[tlug] rooting the Android ION, adding a Japanese IME, and using it with Softbank

[Shawn Brown <javajunkie@example.com>]

Hi,

The HTC ION from the 09 Google IO (San Fransisco?) conference doesn't
give root access or have Japanese input:

root
------
we can see there is no root access
$adb root
adbd cannot run as root in production builds


To get root I basically followed this
http://l8rs.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.html
I used the image from here
http://andblogs.net/downloads/update-testkeys-CRB43-full-v1.2.zip
and followed the directions from
http://android-dls.com/wiki/index.php?title=Magic_Rooting [Important
note:  Do not use the images from the Magic_Rooting thread - they
reportedly brick the phone.  Only use the directions]

The 2 modifications to the Magic_Rooting directions that were necessary were:

1) use Ion images (link posted above)
2) extract the recovery.img from the
update-testkeys-CRB43-full-v1.2.zip and use it in step 9 of the
Magic_Rooting directions.


The ION is a developer phone so although it didn't offer root, it does
allow fastboot which makes rooting easy.  DoCoMo's release does not
enable fastboot so this will not work on those handsets.

Now I get

$ adb root
* daemon not running. starting it now *
* daemon started successfully *
adbd is already running as root

Whether it's true or not, I can't verify now but the images are
reportedly the same as standard ION with two modifications:

1) added /system/bin/su
2) changed “ro.secure=0″ from 1 in the boot.img build properties.



Japanese
--------------
(you need root) get a Japanese IME on board.
http://my.opera.com/wiz/blog/2009/06/16/how-to-install-japanese-ime-on-android


 Softbank
---------------

Setting it up to work with Softbank was easy using the Mms.apk at
http://kuba.fm/2009/06/11/flashing-and-hacking-the-android-phone-for-japanese-softbank-network/
adb install -r Mms.apk
then configured the APN -- see the kuba page above for details on what
need to be set.  You have to find the password and exact settings
someplace else though.

Shawn

PS.  DoCoMo Guam and another carrier there both state sim starter kits
are available.  Their sites kinda imply you need to buy a phone to get
it.  Also, I just rented a handset from http://gomobile.co.jp/ and it
worked on AT&T's network fine for voice.  Didn't try data.