Home
News
You are here

Amazon Kindle Fire HD tablets might be harder to hack

3comments

By Nick Todorov

Published: Sep 17, 2012, 8:01 AM

Amazon Kindle Fire HD tablets might be harder to hack

The Amazon Kindle Fire wasn't exactly what one would call hack-proof. Soon after it was released, ways to load restricted software, such as Gmail, Google Talk, Google Maps, YouTube, were discovered by members of the XDA Developers community. Even Jelly Bean was ported onto it back in July, replacing the stock, heavily customized OS based on Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

However, the Amazon Kindle Fire HD tablets, which were announced earlier this month, may be a bit tougher to crack. Or at least that is what some members of the aforementioned forum are lead to believe, based on evidence like the tablet's signed bootloader and the TI processor's security features. And when you think about it, it is in Amazon's advantage to be selling a locked down device. After all, the company wants to make money by keeping people loyal to its ecosystem, not by selling them expensive hardware. That is why Amazon Kindle tablets are so affordable, yet don't give you access to the so-called complete Google experience.

So in case you've been planning on getting a Kindle Fire HD and then tinkering with its software, don't rush in just yet. Perhaps it would be wiser to see whether the developer community has the skills to hurdle its security features.

source: XDA Developers via Gizmodo

$20 /mo

$25

$5 off (20%)

Offer Ends 6.1.2026 at 11.59pm ET. New members get $5/mo off the $25/mg Visible plan, $35/mo Visible+ plan, or $45/mo Visible+ Pro plan for the first 12 months. Promo code FRESHSTART required at checkout.

Buy at Visible