A new app called SetCPU is now available in Android Marketplace which gives limited control of Mobile’s CPU to the user. The user can then overclock or underclock the processor according to their will. Reportedly, Motorola Droid has been overclocked to 1.2 GHz with the help of this app.

How does it work?

It works by changing several parameters directly in kernel memory to fool both cpufreq and its lowlevel driver. Like the Droid, the Milestone is stable up to 1.2 GHz, with 1.33 GHz being the best I could achieve, albeit completely unstable. For more information please read the KernelModule description. Afterwards I recommend you define better cpufreq policies with the excellent application SetCPU (make sure to use Autodetect, not the Droid/Milestone preset).

For this to work, the module must know two memory addresses that are specific to each kernel. Fortunately, Motorola appears to have reused its kernel on most 2.1 firmwares. Confirmed working are Central Europe, Telus and Brazilian firmwares. Russian and Thai users need to change the kernel, see KernelModule for more information. To port the module to these and other kernels please follow the instructions in the Disassembly page.

Please note that excessive overclocking of the CPU might also result in hardware failure of your device besides improvements in performance, so be careful with that app. Better check with other users online on how much they have overclocked their cellphone before trying it out for yourself.

[via Tiago Sousa's Google Code Page]