Sony Google TV gets root, custom kernels
Sony’s Google TV hardware has finally succumbed to the folks over at GTVHacker, giving up root access in the process. The exploit isn’t necessarily quick and easy, but it will turn Sony TVs and Blu-ray players running Google TV 2.0 (Android 3.2) into custom kernel-running machines. Booting into a modified kernel provides users the ability expand the capabilities of Google’s internet TV platform. This includes streaming content blocked by network TV and cable providers. Instructions can be found over at GTVHacker, but they aren’t for the faint of heart. You’ll need quite a few thumb drives and some knowledge of the Windows command line, and the experimental method will wipe any stored data on the device and could even brick it. In other words: process at your own risk.