If you are a regular reader of Android blogs, it is quite likely that you have heard about it. Cyanogenmod, but it is also possible that you do not know exactly what it is.
Well, this post is dedicated simply to solving doubts about it. once you know what is cyanogenmod, you can decide if you prefer to keep your Android mobile with the original system or if it is more convenient for you to change it.
Meet Cyanogenmod
What exactly is Cyanogenmod?
As we all know, Android is a open source mobile operating system. This means that its source code is available for anyone to access and make changes to. And Cyanogenmod is just one of the most popular Android mods. It is simply an alternative operating system.
CyanogenMod is designed to increase the performance and reliability of android mobile devices. There is a long list of phones and tablets that accept the installation of CyanogenMod, including brands such as Asus, Samsung, LG, Motorola, htc, sony xperia, ZTE, Nexus… and that you can consult in the complete list of Cyanogenmod devices.
Although in principle the idea was that Android mobile users could change their standard versions for Cyanogenmod, there are already some smartphones that have gone on sale directly with this modification installed as standard, as is the case of the OnePlus One, the O or Micromax Yureka.
At this time, CyanogenMod hosts four active major versions:
- Cyanogen Mod 10 (Android 4.1)
- 10.1 (Android 4.2)
- 10.2 (Android 4.3)
- 11 (Android 4.4)
Firmware variants are divided into categories such as: Stable, Release Candidate, M-series, and nightlies. The stable version, as the title suggests, is the tested variant of the firmware and shown to be mostly bug-free and suitable for everyday use.
The latest version that is under development is C, which is based on Android Lollipop 5.1, and that brings new functionalities and better performance of the devices.
What are the advantages of installing Cyanogenmod
One of the main advantages of this modification is that it allows us to update to the latest android version even the terminals that in principle are not going to be updated. It is a way to extend the life of an old smartphone. Therefore, it is ideal if we have an old smartphone or a well-known brand, which tends to cause more problems with updates.
But in addition, Cyanogenmod has some very interesting features that we cannot find in the usual versions of Android. For example:
- Support for Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC)
- Multi touch
- Compressed cache (compcache)
- A long list of APNs
- Reset menu
- Support for tethering via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or USB.
It has applications as a file explorer and a music player. It also offers many more customization options and greater optimization of resources, which causes a longer battery life, among other improvements and ways to optimize the performance of the mobile or tablet. In short, it is a purer Android than other brands, which insert a series of applications and services that we may never use.
Is it difficult to install Cyanogenmod?
The installation of Cyanogenmod is quite simple, since it is done through an application that you can download from its website. If your mobile is of the latest generation, you must take into account that some functions such as fingerprint reader, heart rate, among others, do not work. you will find in cyanogenmod, since it may not have been adapted to these new features.
Of course, it is important to know that you must have root access trust your android device. In the following link (in English) you can download the app for installation:
- Download Cyanogenmod installer (broken link, doesn't exist)
Have you used Cyanogenmod at any time or at this time? Leave us a comment about the improvements, advantages or disadvantages of using this modification when Android system.