Some apps come with an extra layer of security whereby you have to enter a password or passcode to use it, even if the phone is already unlocked. For example banking apps do require such security measures as it contains sensitive financial information. But what if you wanted to protect apps that might not come with that feature built-in?
A report from The Information (subscription required) claims that Google tried to buy Cyanogen, Inc, the maker of the custom Android ROM CyanogenMod. According to the report, Cyanogen's chief executive told shareholders that Sundar Pichai, the head of Chrome and Android at Google, met with the company and "expressed interest in acquiring the firm." The report says Cyanogen Inc. declined the offer, saying that it was still growing.
When it comes to rooting and flashing custom ROMs on your Android device, it sometimes helps if you have a Windows-powered computer.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of the CyanogenMod team, their Installer application is now available for Macs. If you are unfamiliar, the CM Installer allows users to painlessly flash the CyanogenMod ROM onto their Android device, simply by pressing a couple of buttons.
Today, we were contacted by the Google Play Support team to say that our CyanogenMod Installer application is in violation of Google Play’s developer terms.
They advised us to voluntarily remove the application, or they would be forced to remove it administratively. We have complied with their wishes while we wait for a more favorable resolution.
CyanogenMod has come to define the custom ROM community as the most recognizable name, but the aftermarket Android project is heading towards becoming much more following the creation of Cyanogen Inc. Formed in April, Cyanogen Inc. is a small but growing company that does not have a publicly shared business model other than release new products that simplify and enhance using smartphones. What makes it noteworthy is that 17-member company is designed to grow the use of one of the most widely-installed takes on Android from a previous non-commercial venture.
What if you could privately use an application and manage its permissions to keep ill intending apps from accessing your data? That’s exactly what Steve Kondik at CyanogenMod—the aftermarket, community-based firmware for Android devices—hopes to bring to the operating system.
It’s called Incognito Mode, and it’s designed to help keep your personal data under control. Kondik, a lead developer with the CyanogenMod team, published a post on his Google Plus profile last week about Incognito Mode.
With the Samsung Galaxy S4 presumably coming soon, many are excited about the possibility of running a more stock Android-based experience, like CyanogenMod, on the hardware. It looks like that's going to be a slower transition than many were hoping, as the current Samsung CM maintainers have said that they have no plans to support the device.
Android enthusiasts trying to reach CyanogenMod.com, the website for the popular community-maintained firmware of the same name, will find themselves staring at a blank filler site as of today. As has been detailed in a blog post up on the new CyanogenMod.org, the owner of the original domain (one Ahmet Deveci) name shut the site down after he was discovered impersonating CyanogenMod founder Steve "Cyanogen" Kondik for the purpose of cutting referral deals with other sites.
