Skip to main content

Streaming movie rentals from Android Market blocked on rooted devices

youtube movies
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Android users with a rooted device are learning the hard way that the recently launched streaming movie rental service is unusable. The service, which runs through YouTube and allows people to rent a variety of titles for $3 to $4 via Android Market, is rendered inaccessible due to copyright restrictions, a according to an error message (via Engadget.

“Error 49” pops up automatically when you try to download a movie; a search of the Android Market help center brings a brief description, which lays out the “why” in very little detail: “You’ll receive this “Error 49″ message if you attempt to play a movie on a rooted device. Rooted devices are currently unsupported due to requirements related to copyright protection.” Someone with more expertise would need to confirm it, but the blockage likely ties to the worry that a rooted device, with it’s relaxed app restrictions, could conceivably be used to record rented material…? Maybe? Just spitballing here– any Droid-savvy readers want to chime in? Other video rental services seem to work just fine on a rooted device.

Recommended Videos

For now, this restriction really only affects the Motorola Xoom tablet, since Honeycomb 3.1 is the only Android OS that supports streaming rentals. It’s coming to other versions of Android soon though, so a choice will have to be made.

Google has taken a pretty enlightened stance toward embracing an “open” platform with its Android OS, even outright encouraging modded operating systems. As Engadget notes, the Xoom’s free 4G LTE hardware upgrade even still applies to rooted tablets. All of which suggests that there may have been some external pressures that fueled the decision to cut off streaming rentals.

Adam Rosenberg
Former Gaming/Movies Editor
Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…
Baseus power banks are the best way to charge your phone after these discounts
A woman holding a phone with a Baseus Am41 Magnetic Power Bank attached to it.

One of the worst things about being a doomscroller isn't the information you're getting, it's the fear that your battery will die and the scrolling will have to end. This is especially true if you're stuck without power, waiting for the doctor or dentist to finally call your name, or have any other sort of emergency. But, Baseus has you covered with their excellent selection of on-the-go power banks made for your iPhone. Since they're small and fit directly to your phone's magnet charging area, you can think of them more as battery extenders than anything. Plus, if your phone's internal battery is starting to have battery trouble, a Baseus charger is a great way to avoid an annoying battery change session. The best news, however, is that they're all on sale. Here's what you can expect to see coming up:

Baseus Am31 Mini Power Bank — Was $70, Now $50

Read more
Nothing Phone 3: A unique phone that’s not a true flagship
The Nothing Phone 3 in white

As smartphones have become extremely homogenous, companies must find unique ways to stand out from the crowd. For London-based Nothing, this has meant a singular company focus on blending smartphone features with unique designs that allow their phones to stand out in a sea of sameness.

The Nothing Phone 3 is the latest addition to a line of Nothing phones that are unique and polarizing in their design. Earlier this year, Nothing launched the Phone 3a Pro with a unique camera array, and the Phone 3 builds on this while also evolving the Nothing design language.

Read more
Plaud Note, the professional-tier AI notetaker, is 20% off for Prime Day
Four colleagues have a conversation around a Plaud Note AI notetaker.

Lately, as I've been working through stressful hospital visits with family, I've encountered something I haven't in quite awhile. As I hear doctors, nurses, and family say things, I'll be completely unable to remember them moments later. There's just too much going on all at once. Early in my career I encountered the same issue. There were just so many new facets of what I was doing entering my head all at once, from many sources, that it was impossible to keep track of it all. If only there were AI notetaking tools that have helped me through this. AI notetaking tools like Plaud Note and Plaud NotePin, which are both 20% off for Prime Day (from $159 to $127 for either device, saving you $32) and available by tapping the button below.

PLAUD Note Voice Recorder

Read more