[Upgrading, Modifying and Unlocking] innerspace:
LG 3.0.1 source is buggy as hell, we have modded it and release BawseMod kernels for 3.0.1, we actually can currently boot modded 3.1 kernels, but we can't make them persist. We also can boot CWM, but cannot flash it to the recovery partition.

Deez1234 brought us all together in irc, reaching out to devs here. Chiefzreloaded along with ^Faye^ and dasunsrule32 helped myself and a few others mod and test on 3.0.1. We had fixed a number of issues, identified many other problems and implemented a number of mods but were anxious for updated source as 3.0.1 is essentially a preview release. We had asked both LG and T-Mobile repeatedly when the 3.1 OTA would be released and finally received word that it would arrive in late August. With no indication from LG or T-Mobile that the update would lock our devices we modded the OTA package into an update.zip and flashed it. We immediately realized we were screwed and began to spread the word in hopes we could stop others from suffering the same fate but the damage was done.

I am absolutely certain that many of the bricks that T-Mobile claims were responsible for the lockout happened AFTER 3.1 hit, as there was a panic to try and undo the damage and many people got into trouble trying to revert. Kernel Magic Mismatch errors led to APX mode boots, which look like a brick but in fact are salvageable.

Chiefzreloaded reverse engineered the 3.1 Bootloader and got us the SBK, he packaged a downgrade zip and we released it to the world. This enables users who flashed 3.1 to revert back to 3.0.1.

Unfortunately, the lockout has had a devastating effect on development, effectively stopping it in it's tracks. I am very disappointed and discouraged by my calls to T-Mobile, the most recent of which ended with a G-Slate Support Specialist telling me the slate works as advertised and we got what we paid for, she has it and "loves it". I've been referred to the Contract Dispute Department Twice and have been told I cannot get out of my contract. I was also told that T-Mobile does not support development on the G-Slate. She indicated that the company policy regarding modding tablets differs from the company policy regarding PDAs. If this is the case it is the first I've heard of it. As I understood it (someone please tell me if I'm wrong) LG and T-Mobile were actively wooing Cyanogen to develop on the slate, giving kmobs a tablet through a Twitter campaign. And there were numerous articles on the web discussing the unlocked state of the bootloader and indicating that the G-Slate was a strong candidate for a Nexus style development device.

I don't know what went wrong with the Cyanogenmod link, but it became clear quickly that there would be no development there and no forum here which left me wondering why. As we slowly dissected the device it became obvious (i believe) why development stalled, LG failed to provide tools to interface with the device properly as the update tool provided on LG's site does not work with the slate. Their implementation of Android was odd as well,, foregoing the traditional recovery partition and storing proprietary LG MDP code in it's place. I believe it is LG's engineering choices and general company policy of silence that doomed the device to an early grave.

Unfortunately for all of us who bought the device, we're left with the daunting (and often embarrassing) task of convincing people we meet in public NOT TO BUY THE G-SLATE. They get all excited when they see the device and frankly it's tough to have to go through the whole "Do as I say not as I am forced to do because of the contract I signed" schtick all the time.

I met a gentlemen at the bar tonight, in town from India, meeting w/ the big three to discuss mobile tech endeavors. Upon seeing my slate and striking up a conversation he asked if I was a developer... a month ago I would have immediately said yes... after the response I've received from T-Mobile and LG and the story I've pieced together I was forced to reply, "used to develop with people on the slate but that's over now, DON'T BUY ONE."

:/

FINALLY - I am under the impression that the PS3 vs. Linux incident in US courts recently set precedent supporting US citizen's right to modify the software on their devices. I do not understand how LG or T-Mobile can legally restrict our access to the device.

Incidentally, if anyone reads this and can help in any way feel free to PM me.

at my wits end,

innerspace