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Towards the end of 2014, Oppo released an update for the Find 5 that bumped the Jelly Bean-running device up to KitKat. It wasn't a quality piece of work, but it was something. Now we know that for the Find 5, along with the N1 and the R819, things won't get any better. No additional ColorOS updates are on the way. None of these devices will see Android Lollipop.
The Oppo N1 was a bit hit and miss: its gigantic frame and unconventional swiveling camera were interesting, but it turned more heads thanks to a special edition that came with the CyanogenMod ROM pre-installed. In David Ruddock's review, he praised the screen and build quality, but had to take away points for the gimmicky rear touchpad, latency, and lack of LTE. We've been interested to see what Oppo would show off next, and GSM Arena seems to think they have a sneak peek at exactly that.
You might remember the Oppo N1 as the first official CyanogenMod phone, which was quickly eclipsed by the OnePlus One. It was a very big phone (physically, not popularity-wise), but now the Chinese OEM is announcing a smaller version called, you guessed it, the N1 Mini. The thing is, the mini version of the N1 still has a 5-inch screen.
Update: The Oppo N1 isn't alone. CyanogenMod 11 nightlies are available for the Find 5 as well.
Yes, CyanogenMod fans, there is a Santa Claus. Cyanogen Inc. announced early on Christmas Eve morning that the long-awaited Oppo N1 CyanogenMod Edition is now available on Oppo's web store. It costs the same $599 as the standard N1, but comes pre-loaded with CyanogenMod 10.2 (Android 4.3). You'll also get spiffy custom packaging, a CyanogenMod phone case (plus a standard case), the O-click remote shutter, and a few stickers to show your devotion. Shipping is free, but will take a while in the middle of the holidays.
It's been a crazy few months for the team at Cyanogen Inc.. After announcing the partnership with Oppo, the new company cofounded by Steve Kondik and Koushik Dutta has released a CyanogenMod installer app, built a Google-approved ROM for the N1, and secured a mess of funding. Now there's a YouTube channel where you can follow the exploits of the CM crew, and it all starts with a demo of the Oppo N1 running the official CyanogenMod ROM.
Chinese manufacturer Oppo has been making a few waves in the Android world as of late, and their latest flagship is now available to hungry consumers in the US. The N1 superphone launches today on Oppo's official web store: $599 American greenbacks lands you one with 16GB of storage, while the 32GB version goes for $649. Standard shipping is free, and the package includes both a flip cover and Oppo's O-Click remote shutter.
OmniROM has only existed for a few weeks, but it's already gaining traction with certain groups (you know who you are). The first nightly builds of OmniROM based on Android 4.4 supported 15 devices, and today brings six more to the fold.
I'm here in Beijing for Oppo's launch event for the new N1 smartphone, and last night I had a chance to spend some time with the up-and-coming Chinese OEM's super-sized flagship, as well as learn a bit more about it from a couple of Oppo's engineers and PR team.
Chinese manufacturer Oppo has been teasing its N1 flagship for some time, and the phone finally became official this morning. At 5.9 inches it sits squarely in the "phablet" category, though there are certainly enough other hardware highlights to turn a few heads. The most interesting is probably the 13MP camera, which sits on a case-mounted hinge and rotates to serve as both the rear and front cameras. It's a design seen before in some laptops and earlier camera phones, but this is the first time we've seen it on a modern smartphone.
While nothing has been officially announced just yet, it seems all but certain that CyanogenMod will be coming to Oppo's new smartphone, the N1, as an officially supported alternative to the company's own custom software layer. I can indeed confirm that something CM-related is happening, because Steve Kondik is here in Beijing for the event (as am I!), which will be happening later tonight (more around very early morning in America).
Steve Kondik and company announced earlier this week that the CyanogenMod ROM has been incorporated into Cyanogen Inc, with the aim of strengthening the pseudo-platform and reaching more users. Since the first announcement Cyanogen has been teasing one major hardware partner, and it looks like that has been revealed.
There was a time not long ago that Chinese OEMs were unlikely to make a splash outside of the Asian market. However, Oppo attracted some international attention with the Find 5, and the internet has been increasingly anxious to see the company's next effort, the N1. You need not wait until next month to get a glimpse of the N1 – some legit-looking images have popped up on Weibo and via @evleaks.