EVO 3D shipping with locked down bootloader, but HTC may reconsider policy

We've got some good news and some bad news. Let's do the bad news first: much like the Sensation, Thunderbolt, and Incredible S, Android Police has confirmed that the upcoming HTC EVO 3D will also be sporting a locked down bootloader of similar fashion, meaning custom ROM modders will have a hard time glamming up said phone. Not that anyone should be surprised by this finding though, given the sad trend. That said, there is still hope: earlier today, HTC announced on Facebook that it's "reviewing the issue and our policy around bootloaders" -- looks like someone's pulled a page out of Sony Ericsson's good book. If all goes well, we'll just have to wait and see whether HTC will beat Motorola to making their fans smile again.

Android Police, HTC (Facebook)

New CyanogenMod lets you rule Android app permissions with an iron fist

We've recently seen Google crack down on rogue apps and patch some server-side security issues, but let's not forget Android does have a small measure of built-in security: app permissions. But as with those pesky EULAs, many users tend to breeze through the permissions screen. And Android forces even the most attentive readers to accept or deny all permissions requested by an app. But the newest nightly builds of the CyanogenMod custom ROM include a clever patch allowing users to grant and revoke permissions individually -- something like the TISSA security manager we're still awaiting. Obviously playing God with permissions can crash your applications: with great power comes great responsibility. But we figure if you're running aftermarket firmware on a rooted phone, you're comfortable experimenting. See how it works in the video after the break, then hit the source link to download.

Androinica

CyanogenMod

HTC Sensation looks to have signed bootloader, custom ROMs look to be bummed

Did you think maybe HTC would change its ways after locking down the bootloader on the Thunderbolt and Incredible S? Sorry, no. The upcoming Sensation looks to have been similarly afflicted, with Android Police bringing the bad news that its internals are protected by HTC's private key. This will definitely prove to be an issue for those looking to run custom ROMs that are clean as a whistle, but something tells us the hackers shall overcome. They usually do.

Android Police