When Sony Ericsson stepped out of line and opened its bootloader unlocking service, it provided a tacit acknowledgment that users should have the ability to use and abuse their phones however they see fit — even if it voids the warranty. Frankly, we applaud SE’s move, despite the caveat that supported handsets cannot be SIM-locked to a carrier (or CDMA , for that matter). Now, Sony’s embracing its own movement and is teaching a free online class (of sorts) on how to build a Linux kernel and flash it to your phone. Of course, the article requires that you get comfy with the command line, but whether you’re an Android developer, a casual enthusiast, or a curious observer, this tutorial is worth reading and learning from. Welcome to Computer Lib for the handset generation — where you can and must understand smartphones now. Sony Ericsson teaches course on building custom Linux kernels, admission is free originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 10 May 2011 23:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink