Samsung supports modders

[diogen]

Interesting...
Samsung courts modder community with free smartphones

On Monday, four members of the CyanogenMod software team received Galaxy S II
smartphones in the mail, direct from the company at no charge.
.....
The phones came with one simple directive—get CyanogenMod working on the phone.

Diogen.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

That is surprising. Good for them.

 

[John Kotches]

That is surprising. Good for them.

It's the best ROM I've used.

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[Ramy]

I am shocked that a big company would do this. I was surprised by HTC's announcement but this takes it one step further.

 

[stogie5150]

Very nice move Samsung.

Motorola: We're waiting.......

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Very nice move Samsung.

Motorola: We're waiting.......

Somehow I think we'll be waiting a long long time.

 

[diogen]

I am shocked that a big company would do this.

I think it's just Moto that thinks the (wrong) apps screw up their devices.
Others never voiced their opposition to Google push for "virgin" Android to be at least an option...

If Samsung, HTC, LG will go for it (only one remaining), I don't think the rest will have any choice. If they want to stick around, that is...

Diogen.

 

[Rey]

this is great. cyanogen mods are one of the best roms imo. i like roms from ACS too. if you're an apple fan MIUI makes some nice roms.

 

[stogie5150]

Somehow I think we'll be waiting a long long time.

I don't know about "we"...Motorola doesnt have me tied...I'll sell my Atrix in a heartbeat and buy something else if they keep being hardheaded about it.

 

[Hall]

Real surprising given the numbers of Android phones vs the number of CM users. You'd think the phone manufacturers just wouldn't be interested... So few (of us) go that route that you'd think they wouldn't make the effort to lock things down in the first place because only a tiny percentage will even take advantage of it.

 

[John Kotches]

IMO this legitimizes the Custom ROM creators, or at least Cyanogenmod in a big way.

I wonder if this is a sign that installing CM on your Samsung phone went void your warranty. That would certainly be a big deal and an epic win for the missing community.

Cheers,


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[diogen]

Real surprising given the numbers of Android phones vs the number of CM users. You'd think the phone manufacturers just wouldn't be interested...

Example: Fatal1ty motherboards.
Known only to a relatively small group of gamers, this brand is around since the days Abit was a motherboard maker...

I think it is about influence and mindshare...
They won't sell many more handsets, but they will never have to face what Sony is facing with its PS3 antics...

Diogen.

 

[stogie5150]

Based on Samsung's actions on the phone front, I preordered one of the Galaxy Tab 10.1's today. If they continue suppoting cyanogenmod as they are currently doing, I'll do my bit and support them with my money.

 

[diogen]

Even Microsoft gets in on the action...
ChevronWP7 Labs will jailbreak your Windows Phone with Microsoft's approval -- Engadget

It looks like being modder-friendly has fewer drawbacks than locking up everything. Who would have thought...?

Diogen.

 

[diogen]

I happened to be (for a short time, by accident) on a distribution list where middle level retail execs discussed smartphone sales strategies. The modding/encryption/etc. was mentioned with an interesting comment: in the non-Apple world - i.e. mostly Android - a very big role in picking a handset is played by "friends" of the customer. Those "friends" until now are mostly geeks and making them happy is an important goal for some smartphone manufacturers.

Samsung seems to be one of them...

Diogen.

 

[diogen]

In another piece of Samsung news: their roadmap was leaked by a retailer (5 phones and a tablet)
720p Ice Cream Sandwich phone and others outed in Samsung roadmap leak | Android and Me

IceCreamSandwich, up to 1280x720, dual core 1.4 GHz CPU, up to 5.3" screen size (!), thin and light...

Samsung claimed “the details being cited are not accurate in this case” but the list is impressive nonetheless.
Makes the Nexus Prime - the first phone that will run ICS - specs look very ordinary...

Considering ICS will do away with physical buttons, the whole front surface could be the screen...

Diogen.

 

[John Kotches]

Considering ICS will do away with physical buttons, the whole front surface could be the screen...

Diogen.

From this post I have to question whether or not you've played with any of the tablets that shipped with honeycomb. No physical buttons is a carryover from honeycomb.

If you mean the first phone without buttons for navigation then that would be true.

But you have to have the controls somewhere, so dropping the dedicated buttons actually lowers the usable resolution as now the menu, back home and search buttons are painted within the addressable portion of the screen. Not much, but not zero.

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[diogen]

I should have said "navigation" buttons.
I have used Honeycomb on Transformer and Nook Color.
If you have a 5.3" screen, sacrificing space for soft buttons isn't a big deal.

Diogen.

 

[diogen]

...the whole front surface could be the screen.

Considering the screen being 16x9 (very likely) and just a 1mm bezel around without any physical buttons or space
reserved for navigation buttons, this 5.29" phone is just ~4.6"x2.6", i.e. not bigger than the latest and greatest...
AnandTech - LG Revolution: LTE for the Masses

Diogen.

 

[John Kotches]

While. A 1mm bezel is probably feasible technically theres no room for branding etc.

A 5" length is more realistic to allow for all the other stuff you need like cameras, speakers, mics, and notification leds.

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