[604778]

It is not exciting. It opens a back door to hackers and identity thiefs and it encourages piracy.

This.
I'm not getting why everybodys so excited. If you want Android apps go get honeycomb or Kindle.

[taylortbb]

install gnu apps (a compiler would be nice )

The Native SDK already lets you do this. The PlayBook has never restricted sideloading through developer mode.

[balth]

This.
I'm not getting why everybodys so excited. If you want Android apps go get honeycomb or Kindle.

But root access has got nothing to do with hackers, identity theft, piracy OR android apps.

The Native SDK already lets you do this. The PlayBook has never restricted sideloading through developer mode.

You mean i can install a compiler onto the playbook?

[mtx69]

I think it's wonderful because of two opposing benefits:

- RIM is aware of a security hole and now knows they must patch it
- (from what little I understand) unsigned apps, easier conversion of apks

[gimpy39]

I think at least for RIM (or rather would hope) it's a bit of wake up call not to get lazy and/or cocky about security. Think we/most take it for granted and don't really think about it until something bad happens.

[Alberta Blue]

This is a bad thing because RIM will pull programmers from OS2 to patch up the hole. Rooting = further OS2 delays IMO.

[peter9477]

You mean i can install a compiler onto the playbook?

Yes, absolutely. When you log in as devuser, it's basically like having a shell account on some shared Linux system (though it's not Linux of course), and logging in as yourself. It just happens to be a system where there isn't a GCC binary preinstalled for you, but you can install one yourself in your home folder, just as you could on said Linux system.

[rholford]

Maybe RIM has known about this hole all along and this is the whole reason that we don't have native PIM or BBM or Calendar or any of those thing that are only available through the Bridge yet due to any possible security risk or identity theft or whatever. Maybe RIM hasn't given us those things native on the PlayBook as part of RIMs security features. I have a BlackBerry so I'm not really worried about having native PIM or BBM or those other things.

And it's gonna have to do a whole lot more than turn on a blue led or changing the backlight level on the PlayBook to gain my interest...

[iLovemy_bb]

I am very excited. I didn't think BlackBerrys could be hacked but they can and now we can be super duper BB nerds and do new things to our devices that Windows Mobile/Android/iOS/WebOS users have been able to do forever now.

[Megacharge]

Maybe RIM has known about this hole all along and this is the whole reason that we don't have native PIM or BBM or Calendar or any of those thing that are only available through the Bridge yet due to any possible security risk or identity theft or whatever. Maybe RIM hasn't given us those things native on the PlayBook as part of RIMs security features. I have a BlackBerry so I'm not really worried about having native PIM or BBM or those other things.

And it's gonna have to do a whole lot more than turn on a blue led or changing the backlight level on the PlayBook to gain my interest...

That was just a proof of concept, obviously root will lead to much more, that's a given, they don't have to prove that, only that they did in fact root it.

[rdkempt]

Terrible, terrible, terrible news for RIM. Interesting news for developers.

[hackerguy]

I'm not a QNX know it all but IIRC QNX OS is not a single big kernel like Windows where once you hack it you have access to pretty much everything, but is many small Kernels doing different things for the whole. Basically what I think they have accomplished with root is access to the boot-loader and "non-secure" parts of the OS. I don't think they have access to the most secure parts of the OS where encrypted data or core parts of the OS could be hacked or manipulated. At least that's how I understand it at this point.

So while it's been rooted, from my understanding, "which could be wrong of course" it hasn't been hacked to any degree of danger to the most important and secure kernels of the OS.

This agrees with my understanding of what I have read about the hack.

[shootsscores]

Terrible, terrible, terrible news for RIM. Interesting news for developers.

It is interesting. I believe it might give us an insight as to why native email has been slow to come to the PB.

[marksasongko]

I am wondering about RIM's restriction on the android player (can't play apps created with native sdk), with this, could we remove those restrictions, or better yet, create our very own android player with the newly released ICS source code??

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Pearl9100]

I am wondering about RIM's restriction on the android player (can't play apps created with native sdk), with this, could we remove those restrictions, or better yet, create our very own android player with the newly released ICS source code??

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Now that sounds interesting.

[Basile]

I'm curious about the access and privilegies you have when you "root" a PB.

For me, the fact that users will be able to have root access on their PB is a good thing. Please don't make the confusion between hackers and pirates (both communities represents a small amout of BB addicts and their aims are different). Is that unusal to be curious or to try to understand how the PB works? I like to appropriate myself hardware like the PB. I usually develop embedded systems and the PB is a good "piece" of hardware to study.

The worst thing that could happened is RIM abandoning the PB (that a supposition not reality!). You should keep in mind that Android will be a good alternative (if and only if the root access will allow to change the bootloader).

Personnaly, I see the PB as a tool which have a lot of features. I like the idea that some people want to extend the functionnalities by developping tools and hacks. The best thing I hope to see is a dual boot. The BB QNX OS and GNU/Linux OS in the same PB.

Now the best philosophy to adopt is "want and see". People are making efforts to make the PB breathing and living! That's a very good point!

[blackjack93117]

^^^ Wow Basile is blogging now?

[blackjack93117]

The Native SDK already lets you do this. The PlayBook has never restricted sideloading through developer mode.

That's what I'm trying to get - what practical application can it have?
ok did it to prove it can be done, discovered a security hole , hackers get to peek around inside for fun and giggles, I get that

But is someone going to port anything useful to it that can't more easily just be done on another platform? Will it be able to live side by side with other QNX apps, or will it have to be a dual boot system ?

Someone tell me what plans they might have for this which was previously an obstacle, other than turning on a blue LED? I cant see anyone going through a whole lot of development for something that RIM may block in the future...

Would we see linux available for controlling external hardware for example?
easier development? Bypassing RIM? Bypassing QNX and that does what?

Went through whole thread don't understand all the happiness, but not developer either. Just curious about the users' point of reference. I understand the hobbyist's happiness. What do we as users get out of this other than more educated developers and less security?

please 'splain.

[qbnkelt]

I believe this is a terrible thing. It shows a vulnerability in the PB that the secure community will not be happy about. This is a chink in BB's up to now nearly impenetrable security, and it doesn't bode well for BBX.
From my perspective, this is not good.

[alnamvet68]

I believe this is a terrible thing. It shows a vulnerability in the PB that the secure community will not be happy about. This is a chink in BB's up to now nearly impenetrable security, and it doesn't bode well for BBX.
From my perspective, this is not good.

Yes, and if BB wants to keep itself on the good side of the highly security conscious SpecOps community, that hole best be plugged up ricky tick; afterall, the BB and PB are THE preferred communication devices now used by those who sacrifice their own lives so that we may sleep better at night.

[vzwdavid]

Generally I am against it, and I agree that RIM makes a high quality product and has high standards. However with the fact that there is very little that the Playbook can do since it has no integrated email, calendar, BBM, and other basic Blackberry features it doesn't really feel like such a bad idea. It worked for the HP Touchpad, there is a whole underground home brew community out there now.

So my vote would be Yes lets root since most developers are still not sure if they want to make apps and all the major service providers don't want it unless it has the Blackberry features we have come to know and love, with out bridging, why not use such methods to make the playbook work the way we want it to.

[swiedom]

Maybe I am missing something... What does the PlayBook not do that we want it to do? I understand rooting an iPhone because Apple is so restrictive but RIM isn't. I don't get the point. I feel people want it rooted just to say it is.

[mud314]

I was a rooted android user and my pov is that while it does allow for some other things to be done, after rooting your phone or device is never the same. what I mean by this is that my android phone was great for the first week or two sometimes longer with a custom rom, but then the issue start: sluggish, random wtfs, screens not working.

Then came the addiction...the search for the latest and greatest ROM. I hope RIM can patch this up to prevent further development of this rooting thing.

[alnamvet68]

I was a rooted android user and my pov is that while it does allow for some other things to be done, after rooting your phone or device is never the same. what I mean by this is that my android phone was great for the first week or two sometimes longer with a custom rom, but then the issue start: sluggish, random wtfs, screens not working.

Then came the addiction...the search for the latest and greatest ROM. I hope RIM can patch this up to prevent further development of this rooting thing.

Me too. Otherwise, it'll be sayonara bye bye RIM coming from the DOD, NSA, CIA, FBI, ATF, DEA, et al.

[Roscopcoletrain]

I was a rooted android user and my pov is that while it does allow for some other things to be done, after rooting your phone or device is never the same. what I mean by this is that my android phone was great for the first week or two sometimes longer with a custom rom, but then the issue start: sluggish, random wtfs, screens not working.

Then came the addiction...the search for the latest and greatest ROM. I hope RIM can patch this up to prevent further development of this rooting thing.

so if you have an option, why not let the rooters root and the non rooters, not root? No one forces you to root. Its a choice.