Say what you will about Samsung devices, but you have to admit that the developer community loves them. Evident from the fact that an Android 4.2 port is in the works for the original Galaxy S, and active development continues for the Galaxy S2.

And if it happens to be a Nexus device, of which Samsung has three to boast about, there is nary a doubt that the developer community would be tuned in. A testimony to that is a new pre-alpha Android 4.2 based custom ROM which is being worked upon by XDA member budm for the Sprint Samsung Nexus S, a U.S carrier variant of the second Nexus device from Google.

While Google may have pulled the curtains down on the Nexus S, with Android 4.1.2 being the official end-of-the-road update, users of this very capable device of yesteryears would still be confident about getting Android 4.2 goodness in the form of community developed custom ROMs, and here it is.

The work-in-progress pre-alpha ROM is called Bland Android, as it is pure, vanilla stock Android, and budm feels it could do with some nice additions along the way. It is pre-rooted, and preliminary observations indicate that everything works, except for issues with call audio. Which means it can’t really be used if a Nexus S is still your primary phone.

Here’s an update of the current status of the Bland Android 4.2 pre-alpha ROM, quoted from the source page:

What works?

  • It boots
  • Touch screen works
  • It has working data
  • it sends calls
  • it sends texts
  • GPS works kind of
  • it has working wifi
  • the system audio, and music audio
  • mic works (Google Now tested)

Whats Doesn’t work?

  • possibly call audio (*See Bottom of Post)

Whats weird?

  • lock screen time is cut at the bottom
  • Sprint System Settings menu FCs Settings
  • Google Maps attempts to lock into my locationboth Google Maps and Google Now don’t seem to be able to access GPS.
  • Storage section under Settings FCs.
  • 4G options FC
  • After a call it says return to call on lockscreen
Pretty impressive for a veteran device, we must say. But then Samsung has churned out some real solid stuff in its two Nexus smartphones, and going by the update above, it shouldn’t be too long before the kinks are ironed out and we have a fully working Android 4.2 build out for this device.

If you’re interested in trying this out on your Nexus S, the pre-alpha build is up for download at the source page, and can be flashed via Clockworkmod Recovery.