[ed. Never heard of this before, sounds like something worth checking out. Wikipedia entry here.]
CyanogenMod is an enhanced open source firmware distribution for smartphones and tablet computers based on the Android mobile operating system. It offers features and options not found in the official firmware distributed by vendors of these devices.
Features supported by CyanogenMod include native theming support, FLAC audio codec support, a large Access Point Name list, an OpenVPN client, an enhanced reboot menu, support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB tethering, CPU overclocking and other performance enhancements, soft buttons and other "tablet tweaks", toggles in the notification pull-down (such as wi-fi, Bluetooth and GPS), app permissions management, as well as other interface enhancements. CyanogenMod does not contain spyware or bloatware. In many cases, CyanogenMod may increase performance and reliability compared with official firmware releases.
CyanogenMod is developed as free and open source software based on the official releases of Android by Google, with added original and third-party code.
Read more about CyanogenMod, including its development and version history, at its Wikipedia entry. (...)
When making the decision on whether or not to modify the software on your device, several factors come into play. Your Android device is pretty much a full computer (and if it's a phone it has additional mobile functions), so it may help to think of it in the same way as you would consider modifying your laptop or desktop computer from its stock installation.
CyanogenMod is an enhanced open source firmware distribution for smartphones and tablet computers based on the Android mobile operating system. It offers features and options not found in the official firmware distributed by vendors of these devices.
Features supported by CyanogenMod include native theming support, FLAC audio codec support, a large Access Point Name list, an OpenVPN client, an enhanced reboot menu, support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB tethering, CPU overclocking and other performance enhancements, soft buttons and other "tablet tweaks", toggles in the notification pull-down (such as wi-fi, Bluetooth and GPS), app permissions management, as well as other interface enhancements. CyanogenMod does not contain spyware or bloatware. In many cases, CyanogenMod may increase performance and reliability compared with official firmware releases.CyanogenMod is developed as free and open source software based on the official releases of Android by Google, with added original and third-party code.
Read more about CyanogenMod, including its development and version history, at its Wikipedia entry. (...)
When making the decision on whether or not to modify the software on your device, several factors come into play. Your Android device is pretty much a full computer (and if it's a phone it has additional mobile functions), so it may help to think of it in the same way as you would consider modifying your laptop or desktop computer from its stock installation.
Pros
Common reasons to modify your device's operating system include:
Common reasons to modify your device's operating system include:
- Remove unwanted programs ("bloatware") installed by your carrier
- Receive more frequent security updates (ie, get the latest fixes from Google in the newer OSes)
- Having access to the most current version of Android available (including new features)Most carriers take months to update to the latest version of Android, whereas rooted devices usually receive updates within days or weeks
- Better performance
- Extra features
Cons
Common concerns include the following:
To read more about the pros and cons of rooting and installing custom roms, check out this article from Android Authority.
For a good overview of CyanogenMod specifically, check out this article from Addictive Tips.
Common concerns include the following:
- Some device manufacturers or mobile providers may offer a limited or voided warranty after modifying
- It is possible that by installing a rooted operating system, you may be introducing new potential security issues (although this argument could be switched-- older operating systems may be insecure as well...)
- Non-stock firmware could contain malicious code - which is a good argument for making sure you download custom ROMs from a trusted source, or even better, learn to build it yourself!
- Stability issues may arise when using an experimental operating system. However, for many people, CyanogenMod has proven to be more stable than most 'official' ROMs.
To read more about the pros and cons of rooting and installing custom roms, check out this article from Android Authority.
For a good overview of CyanogenMod specifically, check out this article from Addictive Tips.
by CyanogenMod Wiki | Read more:
