Samsung's Galaxy Nexus is getting the Android JellyBean 4.2 update but the patch needs to be downloaded manually and at the moment intended only for Sprint subscribers.

The upgrade is official, hosted by Google server, and is available for download via this link: http://android.clients.google.com/packages/ota/samsung_proxima_toroplus_sprint/c5ea6e959840.update_mysidspr_FH05_to_GA02.zip. Roughly a 100MB file, the ROM needs to be saved on your PC first for later flashing.

For Android veterans with considerable know-how in gadget tinkering, try your hand in replacing the stock Android on your Nexus. Android Central strongly recommends this guide, http://forums.androidcentral.com/sprint-galaxy-nexus/244643-how-manually-install-android-4-2-1-update-zip-using-adb-sideload.html, but as always proceed with caution.

For the uninitiated, it is best to hold off on this one and wait for the OTA dispatch, which blog reports said would not take too long to become available.

Regardless, the sweets that come with JellyBean 4.2 is worth the trouble, according to Gotta Be Mobile. While Nexus by Samsung has been around for quite some time, revving it up with new Google features should fire up new flavour of excitements for the handset - the object of affection for native Android prior to the Nexus 4 rollout.

Topping the list of spiced up Google experience on the 4.2 upgrade is Google Now plus the vastly improved touch input functions and image capturing. Users should be delighted with the new Google Gesture, which behaves much like the popular Swype touch keyboard app.

Another hit with this JellyBean rendition is Photo Sphere, which allows the snapping of panoramic photos in 360 degrees.

Note that the JellyBean update on Sprint, while troublesome a bit, is ahead of Verizon's, which actually picked up the Samsung Nexus for U.S. distribution much earlier but is now behind on pushing out the latest Android flavour.

This scenario, CNET said, only underscored the fragmented update system of Android, plaguing even the most established Android handset manufacturers. On average, Samsung requires a number of months to reconfigure fresh Android versions before they can be placed on pipeline for global upgrades.