in practice" - and I agree abandonware is a real concern. However, if you just bought a device, it seems a bit less likely the unlock page will disappear before you manage to unlock your device. And once unlocked, it'll stay unlocked? I feel this is a little bit different from the "zune drm hole" where you "buy" (rent) content, but might loose all access once the provider goes under/closes shop. (See also: the case of Amazon recalling copies of "1984" it had sold as an e-book without a proper license).
      - voltagex_ 10y ago
        > However, if you just bought a device, it seems a bit less likely the unlock page will disappear before you manage to unlock your device. And once unlocked, it'll stay unlocked? What if I buy it from eBay 5 years later?
        e12e 10y ago
        I agree that it leads to a new kind of "planned obsolescence", and would prefer something more open.
tonyplee 10y ago
Isn't all versions of Android are now rootable with Dirty COW? https://github.com/dirtycow/dirtycow.github.io/wiki https://github.com/dirtycow/dirtycow.github.io/wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_COW https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_COW
- gcb0 10y ago
  on the minimally secure ones (unlike the author's tablet that didn't even erase his data after 'oem unlock') you cannot make root permanent after dirty c0w. unless you can pad your new image to get a hash colision and make the bootloading chain thinks it is a signed image. good luck with that.
digi_owl 10y ago
Canonical have been trying to offer some phones and tablets with their Ubuntu Touch preinstalled. But i don't know the status of root on them, nor how easy it would be to get something other than Unity going on them.

jug5 10y ago

No devices come rooted

NeutronBoy 10y ago

Nexus devices are the closest you'll get - can be unlocked by a vendor supported, fully reversible ADB command.

77pt77 10y ago
I have a Nexus 7 II (2013). I can reversibly root it?!
- NeutronBoy 10y ago
  I mean, I'm pretty sure you can lock the bootloader again after you've unlocked it.
e12e 10y ago
From what I've read and seen, nexus devices are in general best supported for development (ie: custom software). I've had some success running custom roms on an old HTC phone, various Samsung devices (the original i9000 Galaxy, a Note2 and 3). After looking for a while into various phones, I ended up getting a Sony Z3+ -- as it combines many things I want (water proof, memory card slot) with a pretty strong commitment from Sony: http://developer.sonymobile.com/open-devices/ http://developer.sonymobile.com/open-devices/ Ironically, I've yet to actually experiment with different roms and other software on my Sony phone, but there it is.
- voltagex_ 10y ago
  What happens when one day http://developer.sonymobile.com/unlockbootloader/ http://developer.sonymobile.com/unlockbootloader/ isn't available any more? (see also similar pages for Xiaomi and Motorola) The code "protecting" the bootloader is good enough that it could be very, very difficult to unlock your bootloader without official support.
  - e12e 10y ago
    I'm not particularly happy with Android as a platform in general - it is way too "open on paper, closed in practice" - and I agree abandonware is a real concern. However, if you just bought a device, it seems a bit less likely the unlock page will disappear before you manage to unlock your device. And once unlocked, it'll stay unlocked? I feel this is a little bit different from the "zune drm hole" where you "buy" (rent) content, but might loose all access once the provider goes under/closes shop. (See also: the case of Amazon recalling copies of "1984" it had sold as an e-book without a proper license).
    - voltagex_ 10y ago
      > However, if you just bought a device, it seems a bit less likely the unlock page will disappear before you manage to unlock your device. And once unlocked, it'll stay unlocked? What if I buy it from eBay 5 years later?
      - e12e 10y ago
        I agree that it leads to a new kind of "planned obsolescence", and would prefer something more open.

tonyplee 10y ago

Isn't all versions of Android are now rootable with Dirty COW? https://github.com/dirtycow/dirtycow.github.io/wiki https://github.com/dirtycow/dirtycow.github.io/wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_COW https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_COW

gcb0 10y ago
on the minimally secure ones (unlike the author's tablet that didn't even erase his data after 'oem unlock') you cannot make root permanent after dirty c0w. unless you can pad your new image to get a hash colision and make the bootloading chain thinks it is a signed image. good luck with that.

digi_owl 10y ago

Canonical have been trying to offer some phones and tablets with their Ubuntu Touch preinstalled. But i don't know the status of root on them, nor how easy it would be to get something other than Unity going on them.