The 7.x branch of CyanogenMod is based on Android 2.3 "Gingerbread", but several features from Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich", have been backported to the 7.2 release of the popular modified firmware. These include rotation effects and transitions, as well as fixes to the telephony stack.

The new stable iteration of CyanogenMod 7 (CM7) also includes updates to the lock screen such as new lock screen styles, and adds a new predictive contact search in the phone dialler. Support for Bluetooth GPS dongles, improvements to mouse and USB keyboard support, better Bluetooth Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) 1.3 compatibility, and assorted Wi-Fi fixes are among the other changes in the update.

Support for more than 20 new devices, including the Samsung Galaxy Ace, Mini and Epic, the Motorola Atrix and Sony Ericsson Xperia Live, has also been added. However, CM 7.2 marks the end of support for some devices, such as the Samsung Nexus S, as they will "graduate" to the upcoming version 9 release of CyanogenMod based on Ice Cream Sandwich, the project's next major stable update. As previously stated by the team, development on the 7.x branch will continue following this release, but will likely slow down as they shift their focus to CM9, which saw its code freeze begin last week.

A list of notable fixes and new features in version 7.2 can be found in the change log. CyanogenMod 7.2 can be downloaded from one of the project's official mirrors; instructions on how to "root" various devices and install ROMs can be found on the CyanogenMod Wiki.

The H reminds users that, as with all custom firmware, and especially with experimental builds, inexperienced users are not advised to flash their devices as they could unintentionally "brick" them, resulting in a complete loss of functionality.

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(crve)