How many Motorola owners will switch to HTC?

[vincentp]

I've never really been a fan of HTC in general, nor do I like the Sense UI they plop over their Android devices. Since the original Droid came out, I've been a happy camper with Motorola's first offering in the Android ecosystem. I have to say, I was very excited to find out that both the Droid X and Droid 2 were on the horizon, until the announcement that the bootloader would be locked.

I'm not going to go into every reason that this is stupid. There are plenty of articles and posts about that already. I'll just say this. If the Droid X is not compromised within a month or two, or if it is demonstrated that the encrypted bootloader will probably not be beatable, I will not buy any more Motorola products. Not that the company cares, but I'm getting it out there.

Android = Open
Motorola = Closed

Does not match. I'm insulted. See ya.

 

[Anthony1]

Well, to be fair, HTC didn't exactly make the Desire easy to unlock either.

I just don't get why manufacturers do this. I know they feel the need to make their handsets feel different to their competitors, and I know they need to make them sufficiently secure that joe average can't break it easily and whine to customer support, but some of the obstacles to root access are just ridiculous.

It's the same sort of mindset that Apple takes: 'It's not your phone, it's ours, and you can only do with it what we say'

 

[vincentp]

Well, to be fair, HTC didn't exactly make the Desire easy to unlock either.

I just don't get why manufacturers do this. I know they feel the need to make their handsets feel different to their competitors, and I know they need to make them sufficiently secure that joe average can't break it easily and whine to customer support, but some of the obstacles to root access are just ridiculous.

It's the same sort of mindset that Apple takes: 'It's not your phone, it's ours, and you can only do with it what we say'

Right, and that's one of the big reasons I don't buy Apple products. I know HTC isn't perfect, but I don't think they've actually gone so far as to completely encrypt and lock a bootloader to prevent custom ROM and kernel installations- at least not on most of their big ticket devices. The fact that Motorola is doing this with their flagship phone - and putting out a statement that this is business as usual for them - is what irritates me the most.

 

[imtoomuch]

It's ironic how Android was developed to be an "open" OS yet the companies are still trying their hardest to lock it down and make it safe and boring.

I say one of the huge reasons is that they don't want idiots calling up with problems that were created by the user after modding.

 

[vincentp]

I see your point, but then again most people who are modding their devices are active enough in the community and/or bright enough to know not to call normal tech support for issues regarding root or modifications. I don't know why companies are intent on locking down the devices like this. It really makes no sense to me. This all goes back to the fact that I bought the thing. It's mine, it's no longer theirs. I'm not paying 200-600 bucks to have a piece of equipment rented to me. If I want to break it, leave me alone and let me break it.

 

[imtoomuch]

I see your point, but then again most people who are modding their devices are active enough in the community and/or bright enough to know not to call normal tech support for issues regarding root or modifications. I don't know why companies are intent on locking down the devices like this. It really makes no sense to me. This all goes back to the fact that I bought the thing. It's mine, it's no longer theirs. I'm not paying 200-600 bucks to have a piece of equipment rented to me. If I want to break it, leave me alone and let me break it.

I agree 100%. But we live in a world where the average person wants to be an overprotected idiot who doesn't have to think or take responsibility for their own actions. You can thank lawyers and their frivolous lawsuits for making it happen.