4 ms·

With the Nexus one going away, is there any other Android phone that doesn't need to be rooted to install vanilla android and updates?

by YooLi 16y ago

barrkel 16y ago
The Nexus One is still the anointed dev phone, for now. It isn't going away, per se; it's still available to purchase (via a third party I think) to registered Android developers.
s3graham 16y ago
They'll likely keep selling some relatively high-end through the dev phone program.
yason 16y ago
This is exactly why I was waiting for Nexus One, well, to be sold in Finland. I don't want any "value-adding crap" in my phone, much like I don't want any OEM crap in my computer either. A plain Ubuntu or plain Android installation is what I want. Are there really no other Android phones that come without? Oh crap. (FYI U.S. citizens: most mobile phones in Finland and Europe are sold separately from the carrier plan, thus making it easy for people to buy directly from Google. If only they had decided to sell...)
- lenni 16y ago
  It is indeed a massive shame. After having been fucked around by tmobile Germany I promised myself to never buy a phone from a carrier again. Looks like it is going to be an iPhone now. Say what you want about Apple, they won't let anyone mess about with their software.
veeti 16y ago
Well, the original Motorola Droid/Milestone might still be an option.
- vetinari 16y ago
  Milestone was never an option. It is not just GSM version of Droid, it is also pretty much locked down. While it was rooted, there is still no way to put custom firmware on it. Pretty much like Droid X.
peregrine 16y ago
Their are several phones that are very easy to root. I know this doesn't pass your cut but no carrier is going to give up control of a device. The droid x debacle is a good example of this. Galaxy S takes 1 file, 1 reboot, 1 click and its rooted. Just as an example.
ben1040 16y ago
I love my N1 because it has none of the carrier-enforced sponsorware and I can use the data plan I pay for however I choose (using the built-in tethering functionality, for example). I appreciate that Google recognizes that Android is an open OS and provides an unlockable bootloader if I want to run a modified firmware. The N1 was what moved me out of the iPhone camp because I found this to be a breath of fresh air. The N1's contemporaries just aren't as open, and given the phone vendors' track records if you buy an Android phone today you're not guaranteed any software updates in a timely manner or even at all. Google made this their flagship device and was what they were using to dogfood the OS, so I was confident the N1 this would continue to see improvement for the useful life of the device. I'll probably be in the market for a new phone by this time next year, and I hope there is a decent replacement for the N1 in terms of openness with a vendor who's committed to supporting it. If my phone is going to be locked down tighter than a drum, I may as well get an iPhone, because Apple has at least established a track record that the device will get software updates through the life of the 2 year contract.

With the Nexus one going away, is there any other Android phone that doesn't need to be rooted to install vanilla android and updates?

by YooLi 16y ago

With the Nexus one going away, is there any other Android phone that doesn't need to be rooted to install vanilla android and updates?

barrkel 16y ago

The Nexus One is still the anointed dev phone, for now. It isn't going away, per se; it's still available to purchase (via a third party I think) to registered Android developers.

s3graham 16y ago

They'll likely keep selling some relatively high-end through the dev phone program.

yason 16y ago

This is exactly why I was waiting for Nexus One, well, to be sold in Finland. I don't want any "value-adding crap" in my phone, much like I don't want any OEM crap in my computer either. A plain Ubuntu or plain Android installation is what I want. Are there really no other Android phones that come without? Oh crap. (FYI U.S. citizens: most mobile phones in Finland and Europe are sold separately from the carrier plan, thus making it easy for people to buy directly from Google. If only they had decided to sell...)

lenni 16y ago
It is indeed a massive shame. After having been fucked around by tmobile Germany I promised myself to never buy a phone from a carrier again. Looks like it is going to be an iPhone now. Say what you want about Apple, they won't let anyone mess about with their software.

veeti 16y ago

Well, the original Motorola Droid/Milestone might still be an option.

vetinari 16y ago
Milestone was never an option. It is not just GSM version of Droid, it is also pretty much locked down. While it was rooted, there is still no way to put custom firmware on it. Pretty much like Droid X.

peregrine 16y ago

Their are several phones that are very easy to root. I know this doesn't pass your cut but no carrier is going to give up control of a device. The droid x debacle is a good example of this. Galaxy S takes 1 file, 1 reboot, 1 click and its rooted. Just as an example.

ben1040 16y ago

I love my N1 because it has none of the carrier-enforced sponsorware and I can use the data plan I pay for however I choose (using the built-in tethering functionality, for example). I appreciate that Google recognizes that Android is an open OS and provides an unlockable bootloader if I want to run a modified firmware. The N1 was what moved me out of the iPhone camp because I found this to be a breath of fresh air. The N1's contemporaries just aren't as open, and given the phone vendors' track records if you buy an Android phone today you're not guaranteed any software updates in a timely manner or even at all. Google made this their flagship device and was what they were using to dogfood the OS, so I was confident the N1 this would continue to see improvement for the useful life of the device. I'll probably be in the market for a new phone by this time next year, and I hope there is a decent replacement for the N1 in terms of openness with a vendor who's committed to supporting it. If my phone is going to be locked down tighter than a drum, I may as well get an iPhone, because Apple has at least established a track record that the device will get software updates through the life of the 2 year contract.