Verizon's Galaxy S III looks to have a protected bootloader

Oh Verizon, why must you constantly mess with perfection? Hackers with early access to the Verizon Galaxy S III have discovered that the phone has a protected bootloader -- meaning no easy hacking or flashing unsigned images. This is in stark contrast to the rest of the Galaxy S III phones, or previous phones in the Galaxy series, or any other Samsung-built Android phone known to mankind. 

Not all hope is lost, but things are looking pretty bleak. It's possible a different version of Odin is needed, or there's an issue with the way the images are being packed, but it truly looks like the bootloader is locked up in typical Verizon fashion. Now this doesn't mean the phone won't ever get rooted or hacked. It just means that it won't be as easy as is typical with Samsung phones, and trickery will need be involved like HTC or Motorola phones on Big Red. 

And no, we don't know what prompted Verizon's decision to go this way, but I've asked for some clarification. My guess is that they will point to the Galaxy Nexus when they hear the word "hacking". Hell of a way to start the weekend, isn't it?

Source: XDA. via Android Central forums

Verizon’s Galaxy S III available July 10th for $199

Verizon has been dancing around this one for almost a month now with shipping dates varying from July 5th to July 12th, but the Galaxy S III was finally sick and tired of it and made them set a July 10th date to settle down and make this thing official.

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Verizon’s DROID Incredible 4G LTE by HTC officially announced

After months of leaks, rumors and dozens of blurry pictures, Verizon has officially unveiled the DROID Incredible by HTC. While we’ve seen quite a few spec variances over the past months, the official handset internals match up with some of the most recent rumors.

Looking at the specs, Verizon’s DROID Incredible 4G LTE is a decent phone. It’s size matches up closely with the HTC One S, while featuring NFC and LTE connectivity like the EVO 4G LTE and AT&T’s HTC One X. Additionally, the DROID Incredible 4G LTE features a removable battery and a microSD expansion slot which will allow users to add an additional 32GB of storage to the device.

It’s hard to say which of HTC’s four devices is better than the other since they all offer features which make them each unique in their own right. The DROID Incredible 4G LTE may have a smaller screen and underclocked processor, but its removable battery and expandable storage options may actually make it a more appealing option to Android enthusiasts and power users.

Verizon’s staying silent on the price, but the press release does mention that the DROID Incredible 4G LTE will be available on its website and in Verizon stores within the coming weeks. We wouldn’t be surprised if Verizon prices the phone at $299, but we feel a fair price would be something between $149 and $179.

How do you think the DROID Incredible 4G LTE stacks up against the HTC One X, One S and EVO 4G LTE?

HTC and Verizon Wireless Reveal DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE

New DROID INCREDIBLE Offers Advanced Camera Capabilities, Beats Audio and 4G LTE Speeds from Verizon Wireless

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and NEW ORLEANS, May 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — From International CTIA Wireless® 2012, Verizon Wireless and HTC today announced the new and exclusive DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE by HTC. The DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE will be the twenty third 4G LTE-enabled device currently available on the Verizon Wireless network.

The new DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE enhances the customer experience by offering high-quality photo and audio capabilities, combined with the power of 4G LTE speeds. Running the latest version of HTC Sense™ 4.0, HTC’s branded user experience integrated with Google’s™ mobile operating system, Android™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, the new DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE brings a sophisticated, pocket-friendly device to America’s fastest 4G LTE network.

DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE by HTC features Beats Audio™ which is enabled across the entire experience for a rich and authentic sound whether customers watch a YouTube™ video, play a game, or stream music over 4G LTE. Beats Audio allows customers to listen to music the way the artist intended with thundering bass, soaring midrange and crisp highs.

The DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE captures life’s special moments with an advanced 8-megapixel camera with quick activation from the home screen so customers never miss that perfect shot. Additionally, there’s no longer a need to choose between shooting video or taking photos, HTC Video Pic™ allows users to shoot HD video and capture photos at the same time. With 4G LTE speeds, sharing photos and video via email, uploading to the cloud or posting to social networking sites is a breeze.

DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE is packed with features to make life easier and customizable. Customers can personalize and use lock screen shortcuts to quickly access their four favorite apps. Folders can easily be created on any home screen for additional customization and organization. A Read Later feature allows people short on time the ability to save browser content like news articles and websites that can be viewed later, even while offline. The smartphone is also NFC capable so customers can take advantage of Android Beam™ to quickly share Web pages, apps, contacts and YouTube™ videos with friends by simply tapping two compatible phones together.

The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network is available in 230 markets across the Unites States. In real-world, fully loaded network environments, 4G LTE users should experience average data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink. When customers travel outside of 4G LTE coverage areas, devices automatically connect to Verizon Wireless’ 3G network, where available, enabling customers to stay connected from coast to coast.

Additional features:

4-inch super LCD qHD display
8 megapixel rear-facing camera with autofocus, LED flash, BSI, f/2.2 and 28 mm lens
Front-facing camera for video chatting with friends and family
1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ S4 processor
Mobile Hotspot capable to share 4G LTE connection with up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices
Support for up to 32 GB microSD™ memory card
1,700 mAh lithium ion removable battery

The new DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE by HTC will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com in the coming weeks.

Verizon’s roadmap rumored to include Galaxy S III, RAZR HD, and “HTC Note”

Worried that Verizon might pass over the Samsung Galaxy S III? Jonathan Geller of BGR claims he has exclusively learned the details about Verizon’s flagship smartphone launches for the remainder of 2012. Read on for the full details.

Samsung Galaxy S III

First up is the Galaxy S III. There was some speculation that Verizon might turn the next Galaxy into a Droid phone or even pass on it (like they skipped the Galaxy S II), but BGR says that Big Red will carry the phone. No release date was provided, but Geller thinks it will arrive sometime this summer.

Motorola RAZR HD

Next we have the Motorola RAZR HD. This is the device we had been calling the Droid Fighter. We still don’t know the final product name, but this device will feature a look similar to the new RAZR. Upgrades include a 4.6 inch 720p HD display, 13 megapixel camera, and dual-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 processor. It will still pack a massive 3,300 mAh battery, and it should feature even longer battery life than the RAZR MAXX thanks to the Snapragon S4 chip with integrated LTE modem.

HTC’s take on Galaxy Note

Finally we hear that HTC could be working on their answer to Samsung’s Galaxy Note. This device is rumored to feature a 5 inch 1080p display, quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor with Adreno 320 GPU (maybe the APQ8064 or dual-core MSM8960 Pro), and use HTC’s Scribe pen that we saw in the Flyer tablet.

Verizon's response to FCC about bootloaders surprises nobody

There's an old letter being passed around today that provides Verizon's response to the FCC about locked bootloaders.  Starting early this month, these letters began going out to anyone who had formally filed a complaint with the FCC about Verizon locking the bootloaders on phones that utilized the spectrum covered under the block C license, and they don't say anything everybody didn't already know. Verizon wants bootloaders locked, and they say you'll get better customer service if they stay that way.

And they are right.

Put away your pitchforks and hear me out. If you're reading this, and got a little hot under the collar when I said Verizon could better serve customers if the bootloader was locked down, you're not the problem. You root and ROM your phone, and when things get squirrelly you don't call customer service and gripe about it. You flash another ROM, like any smart Android geek would. Verizon isn't worried about providing customer care to you, and you don't need them to. But there are people out there who see these tricks online, get someone on Craigslist to root/unlock/flash something to their phones, and a week later when they realize the camera doesn't work as well, or the Wifi is wonky, or they can't rent movies from the Market, they get on the horn with Big Red. Those people cost Verizon money, and end up not very happy with their hacked Android phone. Plain and simple -- Verizon tech's can't help you if you don't have their software installed.

Yes, it gets old. It sucks when we get punished for problems other folks cause, but welcome to society. It's not likely to change, and VzW probably isn't violating the C block agreement by not allowing unauthorized software to run rampant on their network. You've got three choices -- only buy phones that can be unlocked, switch providers, or enjoy the hell out of your phone the way it came out of the box. Verizon has their best interests, and their shareholders best interests, in mind and we shouldn't expect anything different.

Source: Droid-Life