Installing the CyanogenMod 12 alternative OS on an Android phone
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CyanogenMod is the most popular alternative firmware for Android, but you'll rarely find it preinstalled on smartphones. We show how you can install the CyanogenMod firmware and explore some special CyanogenMod features.
CyanogenMod [1] is a mobile operating system derived from Android that is available free of charge for many smartphones and tablets. The developers refer to smartphone systems like CyanogenMod as ROM or simply as firmware.
CyanogenMod is backed by a company that pays the developers and wants to push forward with the project to earn money. Like many open source projects backed by a company, the CyanogenMod project is always looking for input from the greater user community (see the box titled "CyanogenMod Changes").
CyanogenMod runs on a variety of Android devices. Samsung, HTC, Sony, LG, Huawei, and of course Google also support alternative systems; however, these manufacturers only offer support for their own devices. Also, the alternative firmware you obtain from phone vendors typically is not totally free, apart from the GPL'd kernel.
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