Google Nexus One already rooted with Superboot

Googles revolutionary new phone the Nexus One has yet to be released and yet has already been hacked by a user over at the Android @ MoDaCo forums. A user named Paul has released a boot.img that, when flashed, will root your device the first time it is started up, entirely eliminating the need to flash your  system partition or mess with over writing the preinstalled ROM on your device. That eliminates much of the hassle that was involved with rooting Google's first Android device, the G1.

The instructions are as follows:

- Download the Superboot zip file above and extract to a directory

- Put your device in bootloader mode – turn if off, remove battery, plug in USB cable, when battery icon appears onscreen, replace battery then tap the powerbutton while holding the Camera key

- WINDOWS – double click 'install-superboot-windows.bat'

- MAC – Open a terminal window to the directory containing the files, and type 'chmod +x install-superboot-mac.sh' followed by './install-superboot-mac.sh'

- LINUX – Open a terminal window to the directory containing the files, and type 'chmod +x install-superboot-linux.sh' followed by './install-superboot-linux.sh'

The instructions are pretty straight forward and easy to use. Of course when rooting, jail breaking or otherwise modifying a phone  it is essential to understand what it is exactly that you are doing. If you are new to this type of thing I would recommend doing some research before loading or deleting anything from your phone.