This is a great development; Google is selling G1s that are not only unlocked, but that will accept unofficial builds of the Android operating system. Google’s warning will be pure delight for makers and hackers: “Since the devices can be configured with system software not provided by or supported by Google or any other company, end users operate these devices at their own risk.”
The Android Dev Phone 1 is a SIM-unlocked and hardware-unlocked device that is designed for advanced developers. The device ships with a system image that is fully compatible with Android 1.0, so you can rely on it when developing your applications. You can use any SIM in the device and can flash custom Android builds that will work with the unlocked bootloader. Unlike the bootloader on retail devices, the bootloader on the Android Dev Phone 1 does not enforce signed system images. The Android Dev Phone 1 should also appeal to developers who live outside of T-Mobile geographies.
ADVERTISEMENT
