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Use Blacklist to stop unwanted calls. One of the most annoying things about mobile phones is the number of calls you get from unwanted numbers. Well, CyanogenMod has a response to that in the form of the Blacklist. This enables you to add numbers to a list that you don’t want to receive calls or texts from. If they try and call you, the Blacklist kicks in and they won’t get through. You can choose to ignore calls, texts, or both, and adding a number is as simple as typing it into your phone. This is definitely one of those features that we expect to hit stock Android at some point in the future.

Protected apps adds an extra layer of security to any apps that hold sensitive information. As well as being able to lock your screen, this feature means you can add another pattern-based block on anything you wouldn’t want falling into the wrong hands. There are apps that let you do this on stock Android, but it’s much easier and safer to be able to do it directly through the OS. It also keeps apps out of the app drawer and could be useful to parents who don’t want their kids getting into places they shouldn't.

Protect the info your apps send Privacy protection is another great security feature of CyanogenMod. This one lets you take better control of the permissions that the apps you've got installed on your device have. If

you don’t want data collected about you, you can turn off settings to make sure that it isn't. It's really simple to use and it ensures that it's you that's in control of the information that your device is sending out about you. If you’re worried about digital security, then CyanogenMod is definitely worth installing for this reason alone.

Swap and choose the notification bar settings you want. Sometimes it’s the little things that make the most difference. CyanogenMod lets you rearrange the settings that you can access by swiping down your notifications bar. This means you can put the settings you use most in positions that are the easiest to access. It won’t save you a lot of time, but messing around trying to find something can be a real annoyance and being‘ giving the freedom to put things where you want is definitely going to change that.

Change you status bar’s style CyanogenMod also lets you play around with the look and feel of your Status bar. There’s plenty here that you can switch around, and while the feature isn't as expansive in 12 as it has been in previous builds of the OS, you can still end up with something that’s unique to you. In time, expect to see more customisation options included as well, as developers get to grips with the newer versions of Android that they're working with. You can find the options in the Settings menu of your phone or tablet.

Change your device’s look One slight complaint about the Themes settings in CyanogenMod 12 is that it's that they’re not as expansive as they have been iprevious releases. This is partly down to a lack of themes that support the new version of the 08, so it’s something you can expect to change in the coming weeks and months. One thing that the newest version lets you do is swap and change between aspects of different themes. This is all down to the Themes Engine which lets you quickly install and change themes that you can download straight from the 08. You might want the icons pack from one theme, the system font from another and the boot up animation from a third. All it takes is a few taps to get them up and running. You can use older themes as well, but because they're not designed for Lollipop's Material Design, there's a good chance that they’re not going to look all that great. If you’re feeling fancy you can take a shot at building your own

theme too. You can get more informatiom on how to do that over at Cyanogen's Wiki by heading to this link:

tinyurl.com/wiki.

Use the profile manager to tweak settings.The OS lets you set up different profiles that trigger when certain situations are met, so you could set your phone to change its settings when you walk into work. It's a pretty powerful tool and it means you're not going to need a separate app to control that sort of thing. You can even set the profiles to trigger when you place your device near an NFC tag.

Swap how Trebuchet launcher works. This is a feature of CyanogenMod 12.1 and lets you swap how the 08's app launcher works. Rather than the normal app drawer, you can swap to a vertical layout that lets you scrub quickly to an app so you can open it faster. To access the feature, long-press on the Trebuchet app, then slide a finger up to get more options.

A better sound control system CyanogenMod offers a more in-depth way to tackle the sound profiles of your device. You’re given a number of sliders that let you tweak your Ringtone, Vibration, Alarm and Speaker settings independently. it’s far more useful than the default way Lollipop handles sound and means you can change settings on the fly much quicker as well. Plus, it looks a lot nicer.

Change what your buttons do If you’ve got software buttons on your device, CyanogenMod lets you tweak what they do. You can change the button positions and add new ones. There's also a left-handed mode which shifts the buttons to the side of the bar for easier use. You can even change what the long-press actions of hardware buttons are and wake up your device with a push of the volume button.