Android

Flashing a custom image on an Android mobile could be just fun. But if you don’t know why you want to do it, or do it just because it’s a challenge. Then don’t!

The bad and the good

I’m only pointing out some of the cons and the pros here.

Negative sides

• An OS image could contain malware; only use community trusted images.
• If you don’t pay attention you can get malware running as root. That’s B A D !
• May not have all the phones vendor functionality.
• The image may be buggy.

Consequences of a buggy image

• Lock up your phone when you least expect it.
• Drain the battery quicker.
• Suddenly reboot.

Positive sides

• You can get a newer more secure operating system.
• Use less battery.
• No crapware.
• Extra security functions.

Flashing CyanogenMod

One of the custom Android images based on AOSP is CyanogenMod. As I know, it’s one of the more used ones. Quite stable if you keep away from the nightlies and rich on functionality but not bloated.