ContributorNetwork - Because Google's Android operating system is open-source, anyone who wants to can take it and use it for their own purposes without asking. Most hardware manufacturers do ask, so they can bundle proprietary Google apps like the Android Market with their smartphones and tablets. But hobbyist programmers have also used it to create CyanogenMod, a third-party version of Android that adds new options and is free of carrier bloatware.
More...
More...