Android Developers Discussions

[thekeither]

Unacceptable, Toshiba. I have for a long time been an advocate for your laptops, and now your tablet. It is a fine device, one I bought the day it was available. When rooting devices, user accept the fact that they release you from your obligation of warranty. So, my question to you is WHY you would decide to remove functionality, when it has zero impact upon you.

[LaptopNube]

Where did this rumor come from. Not fair to start thread without links?

[austeregrim]

The rumor came from known beta testers in the ThriveForums.org

I'm not going to name names, because I'm not sure who originally said anything; but I can say it was from more than one person in the beta test group.

And of course, they wouldn't beta test it if they didn't intend to release it to the public.

Granted, they may or may not release that particular change at their discretion. But it was enough to make me concerned to post this, what I have, to make the public (thrive owners in general) aware of the tested change.

[LaptopNube]

Went over to the Thrive Forums, some are saying this is due to new Media Demands re DRM (Netflix, Google Movies, etc) - won't allow to run on rooted devices.

Also, the Transformer and Iconia, weren't they recently locked? Not saying this is a good thing - but wondering if Google is loosing its open platform technology in search of the mighty dollar.

Still reading over there - but have a lot to do today (plus, I play Poker semi-professionally, must leave soon). have the Xoom and Galaxy been locked (since the Xoom would appear to be the flagship here?)

[austeregrim]

LaptopNube, understand I'm not attacking you with this post, I read this as I was writing it and to me it sounds harsh, but that's not the intent.

I can't comment on Xoom/Galaxy/Transformer/Iconia because I don't have any of those. 

But if we want to get into the "locking for DRM"; rooting doesn't escape DRM restrictions. The Thrive has Netflix via a Hack (To fool netflix that it is a different device, if I recall correctly). The Nexus One has Netflix, rooted, by design rootable, and not a hack.

So the DRM defense is an unfound one.

But I agree with many other's posts, why is Toshiba bothering with these poor excuses for updates, when they could be working on other requests, or more important updates. To me, Toshiba is mishandling their resources for development, and is setting theirself up for failure. (Now surely, they fixed the sleeping problems quickly, but cmon, do this right!)

I work for a company that does a lot of R&D, and I see how we handle our man-hours. Toshiba is clearly wasting time and money. And honestly, is putting time in the wrong direction.

Toshiba what happened to the "first tablet to get it right"? Where is the development to back that title? What are you doing?!

[thadlon]

The Toshiba Thrive that I purchased is very good as it is. Sure, kinda sucks to have to root for Netflix since either Toshiba or Netflix doesn't want to support it, but that is the beauty of rooting. I now have working Netflix on my Thrive, as well as a number of other Thrive owners I suspect. I have purchased a few Toshiba devices because the price is usually right and the features/specs are good and I have my eye on a few more. I bought the Thrive because of the connectivity options and openness of Android. Toshiba, I appeal to you, don't make my Thrive the last Toshiba device I buy by removing fastboot.

[hb]

I wouldn't assume that Netflix & Toshiba don't want to get the Netflix app onto the Thrive just because it's not available yet.  

I'm still optimistic that it's coming but the longer it takes the harder it gets to justify my hopefulness.  :-|

[oaklands]

Personally, I am not interested in Netflix.  There is nothing up to date to watch.  They are losing more of their sources.  It almost sounds like Apple may have their hands in this somewhere (no proof of course).  It smells of something they would do.  Android is built around an open source operating system and no company (meaning Netflix) should be able to force them to do otherwise.

If a person wants to get movies, they can use their pc's to find that somewhere on the internet.  Bottom line, people are going to find ways to manipulate their devices.  Linux was meant to be open source and should be kept that way.  People who don't care, should purchase an Ipad.  I have a lot of fun, just playing around with my Thrive.  I love to tinker and don't want my ability to do so taken away.

Mine is running at 1.472Ghz and maintaining a cool 26.8°C.  It is snappy and responsive.

[austeregrim]

I too, personally, am not highly interested in netflix. It's a plus to have it via rooting, but definitely not a must have. To me, it's the right as an owner of any hardware device... excluding those that have contracts, like with cell providers, in my opinion, you don't "own" a device if you bought it under a contract.

I buy a PC, i have the option to run any hardware I want on it, I have the option to run any software I want on it.

I see android tablets no differently than a computer, and thus should be treated similarly.

I understand that most people have no 'need' for rooting. (It's a nice to have in most cases.) But that doesn't mean that any manufacture should lock it down without a) notifying the end user, or b) giving the end user a choice.

If there is reason that toshiba needs to lock down the device, then at the very least, tell us. It's unsetteling that they are keeping it so tightlipped as to why this was attempted in a beta test. Or what they've decided regarding it now, and for furute updates.

There is no reason for you to keep this info from people who've invested $500-700 on these tablets. This isn't a matter of national security, or proprietary information, toshiba, be a little open with us, your end users.

Don't be so closed minded, we aren't bad guys, you want to sell more Thrives, so do we!

Leave it open, let us help you! Who cares if you publish the software on it or not?

Are you really making that much money by selling software and options through the "Toshiba Place"??? Because I don't know of anyone who buys things via bloatware!

[mcarver2000]

Throwing in another of my 2cents....

I do not want to see the THRiVE lose our ability to access fastboot.  I don't want to see a locked bootloader either.  Locking owners/users out of complete control of the device and OS we bought is backwards and totally Draconian.

Why would anyone in the right mind purchase a PC that did not provide Administrative rights.  Locking us out of gaining root (Administrative Rights), is like having a Windows PC with no ability to fully utilize the hardware and software.

While I can understand why some phones and tablets have been locked (to protect the carriers -- not that I condone this), I see no reason for Toshiba wanting to lock our devices, as they are totally free from mobile carriers and were purchased because Toshiba did "do it right" at launch.

[dandroid7]

Toshiba - PLEASE CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING I chose to purchase the Thrive based on what i believed to be a superior design than it's competitors. Features such as full size sdxc, full size usb, mini usb, enable me to do more with my purchase than other similar products will allow. I puchased a complete product, on a open market, paying the going price for a product that includes the fastboot feature. I'm an extremely satisfied customer who has spoken nothing but positive things to everyone i can about my purchase. Why would you want to change an existing feature and take it from a satisfied customer who is actively using it? Imagine a home builder who completes his work on a new home for a customer. His satisfied customer moves into the home, uses it daily, loves the comfort it provides, and invites his friends and family to enjoy the new home with him... would the builder then go back and say "well, i know you really like your air conditioner... eventhough you use it regularly, i've decided that you probably don't need it, so i'm going to take it from you." THIS IS AN UNIMAGINABLE SCENARIO, of course it would never happen. The home is paid for, the customer legally purchased it and has the legal ownership to all features the home contains. Imagine being that homeowner, the feeling of being robbed of what you rightfully own. We satisfied Toshiba Thrive owners have a right to own and maintain the product that we purchased. PLEASE consider the line you would be crossing by taking our right to be satisfied owners of what we have already purchased. If this happens as described and you remove this feature, not only will i sell the product and by another more suited to my needs but i will also never purchase another toshiba product again and i will gladly tell everyone i know to do the same. Is that what you want your currently satisfied Thrive customer base to do? If i were in management at Toshiba, i would fire any person who made such a backwards decision as this. Why ruin a satisfied and THRIVING Customer base? Any executive worth his salt knows that positive word of mouth advertising is worth far more to business than any amount of advertising dollars... why ruin a good thing?

[Kam33Mitch]

I really find it hard to believe that Toshiba would go this route.  With so many devices embracing the developer community and profiting from it.  It can't be a good business model to cut off such a great selling point.  My rooted thrive is much more functional as an everyday workhorse with ad hoc and Ti backup than what I can get with a stock device.  It really is like taking 5th gear out of the transmission after we bought the car.

I am another that won't update until this is clear.  What is 3.2 going to give me if I can't tether or backup my device properly?

[jay007]

Exactly ...we pay all this money for a product that really in all acctuallity sucks ... I can not tether via bluetooth with my motorola droid x via internet.... I can not back up my apks applications to my sd card to save memory and you Toshiba You Dont allow me in this great democratic country of ours to delete the f...ing kapersky trial version ..,. and the stupid games.....what are you people retarded or something?? Please for the love of god release an update so that we may do these great things to our beloved Thrives !! and Show the world what a great company Toshiba is ! This is stupid that i cant delete kapersky ..... why do you make me buy and play games I dont want.. why???? why ?? why ?????

[LaptopNube]

---

jay007 wrote:
Exactly ...we pay all this money for a product that really in all acctuallity sucks ... I can not tether via bluetooth with my motorola droid x via internet.... I can not back up my apks applications to my sd card to save memory and you Toshiba You Dont allow me in this great democratic country of ours to delete the f...ing kapersky trial version ..,. and the stupid games.....what are you people retarded or something?? Please for the love of god release an update so that we may do these great things to our beloved Thrives !! and Show the world what a great company Toshiba is ! This is stupid that i cant delete kapersky ..... why do you make me buy and play games I dont want.. why???? why ?? why ?????

---

I had a replacement thrive, and never activated Kaspersky on either tablet (early adapter, mine cost over $500 with sales tax). Um, not to be a twit, but I play some of the games, AND I purchased the race car game (which is device dependent - but gives my friends a lot of fun).

Backing up your Aops (actually moving them to SD), isn't supported in Honeycomb (as has been pointed out to you before). I didn't know that before purchasing the tablet, relying on a previous review stating that it added memory. BUT, I have a ton of apps that I haven't downloaded yet.

Unfortunately, other devices are starting to lock down also. Not having had time to study rooting - I'm not sure what FastBoot does - but would prefer that my Thrive loads quickly. Since Cell Phones have been locked for a long time, AND they rooted those, I'm SURE the devs will keep it going even if they shut this down. Which would make it kind of dumb - so they probably won't do it. Time will tell. PS - watching Netflix on a 10" screen is worse than watching it on my Laptop - no need for full length shows on a tablet when you can get a Roku, and watch lots of streaming video on both CRT and LCD, LED TVs.

[jim]

Today's update of the Thrive system software, which adds widevine DRM support for downloading movies for offline viewing from Android Market, does eliminate fastboot.  More details here.

Jim

[austeregrim]

Thanks for letting us know Jim.

[Swerved]

First off, let me say I've thoroughly enjoyed my Thrive tablet. Up until recently, I had no reservations about the purchase and have even gotten a few friends to buy one as well. I also realize this topic has been mentioned, but I felt the need to post anyway, so here it is.

I must admit I am a bit disappointed at the decision to remove fastboot from the tablet. It just doesn't seem right to not allow users the option to have complete access to a device they paid hundreds of dollars for that they own, not rent or lease... Not to mention the money I've spent on apps that require root access. Had I wanted a device of that nature, I would have bought an iPad and been done with it long ago. I know there was a rollback from .002, but unfortunately I didn't find out about it until I had already updated my device via service station and updated beyond to .003..  So now along with many other users, I am stuck without a choice of how I wish to use my device. One more rollback would really be nice. I know it has been discussed and will probably never happen, but it sure would be a kind gesture on Toshiba's part.