Owners of recent Nexus smartphones and tablets are beginning to report receiving an update to a new version of Android, version 4.2.2. Nexus devices like the Galaxy Nexus smartphone and Nexus 7 tablet receive such operating system updates quicker than other Android gadgets, which are seldom if ever updated.
Google hasn't yet published an official listing of Android 4.2.2's features and bug fixes, since it's a minor release and not a headline event like the upcoming Android 5.0 "Key Lime Pie" version. Android enthusiast websites, however, have already begun compiling their own lists. Here's a quick look at what Android 4.2.2 has to offer:
Downloads now show time remaining
Whether you're downloading an app from the Google Play store (Google's version of Apple's iTunes and App Store) or a file from the Internet, the progress bar in the pull-down notification area will also estimate the time remaining to completion.
A chime plays when you begin wireless charging
The Nexus 7 has a 4-pin "pogo" connector, near the bottom of the left-hand side when held in portrait mode. This connector is used by the optional dock accessory, which can output sound to your speakers and set your tablet into its "Daydream" screensaver / desk clock / digital photo frame mode. The chime will let you know that it's now recharging, if you plug it in while its battery level is under 95 percent.
Long-press to toggle Bluetooth or Wi-Fi in the settings pull-down
An earlier update introduced a second pull-down menu on the right-hand side of the top bar, which has large square indicators that show whether Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are turned on. In Android 4.2.2, you can long-press on these indicators to turn them on or off. As Android Police's Ron Amadeo notes, however, this is inconsistent with how the rest of the tiles up there work.
An easier way to toggle Bluetooth and Wi-Fi is to add the "Power Control" widget to one of your homescreens.
How to get the Android 4.2.2 update
If you own a recent Nexus device, the update should arrive on it soon. You'll be prompted to download it, and then your device will reset and apply the update. Those of you who don't want to wait (and aren't afraid of getting your hands dirty) can instead download and install it yourself, using the instructions posted on Android Police by Artem Russakovskii.
If you're an open-source developer who likes to experiment with the source code, the Android Open-Source Project now has downloads available.
Jared Spurbeck is an open-source software enthusiast, who uses an Android phone and an Ubuntu laptop PC. He has been writing about technology and electronics since 2008.
