CyanogenMod 10.1 nightly builds based upon the very latest Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean can now be installed on your Galaxy S III (GT-i9300). If you own this particular model, and wish to check out the latest nightlies, please check out our step-by-step tutorial after the break.
Android may never have gained this much popularity as a smartphone and tablet operating system had it not been for a few certain reasons, one of them being the open source nature of the platform and the availability of custom firmware for various devices. You would be aware that Android, at its core, is based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). There are now several ROMs out there for a variety of phones and tablets that are rooted directly into the AOSP itself. However, the trendsetter was, and will always be, CyanogenMod.
CyanogenMod 10.1 is really gaining traction, and in its quest to bring Android 4.2 to as many Android-based devices as possible, has now made nightlies available to the Galaxy S and Galaxy S III. Great news for those in ownership of either Samsung device it most certainly is, although it's important to note that the nightly builds only cover the AT&T and T-Mobile variants of the S III.
What’s better than a powerhouse of a tablet that’s running on Android? The same tab running on CyanogenMod 10.1, which entails Android 4.2 goodness for all that support it. Why, you ask me? Because CM 10.1, or any AOSP ROM, for that matter, brings with it a freedom that you are very unlikely to find anywhere else. For most power users of Google’s smartphone and tablet operating system, trying different ROMs is almost a weekly affair, if not more frequent. Following suit, I have tried a lot of ROMs on my Android tablets, from Stock to ROM ports to AOSP builds like CyanogenMod and Android Open Kang Project (AOKP), but I have always kept coming back to CM because of the ‘balance’ that it offers, between features and stability, and because it carries with it a sense of reliability.
One of the biggest freedoms of wielding an Android device is the choice of ROMs that you get. Unlike almost all other smartphone and tablet platforms, having an Android means you do not have to always stick to whatever the manufacturer has packaged with your device in its factory state, and much like a computer, you can choose to have your own OS, some with their own specialties and enhancements, while others built from ground up based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). Power users always prefer AOSP ROMs over stock or stock-based offerings, because of the broader freedom of customization and tailoring that they entail. Among those, CyanogenMod needs least of an introduction – the first ever AOSP ROM to hit the Android world has now taken another hatchling under its wings – the mighty droid, Google Nexus 4.
After a great deal of toil, the CyanogenMod 10 stable ROM has now been made available for those running the LG Optimus Black, along with owners of the Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy S III. In addition, those in ownership of the Samsung-made Google Galaxy Nexus, the ASUS-manufactured Nexus 7 slate and the HTC EVO 4G can also join in the fun; more details below.
CyanogenMod 10 has been demoed via Google+ quite frequently on a number of devices over the past couple of months, and now the CM10 Team has taken to the Big G's social network to officially reveal CM10 nightly builds, now available for a handful of devices.
Whenever we talk about and discuss tablets, we only refer to Apple's iPad, the Nexus 7 from Google and ASUS, as well as the Kindle Fire and Samsung's Galaxy Tab range of devices. While they may be the most popular and relevant devices in that category at the current time, we mustn't forget the tablets which at one time looked like they would make a great impact on the industry.
Ever since Google pushed Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), we’ve seen a bevy of quickly put together ROMs for popular devices. Smartphones like the Galaxy S III, One X and tablets like the original ASUS Transformer and Kindle Fire all have one or more Android 4.1 Jelly Bean based custom ROMs available for those who want to get a taste of the confectionery.
Before Ice Cream Sandwich, manufacturers put their Home, Menu, Back and Search buttons in different order just to differentiate themselves from one another. Companies like Samsung even went head and removed the all-important Search button* altogether which results in a different Android experience.
