CyanogenMod?

DMGrier

VIP Member
Has anyone messed with the CyanogenMod for Android? I know it is suppose to replace Android with essentially android built by different developers but I am curious if anyone has tried it or know someone who has and has an opinion of the experience.
 

jamesd1981

Active Member
I have always meant to get around to trying it, but my uncle tried it and has ended up with a dodgy american version in a uk phone.

Granted he is not used to doing things like this so was pretty risky.

As far as i can see it is no different to simply rooting the device.
 
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voyagerfan99

Master of Turning Things Off and Back On Again
Staff member
As far as i can see it is no different to simply rooting the device.

Wrong.

Cyanogenmod is a custom version of Android created by the Cyanogenmod team. It has many different tweaks and changes to it. There's too many for me to just list here, so take a look at the CM wiki.

http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Why_Mod?

I myself don't care for CM that much. I've flashed it and used it for a little while, but I still have yet to find a ROM I like as much as stock Kit-Kat on my Nexus 5.
 

Fatback

VIP Member
I had CM 7.2 on my old Motorola Defy and I loved it. I don't know how it is now as I have a Moto G and I am perfectly happy with the stock ROM. It was always my go to ROM though back in the day.
 

jamesd1981

Active Member
Does seem to be what I thought basically gives you more control over the device such as installing build in bloatware like facebook, google etc.

But does rooting the device not offer the same control ?

Then it seems other advantages like customization maybe out weighed by security risks.
 

voyagerfan99

Master of Turning Things Off and Back On Again
Staff member
Rooting the device doesn't allow you to remove bloatware apps. A lot of them are built into the stock ROM. A custom ROM is stripped of the extra crap (especially crap carriers installed such as AT&T Navigate, etc.)
 

Geoff

VIP Member
Does seem to be what I thought basically gives you more control over the device such as installing build in bloatware like facebook, google etc.

But does rooting the device not offer the same control ?

Then it seems other advantages like customization maybe out weighed by security risks.
That has nothing to do with custom ROMs. Rooting gives you the ability to uninstall or freeze system applications, like those that come pre-loaded on phones, it allows you to modify system files to allow tethering if your plan doesn't allow it, you can install modules via Xposed which let you tweak the look and feel of the UI, as well as modules such as saving photos from snapchat or instagram, install network monitoring utilities, etc. There is a TON that rooting can give you.

You need root to install a custom ROM. A custom ROM is built by developer(s) that tweak the ROM to their liking, they typically remove bloatware, tweak system files for increased performance, include custom kernels that allow you to overclock or undervolt, and range in OS versions that are usually newer than what you can get from the manufacturer. CyanogenMod is just one of many ROMs available to popular phones, and is not built off of the stock ROM like many are, it's built from the ground up.

Rooting the device doesn't allow you to remove bloatware apps. A lot of them are built into the stock ROM.
Actually, it does. That is usually the single greatest benefit of rooting a phone. Removing all the "crap" that carriers put on phones.
 

ninjabubbles3

Active Member
I have a galaxy s vibrant, and rooting and installing cymod allowed me to completely speed up my phone, allow newer games to be downloaded, and uninstall crap like gogo, currents,etc.
 

voyagerfan99

Master of Turning Things Off and Back On Again
Staff member
Actually, it does. That is usually the single greatest benefit of rooting a phone. Removing all the "crap" that carriers put on phones.

I had never actually looked into specifics of what you can do so I wasn't sure.
 

DMGrier

VIP Member
Well I am thinking about going for it but I am now looking into what differences are there between the Samsung S5 and the S5 Active to see if I can run it as it looks like they only build for the standard S5.

Off the top of your heads does anyone know if there are difference between the S5 and S5 active other then exterior?
 

Geoff

VIP Member
I had never actually looked into specifics of what you can do so I wasn't sure.
Yeah, there's really no bloatware to disable on Nexus devices. On non-Nexus phones, when you root you can install Titanium Backup and use that to freeze/uninstall any carrier/OEM installed app you want.

Well I am thinking about going for it but I am now looking into what differences are there between the Samsung S5 and the S5 Active to see if I can run it as it looks like they only build for the standard S5.

Off the top of your heads does anyone know if there are difference between the S5 and S5 active other then exterior?
There are a few threads in the S5 section of the XDA forum, check those out to be sure you can run an S5 ROM on the S5 Active. There may be slight changes, you don't want to risk a brick.
 

ninjabubbles3

Active Member
I doubt it, but make sure. Also, if you have a samsung phone, i highly recommend at least rooting them, because their UI is super bloated and weird compared to stock android
 

Geoff

VIP Member
I doubt it, but make sure. Also, if you have a samsung phone, i highly recommend at least rooting them, because their UI is super bloated and weird compared to stock android
ROMs are different between carriers, so I wouldn't be surprised if the S5 Active requires a modified S5 ROM.
 

Jiniix

Well-Known Member
Don't mean to take over the thread, but I've been thinking of doing this to my Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, and I'm worried about the different types of releases.
Currently there's only a 'Snapshot' for my phone. Anyone have experience with anything other than 'Stable' releases?
 

voyagerfan99

Master of Turning Things Off and Back On Again
Staff member
Just do a Nandroid backup on your phone before you wipe and flash. If it turns out you don't like it, then just wipe again and restore your backup.
 

Geoff

VIP Member
My friend is going to get a Moto X over the N6 because the price is too high for the N6.
Yeah, the N6 is really expensive. The DROID Turbo is even $50 cheaper.

Don't mean to take over the thread, but I've been thinking of doing this to my Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, and I'm worried about the different types of releases.
Currently there's only a 'Snapshot' for my phone. Anyone have experience with anything other than 'Stable' releases?
It's not often they have "stable" releases from my experience, look on the forums and see what the known bugs are. If you can live with them, backup and flash it.
 
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