Gadgetory

this is Dan Seifert with the verge and this is the Oppo n1 with CyanogenMod if you've ever looked into the vast world of Android modification chances are you've heard of CyanogenMod the most popular custom operating system for the platform CyanogenMod has been installed on tens of millions of devices and has a very loyal and dedicated following people like Evert speed stability and enhancements to Android that don't take away from the core user experience it's also a great way to breathe new life into an older or abandoned Android phone but now cyanogen is a real company and you can actually buy a phone with CyanogenMod already installed no modification or elbow work necessary that phone is the n1 a $600 5.9 inch device from Chinese manufacturer Oppo it has everything you might expect from a high-end Android phone today a 1080p HD display quad-core processor 13 megapixel camera and impressively solid build quality it also has some unique hardware features such as a swiveling camera unit rear touchpad and Bluetooth keychain accessory that beeps when you walk too far away from your phone but its display looks pretty washed out and has poor viewing angles the camera isn't very good despite its high specs and the n1 doesn't have support for LTE which is a huge bummer in addition those extra hardware features don't really work that well and do little to add to the experience the n1 is also really really big virtually every one that I showed the n1 2 remarked it just how big it is it's a well-built phone with nice materials but have I mentioned how big it is but the story here isn't the hardware it's a CyanogenMod software the N one comes with CyanogenMod 10.2 which is based on Android 4.3 jelly bean it looks very similar to stock Android but includes enhancements to the lockscreen messaging app notification bar and more I much preferred over Samsung HTC or LG's custom interfaces and in many ways it's actually better than the stock Android that ships on the Nexus 5 it's really fast and responsive on the n1 and in the multiple weeks that I use the device I didn't want see an app crash or have the device freeze up CyanogenMod is similar to the software Motorola installs in the Moto X it's like the stock Android that you might find on a Nexus phone but better the overall experience hasn't really changed but I appreciate the smart enhancements to the platform especially the lockscreen shortcuts it's also quite customizable under the surface you can modify the notification bar apply various themes and even tweak the processors performance to your own liking themes can change the appearance Conn's toggles and more and can be downloaded from the Play Store and applied with just a few taps there's a reason why cyanogen claims the software has been installed on over 11 million devices it offers an improved experience over standard Android without ruining the clean interface at Google designed but as much as CyanogenMod is a niche operating system for the advanced user the Oppo n1 is a niche phone for the dedicated signage and fan at $599 it's a hard sell against the best from Samsung LG HTC and others it doesn't have LTE can't be bought at a discount and can't even be purchased in a retail store chances are the people that be interested in paying the price for the n1 and ordering one are the same type of person that wouldn't mind doing some command line work to get CyanogenMod installed on any other device cyanogen has some really great software and would likely be a compelling option for many prospective Android users it's like stock Android but better in many ways but in order to go mainstream it's going to have to come on more mainstream smartphones something that you can buy from a carrier in a store fortunately the n1 is just the start a way to get sine engines foot-in-the-door now it needs to blow that door wide open