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Can Windows Mobile 6 be loaded on the Motorola Q?

Hey guys,
Sorry if this was posted somewhere before, but I'm having a hell of a time trying to figure out what needs to be done if anything to install the Windows Mobile 6 onto my Motorola Q.
I understand that the original Q may not support WM6 out of the box, and I'm kind of new to hacked/burned ROMs to replace the standard stuff on these phones, however I've managed to pick up 2 different Pre-release versions of WM6, and I attempt to run them, but I get a bad contry code error or that the ROM isn't compatible.
Is there anything I can do as far as using a 'modified' ROM to make this work? I'd like to get WM6 onto this unit if possible.
Thanks in advance,
Tech

Do a google search. Really, no one can explain the whole thing in such a way you can fully understand.
Like you forgot to mention what versions of WM6 you got. Where they smartphone or WMPC? Which gadget where they made for? What is the exact error?
Also, I take it that you are in fact new, since this is a generally HTC website.
You could be better served at a Motorola Q forum.

Firmware Build only For Developers? my Demand to Google / HTC

I think being a Open Source Code and Openness in Architecture, API Google Should Ship Different Firmware for Developers, Software Builders, Codec Programmer etc.
Better for Google / T-Mobile / HTC
They can restrict Developer Device to get Back Normal Shipped Firmware.
Developer Device Activation Method can be Introduced so Once you Activate that IMEI for Developer Edition you could get only Limited Warranty from HTC for that IMEI.
Once you load Different Firmware, company may not allow you to Flash Normal Shipped / OTA Firmware signed by Different Signature.
Developer Edition of Firmware can have Test Key or Developer Key based Recovery Partition. But can not Erased the way we did it before.
Developer firmware must be only available via SDCard Method
No OTA should be given except for some killbits Urgency.
Their should be Disclaimer and Agreement for Warranty Issue
Better for Developers
Rather then Fighting for root this could be Straight Access to Device
No More Hacking and Exploits needed.
Building Firmware, API, Services, Codes which need Root Access can be Tested with Device rather then Emulator.
Customizing OS and using it for Self and Distributing it to user who can take risk may get easy Access to Mods.
Google Should Protect Recovery Image and Boot Image from being Flashed this will reduce Bricking Issue.
Please report your Comments here
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=1266&can=4

This won't happen. They will plainly tell you to build your own version and thats logical too. G1's version of Android is T-Mobile's, they paid for it, so it has everything that T-Mobile wants, and its for the average user who doesnt care about root etc. If you want a developer version, you can always compile it with default root access n stuff, thats the beauty of Open source.

Building Customized Firmware that's what i am saying unless you don't have root access you can not Build and Flash Customized Image. and in RC30 Release they have removed root access and telnetd.
Means they have stopped all door for Customizing firmware and flash it.

hetaldp said:
Means they have stopped all door for Customizing firmware and flash it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would not say that the stopped or closed all doors for customizing. Yes they took aways root but it does not mean we wont find a new door. With hacking any device its all about finding the newer better way to get in.

If you look at the amount of time that has been spent on Android since it was originally announced the development time is incredibly short. For that reason I could see Google wanting to restrict root access until they are more certain of the potential complications of allowing access to the various parts. Perhaps we'll see a gradual releas of root access as the error handling capability of Android is improved.
Or that could just be wishful thinking. At this point I'm wishing that I hadn't taken the official RC30, but too late now

Rather then sitting idle and wishing for Google to rethink and give us root access gradually is not enough we should sign the link above and suggest them for that requirement.

benmyers2941 said:
If you look at the amount of time that has been spent on Android since it was originally announced the development time is incredibly short. For that reason I could see Google wanting to restrict root access until they are more certain of the potential complications of allowing access to the various parts. Perhaps we'll see a gradual releas of root access as the error handling capability of Android is improved.
Or that could just be wishful thinking. At this point I'm wishing that I hadn't taken the official RC30, but too late now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android was under development for 5 or 6 years before they announced it. It wasn't as rushed as you make it sound.

RyeBrye said:
Android was under development for 5 or 6 years before they announced it. It wasn't as rushed as you make it sound.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Five or six years seems terribly long. I know they did a lot of work on the dalvik VM but still.. I wouldn't be surprised if they had lost of lot of time in legalese and negotiation with hw maker and providers. I work in telco, although not the mobile industry and you can barely imagine the bully tactic employed by the big names to keep challengers out.. Ya don't wanna lose yar winmo 6 preferred pricing ar righ'?
Anyway, if it's true I'm even more surprised at some of the current shortcoming of the platform. Internationalization and lack of support for bluetooth comes to mind first.
But anyway, it's a young platform in terms of "days in the wild" and it's already quite good. What I'm a little bit afraid of is that T-Mo might not keep the update coming to bring new features to the phone in order to get people to upgrade their handset. We'll see.
As for developer build, Google has said that they would release Android so you could build your own device not that every device would be open.
I believe your demand should have been addressed to T-Mobile, not to Google nor HTC. Having an open device would be a tremendous benefit for Google as it would attract more qualified hobbyist developers to the Android platform. HTC probably doesn't really care either way, they're in the business of selling hardware, once you bought it they won't see any of the additional revenue stream, so if they can move ten thousand more unit because some people would like to use them as development device, I'm pretty sure they'd be for it. Assuming they don't have to support the cost of technical support for those "customized" devices.

RyeBrye said:
Android was under development for 5 or 6 years before they announced it. It wasn't as rushed as you make it sound.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where did you get your information? I doubt that the entire OS was under development for 5 or 6 years. Maybe they started the idea of making a mobile OS but I don't think they actually have been coding it. I think it has been more product development not software. Things like (capacitive or resistive) or (mini USB or proprietary) and of course (on screen or hardware keyboard... or both)
Think about it they have to have a device in mind or a general lay out of the device before making the OS for it.

neoobs said:
Where did you get your information? I doubt that the entire OS was under development for 5 or 6 years. Maybe they started the idea of making a mobile OS but I don't think they actually have been coding it. I think it has been more product development not software. Things like (capacitive or resistive) or (mini USB or proprietary) and of course (on screen or hardware keyboard... or both)
Think about it they have to have a device in mind or a general lay out of the device before making the OS for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hehe... That is most peoples understanding aswell.
Android is NOT Google's property (at least that I know of). Android has been in development for 5-6 years WITHOUT Google.
Android did not get the time of day UNTILL Google joined.

Then it wasn't being developed... it was staleware that google dusted off... I understand it isn't google's software but honestly you can't build something without knowing what devices it will be on. If built 6 years ago... it would have been built for devices from 6 years ago using resistive screens, proprietary connections, and most likely an onscreen keyboard. Mobile devices have changed a lot in 5 years and that would mean android was rebuilt from the ground up, if it was made 5 years ago. I think there may have been development and ideas 5 years ago but nothing even close to a working model(alpha software)

Being based on Linux, it is already extremely flexible with regards to hardware requirements. The only real requirement I am aware of is an ARM processor > 200 mhz...
Google bought Android in August of 2005, at that point in time, the company had existed for 22 months. So definitely some design elements of the OS have existed that long.

Yea but you have to write new code for each piece of hardware to interface with the OS... and things like resistive and capacitive screens are the big ones because of how the UI will be... Think about how WM6 would be if you had to use the center of your finger instead of a stylus? The UI for WM7 (whatever it will be called) has to change because it is supposed to be used on capacitive devices. Same goes with other things like how it will interface with USB and the keyboard(easiest) But each thing needs to interface into the OS and each of those are what takes time and all of those look rushed. I am also guessing that Google spent time recoding the email app and calendar and contact apps to interface with their servers as well. So what is left from android before google started? Does anyone have any proof or should I just say citation is needed?

neoobs said:
Yea but you have to write new code for each piece of hardware to interface with the OS... and things like resistive and capacitive screens are the big ones because of how the UI will be... Think about how WM6 would be if you had to use the center of your finger instead of a stylus? The UI for WM7 (whatever it will be called) has to change because it is supposed to be used on capacitive devices. Same goes with other things like how it will interface with USB and the keyboard(easiest) But each thing needs to interface into the OS and each of those are what takes time and all of those look rushed. I am also guessing that Google spent time recoding the email app and calendar and contact apps to interface with their servers as well. So what is left from android before google started? Does anyone have any proof or should I just say citation is needed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is what I am saying. Android is specifically designed to abstract all of those things. Want to add a new method for input? Fine, make a kernel module for it... Want to add a new interface port? Fine, make a kernel module for it. The modules are provided by either the device manufacturer (depending on how they've licensed the particular technology) or by the chipset manufacturer... This is no different than how the same distribution of Linux can run on x86, ARM, PPC, & Itanium with hundreds of different chipsets, network cards, etc.
From the very beginning Google has been saying that Android will run on a wide variety of phone hardware, even going so far as saying it could run on flip phones.

Yes but google had to create all of those for the G1 and it didn't have 5-6 years to do it.
Although I doubt it would work well on resisitive screens would be weird as its interface is meant for capacitive.

neoobs said:
Yes but google had to create all of those for the G1 and it didn't have 5-6 years to do it.
Although I doubt it would work well on resisitive screens would be weird as its interface is meant for capacitive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes and that is why Linux kernels are sweet.
The kernel is set, done, finished (of course with room for upgrades).
All you need to do is create kernel modules ("drivers" for the rest of us, [I use Windows & Fedora]) for hardware to comunicate with the kernel.
The kernel has been there for a while, being developed by people who wanted an open phone OS. You can develope an OS regardless of what hardware is out there right now.
If you want to think of it in Windows terms, it's exactly the same. XP was writen years ago and that Kernel is still the same, but all you need is drivers for new hardware to comunicate with the windows kernel.
Actually now that I think about it, I beleave the XP kernel is still based on the 2K kernel. I'll look it up.

Google made Dalvik, and a couple of the applications, the members of the Open Handset Alliance provided the kernel level modules.
I found an article from earlier this summer that briefly goes over the timeline and what Google had in mind with this whole thing: http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/magazine/16-07/ff_android?currentPage=all

quedijo said:
Yes and that is why Linux kernels are sweet.
The kernel is set, done, finished (of course with room for upgrades).
All you need to do is create kernel modules ("drivers" for the rest of us, [I use Windows & Fedora]) for hardware to comunicate with the kernel.
The kernel has been there for a while, being developed by people who wanted an open phone OS. You can develope an OS regardless of what hardware is out there right now.
If you want to think of it in Windows terms, it's exactly the same. XP was writen years ago and that Kernel is still the same, but all you need is drivers for new hardware to comunicate with the windows kernel.
Actually now that I think about it, I beleave the XP kernel is still based on the 2K kernel. I'll look it up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
XP was built on the NT kernel along with Vista and everything else made since 2000. Although that kernel is not the same at all anymore... sure it has all the same features but has been tweaked to all heck.
One thing I don't understand is where is the developer version or at least updated emulator package?

neoobs said:
One thing I don't understand is where is the developer version or at least updated emulator package?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://source.android.com/
The emulator doesn't have to be updated. It's just QEMU with a fancy GUI. Assuming they're keeping the repo over there up to date, you should be able to check out the latest version, build the images, fire it up in the emulator, and be on your way... and if you have a rooted G1, as long as you include the proprietary stuff from HTC (kernel modules that I'm sure they can't GPL), you should be able to boot it up... which, unless I am mistaken, is exactly what JesusFreke did in the first place.

Everybody Please make Comment on this Issue with Official G1 Suggestion Thread i opened
http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=1266&can=4
Hetal

Should I trade in my Fuze for a Bold?

I'm deciding whether or not to trade in my Fuze for a Bold.
The Fuze is nice, but I don't know if I can stand Windows Mobile anymore.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks

well gotta give it to a Bold that it's design is timeless
and last for a long time and can handle some absuse

Can't stand Windows Mobile? Are you using a stock AT&T ROM? If so, that's your problem.

Thats funny I had the Bold 2 days before release and couldn't wait for the Fuze to be released so I could trade it in for a Fuze. Honestly the new crackberry is nice and all don't get me wrong but the Fuze and WM is so much more flexable, not the stock ROM mind you. First thing I did was Hard-SPL and get a cooked ROM. If your running around with AT&T's stock ROM your doing it wrong, completely wrong.

Im due for an upgrade and im on the fence between the bold and the fuze , i currently have a tilt and curve

Sebrina said:
Thats funny I had the Bold 2 days before release and couldn't wait for the Fuze to be released so I could trade it in for a Fuze. Honestly the new crackberry is nice and all don't get me wrong but the Fuze and WM is so much more flexable, not the stock ROM mind you. First thing I did was Hard-SPL and get a cooked ROM. If your running around with AT&T's stock ROM your doing it wrong, completely wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with you, but I think there's a good point to be made here: it shouldn't be that way. You shouldn't *need* to hack your device for it to be usable.

like i tell all the customers in my store.
if you email alot, get blackberry.
if you do everything get htc.

jasongw said:
I agree with you, but I think there's a good point to be made here: it shouldn't be that way. You shouldn't *need* to hack your device for it to be usable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the Fuze now and used to have the bold when it came out for testing and as far as usable they both are usable from the start. The difference between the two is that with Windows Mobile you can enhance the phone and taylor it to your liking by changing the rom, adding cabs, modifying the OS etc...but with the bold and blackberry in general there is only so much you can do. I do however think that it is the best blackberry yet (have not used the Storm yet) and if you seek flexibility WM is your best bet.

Thanks everyone.
I actually used RomeOS for a while, but i reverted back to the stock ATT rom just in case I decide to get the bold. I have several weeks before my month is up, maybe i'll wait and see. My only gripe is that the phone menu is a bit sluggish. Is this b/c of TF3D or WinMobile itself?

attnoob said:
like i tell all the customers in my store.
if you email alot, get blackberry.
if you do everything get htc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
so true

I wondered the same thing. I ended up getting and keeping both though. I send and receive a lot of emails daily but I also do the other stuff. They complement each other nicely but what drove me to testing and eventually owning a Blackberry was that I became obsessive with tweaking, customizing, and installing things on my Touch Pro. I would spend HOURS each day on here searching and installing until I made the phone unstable. Hard reset and was back at it again. So the Blackberry was my way of saving my from myself, especially since it is on a platform that I'm not very familiar with. But both are great phones. The best way to decide would probably be to try them both out if at all possible.

i think Dieter Bohn from WMexperts states it best. He temporarily swapped his Fuze for a bold from the guys at crackberry.com and he says something along the lines that while using the bold he finds he constantly has to adapt himself to the BB os which is opposite to WM experience where you adapt it to your needs.
and to enrique999, i was under the exact same circumstances, always late to dinners or parties because i had to update an app, or customize it just to how i wanted the device after a hard reset or rom upgrade.. i was gonna get the bold but it took to long to come out so i got an e71. Now i use my WM device during the week, and e71 during the weekend

For those of you who want winmo on your G1 try this.

I looked up an article about a smartphone that runs on both windows mobile and andriod using a special bootloader called U-boot it is an open-source boot loader try getting this on the G1 then try to get windows mobile image or something on the g1 via this bootloader. the phone I am referencing this from is the Compulab exeda their article can be found here: http://i.gizmodo.com/5131507/compulab-exeda-a-stocky-phone-stuffed-full-of-features-and-oss
Use this bootloader then tell me how you will get windows mobile

wattt!!! so basically u saying hey i dnt know if this will work but kill your fone then tell me how it work out. Btw first the bootloader have to be ported to g1 hardware

ya that guy says here do this and let me know if it works . but if im reading this right a dual boot g1?

That's what it seems like. That could mean anything really... but it has an ethernet port! Can we say insta-router/modem? How odd and cool at the same time! But if it's truly a duel mode phone, WM on Android is just a tiny step away But then again... Since the phone itself is entirely different than the G1, how will it be ported? Just a bootloader isn't gonna do it. It will have to be modified completely. It's still better than trying to port from a TyTn or something else. U boot will have to support the G1's hardware or something extremely similar (a least a HTC phone). And the WM image could be gotten from anywhere but preferably from this phone, the exeda (may be the .nbf will leak sometime or it will get a downloadable update for WM).

LOL i meant dual boot as in the "linux" flavor for nokia i was thinking... sorry but as fast as android is advancing im ready to kiss WM goodbye. But sure people will either want to throw WM or possibly a dualboot on there g1's if it is possible

I've used u-boot on many different platforms... You guys have no idea what you're talking about. This isn't something you just "put" onto the G1... it would need to be written(ported) for the G1, bring up all the hardware, initialise RAM, etc... this would replace the SPL, not the OS, so you would also have to find a way to get u-boot to load wince (I've only used u-boot to boot linux, redboot is for wince).... this thread is like all the comments on the google apps store asking app developers to write flash for the browser...

I would love to get something like this, even wondered when they will come out with it. But I do think it will be something that will have to come on the phone, not as a 3rd party app. But I do hope HTC will bring out a hybrid like this. And a Ethernet port. Holy crap, I love that!!

i have a dream...
I have a dream that one day HTC will offer the drivers to the devices they sell.. that would make every developers live easier. If they released the drivers for all the hardware u could run any OS on the dream.
I would acctually pay for that

apatcas said:
I have a dream that one day HTC will offer the drivers to the devices they sell.. that would make every developers live easier. If they released the drivers for all the hardware u could run any OS on the dream.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem is, HTC may or may not have the rights to release the code for those drivers, even if they wanted to. Many drivers come from hardware manufacturers (like Qualcomm, for example) and don't give clients like HTC the rights to distribute them except in binary form.
One day everything will be open-source. One day a carrier who advertises a phone as "open" will actually sell it as open, too.

I had my laptop dual boot with Slax and Win XP for about a week. I can't tell you how much I regret wasting the time to even set that up. Lets say you get the bootloader to work on the G1... Now tell me... what exactly are you going to use to control the capacitive touch screen and why? Can't we all just admit that Windows time is near its end and its only saving grace is to mimic what the open source communities are doing, or Apple if you want to refer to Windows 7... ick i say, ick.

True i am going to hijack this and wonder also why has no one looked into why we are only using 384mhz of the 528mhz that the processor can run at it was in another thread that no one commented on?

sino8r said:
That's what it seems like. That could mean anything really... but it has an ethernet port! Can we say insta-router/modem? How odd and cool at the same time! But if it's truly a duel mode phone, WM on Android is just a tiny step away But then again... Since the phone itself is entirely different than the G1, how will it be ported? Just a bootloader isn't gonna do it. It will have to be modified completely. It's still better than trying to port from a TyTn or something else. U boot will have to support the G1's hardware or something extremely similar (a least a HTC phone). And the WM image could be gotten from anywhere but preferably from this phone, the exeda (may be the .nbf will leak sometime or it will get a downloadable update for WM).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
good news I mentioned that the U-boot bootloader is open source

beartard said:
The problem is, HTC may or may not have the rights to release the code for those drivers, even if they wanted to. Many drivers come from hardware manufacturers (like Qualcomm, for example) and don't give clients like HTC the rights to distribute them except in binary form.
One day everything will be open-source. One day a carrier who advertises a phone as "open" will actually sell it as open, too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
compulab has already made that dream come true with the exeda

damien667 said:
I've used u-boot on many different platforms... You guys have no idea what you're talking about. This isn't something you just "put" onto the G1... it would need to be written(ported) for the G1, bring up all the hardware, initialise RAM, etc... this would replace the SPL, not the OS, so you would also have to find a way to get u-boot to load wince (I've only used u-boot to boot linux, redboot is for wince).... this thread is like all the comments on the google apps store asking app developers to write flash for the browser...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can redboot be modified to run windows mobile???

qjsmartphone said:
compulab has already made that dream come true with the exeda
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's actually pretty slick. I wonder if a version will support tmo-usa's 3G band?

Sidekick LX 2009

Hi,
I have plans to buy a Sidekick LX 2009 for use in Belgium.
Now i have read about that when i root my Sidekick that i can use the GPRS network from all the world is this correct can i send emails and surfing on the internet with my Data plan ?
Thanks.
Greetings,
Rudi

There is a lot wrong with that question. First, the LX 2009 was not on android, it was on Danger's proprietary firmware. This means that it's not a rootable scenario, as there's no root to get. I believe what you're talking about it getting it Unlocked which would have to come from Danger/T-Mobile, but I'm not sure if they're still giving out unlock codes for that phone, as it's now old and no longer made.

I wonder if you are still reading this but I think this link may help http://wiki.sidekick.com/thread/4481508/Registering%2FActivating+an+unlocked+sidekick+3+on+other+networks
[email protected] said:
Registering/Activating an unlocked sidekick 3 on other networks
Feb 20 2011, 12:14 PM EST
after u by bass the screen by holding the button with the three bars and the L button holding at same time for like 2 sec after ur at the main screen hit the menu button thats the one with the three bars go to settings network options scroll down to network APN now click the change network apn and erase the tmobile one thats there leave it blank then hit the menu butten and click done with in a few seconds or instantly like it did for me it will activate and u make a new user name or use one u have if u do that is and my email started up and the download catalog worked and my sidekick 3 said i was registered text me at 9736104730 (im on att) or email me at [email protected] it took me like 6 days to get my phone to activate and i was getting mad and i did this by mistake and im glade it works now lol att pay as you go on sidekick 3 loving it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Well that trick doesn't work. I wonder if we can flash the Sharp Jump (offered by Cincinnati Bell) firmware onto this device? Then someone would have an old copy of the Danger SDK lying around and it would become grey territory in terms of legality of the use of the SDK.

sorry to bump an old ars tread but my SK4G **** on me.... and back to the LX 2009 anyone know how to at least get internet running? apn settings are limited on this device and epc.tmobile.com is a no go

try unlocking the device. if tmobile wont give you the code, then find an unlocking service. ebay is probably cheaper than a regular service. either way, get the code and put a non tmobile sim in and unlock. then put your sim card back in, find the apn settings, delete whatever apn is there, and then put tmobiles current apn in. if that doesnt work, nothing will.

Danger-based Sidekicks ran everything through their proprietary Back-End Servers which were shut down back in May of 2011. After that time, NO Danger-Based Sidekicks have been able to access the internet. Sharp has since tweaked their remaining LX09 stock and re-marketed the devices (complete with an Opera Browser with Internet services and a non-Sidekick name) to other carriers (including Mobility Wireless and Cincinnati Bell). their tweaks were not made public to be applied to T-mobile branded devices.

ncmacasl said:
Sharp has since tweaked their remaining LX09 stock and re-marketed the devices (complete with an Opera Browser with Internet services and a non-Sidekick name) to other carriers (including Mobility Wireless and Cincinnati Bell). their tweaks were not made public to be applied to T-mobile branded devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If someone can extract the flash through a JTAG or other flash reader, then the Sidekick LX scene may explode; if the hackers can bypass legal measures.

Danger's agreement for developers was very restrictive.
To get any kind of modding started on the Hiptop, you would need some leaks directly from former Danger employees... Not only is that unlikely, the trail has gotten awfully cold. The Hiptop (and all its kin) has been pink and dead for a long time. Some ho killed it.

Agreed. Regardless, the LX is a lost cause now.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2

Matarick said:
Well that trick doesn't work. I wonder if we can flash the Sharp Jump (offered by Cincinnati Bell) firmware onto this device? Then someone would have an old copy of the Danger SDK lying around and it would become grey territory in terms of legality of the use of the SDK.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do u have a copy of Danger SDK..?? is there any way i can get it?? i have a SHARP PV300(almost same as sidekick lx2009) but cannot install any new apps into it.. i just want to install a few apps in it. there is GPS on the device.. but it is useless as it comes without an application,.. is there any way u can help me..??

nitthin21 said:
do u have a copy of Danger SDK..?? is there any way i can get it?? i have a SHARP PV300(almost same as sidekick lx2009) but cannot install any new apps into it.. i just want to install a few apps in it. there is GPS on the device.. but it is useless as it comes without an application,.. is there any way u can help me..??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The short answer is no.
There always were two different builds of Danger OS's. There was a developer build that was used by Danger employees and a production OS that required a developer's code to install 3rd party apps.
There's a good chance they still have two builds of the OS for your device. Sharp likely has a developer build they use in house--and you have a consumer version.
Because the catalog is dead and gone, I don't see any reason why they would have maintained the ability to "unlock" devices for devs. The whole dev code feature may have been deleted.
Even if there still is a way to unlock the device, I believe the developer codes were produced using a hash against the device IMEI. But, that doesn't help much because I don't know of anyone that ever cracked Danger's crypto method.
The Danger development website was capable of generating codes for approved devs, but it has been gone for years. So, you can't get the algorithm directly or produce more examples for evaluation...
And, you should be able to copy your device's location to the clipboard and use it in the browser. It's not completely worthless...

orange808 said:
Danger's agreement for developers was very restrictive.
To get any kind of modding started on the Hiptop, you would need some leaks directly from former Danger employees... Not only is that unlikely, the trail has gotten awfully cold. The Hiptop (and all its kin) has been pink and dead for a long time. Some ho killed it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ROFL - great multi-pun replay!!!

It's great to see the old-school Sidekicks get talked about. I still have my SK3 and SK2008. The SK3 was a personal favorite of mine. As far as hacking them is concerned, I'm sure there's a way to root them as the basis for the OS was a Java VM running on Linux if I remember correctly. Microsoft would have to fork over the code for the open source parts of it. The SK LX 2009 was a new start for the Danger OS and ran NetBSD as the base of the OS. The old SK's are CHEAP to pick up nowadays given their limited utility, but they would be the ultimate hacker's challenge as far as modding and breaking into the OS. One guy managed to do it and got hired by Danger waaaaaay back in the earliest days of the Hiptop/Sidekick. Unfortunately, it seems his work isn't available to download anymore. HOWEVER, someone else used his work for the basis for trying to get Android running on the old Sidekick devices: https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!topic/android-beginners/acUqRd9ZuRY
It doesn't look like it got very far, but there's some interesting information there. Anyway, I'm rambling a bit here.

Yep. That was jgeorge...
He took over running the developer website after Danger hired him...
Ever wanted to have spell check and autocorrect running from a single dictionary across your entire device?
Gee. I bet Apple will market the heck out of that "new" feature next.
Yay.
Come to think of it, where is that feature, Google?
You going to let an old Sidekick trump you?
P.S. Real Sidekicks don't drop keypresses.

Does yours drop them too? I thought it was just mine. Though, the problem has largely subsided with the most recent ROMs like RAGE4.0 and GOv3.2Bulky (which I'm running now.). still, it hasn't totally been eliminated. This thing will show flashes of what made the old Sidekicks great, but the execution by Samsung and T-Mobile wasn't what it needed to be. Still, this device shows that Android is really Hiptop OS 2.0 (sort of). There's so much in Android that first was in Hiptop.
<sigh> I really wish MS hadn't bought Danger.
orange808 said:
Yep. That was jgeorge...
He took over running the developer website after Danger hired him...
Ever wanted to have spell check and autocorrect running from a single dictionary across your entire device?
Gee. I bet Apple will market the heck out of that "new" feature next.
Yay.
Come to think of it, where is that feature, Google?
You going to let an old Sidekick trump you?
P.S. Real Sidekicks don't drop keypresses.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Microsoft wasted their money. But, Danger was doomed when the Hiptop 3 arrived. That design failed to innovate and move forward.
The Hiptop, Hiptop Color, and Hiptop 2 were all incremental improvements on the same core experience. At the time, it was ok because they met general expectations.
But, the Hiptop 3 needed to be something special--and it wasn't. That hurt.
The other problem was the closed platform. Danger had trouble getting development off the ground. The whole thing was a powered with a proprietary Java-based (aka slow) platform. They added MIDP support later, but that just encouraged quick and dirty ports--they needed native quality apps.
Danger's (Apple copied the idea) app approval process and catalog was a great idea to guarantee stable software and boost revenue. But, the closed platform also discouraged developers. Somewhere in the middle of the Hiptop 2's lifespan, Danger sued over Hiptones (a grey market app) and stopped giving most people dev codes. That chilled any enthusiasm that may have existed and effectively killed the device with most devs.
Microsoft still could have saved the platform. But, Danger shot themselves in the foot long before that by locking out devs and failing to innovate.

I agree it was a stupid purchase by Microsoft. $500 million was just ridiculous to spend. I really wonder what they thought it would get them. The owners of Danger made out like bandits presumably.
I've heard that things like more advanced Bluetooth profiles like A2DP were kept off the SK3 because of carrier requests. It was also very odd how long it took to add support for MMS to say nothing about the issue of locking down the ability to add your own ringtones. I know someone suggested to T-Mobile that they make dev keys available as a premium download in the Catalogue, but that went nowhere.
Speaking of 3rd party stuff, I wonder to this day what else could be put on an SD card to open up features besides just the themes. There had to have been more to that which could have been done to gain further access to the devies. I tried one time with a friend to hack into the SK3 with my linux desktop via USB, but that didn't go anywhere.

Well, T-Mobile owned half of Danger. Their "requests" and (shortsighted) hunger for a few dollars in ringtone revenue were very costly in the long term.
For years, there was a special T-Mobile flavor of the OS with missing features. That didn't end until the LX 09.
Many other features failed to appear bcause Danger wasn't taking the future seriously. For instance, the devs had software to store our emails on sdcard. The software was around forever and we all downloaded and used it, but it never made it into the OS... Somewhere around the release of the Hiptop 3, Danger stopped taking email seriously. Did they really think the LX 09 would attract a wide range of users with a dinky little mailbox?
We also had proof of concept for video decoding that ran all the back to the Hiptop 3. But, again, it went nowhere for years.
So many missed opportunities..

I made a few bucks back in the day by making themes and custom ringtones for the lx and lx09 I still have my 09 with like 100 custom ringtones and its unlocked but till I can find a way to override the danger server dependancy it will sit in its box in my closet gathering dust I loved that thing. I'm upset now that I sold my sk3 and sklx and only kept the 09 lol
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