Google CR-48 Hacked, Ubuntu Installed

You throw a switch to put the laptop into developer mode? That sounds awfully rudimentary.

It's just a proof of concept model, not a retail version. Who cares if the 1000 people (guessing) who get one of these install something else? Now, if OEMs start making these things for retail, you can bet there won't be a switch that enables developer mode.

the laptop was designed for developers, so.... yeah. Big surprise here.
It's like wondering why Nexus One was so easy to unlock.

Sure you can run without initrd, you just need to include your disk driver in the kernel.

I'm running initrd-less since about half a year back.

Doesn't installing ubuntu on a CR-48 kinda defeat the purpose of buying it in the first place? It's like when you pay an arm and a leg for a Mac and then you run Windows - you could have just bought a PC in the first place.

Nonetheless, the hackers get my admiration for managing to crack it.

No ability to use your own kernel? In my mind that totally defeats the point.

If i want to install other software on the hardware that i bought, i should be able to. Simple as that.

^^ And Google thinks some people want their computer to avoid getting viruses. If you want to put your own software on the hardware you bought buy hardware that allows you to do it. It is a security feature preventing you from changing the kernel.

I imagine at least a jumper would be necessary to allow enthusiast and repair men to replace the operating system. So this just proves the net-book is well designed.

However, I have issue with the idea of labeling this as a Hack. A hack fits to describe Apples devices because their engineers work day and night to lock their devices out of uses other than what they intend their users to do with them. Google, and Microsoft in the case of the Kinect, just focused on the purpose of the device, and did not bother to lock the device for that specific purpose. Google's Chromium OS website actually has every possible detail about the OS you need to tweak modify, or extend the OS. The same goes for Android.

So you don't need to be a hacker, just computer literate. Not that that makes the modification easy (easier than a hack but not easy), you still need to understand what you are doing. I do see why the word Hack would drive more views for the article though. And that in turn educates readers about the stark differences between Google approach to technology and Apples, with Microsoft kind of in the middle at this point in history (strangely).

It would if they actually bought it.

It was only a matter of time, everyone knew it.

Hourray!!

HeY! why there is no news about me installing Ubuntu on a Win7 netbook and call it a hack?

exactly what I was about to say, the article makes it sound like its a huge burden (which it is if you dont know what you doing, but youre a UlTrA 1337 LiNuX H4X0R right? :-D ) when it really isn't. I'd assume if you're hacking a google chrome laptop you already know a decent amount about linux.

And in the process of installing Ubuntu, they probably boosted the usability by 5x and the security by 100x....

First, he/she didn't install a different OS. He removed a Linux distribution (yes, that's all Chrome OS is, and Android for that matter) and installed another Linux distribution. Chrome OS and Android are nothing more (stress, NOTHING MORE) than a stock Linux kernel stripped down severely and very little outside maintenance of device drivers from Google. And the only reason they are maintained outside the mainline Linux kernel is because they we're removed from it for "bad code and bad maintenance".

Secondly, as you probably all already know, Ubuntu is yet another Linux distribution. However, it is about as representative of the GNU/Linux community as OSX is as representative of the BSD world. It took the Apple route and made it moron proof, but as history shows us, that tends to be pretty popular. Coincidence?

That`s great to be able to dual boot, and have more functionality when you need it. You can replace Ubuntu with any other distro if you so choose, and I doubt it would make much difference.

WTF was the point of that, other that showing off your "technical" skills? The advantage of the whole CR48 web-book concept was to NOT having to deal with an actual operating system.

Ubuntu is garbage why bother...I'm sick and tired of non-standard Ubuntu garbage..Congrats, now you've made a turd.

Yes this is what I want - We should have lots of options not that just Google WebOS.

Go buy a PC. Doh!

I guess this might be interesting for the person doing the hacking. Otherwise, there is really no value in doing this. Anyone who would seriously get a 'chrome-book' in order to install a different OS, is clearly missing the point.

What are the specs of these netbooks? Are they x86 based, PPC, ARM?

Where`s the distro you`re putting out then? I`m sure that for those who are not technically inclined ubuntu works fine for them and they don`t need other stuff or to even know that it`s based off of debians unstable repositories. As for the hacking of the netbook, it`s having the option to use it the way you like that makes it attractive, not some sort of self righteous I build my own Arch installs and am therefore better than thou kind of condescension. There`s plenty of room in Linux for everyone.

No where in my video did I ever say this was a hack. Nor did I give consent to anyone to say it was a hack. Simply because it is NOT a hack.