The Barnes and Noble’s NOOKcolor has gotten some Android 2.2.1 Froyo treatment, possibly making it a bit more appealing to those looking for an Android tablet on the cheap. Thanks to some creative hackery, some clever developers managed to put Android 2.2 Froyo onto the B&N NOOKcolor e-book reader. But while it’s indeed a nice accomplishment, getting this custom ROM onto the e-book reader may not be for everyone.
As with all device modifications that involve reflashing the ROM and running a rogue operating system, you’ll be running a good amount of risk by installing Android OS on your NOOKcolor – in other words, you could potentially brick your eReader. But if you are willing to risk your device (or just have the money to burn), give it a try!
You should know that the ROM is far from complete, which means that features like WiFi and Bluetooth are a no-go. This isn’t your run of the mill ROM installation. You’ll have to compile the OS yourself, and turn off the battery heat monitor. This could be very dangerous, as the device will not shut itself down if it gets too hot. Needless to say, if you really don’t know what you are doing, we don’t suggest you go anywhere near this hack.
On the other hand, if you’re determined to get some Froyo on your NOOKcolor, be sure to hit up the source below. A public release is not yet available, but that will likely change in the very near future. We’re not sure just how much better Froyo can get on this thing, but we could imagine that some enhancements will eventually make their way into future versions of the ROM.
So if you’re looking for a do-it-yourself Android tablet, the NOOKcolor may be the cheapest way to get your Froyo on. Anyone willing to do this? Make sure to let us knows how it goes for you when the public release becomes available!
Check out the video below to see Froyo running on the NOOKcolor!
[Via: James Vincent, AndroidCommunity]