One of major reasons why smartphone enthusiasts opt for Android over other mobile OSes like iOS and Windows Phone 8 is because of Android’s relatively open nature. It allows users to customize every facet of their phone while iOS doesn’t, even with powerful theming systems like DreamBoard and WinterBoard in place. Android enthusiasts are often heard installing “Custom ROMs” on their devices; these modified versions of Android OS are cooked up by passionate and dedicated developers in their free time and we’ve mentioned some of the most popular ones after the break.

Elegant and professional looking WinterBoard and DreamBoard themes that dramatically change the look of iOS are hard to find. Much to the detriment of the reputation of the theming community, a lot of theme packages on Cydia look like they have been put together by someone using Microsoft Paint at the most basic level, but thankfully, not everyone has that amateur approach. As Steve Jobs famously once said: “Design is not just what it looks and feels like. Design is how it works” and you definitely get that feeling from the elegance of the just-updated Retina ready MIUI v5.

If you’re one of those people that finds the UI of Android to be a little bland, or indeed if you simply harbor the incessant need to tinker and modify aspects of your device, then the chances are, you will have encountered MIUI at some stage. Renowned for its iOS-esque interface, slick speeds, mountain of themes, it’s hardly a surprise MIUI is one of the more popular aftermarket Android ROMs available.

MIUI is one of the most popular aftermarket custom firmware (read: custom ROM) for Android. It is known for its distinct look, enhanced Gallery/Camera/Music/Dialer apps and powerful notifications drawer but is also known for not being available on a wider variety of devices (such as CyanogenMod, which supports 70+ devices).

Amazon’s $199 Kindle Fire is one of the best tablets money can buy for under $300. Besides offering tight integration with Amazon’s services and doubling as a great eBook reader, it is hacker-friendly: the device is rooted, has lots of great ROMs available and is heavily supported by a vibrant community of skilled developers. Earlier today, we received news of the official release of MIUI for Kindle Fire. The good news is that it is based on Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich and is pretty stable (for a ROM in Alpha state). Things like USB tethering, static wallpapers, hardware acceleration and themes don’t work, but they will be in the future. Check out our step-by-step guide after the jump!

Ever since the source code for Ice Cream Sandwich was released some two months back, many talented developers have been tirelessly experimenting in order to bring a range of custom ROMs for those running certain Android devices.

MIUI (pronounced mee-yoo-eye) is one of the more popular custom ROMs for Android. It is known for its distinct looks, enhanced apps for Music/Gallery/Camera and, of course, the enhanced notifications drawer. MIUI is now available for the recently released Galaxy Nexus in the form of an unofficial alpha build that has most features working. Check it out after the jump!

After CyanogenMod, MIUI (me-yoo-eye) is one of the most popular custom ROMs for Android, and for good reason: not only does it have a distinct look, but it also comes with features like being able to customize its distinct looks, an enhanced notifications menu as well as unique Camera, Music and Gallery apps.

After seeing CyanogenMod 7, a talented developer has built and released MIUI for the HP TouchPad. The download link as well as step-by-step guide on how to install the new custom ROM on the TouchPad is available after the jump!

Itching for some MIUI action on your phone? Well, chances are you’ve already rooted your smartphone and have flashed the popular MIUI custom ROM. If, however, you can’t or won’t flash said custom ROM, you can always give one major part of it a try with this newly released MIUI-style launcher which works on all Android devices.

In an interview, a senior executive at Samsung Electronics has stated that the company seeks to expand their software reach. This statement, combined with Samsung’s recent hiring of Steve “Cyanogen” Kondik suggests that the electronics company may be looking to hire more devs from the vibrant Android hacking community.

MIUI (pronounced me-yoo-eye) is one of the most popular aftermarket custom firmware for Android smartphones, second only to CyanogenMod. It features a distinct look and enhanced features like a more powerful dropdown notifications bar and enhanced Camera, Music, and Gallery apps. If you’re looking for an alternative music player or just a slice of MIUI’s goodness, look no further: the MIUI Music app has been extracted and released for everyone to try!