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Android 4.0, Bootloader Unlock Tool Coming Soon for Transformer Prime

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Yesterday it became clear that owners of the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime were unhappy with the company’s decision to lock and encrypt the company’s bootloader. With a petition and a Facebook page becoming flooded with posts, Asus began to feel the heat. Well, today, Asus has issued a statement that not only confirms the company’s plans to unlock the bootloader but it has also confirmed a date for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Asus’ statement is three-pronged in nature. First, the company addresses the ongoing GPS issues with the device and it unfortunately says that owners are just going to have to live with it. The device’s metallic unibody design is apparently what’s causing the issues. Asus says that it will be removing GPS functionality from its official spec list as well as from any marketing for the product.

Second, Asus has confirmed that Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich will be rolling out on January 12th. It will be an OTA update and Asus says the roll out will begin, worldwide, that day.

Not a bad consolation prize for those frustrated with the company.

Transformer Prime

And third, the company says that it is working on an unlocking tool, similar to what HTC did with its bootloaders, and it will make said tool available to the developer community.

Asus warns that the tool will break the warranty for the device and it will kill Google movie rentals because it will remove a security mechanism. We’re pretty sure those that wanted to unlock the bootloader already knew that but heed the reminder.

4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. BrianB13

    01/03/2012 at 9:56 am

    I guess your buddy Josh would say that your post is so 20 minutes ago.  LOL!!  I would love to get a Prime but will wait for ICS and for ASUS to come out with some fixes for it.  Hopefully a price drop will happen in the meantime.  I read the translated statement from ASUS (hard to read)       and it sounds like you void your warranty when you unlock it.  As enticing as that seems, I don’t like voiding warranties on expensive electronics.  For my Galaxy Nexus, I paid $130 extra to get a new replacement guarantee if I break my Nexus.      

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