Software unlock released for Samsung Galaxy S

KOREAN PHONE MAKER Samsung's Galaxy S has achieved the popular distinction of having a software unlock released for it.

The clever lads at XDA Developers managed to figure out that the carrier unlock codes are not kept on a remote server but rather on the device itself. In fact the codes are stored on a file that requires little more than a hex editor to view. Once the relevant code is entered when a SIM card is inserted, the phone can connect to any GSM network.

Of course the person who published the hack doesn't expect everyone to fiddle with hex editors. No, there are both Windows and Mac OS X applications that take care of the nitty gritty. The only tedious aspect to the whole operation is the need to issue a DD command to copy the file containing unlock codes to the removable memory card.

Those worried about 'bricking' their phones should be happy to hear that it is possible to flash back to the original firmware, negating any unlock. So far a poll shows that the procedure also works on rebranded Galaxy S models such as the Vibrant, Captivate and I9000.

Samsung's Galaxy S has been one of the most successful Android phones ever, with the company claiming that it has managed to shift hundreds of thousands of the handsets in its home country alone.

It's not surprising then that, just like Apple's shiny toy, talented hackers have decided to free it from the clutches of mobile network operators. µ