Motopocalypse Bootloader Unlock Tool Now Available For Motorola Devices

Yesterday, we were shocked to learn that Dan Rosenberg, a developer and security researcher, has found an exploit that would allow users to unlock the bootloaders of several Motorola phones. The phones confirmed to be supported were the Motorola Atrix HD, Motorola DROID RAZR HD and MAXX HD, and the Motorola DROID RAZR M. That list hasn’t changed overnight, unfortunately. Users are urged not to try this method if they own any other phone as doing so could damage their phone irreparably.

This .zip file is what you’re looking for, and here’s what you’ll need to do with it:

1. Extract the entire contents of the zip file.
2. If you are using Windows, ensure you have installed the latest Motorola USB drivers available for your phone.
3. Ensure your device has been rooted and you have a working installation of “su”.
4. Ensure USB Debugging mode is enabled on your device.
5. If you are using Windows, navigate to the extracted directory and execute “run.bat”. If you are using Linux or OS X, navigate to the extracted directory in a terminal and execute “./run.sh”.

Dan Rosenberg also posted full insight into his research and the process which allowed him to discover the exploit over at Azimuth Security. It’s a long technical read, but if you’re up for it and interested in seeing how the tightest bootloader in the game was overtaken by the brains of this developer be sure to head over there.

Remember that anything you do to your device as a result of this modification or any other modification is your own responsibility. No one’s going to be obligated to buy you a new device if you happen to find it transformed into a decepticon. If you understand that warning and the possible repercussions of the operation then be sure to give it a try and see if you can finally free the chains your device has been shackled to for so long.


Source: Vulnfactory

HTC Unlocks Bootloader On The Worlds First Android Phone The HTC Dream

HTC has added bootloader unlock support to yet another phone, and it's a classic — the HTC Dream, the original Android smartphone. Considering the Dream (known as the T-Mobile G1 in the US) was launched in 2008, there's a good chance that those who are still using one have already found less than official means to unlock the bootloader, but it's nice to see HTC add support nonetheless. The company has slowly been adding support for legacy devices, with the likes of the Hero, Legend, and Eris added last month, and the total of devices that can officially be unlocked now sits at 60 (including all of the carrier variants). For details on how to unlock your Dream, or other HTC device, be sure to check out HTC's dev site.

HTC bootloader unlock for anything released after September

Well, it’s about time. HTC has decided to unlock the bootloaders on every phone launched since September 2011. The announcement came quietly in the sidebar on HTC’s Developer site, and in addition to the newer phones the company is also working to expand unlocking to older phones as well:

"All HTC Android devices launched after September 2011 are unlockable. The website will be updated accordingly to reflect this in the coming weeks. We continue to work on models launched prior to September 2011, please check back often for the status of older devices."

Unfortunately, the current listing on HTC’s website doesn’t include every phone, the HTC Vivid and Rezound aren’t listed. There’s no doubt the Taiwanese manufacturer is trying to get back into the good graces with Android hackers and fans of custom ROMs. This process may be a little confusing, but HTC deserves credit for getting it done and finding a way to make sure that carriers didn’t block it.

Honestly, more manufacturers should follow suit because most people like when companies cater to its customers and not resort to hoodwink, or just flat-out ignoring them. Props to HTC for coming through on its promise.

Unlock Bootloader

HTC Evo View 4G and Mytouch 4G Slide, Officially Unlockable From HTC

Two new HTC devices have found themselves a part of the official bootloader unlocked family of devices by way of HTC’s developer site, HTCDev.com. The Evo View 4G (Sprint’s version of the Flyer) along with the T-Mobile MyTouch Slide 4G were the newest additions to the list. The Evo View 4G more specifically, has been making its way around the internet as the center of more than a few “fire sales” offering the device at a deeply discounted price.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, having an unlocked bootloader means you can generally tinker around a little more with the software of your device, adding things like root access and/or installing custom ROMs. While, HTC provides the unlocking for specific devices, not everything will be covered under warranty, should something go awry. Of course, there are always the unofficial methods of unlocking a device but it’s nice to see HTC putting in the effort.

Verizon Galaxy Nexus – unlocking the bootloader how to

After all the hype and waiting, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus has finally been released in the US and is available for purchase straight from Verizon. We know many of our readers have been waiting for this moment and probably have this device in their hands right now, or are about to. There are many reasons to want this device, but one of the biggest incentives is the fact that a Nexus phone is known to have a more open ecosystem, meaning it is much easier to unlock the bootloader.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is a bit different, though. It comes with Ice Cream Sandwich, one of the most (if not the most) revolutionary updates the Android OS has received.Android 4.0 has much to be excited about, and even the CyanogenMod team has mentioned that some of their “extra” features have been taken off the custom ROM, since Ice Cream Sandwich is now incorporating them. This means that, more so than before, users are considering not installing any custom ROMs on their devices in favor of the Stock ICS UI.

We’re reaching out to our readers to see what their opinion is on this matter. We’d like to see how many of you are going to stick with stock, or if you’re loyal to the custom ROMs developer community. One of the main advantages of following the developer community is that updates come out much faster, but this wouldn’t be an issue with a Nexus device. (They are the first to get updated). At the same time, many of you may like the extra juice that some developers add to your device.

Unlocking the bootloader will allow you start messing with your smartphone as you please (rooting, flashing custom ROMs and kernels, etc.), and it’s very easy to do with the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Our friends from Droid-Life have posted a video that demonstrates how this is done, as well as a detailed step-by-step guide. The process is very simple; the bulk of the process is setting up the SDK, ADB and drivers.

As always, there’s a disclaimer. Before doing this, you should realize that customizing your device (this includes unlocking the bootloader) may void your warranty and/or brick your device if not done carefully. If you choose to do so, the responsibility is solely yours, and you may be on your own if something goes wrong.

Check out Droid-Life’s video to see how to go about unlocking the Samsung Galaxy Nexus bootloader, and let us know what you think. Will you be unlocking the bootloader to play around with your phone, or would you rather stick with stock this time? If you’re doing it, is it mainly for rooting? Do you think installing custom ROMs is necessary with Ice Cream Sandwich already on your device and updates coming in a timely fashion?