XDA Developers' Android Hacker's Toolkit The Complete Guide to Rooting, ROMs and Theming

by Tyler, Jason; Verduzco, Will

• ISBN13: 9781119951384
• ISBN10: 1119951380
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-05-29
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

Make your Android device truly your own Are you eager to make your Android device your own but you're not sure where to start? Then this is the book for you. XDA is the world's most popular resource for Android hacking enthusiasts, and a huge community has grown around customizing Android devices with XDA. XDA's Android Hacker's Toolkit gives you the tools you need to customize your devices by hacking or rooting the android operating system. Providing a solid understanding of the internal workings of the Android operating system, this book walks you through the terminology and functions of the android operating system from the major nodes of the file system to basic OS operations. As you learn the fundamentals of Android hacking that can be used regardless of any new releases, you'll discover exciting ways to take complete control over your device. Teaches theory, preparation and practice, and understanding of the OS Explains the distinction between ROMing and theming Provides step-by-step instructions for Droid, Xoom, Galaxy Tab, LG Optimus, and more Identifies the right tools for various jobs Contains new models enabling you to root and customize your phone Offers incomparable information that has been tried and tested by the amazing XDA community of hackers, gadgeteers, and technicians XDA's Android Hacker's Toolkit is a simple, one-stop resource on hacking techniques for beginners.

Author Biography

Jason Tyler has been an IT instructor and is currently Director of Technology for Typefrag.com. An avid Android hacker, Jason has been rooting and ROMing every Android phone he can get his hands on since the OG Droid.

Will Verduzco is a Johns Hopkins University graduate in neuroscience and is now currently studying to become a physician. He is also Portal Administrator for XDA-Developers, and has been addicted to mobile technology since the HTC Wizard. Starting with the Nexus One, however, his gadget love affair has shifted to Google's little green robot.

Table of Contents

Foreword xv

Introduction 1

PART I: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 9

Chapter 1: Android OS Internals: Understanding How Your Device Starts 11

Chapter 2: Rooting Your Android Device 21

Chapter 3: The Right Tool for the Job 37

Chapter 4: Rooting and Installing a Custom Recovery 63

Chapter 5: Theming: Digital Cosmetic Surgery 87

Chapter 6: You've Become Superuser: Now What? 99

PART II: MANUFACTURER GUIDELINES AND DEVICE-SPECIFIC GUIDES 107

Chapter 7: HTC EVO 3D: A Locked Device 109

Chapter 8: Nexus One: An Unlockable Device 119

Chapter 9: HTC ThunderBolt: A Tightly Locked Device 127

Chapter 10: Droid Charge: Flashing with ODIN 137

Chapter 11: Nexus S: An Unlocked Device 143

Chapter 12: Motorola Xoom: An Unlocked Honeycomb Tablet 147

Chapter 13: Nook Color: Rooting with a Bootable SD Card 153

Appendix A: Setting Up Android SDK and ADB Tools 159

Index 165