Google Threatens Cyanogen Android Hacker With Cease-And-Desist

This is a weird one: Google has just slapped Cyanogen, maker of the biggest and most successful Android ROM mod around, with a cease-and-desist letter. But Google’s reasoning doesn’t make any sense, and we’re wondering what their game is.

See, Google’s cease-and-desist specifically states that Cyanogen should stop passing around Google’s closed-source apps like Google Maps, Google Talk and Gmail, because those are only supposed to be used on Google Experience Android devices like the G1 and MyTouch 3G. That makes sense, except for one thing: Cyanogen only works on the exact devices those closed-source apps were designed for, like, well, the G1 and MyTouch 3G. So what’s the point of trying to stop Cyanogen?

Engadget suggests that maybe Google just wants to discourage rooting of their devices in general, which seems awfully contrary to the Android open-source philosophy. Truth is, we have no idea why Google would want to stop a thriving and well-received modder, but Cyanogen says he’s trying to open up some communication with the big G, so hopefully we’ll get an explanation soon. [Android and Me via Engadget]