As if to throw the entire developer world for a loop in the face of today’s realization that the ATRIX 4G has a completely locked bootloader, Motorola Mobility’s Twitter account has just gone ahead and tweeted the fact that the XOOM will have an unlockable and lockable bootloader. This function will, they say, enable developers to access hardware for development, and as they don’t say, allow hackers to sing and dance with the system, tearing it down to the ground and remaking it in their own image.
The news that the Motorola XOOM will be without lockdown was tweeted in response to a question from an Android enthusiast that read “just curious – is the XOOM bootloader encrypted or signed?” After he found out the good news, he let Motorola know he’d probably pre-order the Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet right away. Once he realized how popular the reply tweet had become, he let Motorola know that he’s glad so many people are happy about the unlocked news, and that he’s proud to say his mother worked for Motorola for 29 years. Just think of the things she’s seen!
We’re pretty pumped up about this situation as well. Had the Motorola XOOM tablet been locked down in any way, especially since it’s been worked on and optimized with the Google team so vigorously, there’d certainly have been some sort of uproar in response. The way it is now, you’re going to see a lot of people, even the people who’d been complaining about the price of the device up until now, reconsidering the possibility of their hard earned cash turning into a lovely Android tablet from Motorola. Unlock and re-lock to your hearts content, devs!
[via Twitter] – thanks Matt!
Wow, a step in the right direction. This IS how it should be though. Once I pay for it, it’s mine, subsidized hardware is one thing but cash on the barrel-head is quite another. Way to go Moto, just when I had lost faith.