Been seriously considering Cyanogenmod lately. Are there any reasons, however slim, to not use it? The only one I’m aware of is that rooting my phone could conceivably allow some malware greater access.
How would that be a security concern, I don’t get it.
Well, if this actually was an app that did everything on-phone it would point to a complete failure of sandboxing the apps. Turns out though that this also requires another application running on a windows PC to work, which is not really a problem.
Maybe (probably) it’s just me, but one big reason I’ve considered flashing CM is that I don’t quite trust Google.
My Android phone runs its original OS (2.3.4) without a Google account. I use only apps, mostly FOSS, that I can sideload. I delude myself into thinking that this gives me a bit more privacy.
Flashing CM might give me more privacy still, but I’m not likely to sign up for a Play Store account to do it. And so far, I don’t see a direct download on CM’s website, something that I sort of expect with FOSS software.
And then there’s the Windows requirement. Wouldn’t you think that someone interested in a FOSS OS for his phone would be less likely to be using a closed, proprietary OS on his desktop or laptop?
I have to wonder who they’re aiming at with this.
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I liked CM9 on my phone, but can’t try this as the device isn’t supported by the Installer. It’s one of the most popular of the older Samsung models sold in the U.S. a few years ago (Galaxy SII AT&T version, model SGH-i777), but the CM Installer only supports the Internat’l version of the SII. 
For free open source software, the usual answer to “why isn’t there a Linux-based installer” is “we’d love one; are you volunteering to port the code?”
If you are, contact them; I suspect they’d be delighted. If not, that’s the downside of “free” – someone has to care enough to donate the time to make it happen.
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Better than Vista? What, Windows XP?
HAR HAR HAR
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I’m still undecided between Vista and a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.
FWIW, I stayed on XP until this most recent machine, where I upgraded to Win8 because a specific application preferred it. Win8’s a nuisance, but it’s been possible to work around most of the differences so far. Installing one of the alternative Start menus was a good first step.
Done!
My nexus S is now partially resurrected.
(Today’s apps - even the standard google ones (maps, gmail) seem to presume that you have an 8-core, 100 megaflop galactic gigatastic metagasmic CPU phone, so a 3 year-old phone is of limited use.)
Anyway, it was super easy, and from the first hours of using CM, it seems nicer than Vanilla Android!
Cheers!
I installed cyanogenmod on a Nook Color, turning it into a great little tablet, using online instructions and my desktop linux system (appropriately named The Contraption) in about three hours.
Of that, about 15 minutes were actual work, the remaining time was reading how-tos of immensely variable quality. It was quite easy to do but required some hard-headed dedication to learn how to do it.
A one-click installer easily found in an obvious place addresses the only significant drawback of CM!
So are you going to post a more coherent how-to somewhere?
Certainly hard to beat the price. I don’t know enough about the Nook’s actual specs.
… And what I’m actually most interested in is something palm-sized rather than tablet-sized, even small tablet. Shirt pocket really is the most convenient form factor for a carry-everywhere machine…
You want a smart phone, then, built for android and easily rootable… but I don’t own a cell phone so I can’t really recommend any specific model, sorry. A cheap used no-contract phone with wifi, put CM on it (and you never actually have to use it as a phone unless you feel like it) and it’ll fit in your pocket. Although actually a Nexus seven fits in my pocket, as does the nook, because I am largish.
One of the problems of doing the research is the plethora of how-tos. Every time a new device or version of CM or version of Android comes out, three more how-tos come out. You drown in information until you find a how-to that not only speaks in language you understand at an appropriate level of detail for your understanding but also fits the device and version you have.
I’m sorta hoping to avoid phone hardware, actually – what I want is something more like the iTouch than the iPhone. But that may be hard to find in an Android.
You need a Nokia N800, then.
Or…
Yeah, that might do it.
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