The Library of Congress has seen fit to specifically exempt rooting and jailbreaking (for the iPhone) from the DMCA. This means that it is now 100 percent legal to root to your heart's content without fear of legal action taken against you. Check out the exact wording:

"Computer programs that enable wireless telephone handsets to execute software applications, where circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of enabling interoperability of such applications, when they have been lawfully obtained, with computer programs on the telephone handset."

This does not mean that HTC, Motorola, and other manufactures can't (or won't) continue to try to keep their devices locked down; it just means they can't sic the lawyers on you if you do choose to root. 

So, why not head into the Android Central forums and get your hack on? Check out the full legal wording after the break. [Copyright.gov via Engadget, NPR]

In what just may be the coolest bit of programming I've ever seen on any platform, the developers of BlindType have uploaded a video showing off their keyboard designed for anyone. This isn't out yet, so it definitely didn't make it into the Android Central keyboard roundup, but this would definitely be right at the top of the list if it had been. The keyboard is designed to be extremely fault-tolerant, which is great if you want to type without looking at your phone or if you can't be bothered by pesky things like accuracy or spelling. It also adjusts the size of the keyboard based on the way you're typing and resizes itself on the fly, and can be used with the keyboard visible or not. In the video it's shown running on an iPhone and an iPad, but an Android is promised right on the developer homepage. Check the video after the break. [via Engadget]

Last month we ran a story about the front-QWERTY keyboard Galaxy Q phone that Samsung reportedly plans to add to their Galaxy line. More specs have now leaked out about the likely BlackBerry competitor. 

The Samsung Galaxy Q will have:

• 3-inch Super AMOLED screen (720x480)
• 1 GHz Hummingbird processor 
• 8MP camera with LED flash
• 1.3 mp front-facing camera
• QWERTY keyboard
• Android 2.2
• 16GB internal memory (Micro SD expandable to 32GB)

Since it is being touted as a BlackBerry competitor, it will most likely have the screen up top with the keyboard directly below. It sounds like a very intriguing phone, and it will be interesting to see how many BlackBerry users may be swayed by the Galaxy Q. [MobileCrunch]

On July 24, the online code hosting and storage site GitHub hit a huge milestone -- 1 million projects hosted.  That's a whole lotta source code!  GitHub is important to Android, as many of our developers host code there (including Android favorite CyanogenMod), and the Linux kernel itself is hosted there.  It's great seeing open source flourish in today's competitive market.

GitHub is a free service, and they stay afloat by offering private code repositories to large corporations and software companies.  Anyone thinking of starting an open-source project would be wise to consider using their services.  [Github via TechCrunch]

HTC has announced it will introduce SLCD screens to its manufacturing of the Nexus One and Desire later this summer.

The Desire and Nexus One originally have been manufactured with AMOLED screens, which have been in short supply of late, leading to a pretty major backorder on the Droid Incredible on Verizon. HTC previously said it was augmenting Droid Incredible production with SLCD screens.

That said, the Nexus One remains unavailable for purchase in the United States but is still for sale in Europe, so those of you stateside shouldn't get your hopes up over that. Full presser after the break.

Who doesn't like for their Android smartphone to boot up in style? While many people are going after the ultra flashy, image filled boot animations some folks over at XDA Developers have been hard at work at quite the opposite. They have brought back the old-school BIOS look in their custom boot animation. This has been available for a while to some devices, but they have gone ahead and ported to just about every main device available, so check it out for yourself! [via XDA]

This isn't the first time we've seen the fabled (and unannounced) HTC Vision, but this one looks a little more finished, and with T-Mobile branding to boot, and the tipster who sent it to Engadget notes that it may well be called the G1 Blaze when all is said and done. One big question still hanging over the phone's head is whether we're talking T-Mobile Europe or T-Mobile U.S. (And if it's the latter, will this be the rumored HSPA+ device?) Rumored specs are largely what you'd expected -- 3.7-inch WVGA touchscreen and 1GHz processor. And with that, we wait. [Engadget]