[DonHB]

In an interview (I think at the Churchill Club) John Chen spoke about how having POSIX compatibility in QNX made it easier to use the Android Runtime with BB10.

Would Blackberry use the QNX kernel to support ART? Section 9.7 Kernel Security Features in the Android Compatibilty Definition Document (https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/source.android.com/en//compatibility/android-cdd.pdf#page=54) discusses the use of other operating system kernels.

Perhaps, if the phone is successful, BBRY would make the ART used on BB10 the same as on their Android devices. This may mean having some or all of BB10 (i.e. QNX + Cascades) working underneath ART to have the same ART work in both environments.

Section 9.4 of the Compatibility Definition specifies the requirements for Alternative Execution Environments, but the environment has to be an Android application. If BBRY does do the above and actually uses BB10 to run the Android UI as an app on boot an enterprising hacker may be able to write an Android app that switches the UI to Flow.

How much of GNU stuff is used in Android? Will BBRY release the phone using QNX instead of GNU/Linux? Would be interesting to compare performance with stock Android if true.

[howarmat]

no, there is no QNX in the priv at all. Its a slightly more secure linux kernel and maybe a slightly more secure android but that is it.

[BB-JAM215]

From Bla1ze's article "Everything we know about the BlackBerry Priv Android Slider"

Although it's not entirely outside of the norm, BlackBerry has opted to implement grsecurity as a method of going a little 'above and beyond' when it comes to security on Android.

Grsecurity is an extensive security enhancement to the Linux kernel that defends against a wide range of security threats through intelligent access control, memory corruption-based exploit prevention, and a host of other system hardening that generally require no configuration. It has been actively developed and maintained for the past 14 years. Commercial support for grsecurity is available through Open Source Security, Inc.

Everything we know about the BlackBerry Priv Android Slider | CrackBerry.com

[DonHB]

Odd that they wouldn't use their own tech. Perhaps it was time to market issues and the cost of developing drivers as the CEO said.

[RubenDM]

Odd that they wouldn't use their own tech. Perhaps it was time to market issues and the cost of developing drivers as the CEO said.

Jup.
Costs to many $ to make their own

Posted via CB10

[early2bed]

The most secure Android handset is one that can be immediately updated to the latest Google version of Android as soon as the vulnerabilities are identified and patched. Any modified Android means that known vulnerabilities can be exploited until the OS can be updated.

I don't think he made an Android phone so that the company could do a lot more platform development work when they are under a million units a quarter.

[DonHB]

Jup.
Costs to many $ to make their own

It would be interesting if this changes if the PRIV (how about Aegis instead?) is a success. Liked the idea of no Linux on an Android phone. Thought also that it would help market another BBRY product.

Nice thing about a runtime you have choice regarding what is running underneath.

Curious if the enhanced privacy requires BES like Balance under BB10.

Wait and see...

[DonHB]

The most secure Android handset is one that can be immediately updated to the latest Google version of Android as soon as the vulnerabilities are identified and patched. Any modified Android means that known vulnerabilities can be exploited until the OS can be updated.

I don't think he made an Android phone so that the company could do a lot more platform development work when they are under a million units a quarter.

According to Bla1ze BBRY isn't using the upstream Android/Linux code or even the Google recommended SELinux. So whatever changes Google makes to Android it means just the changes to ART need to be incorporated and could be yet another reason QNX wasn't used.

Guess GRSecurity license is less costly than developing drivers and porting ART.

[howarmat]

using someone elses work is almost always less money than doing all the work yourself. They were going to have to rewrite all the drivers for bb10 to work on the new chipsets and chose not to because of the $$$ so we spend it on android when someone else has a more secure kernel to be used anyway.

[whatsever]

I think there will be a QNX kernel next year and hardware protection. This is maybe why we don't see a Samsung tablet that is secured. The Slider is just a test and to get the first steps in to the Android Market. They continue with BBOS10 till they get a qnx based android which is also hardware protected,. then BBOS10 will be there for another year and alls gesture and swipe we will see back in that version of the new BlackBerry OS.

[lawguyman]

No one but someone on Crackberry would buy a device based on the kernel.

That said, get used to Linux, folks.

Posted via CB10

[aha]

Why?

PassportSQW100-1/10.3.2.2639

[Lawmen23]

I think there will be a QNX kernel next year and hardware protection. This is maybe why we don't see a Samsung tablet that is secured. The Slider is just a test and to get the first steps in to the Android Market. They continue with BBOS10 till they get a qnx based android which is also hardware protected,. then BBOS10 will be there for another year and alls gesture and swipe we will see back in that version of the new BlackBerry OS.

As much as we like gestures and swiping, it's confusing for everyone else. If the slider has any success, I don't think bringing those elements to the phone will be a priority for BBRY.

[Tre Lawrence]

No one but someone on Crackberry would buy a device based on the kernel.

That said, get used to Linux, folks.

The word gets used on here more than in the research papers of corn farmers.

[thurask]

No. Modified Android, no QNX at all.

And if anyone says hypervisor, I'mma cut you.

[Tre Lawrence]

No. Modified Android, no QNX at all.

And if anyone says hypervisor, I'mma cut you.

Dual boot?

... sorry... couldn't resist.

[DonHB]

Not wanting to spend money on drivers suggests that BBRY doesn't intend to make a BB10 slider or if they do it will not be using the same SOC as the PRIV. I would think that using QNX would allow BBRY to spread development costs between the two device product lines and if they can continue advancement of the BB10 Android runtime only more
so (OHA isn't mentioned once in the Android-CDD).

No one but someone on Crackberry would buy a device based on the kernel.
That said, get used to Linux, folks.

GNU/Linux isn't used because it is good software engineering it's used because it is free and has therefore become a standard. No need to get used to something that is a poor copy of fifty year old technology. Imagine if all the smart minds that have worked on GNU/Linux had instead rethought the OS to create an OS for the 21st Century. It wouldn't likely be free, but privacy may have been built in rather than a privilege.

[yhamaie]

Dual boot?

I wonder if there is slight possibility for the introduction of BlackBerry 10 OS variant of Priv when 10.3.3 device software is released (reportedly) in March 2016.

Meanwhile, I would like to try BlackBerry's rendition of Android OS at an early date.

http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...lider-1039008/

Posted via CB10

[leglace1]

I see this as a missed opportunity. If they spent the effort to use their own tech, it would be patent protected. Using Grsecurity can be done by Samsung and HTC too.

Posted via CB10

[Emaderton3]

If this OS will have all this extra stuff baked in, will OS updates be an issue? I would assume they would have to come from BlackBerry then?

Posted via CB10

[DonHB]

I see this as a missed opportunity. If they spent the effort to use their own tech, it would be patent protected. Using Grsecurity can be done by Samsung and HTC too

Very likely the Priv is a see if it "sticks" before real investment proceeds scenario.

While many believe the Priv spells the end of BB10, CEO did mention the possibility of merging both platforms. Hopefully, security issues will make using QNX a necessity or part marketing decision and the driver excuse will go away.

Curious as to what changed to the Qualcom SOC that requires such driver investment.

[Superfly_FR]

According to Bla1ze BBRY isn't using the upstream Android/Linux code or even the Google recommended SELinux. So whatever changes Google makes to Android it means just the changes to ART need to be incorporated and could be yet another reason QNX wasn't used.

Guess GRSecurity license is less costly than developing drivers and porting ART.

[just joking apart] Oh ... PrivSE ...

[yhamaie]

If this OS will have all this extra stuff baked in, will OS updates be an issue? I would assume they would have to come from BlackBerry then?

Only Nexus devices have been receiving updates directly from Google, I suppose.

https://developers.google.com/androi...s#instructions

Posted via CB10

[Alejandro Nova]

Not wanting to spend money on drivers suggests that BBRY doesn't intend to make a BB10 slider or if they do it will not be using the same SOC as the PRIV. I would think that using QNX would allow BBRY to spread development costs between the two device product lines and if they can continue advancement of the BB10 Android runtime only more
so (OHA isn't mentioned once in the Android-CDD).



GNU/Linux isn't used because it is good software engineering it's used because it is free and has therefore become a standard. No need to get used to something that is a poor copy of fifty year old technology. Imagine if all the smart minds that have worked on GNU/Linux had instead rethought the OS to create an OS for the 21st Century. It wouldn't likely be free, but privacy may have been built in rather than a privilege.

Following the same argument, Solaris, OpenVNX, SCO UnixWare, all of them would still exist. You seem to think about free as in price. No, Linux isn't a freeware Unix, it's a Free as in freedom (everyone can contribute, even BlackBerry, you are free to see the code, you are free to fix bugs and submit the fixes, and no one can take away those freedoms) piece of software. Free Software tends to have higher quality than proprietary software, given an equal amount of resources invested.

Posted via CB10

[thurask]

Guess GRSecurity license is less costly than developing drivers and porting ART.

It is, since BlackBerry wouldn't need the requisite army of developers to port and stacks of cash to throw at Qualcomm.