big j 33
Supporter
- May 31, 2006
- 36,042
- 16,801
I have a Galaxy Nexus, having made the switch from a Blackberry 9700 last August I'm still loving it and don't have too many complaints other than bad battery life.
VV(^^)VV_____OFFICIAL ANDROID OS/DEVICE THREAD_____VV(^^)VV
- Thread in 'General' Thread starter Started by pacmagic2002,
- Start date
- May 28, 2009
- 17,999
- 4,859
Oh damn, X to be revealed tomorrow? I had no idea.
- Oct 18, 2017
- 2,695
- 5,662
Still rockin the Nexus S 4G here showing it's age, but still useful IMO.
Last edited by a moderator:
- Jul 22, 2012
- 1,731
- 671
[h1]Android 4.3 and beyond: Is root going away for 'Stock' ROMs?[/h1]
By Jerry Hildenbrand | Jul 31 2013 | 1:53 pm | 55 COMMENTS
[h3]
[/h3][h3]New methods and security models have changed the way superuser permissions are handled in Android 4.3[/h3]
You've probably heard some chatter about root and the latest version of Android, and maybe even heard things like "the death of root" being thrown around. Things have changed, and new security features in Android now limit what processes with superuser privileges can do on the system partition. I'll try to explain some of this as best as I can without throwing around too many words nobody (well, almost nobody) will understand. Some of it's unavoidable, though.
You might need to pour a stiff one for this.
All Android apps fork from a system process known as zygote. In Android 4.3, things were changed and now zygote has a new security policy. Even though we can fork a process with suid (superuser) privileges, the new restrictions limit what we can do with it. This is the entire point of SELinux, which is a good thing for user security. Our new process (think of it as the root app you're trying to run) technically has root access, but it can't actually do anything useful with it. This is a very good way to protect the system from rogue processes that you don't want — as in potential ZOMGMALWARE — to have access to everything.
There are two ways being talked about to work around this new set of security policies. One is that root access through the shell — where you've connected your phone to a computer and use the command line to communicate — still works fine. You can elevate your user status, and do the same things you could always do through adb. And chances are pretty slim that'll not happen without you knowing it.
The other way is with a su daemon.
A daemon is a background process that isn't under direct control of the active user. It runs quietly, waiting for the time it's needed to do something useful. When it's called, it does what it was designed to do, then goes back into hiding. An su daemon needs to be invoked during the system initialization, which becomes a sticking point for hacking root access into "stock" ROMs.
So that's where we are. The biggest names in the Android community are hard at work to get things all sorted, but there's a very good chance that root, the way you know root today, will require you to flash custom firmware above and beyond the SU app and binary. It's a good thing that Android is moving to a more secure security model, and you'll just have to learn a little more about how your system works and how to modify it to get it in the condition you want — which in the end is another good thing.
Google knows users want things like superuser permissions. There's a very good chance they will address these issues somehow, either by requiring root for less things or by building a solution into Android itself. If you run Linux or OSX on your computer, you know that having a home folder lets you do most things without elevating any permissions. Maybe Google will move towards this direction. Or maybe they will add superuser functions into Android in the developer options. In the meantime, they will continue to make completely unlockable Nexus phones for users who want or need to flash custom firmware — and folks like the developers at CyanogenMod (and elsewhere) will continue to build it.
By Jerry Hildenbrand | Jul 31 2013 | 1:53 pm | 55 COMMENTS
[h3]
You've probably heard some chatter about root and the latest version of Android, and maybe even heard things like "the death of root" being thrown around. Things have changed, and new security features in Android now limit what processes with superuser privileges can do on the system partition. I'll try to explain some of this as best as I can without throwing around too many words nobody (well, almost nobody) will understand. Some of it's unavoidable, though.
You might need to pour a stiff one for this.
All Android apps fork from a system process known as zygote. In Android 4.3, things were changed and now zygote has a new security policy. Even though we can fork a process with suid (superuser) privileges, the new restrictions limit what we can do with it. This is the entire point of SELinux, which is a good thing for user security. Our new process (think of it as the root app you're trying to run) technically has root access, but it can't actually do anything useful with it. This is a very good way to protect the system from rogue processes that you don't want — as in potential ZOMGMALWARE — to have access to everything.
There are two ways being talked about to work around this new set of security policies. One is that root access through the shell — where you've connected your phone to a computer and use the command line to communicate — still works fine. You can elevate your user status, and do the same things you could always do through adb. And chances are pretty slim that'll not happen without you knowing it.
The other way is with a su daemon.
A daemon is a background process that isn't under direct control of the active user. It runs quietly, waiting for the time it's needed to do something useful. When it's called, it does what it was designed to do, then goes back into hiding. An su daemon needs to be invoked during the system initialization, which becomes a sticking point for hacking root access into "stock" ROMs.
You need — at a minimum — a modified boot image to start a custom daemon on your Android device. That's not a problem with something like CyanogenMod, but that means that you're flashing something other than stock to make it happen. Flashing custom images, kernels and ROMs is something that a lot of people just don't want to do.
So that's where we are. The biggest names in the Android community are hard at work to get things all sorted, but there's a very good chance that root, the way you know root today, will require you to flash custom firmware above and beyond the SU app and binary. It's a good thing that Android is moving to a more secure security model, and you'll just have to learn a little more about how your system works and how to modify it to get it in the condition you want — which in the end is another good thing.
Google knows users want things like superuser permissions. There's a very good chance they will address these issues somehow, either by requiring root for less things or by building a solution into Android itself. If you run Linux or OSX on your computer, you know that having a home folder lets you do most things without elevating any permissions. Maybe Google will move towards this direction. Or maybe they will add superuser functions into Android in the developer options. In the meantime, they will continue to make completely unlockable Nexus phones for users who want or need to flash custom firmware — and folks like the developers at CyanogenMod (and elsewhere) will continue to build it.
- Jan 10, 2010
- 11,810
- 645
Google 
The beauty of Android is it being open-source
Why are they tryin' to restrict that?
The beauty of Android is it being open-source
Why are they tryin' to restrict that?
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- May 28, 2009
- 17,999
- 4,859
True true
Tony $now
formerly lilyo06
- May 25, 2008
- 8,200
- 6,784
If android goes to a restricted operating system like ios, somebody will figure out a way to make it open again!
- Apr 1, 2009
- 18,297
- 1,007
Any of you guys have the stock VZW Note 2 apk?
- Sep 10, 2011
- 27,788
- 12,457
Anyone here use Dashclock widget?
- Feb 8, 2009
- 20,070
- 10,959
I don't see much of a problem since I almost never root my phone and stay on the stock ROM anyway, but I can't be mad at them adding a little extra security. It's not like they said no more rooting or installing apps that require root, it sounds like they're just stopping these apps from having access to things that they don't need to. 5.0 will probably be a little clearer in what they're doing here.
- Mar 4, 2009
- 6,698
- 2,342
I use dashclock and I like for the most part. Just make sure you add in all the extra extensions and stuff so you add more to the widget itself. I actually use it for the lockscreen.
lazy
formerly lazy feet
- Sep 20, 2006
- 4,394
- 904
Just got the email saying my HTC trade up refund is on the way 
Also looking forward to moto x launch
Also looking forward to moto x launch
- Sep 10, 2011
- 27,788
- 12,457
I'm just having some trouble using it.
You know how when you resize it smaller you can make it just show the clock with the icons on the right side? I was able to do this last night. It still works on my homescreen, but it does not on my lockscreen.
If I try to minimize it, it shows a bit of the icon and cuts off the clock at the middle.
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- Nov 15, 2001
- 13,712
- 2,823
Could you post a screenshot? This sounds like a problem I had before...
- Mar 2, 2013
- 11,611
- 1,134
Mine was doing the samething. In use nova launcher it wouldn't resize right on nova launcher but if I tried the stock launcher it resized how I wanted it to
whyhellothere
Banned
- Jan 2, 2011
- 18,975
- 2,397
16/32GB storage
Black/White Front
18 back panel covers.
720p screen
comes with 4.2.2
199 on contract on all 4 major carriers
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- Jul 20, 2012
- 995
- 177
Oh Snap!!!
- Oct 31, 2009
- 28,769
- 11,971
While the phone looks nice, I think Motorola dropped the ball with this one. They had the chance to make something that stood out, but opted for custom colors instead of useful software and top of the line hardware. Unless it's priced very competitively, I don't see why someone would take this over a S4 or One
- Mar 4, 2009
- 6,698
- 2,342
I am going to need those ROM makers to get on that Active Display feature ASAP! 
All those customization features you can pick from!
But yea aside from the color customization and that Active Display, I don't why people would pick this one of the HTC One or S4...espcecially at $199
All those customization features you can pick from!
But yea aside from the color customization and that Active Display, I don't why people would pick this one of the HTC One or S4...espcecially at $199
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- Sep 21, 2008
- 49,029
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Making my white front , royal blue back , and orange accents brb
- Jul 20, 2012
- 995
- 177
nah, Moto and Google did alright, i think its gonna be a hit especially with the ladies cuz of the customizations and decent pricing ...i'm guessing Google gonna beef up the Nexus 5 spec for the power user?
- Sep 21, 2008
- 49,029
- 61,330
Word if they wanted to keep the device 720p that's fine but there's no reason why it shouldn't have a Snapdragon 600 inside . The 800 series is coming out in September inside the Note 3 , One Max , etc. and smokes the 600 which is a beast itself and also let's not forget about the Tegra 4 which is also an amazing SoC. Im hearing that the X is powered by a customized version of the Snapdragon 400 thats in the One Mini and thats unacceptable if your selling the phone the same price on contract as the One and GS4. If Google could put the 600 inside a 16GB 1900x1200 Nexus 7 for $229 I don't understand why Motorola couldn't have done the same and kept the 720p screen for better battery life and sold it through Google play for $350 and $400 unlocked.
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whyhellothere
Banned
- Jan 2, 2011
- 18,975
- 2,397
Last edited:
- Mar 4, 2009
- 6,698
- 2,342
I think you nailed it on that one. Women and younger kids. I immediately thought of my wife getting something like this if she wanted to get rid of Droid Razr.
- Jul 20, 2012
- 995
- 177
ok, Moto just failed with the off-contract pricing ...i'm off the bandwangon ....i guess i'm wait for Nexus 5
