Hacking N97 to put Android on?

You wouldn't be able to put android software on the N97. You could however "hack" the phone and emulate the look of an android GUI, but it will still be Nokia based software as it's tied to the type of hardware the phone has.

I think if Microsoft can hack an i8910 Omnia HD to run Windows Mobile 7, then really anything can be done. Its easier for the N900 since its open source and that the boot loader is configurable. Anything is possible, but the N97 really lacks development support.

bchliu wrote:I think if Microsoft can hack an i8910 Omnia HD to run Windows Mobile 7, then really anything can be done. Its easier for the N900 since its open source and that the boot loader is configurable. Anything is possible, but the N97 really lacks development support.

Its been fairly well documented (by better people than me) that the 'i8910' in the WM7 videos' is nothing like the S60 phone some of us have. The internals are completely different. Ruined my day too, i wanted to get WM7 onto my i8910!

Ah, so does anyone reckon this may come in the future? like a proper version of Android on N97?
(flashable) :P
I think thatd be awesome. I might have to try M1(think its that, the Android loader)

Kiwi_dude wrote:You wouldn't be able to put android software on the N97. You could however "hack" the phone and emulate the look of an android GUI, but it will still be Nokia based software as it's tied to the type of hardware the phone has.

This basically.

UKJeeper wrote:Its been fairly well documented (by better people than me) that the 'i8910' in the WM7 videos' is nothing like the S60 phone some of us have. The internals are completely different. Ruined my day too, i wanted to get WM7 onto my i8910!

Interesting.. All the sites I have read are all pointing more towards a hacked i8910 than anything else. Considering that Samsung did not provide them with any assistance on the device (http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-points-finger-at-microsoft-for-windows-phone-7-device-677331)

That article you linked to did say that the i8910 must have been upgraded as it's spec doesn't meet the requirements for WM7 - and that it isn't likely that people will be able to upgrade the handsets themselves.

Idle Mind wrote:That article you linked to did say that the i8910 must have been upgraded as it's spec doesn't meet the requirements for WM7 - and that it isn't likely that people will be able to upgrade the handsets themselves.

umm.. You have to remember that Microsoft OWNS the source code for WM7 and they can quite literally change it any time they wish. The phone is only in demo mode and without much applications on it, so why does it have to be 1Ghz with all the jazz? Just because they have listed a basic /recommended requirements doesnt mean that they too have to follow it..

I think you could do it, but you'd essentially have to write drivers for each of the phones components to talk to android rather than symbian.

This would be tough for a Nokia, let alone an enthusiastic amateur!

I think its safe to say, if you paid yourself minimum wage for all the time you spent doing it you'd be better off buying a HTC Desire, heck, buy one of each native 'droid handset and use the one you like best!

Well.. I am running Froyo 2.2 on my N900 dual booting - something that a bunch of developers got together to port. Its about 65% functionality at the moment and works with a bunch of software already.

Nothing is impossible.. whether people want to do it is another matter..

bchliu wrote:Well.. I am running Froyo 2.2 on my N900 dual booting - something that a bunch of developers got together to port. Its about 65% functionality at the moment and works with a bunch of software already.

Nothing is impossible.. whether people want to do it is another matter..

I completely agree. If there is custom firmware based on the original OS available to make the phone run smoother (which is what I have done), then is there really much demand for changing the OS completely? If there were masses of people wanting this kind of customisation then perhaps developers would be willing to play around, but as previously mentioned, it would be easier to just buy an Android handset.