At the hardcore/enthusiast end of the Android spectrum, there’s a lot of fuss over certain phone makers denying users the opportunity to fiddle with their Android software at the most basic level and install their own builds of Android.
To counter this, Sony Ericsson has launched UnlockBootloader, a specific site all about how to enable this feature on a selection of its new 2011 Android phones. The Xperia PLAY, Neo, Arc and Pro are currently listed as being unlockable.
It’s all a bit over the heads of the average user, but if you’re into your tinkering and enjoy messing about with custom Android ROMs, go ahead and check it out.
Motorola’s latest flagship dual-core Android monster is a massive, original powerhouse, that’s a big improvement on previous MOTOBLUR mobiles – but still isn’t a total winner.
A slim and glamorous phone from Sony Ericsson, with the sharpest display around. It’s no powerhouse and the screen’s not the biggest out there, but we don’t mind. Because it’s cute.
LG’s first glasses-free 3D phone is a heavy, fat monster, with a clever 3D effect that works rather well. As a smartphone, though, it’s heavy and underwhelming.
A very shiny thing from Sony Ericsson, with a 3.7″ screen and Android 2.3.3 inside. But is it exciting enough to win fans in today’s spec-obsessed market? Can man live on one core alone?
INQ’s Android phone is an interesting “boutique” piece of hardware, packed with unique interface customisations that go far beyond the headline Facebook integration. We like it a lot.
Timbo
/ April 13, 2011Sony Ericsson have got this just right. They will sell loads of handsets now.
Back-Tracking on the original statement of no more X10 updates, seperate market section.
You can see the big picture now, it’s obvious! They will sell all handsets in the future with vanilla android, and allow only SE users to download their apps from the market;timescape etc will come via the market IF YOU WANT IT.
Makes perfect sense, they have said the X10 updates will be basic builds, but they now have in place the framework to overcome this.
Also doing the bootloader unlock via a site they own will protect them from warranty claims as they know the imei number of any phone unlocked.
mintvilla
/ April 14, 2011i agree 100% this is how all android phones should work, i know we cant make any of them do this, as its open source and they can do whatever the hell they want. But if all manufactures released phones with stock android (which is always blazing fast) then you can download the specific apps that can only be accessed via the market as they have their own channel on the google market so only sony phones could get to a sony channel, making it still different than to what the other phone makers come up with.
So that you end up with a situation that isnt like wp7 – where all phones are the same, yet it solves the quick updating thing as stock android should be very quick to roll out updates.
I was very critical of SE in 2010, but i am always very glad to see when a compnay realises their mistakes and does a complete 180 and corrects all of their mistakes, the x10 was a disaster – got the floor wiped with the htc desire, which was a mega hit, and the x10 should of been better, has more internal memory and better camera, but it was stuck on android 1.6 for an age, and only got 2.1 when google was releasing 2.3 and the desire was already on 2.2, then they lock the bootloaders and say it wont get anything after 2.1. – then along comes 2011, they unluck the bootloaders of all new phones, and say the x10 will get 2.3. Very well done sony.
Jimbo
/ April 14, 2011I agree this would be perfect for us but I think we also need to remember Jo Average who probably wants to buy a phone and for it to work and have all the bells and whistles out of the box. He wont want to have to spend a few hours downloading and installing manufacturer specific updates and apps from the market he expects the phone to come with them.
What would be good is if the phone gave the option on first boot:
1. Configure Phone with SE Experince (includes SE Apps and Interface)
2. Configure Phone with Stock Android (SE Apps and Interface can be installed manualy from the Market)
Silencer
/ April 13, 2011You gotta admire Sony Ericsson for doing this.
I recently rooted and loaded a custom rom on my android phone. It now feels like a brand new phone now.
Now the possibilities are endless.
Anonymous
/ April 13, 2011bye motorola
mintvilla
/ April 14, 2011yeah but theres no reason why they cant come preloaded with the apps already on the phone? they would just be able to uninstall them if you didnt want them.
Google do the same, the earlier versions of google they including gmail, google maps etc as part of the version of google, the trouble was if they wanted to update a single app, like google maps, they couldnt, so they seperated these apps, and added them to the market, this allowed them to update the apps more easily without having to do a whole new software revision.
Although i like your idea, the average jo wouldnt know which one to choose on that inital start up