After spending over a month in the release candidate stages, a final (stable) release of Android's most popular ROM has just been pushed out. Cyanogen himself tweeted the news, but also mentioned one small caveat: Samsung devices (read: the Galaxy S line) are left out of the fun, with no ETA. (Update: not available for the HTC Wildfire either.)

What's new in 6.1, you ask? Oh, just a few things:

6.1.0

  • Common: Update to Android 2.2.1
  • Common: Various bugfixes from AOSP and CodeAurora
  • Common: ADWLauncher 1.3.3 - Ander Webbs
  • Common: Configurable audio focus for music app - Jonas Larsson
  • Common: APN cleanup (fixes many issues with GPS and MMS) - Cyanogen
  • Common: Use ARMv6 optimizations for DS/Hero targets - Ninpo
  • Common: AudioDSP updates - Antti S. Lankila
  • Common: Status bar themes - Michael Webster
  • Common: Email app updates** - Michael Webster
  • Common: Selected kernel optimizations - Kernelzilla
  • Common: EMMC support - Koush
  • Common: Camcorder touch-to-focus - Cyanogen
  • Common: Notification "quiet hours" - Evan Charlton
  • Common; Superuser 2.3.6 - Adam Shanks (ChainsDD)
  • Common: Camera/camcorder continuous autofocus - Cyanogen
  • Common: Camera option sliders - Cyanogen
  • Common: Control locking of MMS app in memory - Julian J. M
  • Common: Kill foreground app by long-pressing back - Evan Charlton
  • Common: New AppWidgetPicker dialog - boombuler@XDA
  • Common: FileManager app - OpenIntents (graphics update from Fitsnugly)
  • Common: Anonymous install statistics gathering - Chris Soyars
  • Common: Stable shot camera mode - Cyanogen
  • Common: Dual-mode snooze (long press dismiss) - Evan Charlton
  • Common: Compose SMS/MMS via search button long press - Wes Garner
  • Common: Notification category support - Pedlar
  • Common: Galaxy S style power widget in notification bar - Pedlar
  • Common: Autodetect if we should use /cache for system dex files - Kali-
  • Common: Quick PIN unlock - gsarrica
  • Common: Increase performance of Gallery3D caching system - Androbot
  • Common: Gallery3D bugfixes and improvements - CodeAurora
  • Common: Gallery3D highres patches - Petar Šegina
  • Common: Skia performance enhancements - CodeAurora
  • Common: APN list update - Paul Weiss
  • Common: Fix AGPS issues on all platforms
  • Common: Ability to customize location to save attachments in MMS - Wes Garner
  • Common: Dismiss notifications by swiping - Evan Charlton
  • Common: Enabled Sound Recorder app
  • Common: Bluetooth OBEX performance boost - Sony
  • Common: Updated Terminal Emulator app - Jack Palevich
  • Common: Updated headset drawables - blunden
  • Common: Optional overscrolling - Google, Arcee, Robert Burns
  • Common: Messaging/Phone sliders on lockscreen - Rodolfo Hurtado
  • Common: Lockscreen gestures - Michael Webster
  • Common: Camera bugfixes (mostly for Droid) - Michael Webster
  • Common: Bluetooth FTP server profile - CodeAurora
  • Common: New wallpapers - Prash
  • Common: Super duper unified flashlights - Michael Webster
  • Common: Launch applications via DeskClock - Evan Charlton
  • N1/Bravo/Incredible/Supersonic/Vision/Ace: FM Radio support - MIUI - http://miui.com (graphics from Fitsnugly, HaXzAmaTiC, and blunden - bugfixes and extra features from Cyanogen, Zinx, mtwebster, and Wysie))
  • N1/DS/Bravo(c)/Supersonic - Unified kernel (Cyanogen, toastcfh, Kali-, defer, Zinx, ezterry, Pershoot, and others)
  • N1: Increased camera performance - Charan Singh
  • N1: Enhanced battery driver - Roger Podacter, theloginwithnoname
  • DS: Updated hardware drivers from official release
  • DS: CompCache sizes can be adjusted through CMParts - Wes Garner
  • DS: Removed bootloader/radio asserts - GOOD LUCK
  • Supersonic - Kernel 2.6.34 courtesy of Toast and Madcoder
  • Supersonic - Use WiMAX LED for notifications - Cyanogen
  • Bravo: Kernel merged with cm-kernel - Kali, Defer
  • Espresso: Improve backlights - Wes Garner
  • Espresso/Legend/Liberty: Kernel OC patch - dumfuq (no OC by default)
  • Espresso/Legend/Liberty: Using media libs from 2.2
  • Espresso: Fixed Bluetooth SCO
  • Legend/Supersonic: Proper notification light support - Alex Hofbauer
  • Incredible: Enable torch app
  • Incredible: Better internal storage support - Josh Stone
  • Sholes: Enable Torch app - mtwebster
  • Vision: Kernel 2.6.32.26, many improvements, 1.4GHz capable (coolbho3k), new ganeth driver (zinx)
  • Vision: Quickeys implementation - Optedoblivion
  • Vision: Insane GPS fix - Zinx
  • Vision: LED enhancement - Pershoot
  • Droid: Kernel 2.6.32.9

Unfortunately, looking at the change log, it looks like the Drunk Mode we were ever so excited about is nowhere to be found. Bummer.

Word around the interwebs is that downloads are slow at the moment, and likely will be until some mirrors go up. Not enough of a (temporary) deterrent for you? Head on over to CMHQ, navigate to your device of choice, and flash away, friends.

One friendly reminder for those of you planning on flashing/upgrading: you may have issues after updating from a previous ROM or earlier version of CM. If you do, try backing up with Titanium and wiping dalvik and cache.

[Source: CyanogenMod, CM Changelog via Ali Waqas]