Amazon Echo Show jailbreak unlocks the full Android tablet within

Like all Amazon tech products, the Amazon Echo 5 is locked into the proprietary ecosystem of Amazon Fire OS, limiting what could be a capable device to a handful of half-baked applications and features for users to interact with. Fortunately, thanks to an exploit by Roger Ortiz and a custom build of Lineage OS by bengris32, resources are available to help jailbreak these devices and empower users to extend the functionality of their devices beyond their original scope. What's more is that Amazon Echo Show users have options when it comes to maintaining the device's Amazon services, like Alexa, effectively giving users the best of both worlds. However, like most jailbreak exploits, the process carries the risk of bricking the device.

As Mark Watt Tech discussed in his video, the exploit needed to transform the Amazon Echo 5 into a full-fledged Android tablet is currently only available for the first-generation Echo 5 and 8 models and will not work on other hardware. For users with the 1st Gen Amazon Echo 5 and 8, they have two options for extending the functionality of their Echo Shows, both of which are documented on the XDA forums. The first option retains the original functionality of the Echo Show, including Alexa. In contrast, the second option completely wipes Fire OS from the device and replaces it with a custom, open-source version of Android called Lineage OS. Both options have their pros and cons, with the first option facing performance loss due to running Fire OS in the background and the second option completely wiping access to Amazon services. However, both still offer extended functionality, including access to additional apps and increased control over the device.

Additionally, both options have a similar installation process, which consists of:

• Unlocking the bootloader via the exploit
• Installing the recovery tool TWRP
• Flashing a custom recovery image via TWRP

Luckily, Mark Watt Tech goes through these and details how to install Lineage OS on an Echo Show 5. However, it is worth mentioning again that this process carries the risk of bricking the device. Those interested can find more details on the process and features of Lineage OS in the resources below.