How to Get a $250 Android Tablet: Rooting the NookColor E-Reader

Presented by Sarah Douglass

9-Mar-2011

1

Agenda• Android introduction

• Tablet computer vs NookColor

• NookColor stock features

• Android Debug Bridge (ADB)

• HoneyComb on SD for NookColor

• Recovering NookColor to Stock

• Rooting NookColor to full Android

• Conclusion

2

• Smartphone OS / Tablet OS

• Open Source project, led by Google

• Linux-based software stack– Android Compatibility Program (OEM tools)

– Android SDK (software developer tools)

– Android Market (app distribution)

• Manufacturer port of Android to OEM devices

• “Flavors” of Android

What is Android?

3

Tablet Computer ComparisonFeature iPad-1 16Gb WiFi Samsung Tab B&N NookColor

Cost $500$550 - $750 with pay-as-you-go cellular

$250

Screen Size 9.7” 7” 7”

Screen Resolution 1024x768 1024 x 600 1024 x 600

Operating System iOS 4 Android 2.2 (FroYo) Android 2.1 (Éclair)

Processor Speed 1GHz 1GHz 800MHz

Battery Life 10 hours 13 hours 8 hours

Internal Memory256k RAM16Gb Flash

512k RAM2Gb (CDMA) / 16Gb (GSM)

512k RAM8 Gb (5 Gb available) Flash

Removable Memory -SD, up to 32Gb (not included GSM, 16Gb included CDMA)

SD, up to 32Gb (not included)

WiFi 802.11 b/g/n 802.11 b/g/n 802.11 b/g/n

Cellular - (optional, extra cost) GSM / CDMA -

Bluetooth Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR Bluetooth 3.0On chip, but not software enabled

GPS - Built-in GPS -

Camera -3.1MP w/LED Flash + 1.3MP front

-

Microphone Mono Mono -

4

NookColor - Hardware

5

NookColor - Stock Capabilities

• Books & Magazines– B&N

– Adobe DRM or Un-DRM’d: EPUB

– Free WiFi & reading in B&N Store

• Doc Viewer (Quick Office & Adobe Air)– MSOffice: doc, docx, docm, dot, dotx, dotm, xls, xlsx, xlsm, xlt, xltx, xltm,

ppt, pptx, pptm, pps, ppsx, ppsm, pot, potx, potm

– PDF

6

• Music– Un-DRM’d: mid, midi, mp3, m4a, wav, aac, amr

– Pandora app

• Video– Un-DRM’d: 3gp, 3g2, mp4, m4v, ogg

• Picture Viewer (“Gallery”)– JPG, GIF, PNG, BMP

• Internet Browser (Android Browser v2.1, Mozilla-based)– HTML Files

NookColor - Stock Capabilities

7

NookColor - Stock Capabilities

• Games– Chess

– Crossword puzzle

– Soduku

• Utility / Social– Book Lending, Contacts, Link to… Facebook, Twitter (for posting about what

you’re reading)

8

Why Root?• What it means to root the device

• Benefits– Fix Minor Issues with stock NookColor

– Soft Keys: Back, Home, Menu, Search

– Android Market (add your favorite apps)

– Launcher Modifications• Desktop access to apps & Documents

• Alternate Keyboard

9

The Legalities

• Legal to root or jailbreak– Exception to DMCA (Digital Millennium

Copyright Act) added 26-Jun-2010

• Warranty does not apply to rooted devices

10

Features that enable NookColor Root

• BIOS boots preferentially from MicroSD

• BIOS can restore /system partition from ROM

• BIOS shortcut to clear /data partition

11

Warnings and Caveats

• Possible “bricked” device

• Possible BIOS changes may prevent root of future devices

• Barnes & Noble software updates may break root

12

• Android on SD– A new OS is installed and runs from the MicroSD– Does not change NookColor OS at all– Slow– Chance to try alternate Android versions

• Android Root on NookColor– Change the OS installed on the device– Risks voiding warranty– Convenient access to all native NookColor functions– May need to be redone after software update

Ways to Android your NookColor

13

Tools to Install: Android SDK (contains ADB)

• Android SDK– Required for ADB– Requires Java Development Kit (JDK) install

• http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html

– More info at: http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html

• ADB = Android Debug Bridge (part of Android SDK)– Developer tool, allows management of Android instance

from outside– Required for installation of tools onto rooted Android

devices– More info at:

http://developer.android.com/guide/developing/tools/adb.html

14

About NookColor Android Image Files

• Image files are all Android-format and meant to be written to raw device– No Windows or DOS command-line access to raw

device, must use image writer• WinImage (shareware) recommended tool

– Linux and Mac have command-line access to raw devices

• Reading image file from MicroSD– Linux, Mac native capability– Windows will show as unformatted, must put in

NookColor and examine file system via USB interface 15

• Hardware: – NookColor– MicroSD card 4Gb+ Cat 4 or higher

• Memberships: AndroidCentral (free)– Needed to download image

• Software:– Java JDK– Android SDK (includes ADB)– (Windows) Image Writer software such as WinImage

(Shareware)

16

Android Honeycomb on SD: What you Need

Android Honeycomb on SD: How To Do It

• Full Instructions at:– http://forum.androidcentral.com/barnes-noble-nook-color/57500-how-download-install-honeycomb-

nook-color-sd-card.html

• Steps:– Install Tools: Java JDK, Android SDK, WinImage– Download NookColor Honeycomb Image– Unzip image and image-copy to MicroSD– Power NookColor off, install MicroSD, boot up– Download Android Market and Google Services Framework app

files and use ADB to install them– Reboot– Sign in to Android Market

• To Get back to NookColor stock device:– Power down, remove MicroSD, Power Up

17

Android Honeycomb on SD:

The results• Installation instructions work great

• Many apps missing from Android Market (not yet Honeycomb-ready)

• Force Close on some utility apps

• Very slow

• Great sneak-peek at Android-for-tablet

18

Android Honeycomb Pictures

19

Flash Back to Clean Stock ROM: What You Need

• Hardware– NookColor

– (Optional) Stopwatch or watch with second hand

• Software– (Optional) NookColor Updates from B&N

• Under http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nookcolor/support/ at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/nookcolor-support-software-update/379002520/?cds2Pid=35758

20

Return to Clean Stock ROM:Summary

• URL for instructions:– http://nookdevs.com/Flash_back_to_clean_stock_ROM

• Summary of Steps– Backup side-load data from NookColor internal

memory

– Reimage /system partition (Hard Reset)

– Reimage /data partition (Soft Reset)

– Power up & register device

– Reinstall any NookColor updates

21

Reset to Clean Stock ROM: Hard Reset (reinstall /system)

– Eight interrupted boots• Press & release power button, wait for

power-up flash

• Press power button, continue holding until 10 seconds after “Touch the Future of Reading” clears from the screen

• Do this 8 times. If it boots completely, you have to start over. 9th time, let it boot.

• Consider using 10-second hold, 10-second pause

– Alternate Method: use ADB to set interrupted boot counter 22

Reset to Clean Stock ROM:

Soft Reset (reinstall /data)– Settings… Device Info…

Erase & Deregister Device

– Alternate Method: Power-Home hold

• Buttons:

• Power off, wait 10 seconds, start power up

• Press and hold the buttons for at least a full 30 seconds

• Pause

• Power up – you should see the dialog for factory reset 23

Android Root NookColor: What you need

• Hardware– NookColor– MicroSD card, 4Gb+

• Class 6 recommended, but class 4 worked for me

• Memberships– GMail account

• Software– (Optional) NookColor software updates from Barnes & Noble– Java JDK– Android SDK (includes ADB)– (Windows) Image Writer software such as WinImage

(Shareware)

24

Android Root NookColor: Summary

• URL for full instructions:– http://nookdevs.com/NookColor_Rooting

• Summary of steps:– Update NookColor OS, if necessary– Register your NookColor, if you have not already– Download and unzip AutoNooter for your NookColor OS– Image-copy AutoNooter image to MicroSD– Power NookColor down, insert MicroSD, connect to

computer, wait for install and reboot to complete– Initialize new Android services– Remove MicroSD and reformat (or store)– Remove Android “Cell Standby” Service– Customize

25

Android Root NookColor:AutoNooter

• Bootable image

• Installs missing Android components in NookColor /system and /data and reboots

• During AutoNooter installation:– Screen stays black for about 1.5 – 2 minutes

– Windows: Cancel “Found New Hardware” wizard pop-ups

– Okay to unplug after reboot complete

26

Android Root NookColor: Applications Added

27

Apps added by AutoNooter are highlighted

Android Root NookColor:Initialize LogicPD Zoom2

• Set up Google Location

• Initialize SoftKeys

28

Android Root NookColor:About SoftKeys

• What is SoftKeys?

• What should I do about the “Complete Action Using” alert?

• What does SoftKeys look like?

• What does it do?– Home Bar

– D-Pad

– Settings for home switching

29

Android Root NookColor:Initialize Android Core Apps

• YouTube• Gmail• GoogleTalk• Android Market• Google Calendar synchronization

– Additional step, not mentioned in URL– Redo GMail account setup:

• In Gmail, bring up menu• Select "Add New Account“• Add your GMail account again (this won't create a duplicate)• On the Sync Options screen, check "Calendar" option

30

Android Root NookColor:Install Utility Applications

• (Optional) System Information Application(s) from Android Market– Android Task Manager

– Advanced Task Manager

• Install ADB Wireless (Widget version) from Android Market (free)– Needed to use ADB on NookColor Rooted from

1.1.0

– ADB needed to fix Cell Standby service issue31

ADB Wireless

32

On NookColor:ADB Wireless Off

On NookColor:ADB Wireless On(shows address and port # info)

Connecting to ADB Wireless from DOS

Android Root NookColor:REMOVE MicroSD Card

• AutoNooter will re-install if you cycle power with MicroSD in slot

• Choices– Reformat card (insert into running NookColor)

• Allows card to be used for data

– Save AutoNooter image card for re-rooting in future

33

• Cell Standby service un-needed; drains battery overnight, may cause other problems

Android Root NookColor:Remove Cell Standby Service

34

Cell Standby Battery Usage on Rooted NookColor

Android Root NookColor:Remove Cell Standby Service

• Removal of Cell Standby requires ADB

• URL for removal instructions:– http://www.xda-developers.com/android/remove-cell-standby-service-

from-nook-color/

• Script steps can be copied manually from website and pasted into DOS window

35

Using ADB Wireless to turn off Cell Standby

36

Android Root NookColor:After Removal of Cell Standby

37

Top battery usage:Android SystemNo Cell Standby listed

• Wallpapers

• Apps

• Widgets

• Alternate Launchers– Home Switcher

• Alternate Browsers

• Alternate Core Apps– Adobe Reader, DocumentsToGo, Kindle, File

Managers

Rooted NookColor:Customization

38

Android Root NookColor:Results

39

Android onto NookColor:Conclusions

• No free ride; some sweat equity required

• Worthwhile for limited-capability multi-function device

• More Options– Froyo (v2.2) or HoneyComb (v3.0) install in

internal memory

– Serious customization – enable bluetooth, connect GPS, Keyboard

40