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Comment by kevin_jacobs | Hacker News Reader

Nice, but end users shouldn't have to root their phones and install a new OS just to not have all their data logged and reported on.

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Users of any of the Nexus models don't, and for that I'm thankful. However, I hope Google takes this bad press seriously and does something more than merely distance themselves from third party cell manufacturers like HTC that have installed Carrier IQ on their phones.

Google could provide an update that would remove or disable Carrier IQ. Something to tide users over until the next OS update is available to their phones. I find it unlikely that Carrier IQ will be around on any device after ICS is installed (too much bad press for HTC, etc.), but that may take some time or simply not even happen for some phones.

One thing that is starting to become very clear is that there are more advantages to the Nexus line than just getting swift updates! Third party cell manufacturers may have unwittingly created a two-tier Android market, with their modified versions of the OS in the bottom tier.

Google doesn't need CarrierIQ because they have their own spyware, such as in-the-background location tracking if you ever turn on the GPS or ask for location even once while running Maps or Plus, and of course because they mediate all your access to the world through their built-in apps, and don't offer an opt out from data collection and mining.

Hopefully, the number of users of CM will rise enough to give the carriers "competition" and stop putting stuff like this and other bloatware in them. Because once a phone is rooted, they can also use apps like the ones for free tethering and so on. And I'm sure they don't like that at all.

Not sure what you're calling out here. That end users have to root their phones in order to avoid something undesirable is not something that CyanogenMod can respond to. All the alternative firmware provides is a way to avoid something that is otherwise forced on you, and CyanogenMod is pointing out that it's offering that alternative.

I'm going to guess that the parent is calling out one of the standard geek fallacies, that being "Well, I made/found/installed a workaround for my device, and everyone else could do it. Problem solved."

It's a fallacy because not everyone has the technical skill to do it, and the amount of people who do have the technical skill are (I'm guessing, but I don't think I'm wrong) statistically insignificant next to the amount of people who don't.

So, the overall problem isn't solved, and the people who have the technical wherewithal to actually speak out about it as technical experts are, by and large, sitting in a corner with CM7 and saying "All good over here."

shouldn't, I heartily agree, but the hard reality of the matter seems to be that it is currently necessary. If you don't control root on your own device, you don't know (and can't find out) who else does.

I've been hearing some rumours of OEMs considering releasing phones with CM installed by default. They're definitely starting to actively support development (I think both Samsung and Ericcson have been providing devices, and the latter have definitely been hinting at providing much more support).

Samsung acutally hired Cyanogen: http://www.slashgear.com/cyanogen-hired-by-samsung-will-cont...

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