NOOKTablet Rooted, but There’s a Big, Honking Catch

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NOOKTablet Rooted, but There's a Big, Honking Catch

Last week I asked if the NOOKcolor had more hacks than apps…and the comments seem to indicate the hackability were a big part of what attracted many buyers to it. At the time, the NOOKTablet was not yet rooted, but it looks like there’s finally been some success on the rooting front. Unfortunately, it’s not nearly as easy as the NOOKcolor’s.

First of all, the hack is still very rough around the edges. It involves using the Android SDK, which isn’t hard to install, but it is a pain to use if you aren’t terribly computer savvy. If you read through Liliputing’s step by step, you’ll see this isn’t something you do when you have a few minutes to spare. It’s definitely a deliberate, time-consuming process.

More important, though, is what happens when you reboot your NOOK. Magically, thanks to the locked bootloader, your NOOKTablet is no longer rooted. So don’t load your NT up with apps and root hacks, and then let the battery drain! Even though my NOOKcolor has been mostly stable, I’ve had random reboots and such, and I’d hate to lose root every time a rogue app was installed or the memory filled up too fast.

If you’re feeling brave, or you’re far better at Android roots than I am, be sure to check out Liliputing’s instructions. And if you have a NOOKTablet and rooted, let us know how it went in the comments!

Via Engadget

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About the Author

Zek
Zek has been a gadget fiend for a long time, going back to their first PDA (a Palm M100). They quickly went from researching what PDA to buy to following tech news closely and keeping up with the latest and greatest stuff. They love writing about ebooks because they combine their two favorite activities; reading anything and everything, and talking about fun new tech toys. What could be better?

1 Comment on "NOOKTablet Rooted, but There’s a Big, Honking Catch"

  1. Looks like they’ve figured out a way to address the reboot issue and the root is now permanent. I’ve not check out the process yet but the Engadget story is referencing a “one click” Windows rooter.

    Hmmm. Interest level returning.

    (Posted from my rooted Nook Color)

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