Showing posts with label CyanogenMod. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CyanogenMod. Show all posts

Friday, December 30, 2011

Samsung Epic 4G, LG Optimus 3D and More Gain CM7 Support

Some new devices have finally been added to CyanogenMod’s list of supported devices. We’ve got the Samsung EPIC 4G and LG Optimus 3D as notable additions. We’re also seeing support for the LG Optimus Black, Optimus Hub and Optimus Pro. These devices are on the list for CM7, of course, though we don’t expect all of these to be absent from CM9′s party sometime down the line. (The first two we mentioned are definitely high up on that “probability” list.) Head over to CyanogenMod’s site for the downloads. [Thanks to all the excited Epic 4G owners who sent this in!]

Custom Google Music App Coming To All Devices By Cyanogen Mod Team

If you though the Cyanogen Mod launcher — Trebuchet — was the only thing CM9 had going for it you’d be wrong. Turns out those wild boys are also working on a modified version of the Google Music player app. Andrew Neal, one of the team’s devs, broke it down for everyone mentioning there will more tweaks and enhancements than you can shake a phone at. No really. One of the tweaks is the ability to set custom shake actions that will work no matter which app you’re in or if the screen is off/on. Completely customizable notification controls will also be found in the app along with a full theme engine to change up the look of the app as desired. Pretty fun stuff.
My only complaint with Google Music is that it’s not very smooth (unless you go into the landscape album view) which I’ve always found frustrating. It’s likely that because this will be replacing the stock music player app in CM9 going forward, streaming your music from the cloud should remain intact (update: it wont until Google releases their streaming API’s. Until then, this music player will remain crippled).
Best part about the new modified Google Music app? Once available in CM9, it will also be available for everyone to download via the Android Market — whether you’re rooted or stock.
Via The Verge


Thursday, December 29, 2011

CyanogenMod 9 Alpha Now Available for the Motorola DROID 2 Global is Now Available

Who says older phones (in tech time) can’t handle Ice Cream Sandwich? It’s the latest device to get an early taste of CyanogenMod 9. As it’s an alpha build you shouldn’t yet consider this to be your daily driver but if you want a quick preview of things to come down the road feel free to get your feet wet. Instructions and download links are over at XDA and be warned that anything that may happen to your device as a result of flashing it is your own fault. [XDA via PocketNow]

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Try CyanogenMod 9′s custom launcher, 4.0.3 and root required

Are you a super modder who imported the Galaxy Nexus on day one, then rooted it and installed your own custom version of Plan 9? Well then, this mod is probably a little bit beneath you. But if you’re slightly less crazy, you’ll definitely want to try out the custom Trebuchet launcher, CyanogenMod’s tweaked version of the Ice Cream Sandwich home screen application. It brings a suite of new options to Ice Cream Sandwich’s standard launcher, the likes of which will delight those addicted to home screen customization for sure. Check out this XDA thread to get started.

Now for the bad news: you need to be running the latest Android Ice Cream Sandwich build in order for it to function, version 4.0.3. Only a few Nexus S phones currently run that, since Google suspended the update, though there’s plenty of custom ROMs built from AOSP code that have the latest version. You also need to be rooted, and install the app to the /system folder via either ADB or something like Root Explorer. If all that seems a little much, just wait for the first beta builds of CyanogenMod 9 – odds are that if you’re reading this, you’ve got a phone that’s on their official list.
For Galaxy Nexus and other ICS users who want a little less extreme customization, check out Nova Launcher. It’s also a modified version of Ice Cream Sandwich’s smartphone homescreen, but it’s a lot more friendly as far as versions go. You can install it as a regular non-Market app, or push it to your /system folder for a few more bells and whistles. It even works on tablet ROMs, or at least on the one I’ve tried so far.
[via Phandroid]

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 CM9 preview build available [ICS]

An unofficial preview build of CyanogenMOD 9 (based on Android 4.0.3) for Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wi-Fi has been released at XDA. This is purely a preview build, full of bugs, certainly not meant for daily usage.
If you want to have a look at what is coming in CM9, then you can take a shot at this build but make sure to do a full Nandroid backup. Installation process is pretty easy; you just need to have the latest CWM recovery. Do a backup, full wipe and install ROM. There is no clarity on what hardware components are actually working in this build, but according to users till now, Automatic screen rotation and camera are not working, graphics are also buggy.
You can grab the download from here.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

DROID X gets a CyanogenMod 9 ICS port, despite locked bootloader

The DROID X remains one of the most popular models of Android phones on Verizon, and no one who bought one on a contract back in 2010 (like me!) is eligible for an upgrade any time soon. So it’s great to see an active modding community around this solid phone, despite Motorola and Verizon’s continued stance on a locked bootloader. The latest project from RootzWiki for the venerable DX is a port of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

That’s no small task, as the Droid X is still restricted to using the latest Gingerbread kernel from Motorola. That means that while newer ROMs can use the Ice Cream Sandwich software and expanded user interface, certain upgraded features are just impossible, and getting anything to work correctly is a major pain. Most of the essential features of the CM9-based “EncounterICS X” are working, including Internet access and calling, GPS, WiFi, audio and hardware buttons. There are still problems getting the camera, voice input (excluding phone calls), MMS and the speakerphone to work, and various apps like the gallery and calendar have major bugs.
These issues keep this early ROM from being a serious contender for your daily driver, but it’s still very cool to see ICS running on “locked” hardware. The lads over at RootzWiki are nothing if not tenacious, and most of these issues should see progress in the next few weeks. And after all, it’s not as if the official Ice Cream Sandwich software is completely without it’s faults. Remember: make an Nandroid backup if you don’t want to lose your existing ROM!

Friday, December 16, 2011

CyanogenMod for the HP TouchPad reaches Alpha 3.5, delivers better gaming performance

Most of the excitement in the custom ROM world is circling around Ice Cream Sandwich at the moment, but we haven’t forgotten about the best tablet deal of the year. In the latest incremental update to the HP TouchPad version of popular custom ROM CyanogenMod 7.2, the team has focused on UI and gaming improvements, allowing the TouchPad to be at least as capable at 3D gaming as a modern mid-range Android smartphone. Alpha version 3.5 is available for download at RootzWiki now.

The 3.5 update includes improved video for local and streaming, speed and fluidity improvements in 3D rendering, better compatibility for high-end games and a small tweak to the WiFi settings. It’s not much, but if you’re using your Android TouchPad as a media consumption device it’s definitely worth an upgrade. According to the developers in charge of the project a final version is still a long way off, though more stable beta versions may be closer.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

CyanogenMod drops support for Samsung Vibrant citing 911 issues

Here’s an odd one: the CyanogenMod team, makers of the most widely-used custom ROM out there, have completely dropped support for the T-Mobile Galaxy S Vibrant. It’s not a hardware issue, as CyanogenMod supports much older and weaker phones. No, the problem comes from Samsung’s proprietary radio software, which is apparently keeping the custom version of Android from dialing 911.


The issue is particularly vexing since Samsung is usually quite good about releasing open-source code for its devices. And indeed, the Vibrant’s code is available, but the specific bit of code required for full access to the wireless radio is not. Samsung has a pretty good relationship with the modder community, especially after hiring Steve “Cyanogen” Kondik. I’ve got to believe that Mr. Kondik tried to get the relevant data from his employers, to no avail.
The CM team has dropped support for devices before when they hit a way that would make satisfactory development impossible. It’s likely that more modders will take CyanogenMod’s open source code and port it back to the Vibrant, but I wouldn’t recommend using it. You might never need to dial 911 from your cell phone, but going without the functionality is just asking for trouble. The Vibrant’s stock firmware was updated to Gingerbread, so it might be best to stick with that until you get a new phone, as the ROM developers suggest.

A handy list of active Ice Cream Sandwich ports

While you’re reading this, hundreds of people are hard at work on getting Ice Cream Sandwich onto current Android hardware, long before manufacturers and carriers will be sending out official updates. We’ve covered some of the earliest and most interesting ICS projects on this very site, but there’s just too many to cover every single one. Luckily, we don’t have to: a friendly member of the XDA-Developers forum has put together a list of all the active Ice Cream Sandwich ports on the prolific modder site.

Pretty much every major device released in the last 18 months, and many many more, are represented. The ports themselves are at various stages of completion – naturally the options for the Nexus One, Nexus S, OG DROID and the like will be the most feature-complete, while newer and less popular phones and tablets will get the short end. Note that the list only extends to XDA, and if your device isn’t on there it may be getting love somewhere else, like RootzWiki. Some of the builds are straight from Ice Cream Sandwich’s source code, while others are based on CyanogenMod 9.
As always, be wary when trying out new ROMs. That’s doubly true with a brand new operating system, which still requires a lot of kinks and bugs to be worked out. Keep a Nandroid backup of your “daily driver” account, kiss your warranty goodbye, and have fun. 

Friday, December 2, 2011

CyanogenMod Gives CM9 Progress Update (Don’t Look Now, Original DROID Owners)

Cyanogen’s updated the community on their progress with developing the latest version of their highly-revered custom ROM, CyanogenMod 9. Right now, devices with TI OMAP4, Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8660/7X30, and Samsung Exynos will be the focus.
Over time, they hope to get all devices back to the Qualcomm QSD8250 ( Nexus One chipset) up and going with some Ice Cream Sandwich. Some tablets with Tegra 2 will also be getting support, such as the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the ASUS Transformer.
Oh, and as for that original Motorola DROID? Well, that phone is just long at the tooth now – it’s quite too old for this tasty treat. Sorry folks, but most of you should be due for upgrades to the Galaxy Nexus anytime now so you’re in good shape regardless.
For the time being, Nexus S owners can dig into the current version of CM9 themselves if they want a sneak peak at what’s to come for many devices. Look under Koush’s section of ROM Manager to get going. [Cyanogen, thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

CyanogenMod 7 Makes its Way to the Amazon Kindle Fire

Now that the Amazon Kindle Fire has been rooted it’s time to start booting up some custom ROMs. Standard choice CyanogenMod has made its Amazon debut, as xda member JackpotClavin has the first shots of CM7 running on the new media slate. All is not cherry, though. While many features seem to be working properly (including WiFi), touchscreen input problems are slowing the roll of those working feverishly to get a working build out to the public. As The Verge notes, CM7 will provide a more full-fledged Android experience on the Kindle Fire but it will come at the cost of the total Amazon integration that the tablet flaunts as its biggest selling point.
[xda via The Verge]

Monday, November 28, 2011

CyanogenMod 9 beta comes to Galaxy S, alpha for Nexus S

We love us some custom ROMs here at Android Community, and perhaps none more than the venerable CyanogenMod. Steve Kondik and his team announced that they would begin on version 9 just after the Ice Cream Sandwich source code became available. While a full-feature release is still months away, you can try out an early version right now if you own a Galaxy S (international version) or Nexus S.

It’s only been a couple of weeks since work began, so most of the distinctions that make CyanogenMod so desirable aren’t there yet. But both versions are obtainable and mostly stable versions of Ice Cream Sandwich. Since Americans can’t get a hold of the Galaxy Nexus without an expensive import, these ROMs represent a solid step forward. The Galaxy S version is only missing video recording and encryption abilities, and the Nexus S alpha is having video and MMS issues. Like all CyanogenMod releases, you’ll need to flash the Android Market and Google Apps separately.
The Galaxy S and Nexus S are Samsung phones with a huge amount of community dev support, so it’s no surprise that these devices are the first to see stable builds of CyanogenMod 9. You can expect other high-profile devices like the Galaxy S II, the original DROID and Nexus One to see CM9 alpha/beta versions soon, with the Galaxy Nexus to follow once units become available to more of the CyanogenMod team. As usual, all bets are off when dealing with custom ROMs – flash at your own risk.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

CyanogenMod 9 Ice Cream Sandwich is coming to the Galaxy Tab 10.1


One of the earliest and most important parts of Ice Cream Sandwich that Google announced was that it would integrate the code and user interface for phone and tablet versions of Android. We know that ICS tablets are due pretty soon, with Asus committing to a quick update for the upcoming Transformer Prime and Samsung already promising upgrades for its myriad tablets. Galaxy Tab 10.1 owners may not have very long at all to wait: Steve “Cyanogen” Kondik has announced that his extremely popular ROM series CyanogenMod will be coming to the Galaxy Tab when it upgrades to ICS in version 9.

The CyanogenMod team has already begun work on CyanogenMod 9 (version 7 is Gingerbread, version 8 is Honeycomb, and probably won’t be made), with stable versions expected early next year. This is the first we’ve heard of CyanogenMod supporting tablet hardware at all, with the exception of Gingerbread-based oddities for the Nook Color and the like. CM9 will be the very first version of CyanogenMod to support a tablet user interface natively, though some useful tweaks are already part of the code.
The news comes from Kondik’s personal Google+ page, and it appears that either he or someone on the CM9 team already has an extremely early version of the modification running. That’s not just good news for CyanogenMod users, it’s good for Galaxy Tab owners in general. The Cyanogen team is famously slow to release (don’t even think about asking for an ETA) but if they can manage it, earlier and less feature complete versions from other ROM makers should show up very soon indeed.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

CyanogenMod team begins work on CM9 Ice Cream Sandwich, skips


CyanogenMod is without a doubt the most popular and prolific of the myriad custom Android ROMs, and now that the Ice Cream Sandwich source code is available, the team is hard at work on an Android 4.0 version. Cyanogen and his teammates only work with AOSP code, so they haven’t bothered with the various SDK ports that have popped up recently. Steve “Cyanogen” Kondik confirmed that work has begun in his Twitter feed.

A word on nomenclature: CyanogenMod 9 will be the official name for the Ice Cream Sandwich version, skipping straight from the Gingerbread build in CyanogenMod 7. The name “CyanogenMod 8″ is reserved for a Honeycomb version. However, it’s unlikely that Honeycomb will ever see an official CyanogenMod release, even though the source code has finally been included with the ICS code. There’s just no reason not to continue to ICS, since it’s designed to work with both tablets and smartphones.
Development on the latest Gingerbread build, CyanogenMod 7.2, will continue concurrently while CyanogenMod 9 is being developed. The CyanogenMod team is famously against deadlines, but you can expect early builds within the next few weeks and alphas withing three months at the most. If that seems like a long time, remember that most manufacturer updates will take at least that long – if you’re lucky. In the meantime, quicker (and less stable) ICS builds should begin popping up for current phones any day now.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Team Xron’s CM7 dresses up your TouchPad in Honeycomb


Just like the rest of us, the CyanogenMod team doesn’t have access to the Honeycomb source code, so for now the best they can do for custom ROMS and the HP TouchPad is Gingerbread. But themers are a crafty bunch, and since CyanogenMod is open sourced, a group calling themselves Team Xron has released a skinned version to at least make you feel like you’re using a tablet OS. Users won’t have access to Honeycomb apps, but the various customizations do make Gingerbread look pretty slick.


Installation is simple if you’ve already shoved CyanogenMod onto the TouchPad: just transfer the ZIP over, reboot, select ClockworkMod recovery and flash the new software. You’ll definitely want to make Nandroid backup, just in case the new color scheme doesn’t agree with you, and as always when dealing with community mods there’s no guarantees of success. I f you haven’t used the rather complicated SDK method of pushing the CM7 files to your TouchPad, you can just replicate the installation method and swap out the zip file.
In addition to the tablet makeover, Team Xron has added themed widgets and am appropriate wireless printing app. It looks like they’re updating frequently – certainly more frequently than CyanogenMod, which hasn’t released any new info since the Alpha 2 version weeks ago. Early reports indicate that the build is fast, but certain apps like Gtalk are having issues. Remember, CM7 includes its own theme engine, so if you’re happy with your current build it might be bust to just apply a community theme.
Still not sure about adding Android to the TouchPad’s native WebOS? Take a gander at our hands-on video.
[via Liliputing]

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

CyanogenMod 7 coming to the ATRIX 4G, nightlies available now


The Motorola ATRIX 4G is a pretty solid device, but it’s a rare Android phone indeed that the CyanogenMod team can’t improve with some clean, optimized software. Brave ATRIX owners can now try their hand at an early build of CyanogenMod 7.1 for the AT&T device, assuming of course that it’s already rooted with a custom recovery installed. Like most “official” CM nightlies, it’s already surprisingly stable.


When the ATRIX launched, it did so with a locked bootloader, which in most cases makes CyanogenMod impossible on account of its custom kernel. But happily, the official Gingerbread update brought an unlockable bootloader with it, in the spirit of Motorola’s more relaxed attitude towards the aftermarket. Motorola’s unlockable bootloader is contingent upon carrier approval, so while the manufacture’s AT&T phones appear to be blessed, Verizon phones (like the upcoming DROID RAZR) will continue to labor in the land of proprietary Android software.
Naturally, the CM7 port isn’t perfect yet: there are still quite a few bugs to iron out before it gets to a stable release stage. The Gingerbread 2.3.7 codebase is well-trodden, so nearly all official functions are working, but the biometric sensor and Motorola’s WebTop interface are taking a backseat to the main action. Cameras on Motorola phones tend to be alittle tricky for ROM developers, but according to some of the latest posts on RootzWiki, it’s working well at the moment. Great news for ATRIX 4G owners – how’s about an ATRIX 2 port? Take your time, CM7 devs, we know you’ve got real lives to take care of as well.

Friday, October 21, 2011

DROID Bionic CyanogenMod 7 dual boot [Video]


Right after it was released and well over a month ago we got our first look at CM7 on the DROID Bionic, but today we have another video to tease all of you Bionic owners with. This shows it actually dual booting into CM7, and I want it already. Apparently the developer hashcode was able to get CM7 booting on the DROID3 and the same little trick is working just great for the new DROID Bionic, check out the video below.


Now what we have here is the DROID Bionic booting the the regular old Blur infused Android 2.3 Gingerbread, but after some tweaks and trickery is dual-booted into CyanogenMod 7, something many owners are patiently waiting to get on their own devices. Obviously this is new and still very much a work in progress but eventually we should see more coming from this project.
For now it’s still in early beta stages, but the developer does provide a few details and information for those daring enough to take the journey themselves and give it a try. This is pretty involved and you should be careful with anything of this sort, obviously. Just a few days ago the source code for the Bionic was released so hopefully that will help things out where it can. Now for the video –
Bionic dual boot CM7




All of the information and details to see how this works and try it for yourself can be found over at RootzWiki. — Thanks Steve!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

CyanogenMod TouchPad gets a second alpha, limited numbers shipping from HP


The indefatigable modders at RootzWiki have released their second version of CyangonMod 7 for the HP TouchPad, which might be making its way into more consumers’ hands very soon. According to Liliputing, limited orders are shipping again from HP, filling out the rush of initial $99 and $149 orders from August. Apparently retailers aren’t getting any more stock, so it’s safe to put the camping tent and lawn chairs away.


The initial rush of orders when HP started its $99 firesale over-extended the PC maker’s supply, but since they already had some going through the manufacturing process, they finished out their production order. The latest batch is almost certainly the very last to ever be created or sold. In the unlikely event that the amount of new TouchPads made exceeds the amount that were oversold two months ago, keep an eye on HP’s web store in case a “buy” link appears.
Hp is still supporting WebOS in a backhanded sort of way – they released version 3.0.4 for the tablet just this week. But of more interest to Android users is the active CyanogenMod 7 Gingerbread port, which is progressing nicely. The second Alpha was released by the team just yesterday, although the large amount of bugs and difficult install process will deter all but the most dedicated of Android modders. Here’s hoping that once Google releases the source code for Ice Cream Sandwich and CyanogenMod 8(?) releases a stable version, the TouchPad will be up and running with a full Android tablet OS.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

11 Android games running on CyanogenMod’s TouchPad alpha


The industrious guys at CyanogenMod have finally released their first version of CM7 for the HP TouchPad, and thrifty geeks all over the Internet are getting in on the action. The little people at Liliputing have put together a 10-minute video showcasing the TouchPad’s Android gaming prowess, and for the most part have come away with good experiences. The odd resolution and general bugginess of the Alpha software diminishes the games somewhat, but everyone should be able to find something fun to play.



The video spans ten popular Android games: Angry Birds (natch), Asphalt 5, Destinia, Dungeon Defenders, Fieldrunners HD, Guitar Hero 5, Pinball Deluxe, Robo Defense, TurboFly 3D, Wixed Lite and Zenonia 3. Most are at least serviceable, and Angry Birds ran like a champ, but Asphalt 5 was the only game that wouldn’t play at all. One of the biggest problems seems to be the TouchPad’s 1024 x 768 resolution, which is not a standard Android screen size.
Check out the video below:




Keep in mind that all of these are technically running as smartphone games, since CyanogenMod 7 is based on Android Gingerbread. Game compatibility and performance should improve as the CyanogenMod team releases more stable updates. I can’t wait to see what the TouchPad can do when the first Ice Cream Sandwich ports begin coming out.
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Thursday, October 13, 2011

CyanogenMod Releases CM7 Alpha 1 For The HP TouchPad





Soon after HP started their TouchPad fire sale, a version of the device running Android 2.2 appeared on eBay and went on to sell for almost $700. Hopes for an Android port were high and the developer community swung into action offering a $2300 bounty for anyone who could load Android on the TouchPad. The CyanogenMod team, Android developers extraordinaire, did not disappoint and soon the news broke that they had managed to successfully get Android running on the TouchPad. Over the next few weeks the CM team made a number of tweaks to the various hardware and software components of the HP TouchPad, including GPU acceleration, Wi-Fi, Sound, Accelerometer, 3D Games, and video acceleration to ensure that CM7 worked smoothly.

And now, after a month of waiting, the CM team feel that it is time for the first alpha release of CM7 for the HP TouchPad. However, be warned, this is an early alpha release and intended for "those technically competent hobbyists and developers who are interested in testing an early development version and fully understand the risks of doing so may find interest in it". Although HP have indicated their "moral support" for the project, it is prudent to assume that installing CM7 onto your TouchPad will VOID your warranty.

If you are unsure of how CM7 will look on the TouchPad, have a look at Mr Chekov demoing some of its features:


The video shows him play around with the Bluetooth, Netflix, a bit of gaming, and in between he is interrupted by a few Skype calls. To my untrained eye CM7 seems to be running pretty well on the TouchPad, the screen appears responsive, the video is clear, and the audio is crisp. Indeed, the list of working components includes, touchscreen support, GPU acceleration, Bluetooth, dual-core processing, sound, accelerometer, camera, vibration, backlight, LED, softkeys, and Wi-Fi. However, most of these components are not functioning at 100% and there are app compatibility issues.

If you wish to report any bugs (and there are a lot), check out the list here:http://code.google.com/p/cmtouchpad/issues/list.

Finally, if all this is too much for you and you want to start over simply launch the WebOS Doctorand reset your device.

Head on over to the Rootzwiki thread to read the complete installation instructions and download the necessary files.

And remember folks "ETA's are a bad omen".

Source: Rootzwiki