This material was written in the first half of 2011, so much of it may no longer be relevant. However, I consider it necessary to start with this material in order to be able to track the changes along the development path of these two mods.

At the time of writing, the overall experience of using CyanogenMod and MiUi was about 2 months, I decided to make a brief overview of the advantages and disadvantages.
I'll probably start with CyanogenMod because... MiUi is made on its basis, according to seniority, so to speak. Let me make a reservation right away: before experimenting with the phone’s firmware, I strongly recommend installing a third-party kernel and making a full backup of the original firmware. Fortunately, there are a lot of instructions on this topic on the Internet.

So the advantages of CyanogenMod:

1. The most important advantage is the total customization of everything. To understand what it is, you need to install it and try it yourself. You can customize almost everything, from the status of the bar to the display of the main menu. For this, CyanogenMod can be forgiven a lot.
2. Speed ​​of work. The device actually works faster in most tasks and tests.
3. Having root access provides some advantages. By the way, there are also disadvantages...
4. Availability of Russian language initially.
5. Constant updates and support from developers. It is also worth considering the huge community of users of this firmware.

And now about the sad thing. I’ll say right away that some of the problems may have already been solved, and some can be solved by certain gestures. Therefore, I write as it is, what I didn’t like ( I will cross out what was already corrected by the time this article was written).

Disadvantages of CyanogenMod:

1. Didn't connect to my WiFi (although it sees other routers). I changed the channel and it worked, although the stock firmware was no problem. By the way, there was channel 13, and support for up to 14 was announced a long time ago.
2. I couldn’t restore contacts correctly - everything was duplicated.
3. The pause/track switch button on the headset does not work.
4. Programs have disappeared from the market (this is how it should be, only what you bought remains)
5. There is no search by names in the dialer, there is also no Russian font on the dialing buttons and therefore a quick search by contacts
6. The front camera stretches the picture - it's tough.
7. Rear camera – the quality is no different from stock and the interface design of the camera is IMHO terrible.
8. When entering the camera, the backlight is set to maximum, then decreases, I don’t know if this is a feature...
9. The backlight is not really low (in an office, for example, in daylight you have to strain), although everything is very easy to set up.
10. I didn’t understand how to delete several contacts at once.
11. If the device is turned off and placed on charge, it turns on.
12. Rooted phones are a tasty morsel for various viruses. You can also do things with the root... but it depends on your hands)))
13. Rarely, but sometimes, he falls asleep and doesn’t want to wake up.
14. Video output does not work.

The bottom line is that installing CyanogenMod makes sense if:
— You’re a geek (I don’t want to offend anyone, I’m partly like that myself)
— You lack the settings that the manufacturer provides in the stock firmware
— Are you ready to put up with all the shortcomings of the modified firmware?
— You want to try it and form your own opinion :)

Finally, I would like to add that all of the above is my personal opinion. I myself use stock firmware and CyanogenMod, sometimes I install MiUi. The second part of the article will be devoted to MiUi.
P.S. For myself, I consider the optimal firmware to be stock firmware 2.2.1 + SpeedMod k13e kernel, this way I get stable operation of the firmware and all equipment, nandroid backup, lagfixes, root if desired, and very low battery consumption. The device on which the experiments are carried out is Samsung Galaxy S (i9000).

P.P.S. Despite the considerable number of problems, they are all quickly resolved. And often CyanogenMod is an excellent alternative to firmware from the manufacturer.

We mention CyanogenMod quite often on our website. This is the firmware for those who are bored with stock Android or the firmware version with the shell from the smartphone manufacturer. This is firmware for those who lack control over their device and operating system and want more features. In other words, this is a firmware for advanced users, but it is not that difficult to install.

What is CyanogenMod

Start over. CyanogenMod is a custom version of Android that allows you to quickly change themes, create profiles for using wireless connections, supports gestures, screen calibration and many other settings. The firmware from an amateur version of Android has grown into a product that some smartphone manufacturers are willing to use. One of the striking examples of smartphones running Cyanogen OS is.

How to install CyanogenMod

Today, the process of installing this custom firmware is as simplified as possible. It will not take much time and will not require root rights or special user skills. Here's where to start.

• Go to the settings section and allow installation of applications from unknown sources.
• Visit the site using your device's browser and follow the onscreen instructions.
• After downloading the APK file and installing the app, follow the instructions in the app.
• You can also use the official one and quickly install CyanogenMod using a USB cable by also following the instructions.

This instruction will work for supported devices. You can find a list of these devices at. There is a way to install the firmware on devices not included in this list, but it, in turn, requires certain skills. Those who are able to install custom firmware and have the necessary knowledge and skills have probably already tried CyanogenMod.

Based on materials from AndroidPit

Any smartphone, in fact, is the “little brother” of a full-fledged personal computer. It contains a central processor, RAM blocks, a storage device, interface device controllers, etc. To manage this entire complex, a specific set of programs called an operating system is used. One of the most popular is Android from Google. It is installed on more than 70% of mobile devices. It’s not hard to guess that this system, more often than any other, is subject to various modifications, and not by developers, but by smartphone users themselves. As strange as it may sound, manufacturers of mobile gadgets are in no hurry to please the owners of their devices with the release of updates and optimizations of the operating system. The reason is quite simple - the desire to sell new smartphones, and not to refine a series of already sold ones.

What is "firmware"

Reading news from the world of smartphones, you can come across a number of specific terms. One of them is "firmware". It is interpreted in two ways: as a process of updating the device’s control software, or as a set of system files intended for loading into the smartphone’s memory, i.e., a “distribution”, if we draw an analogy with computers. More often than not, the latter is implied. And, as stated earlier, this software package is created by craftsmen who make certain changes to the existing original firmware. Such solutions are called “custom”.

"Zoo" firmware

Despite the apparent diversity of existing software systems, they are all basically identical. Many of them simply copy the interfaces (appearance, method of interaction) of solutions installed on other brands of smartphones. Thus, Windows Phone lovers can easily “turn” their Android phone into a gadget from Nokia, and connoisseurs of the creativity of Chinese developers can feel all the charm of a “Miui” or Lewa. Other custom ones, on the contrary, optimize some functions, for example, they use a graphics accelerator in all applications, increase the volume level, etc. But you should always remember that almost all of them are based on the basic official firmware.

"Cyanogen"

At the same time, there are a number of firmwares called CyanogenMod. The user part, menu and everything through which the owner interacts with the device have undergone significant modifications. Many key anti-spam and anti-virus features have also been changed. In a word, if a person wants to see the true capabilities of his smartphone, then he simply must figure out how to install the CyanogenMod firmware.

Distribution search

One of the main conditions for the successful installation of such a custom system is the selection of the correct firmware. Although these solutions are initially built to work with Qualcomm, nVidia and Intel processors, it is still possible to “make” them work with MTK. Where the distribution is downloaded from, as a rule, it will certainly indicate how to install CyanogenMod. Therefore, in order to avoid the need to restore the functionality of the phone’s software after an unsuccessful update, you need to carefully read the accompanying recommendations. Ideally, the firmware should be designed specifically for the same smartphone model.

How to install CyanogenMod firmware via Installer

There are several ways to download control software to a smartphone. The difference between them is that some require root access in advance, while others bypass this restriction by using the capabilities of the spoofed bootloader menu. Note that there is no “initially simple” method - each of them is simple and complex at the same time, so the user must choose one. Let's look at how to install CyanogenMod Installer. This software package consists of two blocks, the first of which is intended for installation on an Android device, and the second on a computer, to which a smartphone will be connected with a cable. After installing the client part on the phone, the program needs to be launched. A menu will appear warning you that all user data will be erased, i.e. a factory reset will occur. Next, it is suggested to connect the device to the computer and change the operating mode from “MTP Drive” to “RTR Camera”. After this, the cable can be temporarily disconnected.

In general, there are usually no difficulties with how to install CyanogenMod. After installing the appropriate computer application, you need to launch it. The Internet will be searched for the latest firmware. This takes from 5 to 15 minutes. If a suitable option is found, the program will display a message that you need to connect your smartphone to the USB port, remembering to turn off anti-virus protection (some exploits are detected as malicious). Next, the “Recovery” file and gapps will begin downloading to the phone, providing integration with Google services. When everything is done, all you have to do is click on the Install button and wait for a window to appear with a message about successful installation.

Those who are not the first time interested in how to install CyanogenMod should be well aware that recently this method has lost its relevance. Moreover, it doesn't always work. The reason is that support for the search and download mechanism has been discontinued due to complaints from Google. In addition, the computer part of the application does not work correctly on the latest versions of Windows.

Rolling up my sleeves...

An equally interesting way to install CyanogenMod is to prepare the necessary files yourself. First of all, you need to select a custom “Recovery”. This file can be found on network resources where this smartphone model is discussed. In the case of the MediaTek processor, it can be assembled using MTK Droid, using your Boot.img and Recovery from a compatible device. After that, using you need to flash this file into your smartphone. Then go to “Recovery” by holding down the power button and “volume down”. After this, all that remains is to specify the previously downloaded CyanogenMod firmware file and install it. It is recommended to reset using the WIPE command.

Different versions

Sometimes smartphone owners ask the question: “How to install CyanogenMod 11?” This version is based on "Android 4.4 Kit-Kat". But the latter are 12.1 (system 5.1.1) and 13 (6.0, respectively). There is also CyanogenMod 10.1. How to install this software package? It is based on Android 4.3. Owners of mobile devices need to remember that the installation process is the same for all versions of Cyan. The main thing is to choose the right files for the device. Let us remind you how to install CyanogenMod 11. The procedure is as follows: select a custom “Recovery” and flash it into the phone; the found distribution intended for this model is written to the memory card; The system file is flashed from the recovery menu.

Peculiarities

Slower discharge, louder sound, stable network reception, interface acceleration, changed menu - all this is CyanogenMod. How to install applications on this system? It is this question that worries many who have not yet had time to work with this solution. In fact, there is nothing complicated about it. Since “Cyan” is based on the Android OS, the principles of operation remain the same: install the APK file - launch via a shortcut. Unless the latter can be located both on the main screen and in the application submenu, depending on the launcher.

Old means verified version

Let's take a quick look at CyanogenMod 7. How to install the firmware? It is based on the Android 2.3 OS, so the procedure is identical to the new Cyan. You need to select Wipe in custom “Recovery”, then “Select from SD card”, specify the downloaded file and click Install. After the “filling” is complete, you just have to click Reboot. Depending on the "Recovery" used, the names of these items may differ.

Most of our readers either already use third-party Android firmware or would like to do so. And this is not at all surprising, because in custom firmware we often find many useful functions and settings that will not appear in stock very soon or never at all. The undoubted leader among all the different firmware is CyanogenMod. From this article you will learn about what distinguishes this development from others and why when choosing a new ROM you should choose it.

1. It's more Android than others

It sounds a little unusual in relation to firmware from independent developers, but that’s how it is. Many manufacturers are so keen on improving the operating system in their proprietary shells that after them CyanogenMod will seem like the most canonically correct ROM. Its creators are very careful about the stock image of the system, and although CyanogenMod contains many additions and improvements, they do not deprive Android of its original appearance.

2. You will be able to use newer versions of the system

Support for gadgets of yesteryear is simply a disaster in the Android world. As soon as you buy a device, the manufacturer turns away from you and immediately forgets about software support. Therefore, it often turns out that even devices that are still quite decent in terms of hardware become hopelessly outdated due to the software filling.

By installing CyanogenMod, you can keep up with the times and take full advantage of the latest releases of operating systems from Google. Many devices even support over-the-air updates, so subsequent firmware updates will cost you no effort.

3. Better application management

The latest versions of CyanogenMod introduced the Privacy Guard feature, which allows users to decide for themselves what data and functions a particular installed application can have access to. That is, it gives you the opportunity to stop being a hostage to software developers and become a full-fledged owner of your device, distributing access rights as you wish.

4. Superuser

Another great feature that all advanced users will appreciate. With its help, you will get much more opportunities to customize and change the operating system. Many applications require superuser rights to operate, and if you have installed CyanogenMod, then you will not have to root your gadget in any risky way.

5. Themes

We are already accustomed to the fact that third-party launchers can change their appearance using different themes. But here we are talking about a deeper transformation, because the Themes panel allows you to install and select themes that change the appearance of the operating system at the deepest level, including the style of system applications, icons, fonts, sounds and even boot animations.

6. Interface tweaks

The great advantage of CyanogenMod is that immediately after installation, as we wrote above, it looks almost like stock Android. But once you dive into the settings, you will find such a wide field for experimentation that you can customize the system exactly to your needs. Customize the status bar, order and functions of navigation buttons, behavior when pressing hardware keys, and much, much more. I especially like the ability to change the brightness by simply sliding your finger on the status bar - just what you need on a bright sunny day.

7. Equalizer

All music lovers will definitely love the DSP Manager application, which can correct mobile audio errors using an equalizer. You can raise or lower the gain level, add bass, apply built-in presets, and so on.

8. Profiles

CyanogenMod has a very handy feature called Profiles. Essentially, these are groups of settings that you can apply in certain situations. For example, when you go outside, you set the brightness and sound to maximum, turn on mobile data and GPS. At work, on the contrary, turn off the sound and turn on Wi-Fi. CyanogenMod has the ability to group these settings into profiles, give them names like “Street” and “Work”, and apply them when needed with one tap.

CyanogenMod also includes a large number of other interesting features and several interesting programs. Most of these specific features can be reproduced on other firmware, but CyanogenMod is unlikely to be completely replicated in this way. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you try this ROM in action, especially since you can do it.

It is common practice in the world to compare Android and iOS. The main difference is the attitude towards the openness of the system for the user. If iOS does not even allow you to view individual folders on the device, then in Android the file system is accessible to the user. However, only at first glance it seems that Android developers allow you to do whatever you want with their OS: many important and necessary functions remain unavailable. Therefore, CyanogenMod firmware has become popular among advanced users. For information on how to install, update and, if necessary, remove the firmware, read our article.

What is CyanogenMod?

СyanogenMod is an alternative Android firmware that expands the functionality of the operating system. The firmware has gained popularity: as of 2016, CyanogenMod is installed on 14 million devices.

It all started when a simple programmer, Steven Kondik, posted his development for the HTC Dream smartphone on xda-developers.com, the largest site with custom firmware for Android. He didn’t think long about the name and took his nickname - Cyanogen, adding Mod to it. Steven Kondik did not imagine that anyone would be interested in his development, but already in the first days users responded positively to the firmware. Then the programmer, in a creative impulse, began intensively refining CyanogenMod, posting several updates per day on xda-developers.com.

Then Steven Kondik released CyanogenMod on Github, a collaborative development service. Then other programmers joined in improving the project, bringing their ideas and developments. Over time, it became clear that CyanogenMod had turned from an amateur firmware into an exceptional project. CyanogenMod's capabilities made the mobile device more functional than any other firmware.

Advantages

Why do users love CyanogenMod so much?

1. High performance. CyanogenMod, thanks to its optimization, significantly improves the performance of the device. Both the menu and heavy games work on this firmware much faster and smoother than on the standard one. As an example, consider the Nexus 4, which on standard firmware produces 15–16 thousand Antutu Benchmark points. After installation, Cyanogen makes 21 thousand points. In addition, Cyanogen allows advanced users to change the processor operation scheme and control its frequency at their discretion. There are five modes: Interactive - standard frequency distribution, increases when the screen is turned on; Ondemand - less productive, more energy efficient; Userspace - allows you to configure everything yourself; Powersave - minimum processor frequency, maximum energy saving; Performance - maximum processor frequency, best performance, but high power consumption.
2. The only way to install a new version of Android for older devices. Few manufacturers support their devices even for 4-5 years, releasing Android firmware 5 and 6, so CyanogenMod is the only way to install Android Lollipop and Marshmallow on such devices. Cyanogen also allows you to get rid of the manufacturer’s pre-installed firmware, for example, Samsung’s TouchWiz.
3. Customizable appearance. CyanogenMod makes it possible to change the design of every detail of the interface to your liking. PlayMarket has thousands of custom theme options. The firmware also supports the original Android theme (Android Holo up to version 12 and Google Material Design in versions 12 and 13), unlike the official firmware of device manufacturers.
4. System openness. Standard Android firmware has various restrictions for users. CyanogenMod eliminates these restrictions, thanks to which it has a Free Lossless Audio Codec, a compressed cache, a large list of APNs, an OpenVPN client and a reboot menu. However, this advantage is only for knowledgeable and skilled people, because the device can be accidentally broken.

Firmware versions

The latest version of CyanogenMod is the thirteenth version, based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Each new version of CyanogenMod is developed to update Android. In addition, the developers support and constantly update all versions simultaneously, releasing new builds of the project. There are six types of CyanogenMod builds:

1. Experimental - experimental firmware versions for testing new ideas. These versions are extremely unstable, have an abundance of bugs and are needed only by developers for testing.
2. Nightly - daily updates, the result of a day's work by programmers. Like Experimental, they exist only for developers, so that enthusiasts can follow the development of the project and help it with new ideas and suggestions.
3. Millie stone is a raw version that collects all the innovations to test their interaction.
4. Snapshot is an already developed assembly suitable for use. Usually, not all bugs have been caught and not all errors have been fixed.
5. Release Candidaty (RC) is an almost finished firmware version. The developers check for errors, performance and stability one last time.
6. Stable is the final, stable version of CyanogenMod.

If you are a simple user who wants to install CyanogenMod, then you should choose a stable firmware version. This guarantees no errors and functionality. But for the sake of useful features that are not yet in the stable version, you can try the developer versions. But such firmware is almost impossible to use - there are too many errors.

How to install: step-by-step instructions

Please note: installing CyanogenMod will void your warranty! This applies not only to Cyanogen, but also to any other custom firmware. There are certain ways to hide traces of third-party firmware, but the methods are unreliable and do not always work. So unless you're willing to forfeit your warranty, don't take the risk.

The installation of CyanogenMod is non-standard and complicated for untrained users: it involves more than 10 steps. Updating the system isn't the most intuitive either. Of course, there is an easy way to install the firmware, but this is far from the best option. The latest version of CyanogenMod is automatically downloaded, which is not always stable, which may result in errors. But since not everyone will want to spend time on a more complex method, we will look at this option.

Easy installation

1. First, check if your device is supported. To do this, follow the link: http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/CyanogenMod_Installer#Supported_Devices and view the list of supported devices.
2. In your smartphone settings, enable USB debugging (Accessibility -> For Developers -> USB Debugging).
3. Download the CyanogenModInstaller app on your smartphone from Google Play.
4. Download a special program for Windows (Vista/7/8) to your computer: http://beta.download.cyanogenmod.org/install.
5. Turn on the application on your smartphone and follow the instructions in the program.
6. Connect your device to your computer via USB.
7. Turn on the program on your computer.
8. The program itself will start downloading the files necessary for the firmware. When everything is downloaded, you will see the message “Everything is ready”.
9. Click on the “Install” button.
10. When the firmware installation is complete, the program will notify you with the message “Installation complete”.
11. Ready.

The hard way

1. First you need to get Root rights (remove restrictions imposed by Android developers). Let's do this using the Framaroot program. Download Framaroot 1.9.1 from the Internet, install it and run it. If your antivirus issues a warning, click Allow.
2. Now you need to unlock the Android bootloader. The best way to do this is the BootUnlocker program. You can download the application directly from Google Play. Launch the program and click the “Unlock” button. The bootloader will be unlocked.
3. You need to install Custom Recovery. Let's look at its installation using TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project) as an example.
   
4. Let's start installing CyanogenMod.
   
5. As soon as the installation is completed, reboot the system. If everything went well, an empty desktop will open. If not, the phone will not boot. In this case, you need to enter Recovery mode again, install the new firmware, but only enable full Wipe.
6. The last thing left is to install Google Play. To do this, download the Gapps package (http://opengapps.org), move them to the root folder and install them in the same way as the firmware itself, via Recovery.
7. Ready!

Video: how to install CyanogenMod firmware?

Is it possible to install CyanogenMod on an unsupported device?

The answer is clear: no. CyanogenMod Installer will simply write that your device is not supported. If you install it manually, there may be a lot of problems, even to the point where the phone or tablet stops working. If the device could run firmware, the developers would have added it to their list anyway.

How to update firmware

There are also two ways to update CyaongenMod.

Easy way

This method works for Cyanogen versions 10.0 and higher. Everything is extremely simple: open the settings, go to “About phone”, then “CyanogenMod update”. The device will automatically download the latest update and install it. During the process, the smartphone will reboot several times. All data will be saved.

Manual option

Please note: you should not update your device to more than one version of CyanogenMod at a time (for example, from CM version 10.0 to version 10.2). Unpredictable errors and incorrect firmware operation may appear. It is also not recommended to roll back the device to earlier versions of CM (for example, from 10.2 to 10.1). Sometimes it leads to an error with the smartphone endlessly rebooting. For any downgrade, you must first do a Wipe Data/Factory Reset.

It's almost always better to use the easy update method as you're less likely to do something wrong. However, if you have Cyanogen version below the tenth version, and also if you use third-party add-ons (add-ons), you will have to use a complex method, since the standard update does not allow you to immediately install add-ons to the firmware.

1. To get started, download the latest stable version (or whatever version you need) of CyanogenMod and the latest version of the Gapps package.
2. Turn on Recovery mode.
3. Install the firmware first, then the zip archive with Gapps, and then third-party addons. There is no need to Wape, so all data is retained during the update.
4. Ready.

When updating again, there is no need to reinstall Gapps, since the data is saved, but addons will have to be installed manually.

In addition, only with the complex option can you choose which update to install (which cannot be done with the simple installation method).

How to remove if necessary

If you decide to return everything as it was, you need to reinstall the firmware again, but this time replace CyanogenMod with the stock firmware from the manufacturer of your device. You can download such firmware from the manufacturer’s official website.

1. When you download the firmware, save the archive in the root directory of the device
2. Enable Recovery mode (press and hold the power button and volume up button while starting the device).
3. Check all the Wipe boxes. Please note that all data will be deleted.
4. Then install the downloaded archive with the official firmware.
5. Wait for the installation to complete.
6. Reboot your device.
7. Ready.

Sometimes returning to the device's native firmware erases all traces of the presence of CyanogenMod, in which case the warranty is not nullified. However, you should not count on this, as it depends on luck and the carelessness of the support staff. The rules for providing warranty service prohibit changing the manufacturer's firmware.

CyanogenMod is an interesting firmware that has grown from an amateur craft to a serious and ambitious project, which has no analogue in the world. CM allows you to do things with the device that no official firmware allows. But only advanced and knowledgeable users should install it, since open systems are unsafe. In addition, the phone may malfunction and warranty service will not be available. However, if you lack the standard functions of a smartphone or tablet on stock Android firmware, if you are ready to learn and develop, and are ready to spend time and effort to overcome errors that arise, then you definitely need to flash your device with CyanogenMod. According to some users, CyanogenMod is the highest point in the development of mobile devices.