Droid X Rooted!

That didn’t take very long… I love the rooting/modding/hacking Android community.

This is my addendum to the instructions over at Droid-X Forums

Pre-root stuff (for the non expert at rooting Android- but still with a fair grasp of computer usage)

You will need to download:

• Motorola Droid X Drivers:
• x86 Drivers or
• x64 Drivers
• Android SDK 1.6
• DroidXRoot Files (must have an account on DroidX forums to download)

Prep Instructions:

• Install the appropriate drivers for your PC system (i.e. x86 or x64).
• Enable USB debugging for the phone: Menu –> Settings –> Applications –> Development –> check ‘USB debugging’.
• Extract the SDK contents somewhere you can access them; I put the files in c:\SDK.
• Extract the DroidXRoot Files into the ‘tools’ folder of the SDK folder. (For me, C:\SDK\Tools).
• Open a command prompt and navigate to the SDK tools directory (CD \SDK\Tools if you used the same path as I did).

Follow the instructions over at Droid-X Forums:

Step 1: Set up ADB (this was done in the ‘Prep’ instructions)
Step 2: Push exploid to /sqlite_stmt_journals "adb push exploid /sqlite_stmt_journals"
Step 3: type "adb shell"
Step 4: type "cd sqlite_stmt_journals"
Step 5: type "chmod 755 exploid"
Step 6: type "./exploid" and follow directions on screen
Step 7: type "rootshell"
Step 8: type in password "secretlol"
Step 9: your your’re in root!
Step 10: mount your sdcard to pc and put Superuser.apk and su in the sdcard
Step 11: unmount sdcard
Step 12: in adb (make sure your still in root with the # sign) type in:
- cp /sdcard/Superuser.apk /system/app/Superuser.apk
- cp /sdcard/su /system/bin/su
- chmod 4755 /system/bin/su

Notes:

I could not connect to ADB Shell while the phone was in ‘Mass Storage Mode’- I had to switch to ‘PC Mode’.  I was getting ‘error: device not found’

In step 6, it indicates ‘follow instructions on screen’; I had to run this twice to get it to ‘stick’.  On the second go I was able to toggle the phone’s Wi-Fi on/off via a screen widget to make the phone invoke ‘hotplug’

[*] Android local root exploid (C) The Android Exploid Crew
[*] Modified by birdman for the DroidX
[+] Using basedir=/sqlite_stmt_journals, path=/sqlite_stmt_journals/exploid
[+] opening NETLINK_KOBJECT_UEVENT socket
[+] sending add message ...
[*] Try to invoke hotplug now, clicking at the wireless
[*] settings, plugin USB key etc.
[*] You succeeded if you find /system/bin/rootshell.
[*] GUI might hang/restart meanwhile so be patient.

In step 10, I was unable to mount the SD card on my PC (or I was misunderstanding what they are communicating).  I eliminated steps 10 & 11 and did this:

Exit ADB Shell (should be able to just type ‘exit’)
adb push su /sdcard
adb push Superuser.apk /sdcard
adb shell
rootshell
(enter password = secretlol)
Continue with step 12

HTC Incredible

I moved to Verizon around 10 months ago when they release the Motorola Droid as I was looking for a better Android device than my aging T-Mobile G1.  The original Droid was an awesome device and I have no regrets in purchasing. 

However, in the worlds of computers and cell phones, technology changes fast and last years ‘ultimate phone’ is almost a dinosaur when placed along-side the newer offerings.

Enter the HTC Incredible- also known as the Verizon Droid Incredible.

I am very impressed with the unit so far.  It is very fast device- period.  I have yet to see a freeze or a pause when I want to open an application.

The HTC Sense add-on enables linking between Google Contacts, Facebook and Flickr pages.  It is easy to pull up a friend in contacts and then browse their photos on either of the above services.

However, there are some issues with the device:  I have noticed that in a bad coverage area (where the phone is switching between 3G and 1x EVDO) the phone gets very warm and the battery life takes a nose-dive.

The battery itself will not last me a full day unless I do not use the phone like I normally do: occasional web browsing, price checks, SMS messages, taking a few photos, home alarm system check, webcam camera checks, etc.  I rarely use the phone as an actual phone.

Currently there are not many accessories for the Incredible, but documents from Verizon indicate an upcoming Car GPS cradle, media dock and extended battery in the works.

I will be watching the XDA Developers forums, Droid Forums and Android Forms for a root patch for the Incredible.

BlackDroid Ultimate ROM 9.0 Released

BlackDroid has released an update for his awesome Ultimate ROM for Droid- currently at v9.0

    

While waiting for the official 2.1 Droid update to be captured by capable hands and made into a user updatable file (rooted Android phones with custom loaders cannot receive the OTA update)- and while also still waiting for the Nexus One to finally fracking be offered for Verizon- this is an enjoyable stop-gap.

Rant: rumor is the Nexus One will finally be released sometime this week and it will have a ‘big surprise’ for Verizon users.  I pray this isn’t something stupid like a custom version of Skype (which currently uses Verizon minutes for domestic calls)- but rather something like Android 2.2, an improved touch screen or replacing the roller ball with a touch pad… </rant>

I used a new program in the Android Market called ‘ROM Manager’; this fairly automates the update process (as long as you have root access) and some how managed to backup and restore all of the apps I had installed prior to the update- including the ones I had purchased through the Google market.  Still trying to figure out how this worked, but very, very cool!

Verizon xMas Commercials

It looks like Verizon has found a pretty good marketing play: