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Google releases kernel source for Google Glass

Google releases kernel source for Google Glass

By Anupam Saxena | Updated: 29 April 2013 16:03 IST

Google has publicly released the kernel source for its wearable technology innovation, Google Glass.

According to Karthik's Geek Center, the kernel source has been released at a temporary location on Google Code and it will be moved to a permanent location in the near future.

The Glass kernel source is a 68.9MB download and comes in a tar.xz file. The blogpost also informs that the kernel contains headers required for NFC support. Although it might be there just because Glass is running Android which has NFC drivers, it also might be possible that Glass is NFC enabled.

Just two days back, Jay Freeman, popularly known as Saurik, the man behind Cydia, the alternate Apple app store for home-brew apps, had claimed to have got root access to his unit of Google Glass through an Android 4.0.4 exploit. This allows him to take control of the OS and install non-Google approved apps on the device.

However, Google employee Dan Morrill clarified that it was not rooting but a 'fastboot oem unlock' and that Google was letting developers unlock the device on purpose. But Saurik responded that his device's boot loader was still locked and that he relied on another loophole to hack into the device.

Another Glass user and hacker Liam McLoughin tweeted that there was a "debug mode" option on Glass that appears to enable ADB access. He also tweeted about discovering a method to root Glass.

Ahead of shipping the first Glass devices, Google had posted documentation for developers discussing software development for Glass. It also mentioned that the software would be called Glassware and that they'll need to use Google Mirror API 'a set of RESTful services that transmit information to and receive notifications from Glass devices'. However, app development policies for Glass are much more restrictive and Google has tighter control on the type of apps that developers build. Developers cannot sell ads in apps, collect user data for ads, share data with ad companies or distribute apps elsewhere. They cannot charge people to buy apps or virtual goods or services within them.

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