Recommendations for easily rootable/hackable Android phones and tablets - General Topics

Hi,
I'm looking for recommendations for a wide variety of Android mobile devices that are easily rootable and hackable, and preferably with AOSP. The Nexus/Pixel family is obviously my top choices. I'm also looking at something that ideally runs Android 6.0, since AFAIK Android 7 brought about some tightening of the OS components.
So far I'm looking at the Nexus 5X/Nexus 6P on the phone side. I'd also like some other devices, specifically ones that:
- run x86 processors
- are tablets
Any recommendations?

we have a dedicated thread for this topic here https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1846277
thread closed

Related

[Q] WP7 on iPhone 4?

Is there any possibility of dual-booting IOS and and WP7 on an iPhone 4? I'm really interested in playing the Xbox Live games on my iPhone. So that's my main goal. If there is another way to do this, I would be interested in the info. Thanks!
Most likely not. Android can be ported to the iPhone because it is open source whereas windows phone 7 os is very much closed source.
Also, windows phone has special hardware requirements and, if im not mistaken, the Iphone 4 does NOT use the same qualcomm chipset as windows phone.
You would also have issues with your hi-res screen becasue windows phone only supports WVGA at the moment.
So it is probably not possible,
Sorry.
Without any source it won't be possible at all. That's why people have been successful in porting Android to the iPhone series.
Thanks. I figured that there was probably a reason why it hadn't been done yet. I appreciate the info!
Why dont ya just get a windows phone?
Ported OS to another phone will never work as smoothly as a real device dedicated for the job.
If you seen android running on the iPhone it was never really that usable. Even when i had the HD2 Android was still buggy and laggy.
May later be
moved to Q&A
There is OS7, but it is a visual port only and still works just like iOS under the hood. I used it for a while on my iPhone 4.

Android on Bookeen-Cybook Odyssey (eBook Reader)?

Hello everyone, I know this is a long shot but: is anyone interested in porting Android to this excellent eBook Reader?
Device description is here: http://www.bookeen.com/en/cybook/odyssey
It is basically a Nook Touch Simple/Sony PRS T1 like device that features a very fast e-Ink display (amazingly fast for an e-Ink) and should support some tablet like use (browsing the web, reading a RSS feed) quite well. You can see here and here what HSIS (High Speed Ink System) can do.
Stock version is using a Linux 2.6.31 based OS (doesn't specify what flavor)
From the little I know the main problems with porting a Android whould be:
- possible locked bootloader on the Cybook Odyssey -> no way to know without the device
- supported chipset -> an ARM A8 based chipset is listed
- display drivers -> maybe those from regular pearl e-Ink can be used?
- wi-fi drivers -> again, depends on the chipset
I'm out of my league (php, web stuff) here but I plan to buy the device next month if there's hope for it
Ideas?
Hi!
I would point out, before getting your hopes up on the porting, the fact that you asked just one day after the launch of the device, makes one think that you're thoughts are audaciously early. So unless some xda-developers are Bokeen insiders and, ahem, unbound by their job to work on this matter, either waiting or is the thing to do. Or, ahem, , learning how to port?
The chances I see for this port to happen are small (but than again still possible). Perhaps we could see if the linux running it might offer more flexibility and run apps directly (?). Porting would would have it's obvious advantages ... an Android with it's screen technology superior to any current eInk readers, except the Mirasol powered ones perhaps (those are limited to Korea for now) would we awesome.
csioucs said:
Hi!
I would point out, before getting your hopes up on the porting, the fact that you asked just one day after the launch of the device, makes one think that you're thoughts are audaciously early. So unless some xda-developers are Bokeen insiders and, ahem, unbound by their job to work on this matter, either waiting or is the thing to do. Or, ahem, , learning how to port?
The chances I see for this port to happen are small (but than again still possible). Perhaps we could see if the linux running it might offer more flexibility and run apps directly (?). Porting would would have it's obvious advantages ... an Android with it's screen technology superior to any current eInk readers, except the Mirasol powered ones perhaps (those are limited to Korea for now) would we awesome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there any news on debugging and or development possibilities on that platform? I have seen the gpl'ed linux source released at bookeen's site.
I have yet not found any pictures of a disassembled device and do not know if customized firmware updates are possible.
Would very much appreciate any news on that topic!
NonsenseInc said:
Is there any news on debugging and or development possibilities on that platform? I have seen the gpl'ed linux source released at bookeen's site.
I have yet not found any pictures of a disassembled device and do not know if customized firmware updates are possible.
Would very much appreciate any news on that topic!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would also be interested in customized firmware for cybook odyssey. thanks
Any news on this anybody?
Anyone still watching this? I'd like to try to do it, but it's over my head, skill wise...
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
thirstythirsty said:
Anyone still watching this? I'd like to try to do it, but it's over my head, skill wise...
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know that internally some version of android ran on the device, but it's really not worth to do this. Android is absolutely not suited for such device and screen.
To install personalised linux/software, first crack the update format, then the device will be open to you...

Looking for Android computer suggestions

Hi everyone!
So I'm in the market for an ARM-based box running Android, but unlike most users here, I'm not looking to use it as a media streaming device for my TV. Instead, I plan to use it for a development project, and I'd like something that can provide me with as "stock" of an Android experience as possible.
My requirements are:
2GB of RAM
16GB flash
Support for custom community ROMs of Android 5.1 or newer that provide an AOSP-like experience
Stable ROMs (hopefully)...
Also, I know that with phones, you have lots of custom ROM developers like Evervolv, Cyanogen, MIUI, and so on... but is there community support for these Android boxes? And if so, are there some well-known ones I should consider to help narrow my search of supported devices?
Instead of ARM, I'd concentrate of AMLOGIC based Devices. Specifically S912 if not then S905 Based ones. Traditionally developer support has been better for Beelink Devices or Xiomi Devices along with the Manufacturer's own So Called "CM".
Since for a given Chip, the firmware is practically same across the manufacturers, you can start with those that have TWRP available and go from there. Lastly Finless Rom is one of the Developer group in this category that I know of.

[Android TV]Custom Nougat firmware?

Hi,
i am quite new to Android and rooting with years of experience in the Windows Mobile world, but since I bought an Android TV (Sony Bravia) I got interested. To my big suprise, nowhere on these forums is any central topic for Android TV devices (except for the discontinued Nexus Player). The thing that suprised me the most is that there are absolutely no custom firmwares to be found here.
Is there any particular reason for it? With my limited knowledge, it would not be too difficult for Cyanogen for example, to create a dedicated Android TV release? Since almost alle TV's of the brands selling Android TV's (Sony, Philips, B&O) use the same GPU (Mali T624) and processor (MediaTek MT5890), a lot of tv models would be able to get the update at once. Or am I wrong and this thing is much more complicated?

Millions of phones and tablets are obsolete because of sofware. Is there a way around?

Hi everyone.
Every year millions of phones and tablets are produced. Because hardware makers don't worry about updating them, those devices are often dumped. However, lots of them are very capable machines.
As I've read these forums for years, I've seen a lot of work from a lot of people trying to bring those forgotten devices to life again by making unofficial ROMs with tons of customization, new features, and great efforts like LineageOS and PostmarketOS. However, those lack the resources to bring an updated OS for the majority of those binned and obsolete phones.
If I'm not wrong, the biggest issue about replacing the original OS on those devices are the bootloaders and drivers/blobs for the large amount of different hardware configurations. There are multiple workarounds, shims, ports that solve those problems for one or other device.
It might be quite naive, but i'd like to ask a question I've been thinking about lately. AFAIK, if I have the blobs/drivers for a camera, wifi, bluetooth, GPS or other "peripheral" for a devices' original ROM running Android 4.4, I can make it work on AOSP 4.4. I know this might be crazy, but:
As long as I have the blobs for a certain chipset and display/touch, why can't we use a VM running a nano version of AOSP that matches the devices' original ROM that bridges the device IO to the main ROM?
As an example, imagine wifi. I could network bridge AOSP 9 to a VM running AOSP 4, which would then have the drivers so network would work. The same for bluetooth or camera or GPS, maybe? Is this absolutely unfeasible?
Thank you for your time!
wasserprojekt said:
Hi everyone.
Every year millions of phones and tablets are produced. Because hardware makers don't worry about updating them, those devices are often dumped. However, lots of them are very capable machines.
As I've read these forums for years, I've seen a lot of work from a lot of people trying to bring those forgotten devices to life again by making unofficial ROMs with tons of customization, new features, and great efforts like LineageOS and PostmarketOS. However, those lack the resources to bring an updated OS for the majority of those binned and obsolete phones.
If I'm not wrong, the biggest issue about replacing the original OS on those devices are the bootloaders and drivers/blobs for the large amount of different hardware configurations. There are multiple workarounds, shims, ports that solve those problems for one or other device.
It might be quite naive, but i'd like to ask a question I've been thinking about lately. AFAIK, if I have the blobs/drivers for a camera, wifi, bluetooth, GPS or other "peripheral" for a devices' original ROM running Android 4.4, I can make it work on AOSP 4.4. I know this might be crazy, but:
As long as I have the blobs for a certain chipset and display/touch, why can't we use a VM running a nano version of AOSP that matches the devices' original ROM that bridges the device IO to the main ROM?
As an example, imagine wifi. I could network bridge AOSP 9 to a VM running AOSP 4, which would then have the drivers so network would work. The same for bluetooth or camera or GPS, maybe? Is this absolutely unfeasible?
Thank you for your time!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's sort of what project treble is.
Project Treble
The Android 8.0 release includes Project Treble, a major re-architect of the Android OS framework designed to make it easier, faster, and less costly for manufacturers to update devices to a new version of Android. Treble is for all new devices launching with Android 8.0 and beyond.
forum.xda-developers.com
I was reading about it and it seems like treble is not very seccessful. I imagine Google isn't very interested on this, as they want phones to be sold every year. Anyway, I was asking about this specific method of making phones and tablets compatible with today's OS or, who knows, even linux.
wasserprojekt said:
I was reading about it and it seems like treble is not very seccessful. I imagine Google isn't very interested on this, as they want phones to be sold every year. Anyway, I was asking about this specific method of making phones and tablets compatible with today's OS or, who knows, even linux.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes and the only way it might work is trebel. Because treble handles lot of the problems involved with booting newer androids on older systems.
You can run linux on older Androids or even Windows XP.
How to install a Linux desktop on your Android device
Get even more from your Android device by running a desktop OS! Lots of options including Debian (no root), Ubuntu, and Kali Linux.
www.androidauthority.com
Running Windows XP on Android
No rooting or custom modifications needed, we’re going to do this with stock Android and a few free (but high-quality) apps.
centerorbit.medium.com
Also, it's not that the OS gets deprecated, it's that the applications like Google Play services which become heavier as years go by.
Degoogled-Android on my Android ICS phone worked fine till it's screen got busted. With Google Play services, it was impossible to install any app since its paltry 400MB storage was extended/
Thanks for your answers!
Running other OSes via VNC is just meant to use the devices as mere thin clients, and that was not the objective.
The Project Treble will never be as widespread as it should be, because Google is obviously not interested in making phones last longer (they want more devices to be sold). Of course I was not talking about devices 10 years old, more about 5yrs. They have specs good enough to run contemporary Android and most of non-entertainment apps.
The obstacles to being able to do this are artificial. The problem is there are no drivers and project Treble does not address this in any meaningful way. Manufacturers aren't interested in this too because they want to sell more chips. So the only way it came to my mind it could work was by running a very light VM with an older Android for which the components' drivers were available. Of course main components would still have to be compatible with newer Android, such as the SOC. But things such as wi-fi, camera... could be bridged from a VM, I believe.
Not sure, but I'd guess the low-level interface would have to be outside the VM.
That is, to be able to run the VM you'd have to have some drivers already in place. I'm also not sure everything can be virtualized. For example, desktop VMs couldn't so easily passthru PCIe or USB to VMs, at least in the past.
There's some EU push to make fixing and servicing some non-phone devices easier, and to mandate labeling phones (and other devices) with repairability scores. Maybe eventually they could mandate, under certain conditions, the logical separation of hardware and software?
Well, after a long time, for those who where curious about this thread: the project Halium is exactly what was in my mind. If I'm not wrong, it basically consists in a minimal Android rom running on a Virtual Machine which then interfaces with any Linux distro, effectively giving the phone the ability to run a (more or less) updated version of Linux kernel and, therefore, many Linux distros. https://docs.halium.org/en/latest/project/Scope.html
hkjo said:
Not sure, but I'd guess the low-level interface would have to be outside the VM.
That is, to be able to run the VM you'd have to have some drivers already in place. I'm also not sure everything can be virtualized. For example, desktop VMs couldn't so easily passthru PCIe or USB to VMs, at least in the past.
There's some EU push to make fixing and servicing some non-phone devices easier, and to mandate labeling phones (and other devices) with repairability scores. Maybe eventually they could mandate, under certain conditions, the logical separation of hardware and software?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are right, and I believe Halium just works on phones which are minimally supported by Linux kernel drivers (like basic SoCs). But all those other hardware parts, like GPS, Wi-Fi, Camera... can be brought to life this way, I think.
Thanks for your insight!

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