ROM

The third-party Android ROM landscape isn't what it used to be but it still exists and thrives even if in a smaller size. Extremely locked-down phones have made it harder to port and install these custom ROMs but PCs running on x86 Intel and AMD processors are a different story. There are quite a few ports of Android for these computers and Bliss OS, the developers of one such ROM, is starting a new project to make it even easier for other Custom ROMs to jump in, even if they were made for PCs.

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One of Android's selling features is its openness. Some of it is by design, like the ability to use different app launchers or default apps. Others, however, are products of some rather involved hacking and development, specifically rooting and custom ROMs. Unfortunately, it seems that the latter set of superpowers might soon be coming to an end as Google ramps up its efforts to secure the Android platform, a move that could also make that same platform less attractive to a particular class of users.

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The Nintendo Switch may have just become more useful, at least for owners that have no fear about modding their gaming consoles. The promised Android ROM for the Switch has finally arrived and, for a first try of an unofficial Android ROM, it's pretty impressive at both the installation process and what works out of the box. Of course, it all depends on whether the user is willing to risk modding the Switch.

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The dream of a smartphone also acting as your PC has mostly been hampered by the unavailability of the desktop software we've come to expect from our computers. There have been a couple of attempts to address this limitation, most of them revolving around Linux. Before Samsung came with its Samsung DeX, there was the open source Maru OS project and, after a long period of silence, it has returned to lay down the foundations for future expansion on more Android phones.

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In the past, custom Android ROMs and app launchers were some of the most exciting aspects of the Android platform. Those days seem to be long gone but, true to its name, LineageOS, built from the ashes of CyanogenMod, continues that legacy. With version 16.0, it not only proves that its development is still alive but also that it is up to date with the latest trends in the Android market.

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If Google's not going to release the Pixel-based Android for the masses, then XDA member jhenrique09 will! This developer created a software build that makes the Pixel phone experience universal. Or at least universal inside the realm of phones that run Project Treble. Is your phone one of the lucky few?

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Rooting on Android seems to be slowly falling out of fashion, especially with the recent decline of developers working on rooting methods. One part of Android modding that seems to still be going strong is custom ROM development. It hasn't been a smooth ride and has had its ups and very high-profile downs. It seems that there will be a new "down" is on the horizon with Paranoid Android, perhaps the second most popular custom Android ROM, running out of funds to the point that its developers are now asking for donations.

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The Android platform is open source (though more like open source dump) and there’s no way to close that door anymore. Google, however, has found a way around it through its oh so essential Google Play apps and services. While OEMs had to comply with Google’s rules and certification requirements to officially ship with these, some have found ways around that, usually by side-loading GApps, as the bundle is called, themselves or telling users how to do so. Now it seems that Google is closing the door on that method but users of custom ROMs need not be too worried because Google is surprisingly giving them a special pass.

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Project Treble is a feature that's suddenly proven invaluable to the most Android-addicted phone users worldwide. This invaluable state isn't necessarily in play because of the feature's original intent. Instead, Android users found a way to make any Android Oreo device with Project Treble made active can boot two of the most awesome ROMs in the world, with minimal hassle.

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Android is almost everywhere today, from the usual mobile devices to wearables to cars and even to some smart appliances. The platform, however, has been conceptualized and designed with ARM-based devices in mind. And while there are indeed some Intel or AMD computers, like the Lenovo Yoga Book, that run Android, they are still far and few in between. Fortunately, there are projects like Android-x86 which has just recently reached an important milestone of bringing Android 7.1 Nougat to any computers running on an Intel or AMD x86 processor.

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Huawei might have become one of the world’s top 3 smartphone manufacturers, but there are some things that still haven’t improved over the years. Things like tightly, locked phones, the heavily customized EMUI skin, and the not so global rollout of updates. The latter means that only the latest and greatest, and even then not all, get to enjoy the latest Android releases. That’s the plight owners of the Huawei P8 Lite find themselves in with regards to Android 8.0 Oreo. Fortunately, hope springs eternal. Or rather, trickles, with the new OpenKirin GZOSP Android 8.0 port for the device.

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The Samsung Galaxy S8 and its larger Galaxy S8+ sibling are arguably two of the best-looking, and best-performing smartphones this half of the year. But as great as they are, they are by no means perfect. Even the Samsung faithful will admit, sometimes begrudgingly, that the Korean OEM can be a wee too "generous" when it comes to the extras, a.k.a. the cruft and bloat, inside the smartphone user experience or UX. If you're feeling adventurous, there are a couple of Android custom ROMs available for these devices to set you free from the clutches of TouchWiz (or now "Grace") and of Samsung's bloat.

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