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[PapaJustify]

With Lollipop Android is definitely in the best shape it has ever been. The UI is sleek, more consistent and refined with more and better animations here and a more homogenous design.

If you want to get a new Android phone, go for either one of the Nexus devices or the latest Moto X.

 

[Dicer]

Sorry, not going to read through all of the pages......but has lollipop actually become a smooth experience? I've been on Android for 5 years, and am finally fed up with the jankiness of the UI. I currently have a S4 and a Nexus 7, and have grown tired of the stalls within the UI (rotation, scrolling, swiping, etc).

We're about to get new phones (Black Friday), and seriously considering ditching Android altogether, just to get a better UI experience.

anything after 4.4.2 should be buttery smooth, at least on a stock device, unless you have something else bogging down your device...If you go to iOS land you are going to be in for quite a shock with how static everything is, sure it's smooth but at a cost.

My S4 (Slim Kat rom) and Tab 3 are both smooth as silk, of course I never use the stock launcher or have un needed crap bogging down my experience, YMMV

 

[UltraMagnanimous]

Galaxy tab?



Ugggghhhh!

 

[BrettWeir]

anything after 4.4.2 should be buttery smooth, at least on a stock device, unless you have something else bogging down your device...If you go to iOS land you are going to be in for quite a shock with how static everything is, sure it's smooth but at a cost.

My S4 (Slim Kat rom) and Tab 3 are both smooth as silk, of course I never use the stock launcher or have un needed crap bogging down my experience, YMMV

Thanks for this. Greatly appreciated. I also have an iPad mini retina (just got it), so am getting used to the ecosystem......but I know what you mean.

I don't do ROM's, etc, as I find them frustrating. So.....even though a Galaxy S5 isn't much of an upgrade over the S4, with Lollipop, the S5 would be a smooth UI experience?

 

[NotBacon]

Thanks for this. Greatly appreciated. I also have an iPad mini retina (just got it), so am getting used to the ecosystem......but I know what you mean.

I don't do ROM's, etc, as I find them frustrating. So.....even though a Galaxy S5 isn't much of an upgrade over the S4, with Lollipop, the S5 would be a smooth UI experience?

If you want a silky smooth simple experience, get a Nexus or Moto.

If you want a not-so-smooth confusing experience, stick with Samsung devices.

 

[Osiris]

Just flashed my Nexus 7 (2013) with the Lollipop factory image

Started to get all panicked at the first boot after flashing, it's taking so long I thought at first I'd bricked it.

Then I remembered the whole ART bootup/compile deal and started breathing again.

Still booting. Anyone know how long roughly it should take?

edit: nvm, done, took about 4 mins!

 

[elostyle]

Got a Nexus 9 in the office and the light bleed of the screen is unfortunately astonishingly bad.

 

[pestul]

Just flashed my Nexus 7 (2013) with the Lollipop factory image

Started to get all panicked at the first boot after flashing, it's taking so long I thought at first I'd bricked it.

Then I remembered the whole ART bootup/compile deal and started breathing again.

Still booting. Anyone know how long roughly it should take?

edit: nvm, done, took about 4 mins!

Yep I did the same as well. I was frantically googling if it should take a long time to initialize. Typing on it now and it's totally awesome. Speed is fantastic.

I flashed the image to see if it would help with some of the random reboots experienced since launch.

 

[Krakn3Dfx]

Updated both my 2012 and 2013 model N7s, running great on both, downloading the N5 image now for my phone, but it's taking exponentially longer than the N7 images did, I'm guessing more people realized the images were posted and the Google servers are getting hammered now.

 

[Guerrillas in the Mist]

Turns out the N4 isn't getting it for now. Meh.

 

[pestul]

I think my 5ghz WiFi is finally stable with Lollipop.

 

[KarmaCow]

Turns out the N4 isn't getting it for now. Meh.

Wait really? That's dumb.

 

[Guerrillas in the Mist]

Wait really? That's dumb.

Its coming "later". Whether thats a day or two or considerably longer than that, we don't know yet.

 

[Septimus Prime]

Are you guys flashing the factory image and running without root? I'm just curious if I should flash it over my CM build or if I should wait for a ROM.

 

[KarmaCow]

Its coming "later". Whether thats a day or two or considerably longer than that, we don't know yet.

Ah okay, misread your post. Hopefully it's a matter of days not weeks.

 

[aznpxdd]

Anyone with the Nexus 5 got the OTA yet?

 

[vwnut13]

Are you guys flashing the factory image and running without root? I'm just curious if I should flash it over my CM build or if I should wait for a ROM.

WugFresh released a rootable kernel for the Nexus 7 (2012) really fast. Wouldn't be surprised if the other Nexus devices are rootable by now.

 

[Supermanisdead]

whens moto g 1st gen

 

[RoadHazard]

Sorry, not going to read through all of the pages......but has lollipop actually become a smooth experience? I've been on Android for 5 years, and am finally fed up with the jankiness of the UI. I currently have a S4 and a Nexus 7, and have grown tired of the stalls within the UI (rotation, scrolling, swiping, etc).

We're about to get new phones (Black Friday), and seriously considering ditching Android altogether, just to get a better UI experience.

On the Nexus 5 it's smooth as hell. I mean, so was KK, really, but L is even smoother. Very, very nice.

Thanks for this. Greatly appreciated. I also have an iPad mini retina (just got it), so am getting used to the ecosystem......but I know what you mean.

I don't do ROM's, etc, as I find them frustrating. So.....even though a Galaxy S5 isn't much of an upgrade over the S4, with Lollipop, the S5 would be a smooth UI experience?

NO. Do not get a Samsung phone if UI smoothness is a priority. They bog their phones down something fierce with all their skinning and bloat. Get a Nexus 5/6 or a Moto X.

 

[diaspora]

Anyone with the Nexus 5 got the OTA yet?

yer funny

 

[pestul]

Are you guys flashing the factory image and running without root? I'm just curious if I should flash it over my CM build or if I should wait for a ROM.

Yeah, just flashing that stock lollipop. Spoke too soon. My 5ghz disconnected as usual. Also, appdata wasn't restored when restoring the apps. No biggie but it would have been nice.

 

[Canon]

Nexus 7 2013 getting any love?

 

[ukas]

Nexus 7 2013 getting any love?

It's part of the current rollout, yes.

 

[RoadHazard]

Nexus 7 2013 getting any love?

The Wi-Fi version, yes. LTE, not yet.

 

[Canon]

The Wi-Fi version, yes. LTE, not yet.

Do I just download this "5.0 (LRX21P)"

https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images

And follow the instructions to get it?

Or just wait... and hope it's not a week away.

 

[RoadHazard]

Do I just download this "5.0 (LRX21P)"

https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images

And follow the instructions to get it?

Or just wait... and hope it's not a week away.

Yep. You're gonna need some tools (ADB and fastboot) to flash it though. These normally come in the Android SDK, but if you don't want to install that whole thing you can get the tools separately here. I haven't actually tried that, as I have the SDK installed, but it should work.

Then it's really just a matter of running the flashing script included in the image download.

 

[Argyle]

Do I just download this "5.0 (LRX21P)"

https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images

And follow the instructions to get it?

Or just wait... and hope it's not a week away.

Don't forget to edit out the -w in the batch file (assuming you are using Windows, in the "fastboot update image....zip" command) if you don't want to wipe your device.

 

[Septimus Prime]

Don't forget to edit out the -w in the batch file (assuming you are using Windows, in the "fastboot update image....zip" command) if you don't want to wipe your device.

Is that safe? I mean, I definitely don't want to wipe the storage partition, but what about the current ROM and cache?

 

[scently]

Is that safe? I mean, I definitely don't want to wipe the storage partition, but what about the current ROM and cache?

I removed the '-w' and it didn't wipe but my phone became slow, and several stuff were not working.

 

[Sophistical Bunt]

I flashed my Nexus 5 earlier. I did a full wipe of the phone. I really like Android 5! There's some nice new features and it looks good too. One or two of the animations are a bit over the top, but that's a minor gripe. I'll probably switch back to using Apex for my launcher anyway now that I've played around with it stock. I think people are going to be very pleased with this update.

 

[NotBacon]

Don't forget to edit out the -w in the batch file (assuming you are using Windows, in the "fastboot update image....zip" command) if you don't want to wipe your device.

Lol don't do this. The flag was put in the script for a reason...

 

[diaspora]

Don't forget to edit out the -w in the batch file (assuming you are using Windows, in the "fastboot update image....zip" command) if you don't want to wipe your device.

Don't listen to this =_=

 

[Septimus Prime]

I removed the '-w' and it didn't wipe but my phone became slow, and several stuff were not working.

Yeah. I figured that would happen--especially if Lollipop is switching from Dalvik to ART. I think it's better to just bite the bullet and wipe.

 

[Nuklear]

This article tells you how to flash a Lollipop image onto your Nexus device provided Google released an image for your device.

http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-update-nexus-android-5-0-lollipop/

I have Lollipop up and running on my Nexus 7 2012 WiFi model.

 

[gcubed]

Yeah. I figured that would happen--especially if Lollipop is switching from Dalvik to ART. I think it's better to just bite the bullet and wipe.

Or just wait for the ota.

That being said it's miles better than the already fantastic preview

 

[Tuck]

Yeah. I figured that would happen--especially if Lollipop is switching from Dalvik to ART. I think it's better to just bite the bullet and wipe.

If I wipe my phone, that doesn't wipe carrier settings right?

 

[aznpxdd]

yer funny

?

People have been getting OTA on Nexus 5 on XDA.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

So it's pretty clear that there isn't any Nexus 5 images out there? Or shsll i say thwre ia. And if there is, is there a self-contained or certain message I can do this without a computer? I don't have access to my computer right now but if I could do it all by downloading the files to this phone and running an installer then that would be something I would consider at this point.

 

[RoadHazard]

Or just wait for the ota.

That being said it's miles better than the already fantastic preview

What's better, exactly...? I haven't really noticed anything different, except that it comes with a bunch of Google apps as usual (which the preview didn't). Other than that it seems more or less identical. I suppose some bugs have been fixed and such, but it's really nothing I have noticed yet.

If I wipe my phone, that doesn't wipe carrier settings right?

Nah, that stuff should come on the ROM. The settings for my carrier are always automatically correct after I wipe and flash.

So it's pretty clear that there isn't any Nexus 5 images out there? Or shsll i say thwre ia. And if there is, is there a self-contained or certain message I can do this without a computer? I don't have access to my computer right now but if I could do it all by downloading the files to this phone and running an installer then that would be something I would consider at this point.

Check on XDA, pretty sure I saw someone post a flashable zip. You have custom recovery and such?

 

[crimsonheadGCN]

I am in the process of flashing my nexus 7 to 5.0, but I was wondering something. Is there any actual benefit from doing a flash instead of a normal update?

Also, is it normal for it to take a long time to boot up?

3rd question is this: If I want to wipe my device in the future, can I just reflash it with the Android 5.0 factory image?

 

[Sophistical Bunt]

I am in the process of flashing my nexus 7 to 5.0, but I was wondering something. Is there any actual benefit from doing a flash instead of a normal update?

I don't think so. Maybe a fresh install is better than an upgrade, a bit like with a Windows PC, but I don't know for sure.

Also, is it normal for it to take a long time to boot up?

Yeah. Mine was taking so long I went to XDA Developers to ask for help, I found a thread started by another guy who said his phone was stuck on the boot up screen, but by the time I went to post my reply my phone had booted.

 

[gcubed]

What's better, exactly...? I haven't really noticed anything different, except that it comes with a bunch of Google apps as usual (which the preview didn't). Other than that it seems more or less identical. I suppose some bugs have been fixed and such, but it's really nothing I have noticed yet.



Nah, that stuff should come on the ROM. The settings for my carrier are always automatically correct after I wipe and flash.



Check on XDA, pretty sure I saw someone post a flashable zip. You have custom recovery and such?

It's smoother, shockingly so. The UI is mostly the same but it's so much smoother throughout all aspects of the os

 

[RoadHazard]

I am in the process of flashing my nexus 7 to 5.0, but I was wondering something. Is there any actual benefit from doing a flash instead of a normal update?

Also, is it normal for it to take a long time to boot up?

3rd question is this: If I want to wipe my device in the future, can I just reflash it with the Android 5.0 factory image?

For me it just feels better to do a clean wipe and flash with a major update like this, to start fresh with a "new" device. But I don't know if it actually makes any difference for performance and such. Maybe if you had a ton of crap installed.

Yeah, it's normal that it takes quite some time on first boot. This is due to the new runtime, ART. Whereas the old one, Dalvik, did just-in-time compilation every time you started an app, ART compiles everything ahead of time just once. This means apps take longer to install and take up a bit more space, but in return they start and run faster. This is why the first boot takes so long.

You don't need to reflash just to wipe, a factory reset will accomplish the same thing. But yeah, if you've changed other stuff in the system (through rooting) you can just flash the factory image to make it 100% stock again.

It's smoother, shockingly so. The UI is mostly the same but it's so much smoother throughout all aspects of the os

I thought the last preview was really smooth as well, but sure, it wasn't always absolutely perfect. Maybe it is even better now.

 

[mickcenary]

This article tells you how to flash a Lollipop image onto your Nexus device provided Google released an image for your device.

http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-update-nexus-android-5-0-lollipop/

I have Lollipop up and running on my Nexus 7 2012 WiFi model.

Is this a decent enough tutorial?

I'm a complete noob when it comes to flashing phones and whatnot, but I'd consider myself technologically adept.

 

[NotBacon]

Just follow the instructions straight from the Google nexus images site...

 

[crimsonheadGCN]

I don't think so. Maybe a fresh install is better than an upgrade, a bit like with a Windows PC, but I don't know for sure.


Yeah. Mine was taking so long I went to XDA Developers to ask for help, I found a thread started by another guy who said his phone was stuck on the boot up screen, but by the time I went to post my reply my phone had booted.

For me it just feels better to do a clean wipe and flash with a major update like this, to start fresh with a "new" device. But I don't know if it actually makes any difference for performance and such. Maybe if you had a ton of crap installed.

Yeah, it's normal that it takes quite some time on first boot. This is due to the new runtime, ART. Whereas the old one, Dalvik, did just-in-time compilation every time you started an app, ART compiles everything ahead of time just once. This means apps take longer to install and take up a bit more space, but in return they start and run faster. This is why the first boot takes so long.

You don't need to reflash just to wipe, a factory reset will accomplish the same thing. But yeah, if you've changed other stuff in the system (through rooting) you can just flash the factory image to make it 100% stock again.



I thought the last preview was really smooth as well, but sure, it wasn't always absolutely perfect. Maybe it is even better now.

Thanks for answering my questions. I appreciate it.

 

[Argyle]

Is that safe? I mean, I definitely don't want to wipe the storage partition, but what about the current ROM and cache?

Those are going to get reflashed regardless.

If you don't remove the -w it WILL completely wipe your device (including the storage partition). Yes, it is safe, it's the same thing as if you got the OTA, which also doesn't wipe your device. I've been doing this for every update since the Galaxy Nexus.

 

[Why would you do that?]

I'm spending way too much work backing up the data on my mother's Nexus 10 with CyanogenMod to install stock Lollipop.

First, I copied everything from internal storage to my PC (not exactly easy, thanks to MTP). Then I did a "nandroid" backup with the recovery. Both of those will allow me to revert back to KitKat exactly as it was in case I need to for some reason.

Now, in order to transfer some app data from KitKat to Lollipop after the wipe and install, I'm backing up several apps with Titanium Backup. After I install Lollipop, I'll have to root it to restore the backup. I'll also see about putting on Clockworkmod so that I can make another nandroid backup. I also backed up certain apps with Helium, just in case. (And on the plus side, Helium works without root.)

Is this the right thing to do, or is it simply overkill? Is there a simpler or better way of doing all of this that I might not know of?

 

[Polari]

whens moto g 1st gen

Probably soon... same guts as the 2nd gen so there's not really any additional work involved.

 

[MarkMclovin]

Checked my Nexus 5 and 7 2013 (wifi).

Fuck all.