In order to comply with Android licensing requirements, Amazon has released the source code to the Kindle Fire. The 809 megabyte gzipped TAR archive can be downloaded here. Meanwhile, word comes from The Digital Reader that a user has already managed to root the Kindle Fire.

Given that Google just released the source to Android 4.0 the other day, while the Fire still runs a customized version of 2.3, I wonder how long it will be until we see Kindle Fires running Android 4.0? Regardless, Amazon has said that it will not try to prevent people from rooting their Fires. It will be interesting to see if they keep that promise.

3 COMMENTS

    • You seem to have misunderstood what I was saying.

      With the complete source code to both the Kindle and Android 4.0 available, Android hacking hobbyists should have everything they need to make their Fires run Android 4.0, and perhaps release the code to do it so anyone who wants to can.

  1. Ah. Sorry.
    Yes, the hobbyists will do pretty much anything just to prove they can do it.
    Good philosophy.
    But considering the lean hardware in the Fire and how much of its value is tied to Amazon services I’m not sure there is much benefit in loading up alternate firmware.
    That’s probably why Amazon doesn’t care if they get rooted (which has already happened).

    A better hacking target, though, is the Nook Tablet.
    First, since B&N has taken steps to block previous NC hacking approaches, it is a bigger challenge.
    Second, since the Nook Touch is closed to sideloading apps and uses the same partitioning philosophy as the NC, leaving but 1GB for user content, there is readily identifiable benefit to hacking it.

    Now that would be interesting to see.

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