Chapter 8: Nexus One: An Unlockable Device

In this chapter:

• Information about the Nexus One

• Rooting the Nexus One

This walkthrough applies skills learned in the first part of the book. An unlocked device makes it easy to send files to the root file system and start the customization of your phone. This chapter will make a good read not only for owners of the Nexus One device but also for beginning Android hackers. It is included here as a reference to help you understand the application of the commands and skills from the first part of the book. Read through this walkthrough to understand the process of rooting an unlockable device and the general application of ADB and Fastboot commands from the SDK.

The Nexus One is a Google phone with a vanilla (unaltered) version of Android. It is considered a developers’ phone and it can be unlocked using the Fastboot command. The Nexus One was built by HTC and sold by Google. OEMs and carriers usually take a version of Android and modify it to include or exclude features and applications before shipping it on a specific model of device. The Nexus One was designed specifically to highlight an Android installation that had not been altered by an OEM or carrier. The phone continues to be popular among developers and those who value the ease of rooting and developing in an unaltered Android environment.

The XDA forum for the Nexus One can be found at http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=556.

Root Methods Available

The following ...

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