If you happen to own a Nexus device, you most likely are holding your breath for the new Android 5.0 Lollipop update to be pushed to it. Even if the update notification is not showing up on your device (check this by going to System | About tablet | System updates and tap the "Check now" button), there is still hope--you can download and install the image file right now.
The hugely resourceful folks at Android Police point to what is, in every likelihood, the final Android 5.0 Lollipop release for the 2012 Nexus 7 tablet. Go ahead and download the file ‘nakasi-lrx21p-factory-93daa4d3.tgz’ from this link, and flash this file if you’re feeling adventurous (it does involve wiping your device and sporting a few command line chops as you go through the motions of completing various steps in a very specific sequence.) See the instructions for pushing the update to your 1st gen Nexus 7 here.
Of course, be sure to backup your system before diving headlong into this--in the event of the process not going as planned, it would be prudent to have a fallback to restore your existing system from.
Off the bat, Lollipop does appear more fluid that KitKat; even after restoring all apps and data the response was butter-smooth, and with no sign of any stuttering. The much-touted Material design is pleasingly flat, intuitive and clean. Then there are the many enhancements such as the re-imagined notifications functionality (with the ability to finely control them both on the lock screen and in the main interface), smarter battery management for extended use, tighter security options for your device data, a guest user mode that restricts apps and functionality, improvements in network connectivity (extending across WiFi, Bluetooth, and cellular), and core improvements that deliver up to 4x improvements in performance along with support for 64-bit processors and more. Go through the entire laundry list of Lollipop’s enhancements here.
And as you decide whether or not to push this update yourself of wait for it to happen over the air, some screenshots for your viewing pleasure.
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 "android, Nexus, Lollipop, google, update, Kitkat")
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