So, two years ago, a whole bunch of companies looked at each other and decided it was time to put their heads together and make something great. The idea was a completely open environment, where innovation would take precedence over concepts like Intellectual Property and protecting your ideas or developments from everyone else. The idea evolved and became Android.
“If we did not act, we faced a draconian future, where one man, one company, one carrier was the future.” – Vic Gundotra
Fast forward to today, and we have a community where half a dozen handsets – and growing – are free to run whatever you want, even Ubuntu. It’s a big deal for alot of people, and for a very good reason. There is no reason to accept being told how to use your device. You paid for it. You own it. Being told how to use your phone benefits no one, especially not the end user. Fortunately, we have these wonderful devices like the Nexus One, where it’s not a problem. It seems, however, that at every great party there is someone prepared to muck it up for the rest of us. I’m looking at you, Motorola.
The Droid X could have been the start of something great. The big, powerful phone that can be used as a phone, book, DVR, MP3 player, internet tablet, and so much more. It’s been hailed as this weeks superphone, and for good reason. It does, however, have one significant flaw.
It violates EVERYTHING the Open Handset Alliance stands for.
Let me explain. The Droid X has an encrypted BootSector, and is designed to “brick” in the event that it is modified. This means under no uncertain circumstances will the device ever run cooked roms or anything it was not “built” to do.
I understand that this is not a big deal for some, in fact most, people in the world. There are plenty of people who own Android devices without root or anything. There is absolutely nothing WRONG with that. The point it choice. The Open Handset Alliance was created to promote openness and choice. It’s in their credo!
Each member of the Open Handset Alliance is strongly committed to greater openness in the mobile ecosystem. Increased openness will enable everyone in our industry to innovate more rapidly and respond better to consumers’ demands. Our first joint project as a new Alliance is Android™. Android was built from the ground up with the explicit goal to be the first open, complete, and free platform created specifically for mobile devices.
Petition apps have been created in the Market to address the issue, but I am not satisfied. Motorola needs to either correct this incredible mistake, or be asked to leave the Open Handset Alliance. Period.
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Tyler Robinon
1 month ago
No, no, no…I don't know why everyone keeps thinking that Open-Source means users can do whatever they want. This is definitely NOT true. The idea for Open-Source is simply to spread open standards and innovation on as many platforms as possible, for the lowest penny possible(which manufactures and service providers continue to take advantage of). There is no other goal with the Open-Handset Alliance.
No where do they say that the meaning of being “Open” means the user has full ride control over their device, and it shouldn't either. Manufacturers are allowed to “protect” their customers, even against their will. Actually I would say that if all phones were as easy to unlock as the Nexus, we would probably see a major increase in stupid people trying difficult things…which could ultimately be very bad. It sucks that they locked up the phone, but I have no doubt in my mind that these phones will be unlocked eventually…it will probably just take a while. Keep in mind that the Desire and the Legend took very long time to unlock as well, which the root method is to basically trick the bootloader into replacing the recovery. I'm sure something similar will come for the Droid X/2.
Russell Holly
1 month ago
I may have misrepresented myself here. In many ways, I agree with you. Manufacturers should not make devices as open as the Nexus, I completely agree. I do not, however, think that ANY company should have the right to have a separate piece of technology in their product that intentionally deactivates the phone in the event of tampering. It feels very much like two extremes to me. Somewhere in the middle would be great.
Ronhamelin
1 month ago
Agreed. They defeat the entire point of OHA and Android. I can't believe that Google supports this.
JJ2kEclipse
1 month ago
In ways I agree with both of you. Its kind of like buying a pre built computer, yes u could possibly open it up and in ways make it better at your own risk (or not if you know what your doing) but if I I know what I'm doing why shouldn't I be able to open up my HP (just for a name drop) without the rist of a preinstalled bomb blowing up on me… I believe the option should always be open for modification at ones own will. Now years ago I vowed to never buy another samsung or motorola phone, but when motorola dropped the cliq I picked it up because of the fact that it was an android phone. I regret buying the cliq because after continuously pushing back OS updates they continued to show they're dirty ways. I regret spending my hard earned cash on a phone who's OS version and features became obsolete within a month of its release. Think of its a Dos compared to Windows 7.
colinnwn
1 month ago
Tyler, you are very wrong on the meaning of “Open-Source,” see here http://www.opensource.org/. What you describe (and the principles of the OHA from what I understand) is properly called “Open Standards” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_standard. The OHA is in no way open source compliant.
Whether manufacturers should be allowed to prevent you from modifying a device that you bought from them is an arguable question. I happen to agree with Russell that what Motorola did goes against the intentions of the OHA and they should be removed from it. I am fine with companies refusing warranty support on modified products, or refusing them to connect to a company's supporting data products. But they can't have it both ways. They shouldn't get to brick or disable products completely when someone tries to modify them.
Fake Al Gore
1 month ago
There is no evidence that the Droid X will utilize eFUSE to rewrite the FPGAs. This technology, according to Boy Genius Report, is pre-installed in all TI OMAP processors, and it isn't necessarily used just to “brick” phones. For instance, eFUSE is also in the original Droid. Did anyone have a hard time hacking it?
http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2010/07/15/reali...
Ryan Olson
1 month ago
yes any company should haver the right to deactivate their product in the event of tampering… BUT why even be in the open handset alliance if you are going to make your device CLOSED SOURCE and be like the Iphone. Yeah, it protects their product.. in a way.. but the whole thing about the open handset alliance is so that all of the company's OSs will be open source, which will drive each and every company apart of the alliance to come out with better products.
open source FTW
Pat
1 month ago
Tyler, you are wrong. Open source necessarily means that you can do whatever you want with it. It means that you can take the original code, modify it and recompile it for whatever use you can think of.
The GPL's (most common opensource license) preamble states:
“By contrast, the GNU General Public License is intended to guarantee your freedom to share and change all versions of a program–to make sure it remains free software for all its users.”
Pat
1 month ago
Choice in this instance refers to consumer choice to do what they wish with the product they have purchased. It does not mean the choice of motorola to eliminate that choice from their consumers.
Superman
1 month ago
This is the dumbest blog post I've read in a while. Where is your outrage at all of the other Android manufacturers who don't make their handsets wide open for whatever you want to do (read: all of them)? Are you just throwing the Moto name out there because they're the big news maker today?
Pull your head out write something constructive.
M G
1 month ago
- state your facts then
FHL09
1 month ago
Please be aware that we are grateful for your feedback but this isn't Russell's first article & he has written many constructive articles in the past.
Russell Holly
1 month ago
I'm sorry you did not like what I had to say here. Im response, however, I will say that while yes I wish I lived in a magical world where unicorns fly and all Android phones were open and ready. We dont, and I go to therapy for that. What I was specifically targeting was the eFUSE chip and the encrypted Bootsector, a combination specific to this device. I hope I have cleared this up for you.
Russell Holly
1 month ago
I am aware, and was specifically commenting on the combination of the eFUSE and the encrypted bootsector.
Pete
1 month ago
Meh. Motorola's products being crap and their support being non-existent is reason enough not to buy from them.
kaitamkun
1 month ago
Not that it matters, but you misused “your”, “they're”, and “who's”.
You're gramer fail's.
Shadowdale
1 month ago
So your “sources” are speculation on twitter and some forums? You sir, fail at internet reporting.
AbeerDey
1 month ago
“Each member of the Open Handset Alliance is strongly committed to greater openness in the mobile ecosystem.”
“Our first joint project as a new Alliance is Android™. Android was built from the ground up with the explicit goal to be the first open, complete, and free platform created specifically for mobile devices.”
They talk about “greater” openness, not the greatest. And Android is a software platform. But even it has places that are off-limits.
Adrian Tarn
1 month ago
Tyler, the main reason ppl choose android is choice. The Nexus is easily unlocked, yes, to allow ease of access to ppl who buy it to so if they so choose. Google chose to brand it their own not as a technological showcase but to demonstrate the core values of their Open System that is the Android: choice. Simple.
If your so-called “stupid” ppl choose to unlock the Nexus and do “stupid” things to their phones, its their choice. To make a point, I don't think ppl are “stupid”. Ppl are just prone to lapse of judgement. Sadly, “stupid” or however which we call it, there's always consequences to making the wrong choice. But there it is again the choice was always there.
Thomas LoCurto
1 month ago
I completely agree with this article. I am not bothered by Motorola's decision, they are free to doom themselves however they want, but if they do so they absolutely should not stay in the OHA. I consider membership in that group as an insinuation of belief in general Android ecosystem openness. It tarnishes the credibility of the organization as a pro consumer pro openness organization. Once again, Motorola can do as they wish, but outside of the OHA.
Russell Holly
1 month ago
XDA-Developers is an incredibly reliable resource for nearly all things Android. Furthermore no source was cited from Twitter. It has been proven that the device has an eFUSE, and that an eFUSE can be used to deactivate the device. I am extremely sorry that you do not approve of Wikipedia as a source for information on the topic as well. I welcome you to take a second glance, and I say glance because clearly that's what you did, at the article and observe my actual sources.
Russell Holly
1 month ago
I would agree with this if every device that had come out in the past 2 years had these things. They do not. What's worse, this is not Moto's first, second, or even third handset running Android. This is little more than a control measure after releasing the most widely used Android handset in the world at the moment.
Tyler Robinon
1 month ago
Uhh Hardware is not source code, hence is not required to be open. Android is Open-Source under the Apache license(which is the most common among Android), which means by having a version of the open sourced code on their phone, they are not violating any rules specified by the term “Open-Source”. They do release their source code to the public: https://opensource.motorola.com/sf/sfmain/do/home which we, as developers are allowed to take, change, and recompile however we want…just not on their hardware(which is not under the open-source license).
Tyler Robinon
1 month ago
Open-Source means that any source code they write is distributed to anyone who may want it, which are then allowed to modify, recompile and redistribute(under the licensing they choose). They do this: https://opensource.motorola.com/sf/sfmain/do/home. Hardware is not required to follow the same argument. Actually there is only a couple specs required by the Open-Handset Alliance, which is mostly the requirement for buttons and other elements that Android requires to work(which is why things like the Archos 5/7 don't have Google's grace).
There is no argument here. Hardware is under the licensing of the Manufacturer and they are allowed to do whatever they want with that without violating any licenses that are placed by the OS(Android in this case), and hence does not violate specs for the OHA. I know that it seems like I'm playing devils advocate here, but by all legal reasoning, Motorola is in the right.
Tyler Robinon
1 month ago
Hardware can't be open source lol. Source code is software, when its open, its called Open Source. Hardware is not software, hence can not be written in source code(can you imagine carrying source code in your pocket and calling it a phone?) hence does not fit under Open-Source licensing. Simple fact, Motorola is not doing anything wrong by making decisions for their hardware. The licenses layed down in Android that define it as Open-Source only encapsulates Software(Android), hence leaving hardware decisions to the manufacturer, such as protecting the software in place with Bootloader protection.
Gregory Ehlers Jr
1 month ago
First of all I believe that Russell is on point with his approach in this blog. OHA, Which Motorola is a major part of, should be open in all aspects and not just as far as the actual Rom source code is considered. I personally believe that Motorola should never have created an Efuse/encrypted bootsector that automatically “bricked” the phone in the event that the Boot Sector be tampered with in a attempt to gain uninhibited access. I believe that once I purchase the Handset then it is mine to do with as I please, whether I brick it due to my own stupidity or lack of knowledge is my fault. Now do I believe that Moto is now responsible to cover said handset under warrantee, No because I altered the handset in a fashion not originally intended for their product. Moto, just like any other consumer electronics has to maintain a level of reliability as far as thier product is concerned and thus to maintain this level feels that by altering of the boot sector would possibly jeopardize said reliability. Moto by being part of the OHA simply agrees that the OS that it uses on a number of its handsets is in fact open source and free for anyone to look at the source code and create software that would make the user experience that much more taylored and enjoyable to its consumer.. It does not agree to allow its product to be unlocked to the level of overclocking and thus shortening and degrading the lifespan of its product.. Having not reading the guidelines of the OHA word for word I can not speculate as to if Moto violated its membership or not, but I can say that Moto wants to protect the reliability of its product. I believe that in the true spirit of premise behind the OHA that all manufacturers should have available the product in its barebones form that the consumer chooses, after purchase and initial setup, what software they want to run on the device and can change this at will. Follow the computer manufacturers and leave the os open to be changed at will but close the hardware to run at specified tolerances to maintain reliability.. just my 2 cents..
colinnwn
1 month ago
Hardware certainly can follow the principles of “open source,” though no certified “open source” hardware focused licensing exists. Though you yourself misrepresented the founding principles of Open Source so I shouldn't be surprised.
If you create a hardware device, publish all specs and instructions for building it, source code for onboard controllers if applicable, perhaps include CAD files, parts sheet, print mask files for creating a circuit board, then specify all materials as in the public domain or with an applicable share alike license, then you can fairly call your hardware project “open sourced.”
Billpier314
1 month ago
“Open-Source means that any source code they write is distributed to anyone who may want it, which are then allowed to modify, recompile and redistribute(under the licensing they choose”
Well what good is the above if you can't put your modified code back on the phone?
If Moto prevents you from doing “as you choose” like flashing it to your Dx then it would seem they indeed taken some of that choice away and are not in the compliance with the OHA. It's odd they will let you flash it to every other android device except the one it came from.
Androidsapien
1 month ago
The first thing people usually do when they root a phone is get rid of the “bloatware”. Verizon has partnership deals with companies like Blockbuster, Amazon, Skype, etc… These partners are a source of revenue sharing streams based on the # of handsets that are out in the market place. If they can't guarantee the apps are on the handsets, they lose that revenue opportunity. That revenue is also factored in when they set the price of the phone. Motorola needed a way to help Verizon lock the bloatware on the handsets. Who do you think paid for the millions of dollars in TV ads we all saw? Blockbuster most likely. It's all about corporate revenue. The simple solution for Verizon is to offer the X sans bloatware/encrypted bootloader for a higher price point.
Eprankster
3 weeks ago
gamer? your spelling fails noob
Peter Steier
3 weeks ago
“They” did not say in their advertisments that the phone is “crippled” – so a little fraud *IS* involved. Still, I *WOULD* have the choice to throw the piece into the trash bin…
… however, I don't. Reason: high-res-display, 5 MP-camera, Android, and *REAL* keyboard. This combination still does not exist otherwhere. My guess: the Droid-X will flop (who needs no keyboard will buy a iPhone 4), and Motorola is doomed, because they nettle their customers. They should replace their CEO's, and you should sell your Motorola shares. Fullstop.
Steierp5
3 weeks ago
Well, my Milestone is from Amazon, and I paid the full prize, nobody to bloat on may phone! Still I hae a crippled device. One another Android device with a *REAL* keyboard and at least 800×480 pixels will show up, I will dump the piece and switch (I don't care to much for the money). Motorola is doomed because they nettle their customers.