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Samsung snaps up CyanogenMod maker

Published on 17th August 2011 by Harry Butler

The Cyanogen range of custom Android ROMs are popular amongst power users.

Steve Kondik, the modder behind the popular CyanogenMod range of custom Android ROMs has taken a job as a software engineer with Samsung Mobile.

The range of CyanogenMod custom ROMs unlock a variety of additional features and functions for Android handsets, as well as removing some of the unwanted bloatware that many manufacturers and mobile networks load their handsets with.

After over 500,000 installs, CyanogenMod has developed an avid following for the additional features and clean look of its interface.

Whether Kondik will continue to support CyanogenMod is unclear, although he has stated that his 'Side project (CM) is not affiliated in any way with my employer', indictaing that Samsung has hired him for his skills, rather than to deploy the CyanogenMod interface across its range of handsets

Happy to see another talented modder gainfully employed for their talents, or are you worried for the future of the CyanogenMod? Do you use a custom ROM on your smartphone? Let us know in the forum.

11 Comments

Discuss in the forums Reply

TheStockBroker 17th August 2011, 14:19

The opposite of the lulsec situation.

Very good, I'm glad for him.

TSB

MrJay 17th August 2011, 14:20

Lets hope he can influence the amount of shite that manufactures put on their phones.

Ive recently purchased a HTC Desire S with orange on contract and the amount of pure crap the phone comes bundled with! Orange seems to have duplicated all of the HTC and Android Standard apps, and widgets.

Ive got 4/5 clock widgets, 2 calendars, 3 mailbox applications, 2 browsers.

My Samsung Galaxy Spica wasnt much better. And of course its all built into the OS so I cant remove any of it: (

proxess 17th August 2011, 14:21

I use SamdroidMod for my Spica, it's based on CyanogenMod, but isn't official seeing that Cyanogenmod don't support it. I'm not all that worried because CyanogenMod has grew beyond the hands of one single modder.

I think people should check out what a guy that goes as Tom3q is doing. I find what he's doing more amazing than any mod. He's completely rewriting all the drivers for my phone.

will_123 17th August 2011, 14:38

Glad for him its a great ROM. But on the other side of that I hope CyanogenMod continues strong because it is fantastic!

leexgx 17th August 2011, 14:45

’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ < does not work on your main page it comes up like >> as Squares

it will be intresting on what he can improve

only thing CyanogenMod Needs to add is the Option to Turn off HSDPA but still have basic 3g UMTS on (HSDPA Sucks bat like no man my HTC HD1 was very good with HSDPA off), and add the option to Force 3g only as its like samsung phones you can only tick 2g only on CyanogenMod my HTC desire can force 2g only / 3g only or auto 2g/3g)

scott_chegg 17th August 2011, 14:48

Running CM7 on my motorola defy and it's awesome. Can't see this affecting CM in the future as there are a whole team of talented people behind it.

mongpong 17th August 2011, 15:15

This is a good thing. yay for good things.

SubtleOne 17th August 2011, 17:27

I have it on my LG GT540 (which only costs $120), allowing me Android 2.3.5 instead of the default 1.6 (yuck), and it is nothing short of fantastic. The performance with the SwiftDroid flavor is incredible and outdoes default phones that are normally at least 50% faster thanks to OS tweaks.

WildThing 17th August 2011, 19:00

Good for him, I'm using CM7.1 on my ZTE Blade and am very happy with it. Let's just hope he continues to support the mod.

OCJunkie 17th August 2011, 19:11

Awesome for him and everyone else, fantastic mod and God knows Samsung desperately needs his talent considering how much their stupid buggy "TouchWiz" UI sucks. Too bad I'm already going back to HTC, who actually know how to make phones and not just pretty displays.

Omnituens 17th August 2011, 20:39

Wish I could get a custom ROM on my Desire - it comes with so much crap on it that like to autostart when it detects a net connection it kills the battery.

I DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY STOCKS, WHY MUST I HAVE A STOCKS APP?!