Items tagged with Cyanogen
Somewhere in a parallel universe, Nintendo's hybrid Switch console is running a custom version of Cyanogen OS, the now discontinued open-source operating system that has been forked into LineageOS. In this parallel universe, the OS lives on as founder Steve Kondik and and former CEO Kirk McMaster laugh about how CyanogenOS almost failed before Nintendo saved the day. Unfortunately for everyone who was involved with CyanogenOS, in the universe we live in, McMaster told Nintendo to "stick it" when the company inquired about using the OS to power its then-upcoming Switch. "In the early days of Cyanogen Nintendo wants us to create an OS for a certain portable. I told them to stick it." McMaster wrote...
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It's been a very rough year for the folks at Cyanogen, and it doesn't look like anything is going to be changing about that any time soon. At the end of last month, it was revealed that Cyanogen wanted to consolidate all of its employees to Palo Alto, California, which as an announcement on its own might not have seemed so bad, but it came at the same time that co-founder Steve Kondik decided to pack it up and move onto other ventures. Alcatel's POP Mirage shipped with Cyanogen OS Now, we learn that Cyanogen's OS and services are going to be shuttered at the end of this year (aka: one week from the time of this post). This was announced on the Cyanogen website with a small, bittersweet message:...
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Cyanogen Inc. is up to something, that much is clear and even company co-founder Steve Kondik doesn't dispute it. However, Kondik takes issue with the recent "circus of misinformation" making the rounds, namely that his company is cleaning house in order to phase out development on an alternative version of Android while making a pivot to apps. That's just not true, Kondik says.The short of it is that "CyanogenMod isn't going anywhere, nor has Cyanogen Inc. discontinued its efforts the goal of bringing it to a larger audience." Kondik followed that up with a longer explanation, noting that it's been seven years since he released the first version of CyanogenMod and three years since he co-founded...
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A significant portion of the talented folk working at Cyanogen Inc. have been laid off or are in the process of being let go, according to multiple reports. The reported layoffs are heavily concentrated on the company's Android ROM division, which builds alternative versions of Google's open source operating system for mobile devices.Building an alternative OS based on Android has been Cyanogen's main mission for the past several years, but with it failing to catch on with people, the company has apparently decided to focus its attention on apps. It's not entirely clear what that will involve, though according to Recode, the company plucked Lior Tal from Facebook to serve as Cyanogen's Chief...
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For a handful of reasons, AT&T would like to make a dent - even if it's a tiny one - in the Android-dominated smartphone market. It wants to accomplish this feat even if it means having to use an Android alternative that's actually based on Android. That's where CyanogenMod comes in, a mobile OS that's skyrocketed in popularity over the years due to its "clean slate" and optimized design. Consumers like it because it's fast and clean; vendors like it because they have more control over their software packages. If you're getting a hint that AT&T's ultimate goal here is to use a version of Android that will allow it to add as much bloat to a device...
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Cyanogen is rolling out a new MOD platform that will give third-party app developers deep-level access to its operating system. The benefit of letting developers dive beneath the surface of the OS is that it allows them to tap into functions that were previously off-limits, which in turn opens the door for added functionality. Through a previously announced partnership with Microsoft, the Redmond software giant's already been taking advantage of deep level access in Cyanogen OS. Most notably, Microsoft was given the keys to bake its Cortana digital assistant directly into the next version of Cyanogen, and when that happens, Cortana will be more functional than it is on other Android devices,...
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One of the reasons why Cyanogen exists and is so popular is because the developers are intent on building a better Android experience than even Google can deliver. It's a bit of a lofty goal, and part of the strategy entails bundling in third-party apps and services that users will find most useful in place of Google's own collection of software. One of those services is Truecaller, a Caller ID application that will be fully integrated into the native dialer on future Cyanogen OSes. "Our partnership with Cyanogen marks a milestone in the Truecaller history – we are seeing the difference we are making for the world through technology, and by integrating Truecaller within the Cyanogen OS dialer,...
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The rocky relationship between Cyanogen and OnePlus appears to have ended. Not that it's any real big surprise -- the two weren't always on the same page when it came to software and logistics. For example, OnePlus had promised OnePlus One handset owners a Cyanogen OS update by a specific date, and when it didn't happen, Cyanogen explained (not so politely) that it never made any such promise and that the new build would be finished when it's finished.It created and awkward situation for OnePlus One owners who got caught in the middle of a relationship that was headed off a cliff. And so here we are at the end of the road watching OnePlus and Cyanogen part company, or at least that's how it appears....
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Cyanogen and Microsoft have struck a deal after all, it just doesn't entail a $70 million investment from the latter into the former as discussed earlier this year. Microsoft ultimately decided against trading a cash infusion in exchange for a stake in Cyanogen, though the two have now come to terms on a deal that will see Microsoft's service integrated across Cyanogen OS. As part of this newly formed partnership, Cyanogen will integrate and distribute Microsoft's consumer apps and services across core categories -- these include productivity, messaging, utilities, and cloud-based services. Or more specifically, look for Bing services, Skype, OneDrive, OneNote, Outlook, and Microsoft Office to...
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It's been a long and sometimes contentious wait for OnePlus One owners eager to taste the sweetness of Lollipop, but the wait is now over -- Cyanogen OS 12 has begun rolling out to OnePlus One devices today, giving eager owners of the handset first lick. YU Yureka device owners will follow suit "very soon," Cyanogen announced in a blog post. Getting to this point was an adventure in and of itself. The OnePlus team made the mistake of telling users that a Lollipop update would arrive by the end of last month, though Cyanogen never offered up a time frame. As the promised dates came and went without an update, OnePlus One owners got a little antsy, prompting Cyanogen co-founder...
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While Cyanogen’s CEO is sick and tired of OnePlus One owners complaining about the lengthy gestation period for CyanogenMod 12S, telling customers to “Calm the f**k down,” OnePlus at least delivering on its promise to release OxygenOS. We first heard about the OxygenOS ROM back in late January, with OnePlus explaining, “As an element, Oxygen is the epitome of simplicity, yet it’s also extraordinarily powerful… By itself, it’s simple and pure—a fundamental building block. But, as a part of something greater, it can do amazing things. Just like us.” OxygenOS is based on Android 5.0 Lollipop and brings with it a “back to basics” approach to standing out compared to other custom ROMs on the market....
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OnePlus One handset owners hoped they'd be rocking Lollipop by now, though things haven't gone exactly to plan. If they did, Cyanogen would have rolled out a version of its Oxygen OS based on Lollipop on March 27 and CyanogenMod 12S on March 30 at the latest, as was promised earlier this month. Now that we're into April, the natives are getting a bit restless, prompting a rather snippy response CEO Kirt McMaster. Short and sweet, "Calm the f down." Or in its entirety, McMaster took to Twitter to tell OnePlus One owners, "Guys, calm the f down. It's coming soon. When ready!" Perhaps it's not the most politically correct way to talk to customers, though it certainly gets the point...
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Cyanogen has 80 million reasons to celebrate to today. The open source Android startup just completed an $80 million Series C funding round with backing from several strategic partners. Not wasting any time, the Cyanogen team is already thinking about ways to leverage its influx of cash, which will include hiring new talent and accelerating the development of its open OS platform. Financing was led by Premji Invest but also included participation from Twitter Ventures, Qualcomm Incorporated, Telefonica Ventures, Smartfren Telecom, Index Ventures, Access Industries, Rupert Murdoch (CEO of News Corporation, the second-largest media conglomerate in the world), Vivi Nevo, and several others that...
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Just a few weeks ago, it looked like Microsoft was set to make a $70 million minority investment into Cyanogen, makers of custom Android builds overseen by famed modder CyanogenMod, otherwise known as Steve Kondik. Microsoft apparently got cold feet in the waning hours of negotiations, though it looks as if Cyanogen won't be strapped for cash, after all. Citing "people with knowledge of the matter," Bloomberg says Cyanogen is close to securing a new $110 million round of financing. Azim Premji, Chairman of PremjiIinvest, the investment arm of Wipro Ltd., is said to be among the investors in the new round of funding. Names of other investors aren't yet known, though if the $110 million round goes...
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It's been five years since Steve Kondik posted a custom Android ROM for the T-Mobile G1 (HTC Dream) on XDA forum under the "CyanogenMod" handle. It set the foundation for what has become the most popular open-source Android community distribution today, though that's far from the end of the story. Just the opposite, the best is yet to come, and to celebrate this new beginning, Cyanogen has a new brand identity. "Today we're announcing a new look that we hope captures our commitment to openness. This new approach celebrates space, with minimal letterforms that don't quite connect, giving the logo a sense of motion and a feeling of inherent energy," Cyanogen stated in a blog post. "The new Cyanogen...
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Windows Phone hasn’t exactly been a shining success for Microsoft. In a smartphone market dominated by smartphones running Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS, Microsoft has been left to pickup the table scraps along with fallen star BlackBerry. Yes, Microsoft reported record Lumia sales for its most recent quarter, but those sales were made up primarily of budget-minded smartphones like the Lumia 520, which have been available for as low as $20 in recent months. With this in mind, Microsoft has a couple of avenues to pursue in order to ensure that its mobile platform and its services spread throughout the smartphone sector. We have already discussed the first avenue: Windows 10. Windows 10 aims...
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Cyanogen, a company that provides users with the ability to customize their Android smartphones, has announced a “Themes Challenge” contest. Themes is a new app from Cyanogen that will be able to host skins that are available to Cyanogen OS users. The Cyanogen Theme Showcase launched on the Play Story earlier this year, allowing CM users to find a plethora of themes for the device of their choice. At the moment, the Themes app only supports free themes but will also support paid themes at some point in the future. Those wishing to participate in the contest will be able to submit their theme by visiting the Themes Studio, creating an account, read the guidelines and template instructions, and...
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It's not uncommon for an Android phone to be left in the dust when new versions of Android are released. When a new version of Android becomes available, each carrier and manufacturer must make a decision as to which phones to upgrade and which ones to leave behind. Unfortunately, many phones are often left behind. All hope is not lost, however, since projects such as CyanogenMod bring the latest and greatest versions of Android to these otherwise forgotten phones. CyanogenMod supports dozens of phones, but you'll have to root the device in order to install the custom OS. With a simple tweet this week, Cyanogen let users know that they are now working on a version of Ice Cream Sandwich,...
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