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67 Articles

From the editor

If you watch a lot of TV shows and movies, you could be forgiven for thinking that the only smartphones and tablets that people ever use are ones sporting a big Apple logo on the back. But the truth is that the vast majority of mobile devices in use today aren’t iPhones or iPads at all – they’re tablets and handsets from other manufacturers, unified by one key element – the Android operating system (OS) that powers them all. From reasonably humble beginnings, Google’s OS has now become the most dominant mobile platform on the planet, running on literally billions of devices around the world. And it’s not hard to see why. It’s elegantly designed, yet incredibly simple to use. It’s flexible and easy to personalise. And there are millions…

From the editor

Chapter 1: Introduction to Android

If you’re reading this guide, then you’re probably wanting to know more about how your phone or tablet works. Well, we’ve got some good news for you; the Android software that powers your device is simple, flexible and sophisticated. In fact, it’s the single most successful mobile operating system of all time. But what exactly is Android and what makes it so great? In the first chapter of our guide, we’ll uncover Android’s origins, explain its advantages and show you how to get started with the very latest versions of the OS.…

Get started with Android

Imagine a world where phones were just for making phone calls and where touch-screen tablet devices didn’t exist. In this world, there can be no access to email or the web while you’re out and about, there are no map apps to help guide you to your destination, no music or movie collection in your pocket and no games to keep you occupied when things get dull. Sounds pretty bleak, doesn’t it? What’s even more amazing is just how quickly we’ve all got used to the abilities these devices provide us. It’s easy to forget that the imaginary world we’ve just described was how the actual world was less than a decade ago, when smartphones and tablets were barely a twinkle in their manufacturers’ eyes. And it’s amazing to think…

Get started with Android

Meet Marshmallow and Lollipop

Over its relatively short lifetime, Android has evolved into a highly sophisticated, yet instantly accessible operating system, adding brilliant new features with every update. The version of Android you’ll find on your tablet or smartphone will depend on a number of different factors, including the age of the device and the manufacturer that built it. Most recent devices come with Android 5.0 Lollipop installed – it’s a great OS that brings with it a beautiful redesign as well as big improvements to the way the interface works. A handful of the very latest phones and tablets, however, come with an even newer version of Android installed – 6.0 Marshmallow, which adds a further layer of polish to proceedings and provides even more new features. Over the coming months, more devices…

Meet Marshmallow and Lollipop

Chapter 2: Get the best Android apps

One of the best things about Android is that you can expand your device’s abilities and usefulness in an instant by downloading new apps from the Google Play store. The choice is enormous and a great many of the best apps can be installed for free. The flip side of this is that the sheer volume of apps available can be overwhelming – and not all apps are great. If you’re not careful, you can quickly find yourself with a device that’s clogged up with rubbish. In this chapter, our aim is to get you straight to the apps that matter – the ones you’ll actually use.…

Best new apps for a faster phone or tablet

Like computers, Android phones and tablets get noticeably slower over time, as they fill up with junk and start creaking under the strain of day-to-day activities. Fortunately, it’s much easier to give your mobile device a new lease of life than it is to revitalise your computer or find the fountain of youth. Pay a visit to the Google Play store and you’ll find tens of thousands of free tools that claim to speed up your phone and tablet by clearing out rubbish, boosting your battery and optimising your internet connection. The trouble is that many of them are – quite frankly – useless, despite the plethora of ‘reviews’ that try to convince you they’re anything but snake oil. Ironically, the more of these apps you download, the more cluttered…

Best new apps for a faster phone or tablet

Run Android apps on your PC

Install an Android emulator The easiest way to enjoy your favourite Android apps and games on your Desktop is to use an emulator. The best free option is BlueStacks (www.bluestacks.com, which offers a free App Player for PC and Mac, effectively turning your computer into a tablet. When you install BlueStacks, select ‘App store access’ and add your Google account, and you’ll be able to download Android apps from Google Play to use on your PC. Apps can be viewed in a window or full-screen and are controlled with your mouse rather than your finger. BlueStacks provides a selection of popular apps on its start screen, so you can click straight through to install them. There’s also a handy option to sync apps with your mobile device. If you don’t…

Run Android apps on your PC

Alternative Android web browsers

What we liked: Firefox for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X is fast, stable and easy-to-use, and the Android version is equally impressive. Like its computer-based counterpart, Firefox for Android has an impressive range of add-ons that you can install to enhance your browsing experience, including Adblock Plus. We particularly like the browser’s customisable home screen, which lets you flick between your Top Sites, Bookmarks, History and Recent Tabs when you open a new tab or tap the address bar. The app lets you sync much of this information with the Desktop version of Firefox (as well as to other Android devices using the app), and you can also save your login details for your favourite sites. If you want to browse the web without storing any information from your…

Alternative Android web browsers

The best free apps for Lollipop and Marshmallow

How many free apps have you downloaded since you bought your first smartphone or tablet? Unless that was last week, you’ve probably installed dozens or even hundreds of these little nuggets of mobile software – and we’re happy to bet you’re ignoring most of them. We’re just the same. We love browsing for new, old and interesting apps on Google’s Play store, and we’re easily sucked into the store’s breadcrumb trails (‘customers also bought’, ‘more apps by this developer’ and so on). This simple pleasure has left our phones and tablets stuffed to the gills. Google Play now stocks more than 1.6 million apps and, while we’ll admit we didn’t test all of them when researching this feature, we tried enough that we hardly want to look a touchscreen in…

The best free apps for Lollipop and Marshmallow

Chapter 3: Everyday tasks & tools

Android’s a great OS – partly because it makes using a tablet or smartphone incredibly easy. But, while you probably don’t need anyone to tell you how to set up your email or send a text message, there are many simple tasks that can instantly help you go beyond the basics and get even more from your device. How about boosting its battery life? Or what about making sure you’re connected to the fastest Wi-Fi network? In this chapter we’re going to explain how to eliminate annoyances, such as dwindling storage and connection problems, and spend more time enjoying your device.…

Make your battery last all week

Scientists can explore Pluto and even do head transplants, but they still can’t make a tablet battery last for a couple of days without having to plug it in. OK, you could make your battery last for weeks if you were to close all apps, switch on aeroplane mode and leave it in the sock drawer. But if you do that you might as well not have a tablet at all. Many of the best ways to make your battery last longer are well-known – don’t run a zillion apps at once, for example. So we won’t insult your intelligence by filling two pages with them, but we will start with a few basic battery tips you may have forgotten. Then we’ll reveal the latest battery tricks, including a couple…

Make your battery last all week

Connect any device and transfer any file

Having an Android smartphone or tablet is like carrying a powerful PC around with you at all times. But sometimes you may want to access phone or tablet’s files on an actual PC. Or you might want to connect your phone or tablet to another device, such as a TV set. As with many connectivity tasks, it’s often hard to know where to start. So, in this guide, we’ll run through seven different wired and wireless ways to connect devices, transfer files and more. Connect via USB 1 The simplest way to connect your Android device to a PC is to use a USB cable. In most cases, you’ll need a micro-USB to normal USB cable, though some of the latest devices feature a USB-C socket – the correct cable…

Connect any device and transfer any file

Get phone alerts that are actually useful

Many of the alerts you receive on your phone aren’t that relevant to you (for example, app updates or spam emails and texts). The free app Hooks lets you set up useful alerts in no time at all. These can include local weather updates, the latest scores of your favourite football team and the winning lottery numbers as soon as they’re announced. We’re using the Android app (www.snipca.com/17305) for this Workshop but other versions are available. STEP 1 Open the app and tap the ‘+’ symbol to see three tabs. The All tab contains a list of all the available alerts you can create in categories (TV/Movies, Weather Sports and so on). The Popular tab 2 displays a list of alerts that other people have created. Simply tap the Add…

Get phone alerts that are actually useful

Make more space on your Android device

Android devices are like pocket computers; you can store all manner of files on them, including documents, photos and videos. While this makes them hugely versatile, it also means that you quickly run out of storage space. In this Workshop, we show you how to compress your files using ES File Explorer, so you have more room for apps, games and other files. 1 Download and install ES File Explorer, then navigate to the folder containing the files you want to compress. Long-press a file to highlight it. 1 You can then tap other files to select them, too. 2 Tap the More button and choose Compress. A window titled ES Zip Viewer appears. From here, you must choose the name of the compressed Zip file, 1 the format 2…

Make more space on your Android device

Find the fastest free Wi-Fi near you

Cafes, pubs and restaurants are great for getting free Wi-Fi on your laptop, tablet or phone, but connections can be a bit slow. Sometimes, moving to another coffee shop could be all you need to do to get a better connection. SpeedSpot Internet Speed Test can help you find out which hotspots are offering the fastest Wi-Fi in your area and lets you add new ones if you find them. 1 Tap the Wi-Fi Finder. 1 The app only loads 500 hotspots at a time so start zooming in to the area you want to focus on, then press the Reload Spots button. 2 The bigger the city, the more hotspots you’ll find. 2 The size of a marker indicates a hotspot’s download speed; the bigger the marker, the faster…

Find the fastest free Wi-Fi near you

Boost your home Wi-Fi using your phone or tablet

Setting up Wi-Fi is a straightforward task, with most ISPs and router manufacturers making sure you have to do little more than plug your router into your phone socket and turn it on to start wirelessly connecting devices. But ease of use can come at the expense of quality. If you haven’t had the opportunity to fine-tune settings, how do you know your Wi-Fi is working to its full potential? If all your neighbours are also using their default settings, you could all be sharing the same channels and clogging up the airwaves, while other, empty channels could offer a stronger signal. This makes it well worth regularly checking that you’re still getting the best signal. This is a quick and easy job if you use an app called WiFi…

Boost your home Wi-Fi using your phone or tablet

Read and sync ebooks

If you’ve read the news lately, you’d be forgiven for wondering what rights – if any – you have over the digital media you buy. In October 2014, UK citizens were finally allowed to copy their MP3s, CDs, DVDs and ebooks – but just eight months later in June 2015, the law was rolled back. Now we’re not even sure if we can rip a CD for iTunes. Amazon may seem restrictive with its proprietary formats, but its range of apps makes it easy to read ebooks legally on almost any tablet, phone or PC. Read Kindle ebooks on your tablet First, let’s examine one key reason why you may want to read ebooks on your tablet: the quality of illustrations. Simple drawings, tables and charts look much better on…

Read and sync ebooks

Chapter 4: Security & privacy

Carrying around an Android phone or tablet is like having a tiny, touchscreen personal assistant in your pocket or bag at all times. But personal assistants – real or digital – can have a lot of information about you, along with access to details you wouldn’t want anyone else to know. That’s why it’s vital to make sure your Android device is as safe as it can be. That means turning off some default settings that give too much away, making sure your device is protected and always kept up to date. To find out how to do all this and more, read this chapter of our Definitive Guide.…

Stop your devices spying on you

Android apps have never been more useful. They can tell you how long it will take you to get home, find you a good place to eat, watch where you go online to make helpful recommendations, integrate with other apps to make sharing photos easier – heck, a lost device can even tell you where it is and let you lock it remotely. But this convenience comes at a price. To take advantage of these fancy features, you have to lay open your life to app developers and service providers, and that’s not always a good thing. In this feature, we turn the spotlight on the snoops and show you how to stop your devices spying on you. We’ll kick off with the easiest ways to limit what companies can…

Stop your devices spying on you

Lock devices without a password

Your finger How does it work? Apple has made a big deal about the fact that its newer iPhones and iPads come with a built-in Touch ID sensor that scans your fingerprint to verify your identity before unlocking your device. But Apple’s not the only manufacturer to employ this technology – Samsung, HTC and Motorola are among some of the others that have added fingerprint recognition to their Android devices. The new Google Nexus 6P sports a fingerprint reader on its rear, for example. What are the benefits? Your fingerprint is unique and, unless someone has Mission: Impossible levels of spy gear, it’s currently more hack-proof than a password. What are the downsides? On the other hand (pun intended), you leave fingerprints everywhere you go – on pint glasses in…

Lock devices without a password

Sync passwords across devices for free

While the popular password manager LastPass was always free to use on your PC, previously you had to pay £10 a year to use its mobile apps. Now, however, you can install and use LastPass’ excellent features on any phone or tablet for free. Install it on a second mobile device of the same type (phone or tablet) and your account details will automatically sync to that device. You can’t currently sync your account between different types of device (a phone and tablet, for example) unless you upgrade to the £10 yearly subscription plan. In this workshop we’ll explain how to get LastPass and how to set it up on your device. STEP 1 To get LastPass, go to www.snipca.com/17913, tap the Mobile tab at the top right, then the…

Sync passwords across devices for free

Stop hackers reading your text messages

A flaw was recently discovered in the Android operating system (OS) that could allow hackers to take control of your phone or tablet simply by sending you an infected multimedia message (MMS) – essentially a text message with a malicious video file attached. Unlike some other recent scares, this so-called Stagefright bug is very serious indeed. In most cases you don’t even have to play the video or even open the message for the hacker to be able to get into your device. This is because the Android OS automatically processes most video attachments in the background. On the upside, this means the videos are ready to play when you tap them. On the downside, it means hackers can take advantage of the flaw without you needing to do anything…

Stop hackers reading your text messages

Back up your tablet or phone

Your mobile phone or tablet is probably full of very personal information about you. It may contain your only copy of important text messages from family and friends, along with their contact details – not to mention any photos or videos you have taken using the device. The sentimental value of mobile data made headlines recently when Virgin Media accidentally wiped a voicemail from the phone of Yorkshireman Stan Beaton, aged 68. It wasn’t just any voicemail. It was from Stan’s late wife, Ruby, and he’d kept it for 10 years since her death in 2003. After Virgin managed to restore the message, Stan said: “It’s just a wonderful, wonderful sound that I thought was lost forever” (www.snipca.com/16066). Stan’s story had a happy ending, but phone and tablet data can’t…

Back up your tablet or phone

Top tips for updating your device

Check if updates are available Your Android device should be set to automatically check for updates at scheduled intervals and will notify you when one (such as the recent upgrade to Android 6.0 Marshmallow) is available. You can also manually check for updates at any time. Pull down from the top and tap the gear icon to go to Settings. Find and tap About Device (it’s on the More tab on some Samsung phones), to display the current Android version. Tap ‘Software updates’, then Update. This will check for any new Android update and ask if you want to download and install it. However, read the rest of our tips before you start installing the update because there are some important steps you should take first. Will my device be…

Top tips for updating your device

Chapter 5: Messaging, calls & email

With all the great apps, games and tools available, it’s easy to forget that the primary use for your Android smartphone is as a communication device. But there are ways to make even the most basic functions of your device – making voice calls, sending messages or managing emails – easier, more effective and, most importantly of all, cheaper. And it’s not just phones – with the right tools you can make calls and send texts from a tablet too. In this chapter, we’ll explain how to improve your device’s communication skills and save money at the same time.…

Make free mobile phone calls forever

WhatsApp Messenger – one of the best free text messaging apps – now lets anyone using an Android phone make and receive free voice calls to other users of the app. You’ll need the latest version of the app and calls are made using your phone’s internet connection so we recommend trying to ensure that you’re in area with Wi-Fi connectivity in order to get the best call quality. It’s a great way to stay in touch with people anywhere in the world. STEP 1 If you don’t have WhatsApp on your Android phone, install it from www.snipca.com/16045 and follow the instructions to set it up. If you use it, you need to ensure you have the latest version of the app to make calls. To update it, open the…

Make free mobile phone calls forever

Reduce your mobile data usage

Opera Mini for Android compresses web pages so they load faster and you use less mobile data. The app has recently been updated to introduce a new mode that compresses pages without compromising the way they appear in the browser. Here, we show you how to apply different levels of compression, track your data savings, and introduce you to other brilliant features. 1 Download and run Opera Mini on your device. Load a website, then tap the Opera icon. 1 It shows the percentage of data usage you’ve saved 2 compared to what you would have used on another browser. The app uses Extreme mode 3 by default, which offers the best savings, although it can also cause pages to load incorrectly. 2 Tap ‘Savings mode’ and ‘Show more’ 1…

Reduce your mobile data usage

Never pay roaming charges again

Mobile phones have certainly made it easier to keep in touch with family or friends around the world, but not necessarily less expensive. Likewise, phoning home from abroad can be a very pricey business, with roaming charges and mobile-data fees landing you huge unexpected bills. That will all change very soon, or at least it will if you’re travelling in Europe. In a recent vote, MEPs pushed through legislation that will allow all UK users to call, send texts and browse the web using mobile data across Europe for the same prices that they would pay while at home. The bad news is that the new rules, which effectively scrap roaming charges in the EU altogether, aren’t expected to come into effect until mid-2017. So what can you do to…

Never pay roaming charges again

Get more mobile bandwidth for free

Using your Android device on the web uses up bandwidth (the amount of data your contract lets you use per month) which, if you’re on a low-cost contract, could already be quite limited. The Opera Max data-management app runs in the background, compressing files before they’re sent to your phone, which Opera claims can increase your bandwidth by up to 50 per cent. You don’t even need to use Opera’s own web browser. 1 The main screen shows what’s been happening with your data today or over the past month. 1 To turn on the service, flick the switch in the topright corner. 2 The information bar 3 gives an overview of what’s been used and saved, and can be swiped to show further details. The list of apps 4…

Get more mobile bandwidth for free

Free Android email apps compared

What we liked Type Mail, formerly known as Blue Mail, is the best Android email app we tested, offering an attractive design and support for IMAP, Exchange and POP3 accounts. What sets it apart from its competitors is that it turns your inbox into a to-do list, so you can mark each email as ‘done’ or set a reminder to look at it again at a more convenient time. These actions can be performed quickly and easily by swiping emails to the right from the list view; you swipe left to archive or delete messages (or mark them as unread). Other great features Type Mail also gives you the biggest choice over how you receive emails, offering ‘push’ and ‘fetch’ delivery for all accounts, as well as letting you refresh…

Free Android email apps compared

Manage your email with Outlook for Android bit.ly/outlook372

A few months ago, Microsoft released a preview version of Outlook for Android, but since then Microsoft has finally deemed it good enough to remove the ‘preview’ tag and make it properly available to all. Don’t confuse the Outlook app with Outlook.com, Microsoft’s webmail service. The app is a comprehensive email client that works with any email service and includes additional useful features, such as a calendar, message management tools and a Contacts database. It’s very easy to use, and it has a lot of options that may not be obvious at first glance. 1 The Outlook app supports every email service you’re likely to use. From the Get Started screen, choose your email account – Exchange, Outlook.com, Yahoo Mail, Gmail, iCloud or IMAP (select this if your email provider…

Manage your email with Outlook for Android bit.ly/outlook372

Chapter 6: Photos, music & video

When you’re not busy using it to make calls, send emails or check your Facebook status, your Android phone or tablet is also there to keep you amused when you’ve got some time to yourself. It can work like a portable TV, providing you access to endless entertainment, wherever you happen to be – on your sofa, in your bed or on the 9.28 from Harrogate. But you can also use it for more creative pastimes: improving photos, editing video and more. That’s what this section’s about; showing you how, with an Android device at your side, you need never ever be bored again.…

Watch anything on your tablet

Many of us use our tablets as a second TV screen for enjoying our favourite shows while we’re away from the sofa. But while installing BBC iPlayer on your Galaxy Tab, Hudl or Nexus is a no-brainer, there’s loads more great content you can access for free. Broadcasters such as Channel 4 and Sky are now offering impressive services for mobile viewers and, beyond TV, there are live video streams, archive films, webcams, web-only shows, music videos and much more to discover. In this feature, we round up the best apps for streaming and downloading video to your tablet. We’ll reveal useful new features you might not be aware of (the ability to sync iPlayer programmes across devices, for example), and tell you how and where to find top-notch streaming…

Watch anything on your tablet

Record Anything On Any Device

There are lots of free tools you can use to record audio and video from the web when you’re on your PC or Mac. But you’re just as likely to want to record something that’s happening on your phone or tablet, such as a game, conversation or screencast. Fortunately, this is a lot easier than you’d think. In this feature, we reveal the best ways to capture and share content on your Android device. Over the following pages, we’ll show you how to record and play back your phone calls, capture live video, record game footage as you play, save radio broadcasts to your phone, install and use secret screen-capture apps and much more. Record and play back your phone calls There are times when it’s useful to record a…

Record Anything On Any Device

Best free Android photo-editing apps

What we liked: Snapseed’s powerful tools, simple, ad-free interface and intuitive controls make it perfect for all your mobile photo-editing needs. It couldn’t be easier to use: open an image, tap ‘Tune Image’, swipe your finger up and down to select between brightness, contrast or saturation (among other options), then drag left or right to adjust each setting. If even that sounds like too much work, there’s an auto-enhance button that instantly selects the best settings for your image. We like the app’s use of simple swipe-based gestures, because they keep confusing menus and buttons to a minimum while letting your image occupy the maximum screen space. As well as simple tools for cropping, straightening and rotating, Snapseed has a range of more advanced features that let you make precise…

Best free Android photo-editing apps

Best Android video-editing apps

What we liked: KineMaster was by far the best video-editing app we tested, offering a set of tools unmatched by its rivals. When you first launch the app, there’s a handy ‘Get Started’ wizard to get your first project off the ground in double-quick time. Choose a title, theme and soundtrack, select the media files you want to use, and you’re up and running. After this introduction (which you can skip altogether if you prefer), the app’s timeline interface lets you fine-tune every aspect of your edit, including trimming the length of each clip and choosing the transitions between them. If you don’t want your video’s appearance to be dictated by a preset theme, you can make colour adjustments or add colour tints to your clips, and KineMaster’s Layer menu…

Best Android video-editing apps

Google Nexus Player

SET-TOP BOX | £79 from www.snipca.com/16093 The Nexus Player is Google’s latest set-top box for playing online video on your TV. It’s the first device to run Android TV – a version of the popular mobile operating system designed to be used on your telly. While the Nexus Player is the first of its kind, it won’t be the last – Sony’s latest range of smart TVs, for example, use Android TV. The Nexus Player is a plain black device made by Asus, who made the Nexus 7 tablet (now discontinued), and is the shape and size of an ice-hockey puck. It’s very easy to set up. Connect it to your TV using an HDMI cable (not included) and then follow the straightforward instructions to connect it to your wireless…

Google Nexus Player

Chapter 7: Health & fitness

The classic lifestyle photograph of a tablet or smartphone user frequently shows someone lounging on comfortable furniture, casually swiping on a glossy, touch-sensitive screen. But, while your Android device can certainly provide plenty of ways to improve your sofa time, it can also help you keep active. There are loads of great fitness apps to help you count calories, measure your exercise levels and more. Then there are apps that can give your grey matter a workout, provide you with ways to check symptoms and generally keep you in good health. Find out more in this chapter of our guide.…

The best health and fitness apps

Health trackers and ‘fitbands’ have become big business over the last couple of years. But you don’t need an overpriced elastic band round your wrist to keep yourself healthy and in good shape. There are dozens of brilliant apps that let you monitor, analyse and improve your health using your tablet or phone – and many of the best are completely free. Unfortunately, there are plenty of poor-quality, misleading health apps on the market, too. So here we’ll point you to the best ones, so you can get good advice about your health while steering clear of the virtual quacks. Check and track your symptoms No-one and nothing can track symptoms of illness as well as your doctor can. However, you can help by using an app to monitor and…

The best health and fitness apps

Record how many steps you walk

Your smartphone has built-in GPS, which means it’s easy to turn it into an activity tracker. Here, we’ll show you how to use some of the very best free pedometer and fitness apps for Android to record how many steps you walk each day and more. We’ll explain how to set up each app and set daily walking goals. These apps will automatically log your activity and provide a detailed summary of your data over a long period of time. STEP 1 On your Android phone, install Google Fit from www.snipca.com/17003. Open the app, log in with your Google account, then tap I Agree. You first need to enter some basic details that the app will use to start tracking your activity. Tap the Gender dropdown menu and select yours…

Record how many steps you walk

Chapter 8: Expert tricks & hacks

Android might be easy to use, but what makes it the best mobile operating system in the world is its flexibility. If you know the right tricks and how to employ them, there are tons of ways you can improve your device, boosting its speed, transferring data, controlling it remotely – and that’s just the start. On top of that, with the right apps installed, you can uncover completely new uses for your tablet or phone, such as scanning documents, finding friends and more. In this chapter we’ll be going beyond the basics to provide you with advanced tips that will help you master your device.…

Wirelessly control your Android device from your PC www.airdroid.com

Rather than copying files from your phone to your computer via a USB cable, AirDroid lets you set up a wireless link to drag and drop from one to another. You can also view and reply to text messages from your PC (using the full-size keyboard instead of the tiny one on your phone) and respond to incoming calls without needing to pick up your handset. To use AirDroid, you need to install the free Android app on your phone and the Desktop software on your Windows PC or Mac. There’s also a web-based tool available, so you can manage your phone from any browser. 1 To get started, install the AirDroid app (bit. ly/airdroid383) on your phone and the software on your PC or Mac. You’ll need to create…

Wirelessly control your Android device from your PC www.airdroid.com

Move all your data from Android to iOS

Moving your data from your old device to a new one can be cumbersome, especially if you’re switching mobile operating systems. Apple has now made this process much easier by releasing its first Android app ‘Move to iOS’. The free app helps you move all your Android data (Gmail messages, Chrome bookmarks, Google calendar events and your photos, videos and contacts) seamlessly to iOS. We’ll also show you how to get the data from your other Android apps on to iOS. 1 If you have a brand new iOS device that you haven’t set up yet go to Step 2, then Step 3. To transfer Android data to an existing (second-hand or inherited) iOS device, you first need to erase all data on this iOS device. This gives you a…

Move all your data from Android to iOS

Never miss an important update again

Hooks lets you create custom notifications for almost anything. Whether you want updates about the lottery, football results or the latest software vulnerabilities, this handy app will take care of it for you. Hooks can even alert you about tweets and Instagram posts containing specific tags and keywords that you’re interested in. In this Workshop, we show you how to get to grips with the Android version of the app. 1 Install Hooks, then tap the ‘+’ icon to create a new notification. You can set up your own custom notifications using the All tab 1 or browse a range of presets using the Popular 2 and Suggested 3 pages. 2 To set up an alert that notifies you when new films are added to Netflix, tap ‘Show 5 More’…

Never miss an important update again

Turn your Android device into a scanner

Not everyone has a scanner but, with your Android device, you’ve effectively got one right there in your pocket. There are a number of different ways you can scan things with your phone or tablet. All you need is a device with an outward-facing camera. Devices such as the original Nexus 7 (which only has a rear-facing camera) don’t work, as you need to see the screen to line up your scan. Here we explore two ways to scan documents, photos and more. 1 One quick way to scan documents and save them as PDF files is to use Google Drive. The cloud storage app comes preloaded on many Android devices but you can get it from the Google Play store (www.snipca.com/18631) too, if it’s not already installed. Google Drive…

Turn your Android device into a scanner

Make Android better with Arrow Launcher

It may seem odd that Microsoft has released an app for improving your Android experience, but Arrow Launcher does a great job of organising your device’s home screen and offering quick access to everything you need. In this Workshop, we show you how to get to grips with this useful launcher. It’s only just out of beta. To get the app, head to the link on the left and install it on your device. 1 Once you’ve installed and opened Arrow Launcher, it asks you to select your most frequently used apps. 1 Tick the apps you use a lot, 2 then tap Done. 3 Don’t worry if any of your favourites aren’t on the list because it’ll be updated automatically by the launcher. 2 Recently used apps are shown…

Make Android better with Arrow Launcher

Speed up Android and keep it junk-free

Droid Optimizer is a free Android utility with a number of standout features, including 1-Touch Clean Up, which clears the cache of your Android phone or tablet and stops background apps at the touch of a button. In this Workshop, we will demonstrate how to customise Droid Optimizer and take advantage of the app’s best tools, which also include a Junk Finder, Auto Start Manager and Auto Clean Up. 1 Download and run Droid Optimizer. The homescreen shows your device’s total free space 1 and memory (RAM). 2 Tap the settings cog next to 1-Touch Speed Up 3 to configure this tool, which, by default, cleans your cache and stops background apps. 2 You can use 1-Touch Speed Up’s whitelist to prevent it from closing certain apps. Tap ‘add more…

Speed up Android and keep it junk-free

Move from iOS to Android

There are many different mobile operating systems running on a vast range of devices, so as consumers we’re spoilt for choice. But once you’ve owned a mobile phone or tablet and got used to how it works, it can seem like too much hassle to switch to a new system when the time comes to upgrade your device, and you can end up with a phone or tablet and an operating system you don’t really want. Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android are the most popular operating systems, and they often work in very different ways, but switching from one to the other is easier than you might think. On page 108 we showed you how to transfer all your data from Android to iOS. But now we’re going the other…

Move from iOS to Android

Revive an old Android device by rooting it

Android is a very customisable operating system, but there are still limits to what you can do with it. ‘Rooting’ your device will give you greater control over it and let you make all sorts of major changes, including replacing the operating system. It also lets you install and run root-only apps from Google Play store, providing access to all sorts of powerful tools that aren’t otherwise allowed. Rooting an Android device isn’t difficult, but it’s not without its risks. For that reason, if you’re a first-time rooter, you might want to consider trying it out on an old, unused Android device before you proceed to rooting your current one. What is rooting? Rooting essentially means freeing your device from the restrictions placed on it by Google, your device’s manufacturer…

Revive an old Android device by rooting it

More secret Android hacks and tricks

Quickly find any app on your device If you have a lot of apps on your device, then searching for the one you want can be fiddly. Thankfully, there are a few simple ways to speed up your search. The quickest method is to swipe up from the bottom of your device to activate Google Now. Next, tap the mic icon, then simply speak the name of the app you want to open. For example, say ‘Open Evernote’. Another method – which works on Nexus and some other Android devices – is to press the app drawer icon (the circle with six dots at the bottom of your screen). Your cursor will now appear in the search field on your app drawer screen. Start typing the name of the app…

More secret Android hacks and tricks

Chapter 9: Phone & tablet reviews

Buying a shiny new device should be an exciting event, but with so many manufacturers making Android phones and tablets, the sheer breadth of options can be daunting to say the least. But that’s where we come in. We’ve tested and rated all the latest devices for performance, features, value and ease of use and more. And you’ll find our opinions over the next chapter of our guide. So, whether you’re looking to upgrade an old phone or invest in a new tablet, we’ll help you get the one that suits your needs – as well as your budget.…

Get the right device for you

If you’re in the market for an iOS device, your choices are pretty simple – you can pretty much count Apple’s range of different models on one hand, and your decision-making basically boils down to ‘big’ or ‘small’. But Android is different. Because it’s not tied to a specific manufacturer’s hardware, like iOS is, there are literally dozens of different products available at any given time. And, as well as the obvious factors – such as whether you want a tablet or a phone – there are dozens of other considerations you’ll need to make before you commit. What operating system should you go for? What screen size is best? And that’s just for starters. Over the next couple of pages we’ll explain all your options and help you make…

Get the right device for you

Sony Xperia Z3+

SPECIFICATIONS 5.2in 1920x1080-pixel screen • 20.7-megapixel rear camera • 5-megapixel front camera • 32GB flash storage • MicroSD card slot • 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 4.1 • 3G/4G • Android 5.1 • 146x72x6.9mm (HxWxD) • 144g • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/18205 Counting is harder than it looks. The French get to 69 without much trouble, then panic and say ‘sixty-ten’ before moving on to ‘four twenties’. Microsoft goes 1, 2, 3, 3.1, 95, 98, ME, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10. Apple prefers 1, 3G, 3GS, 4, 4S, 5, 5s and 5c, 6, 6s. Google just lists snacks (KitKat, Lollipop and so on). So we’re not too shocked that Sony’s much-anticipated successor to its Xperia Z3 smartphone isn’t the Z4, but the Z3+. In Japan, though, they’ve just called it the Z4.…

Sony Xperia Z3+

SPECIFICATIONS 5in 1280x720-pixel screen • 13-megapixel rear camera • 5-megapixel front camera • 802.11n Wi-Fi • 3G/4G • 146x73x7.3mm (HxWxD) • 136g • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/17337 Every smartphone these days is amazing, but some specifications look too good to be true. Here’s a new model that has a slim metal case with a glass back, high-resolution cameras, a big screen and one of the latest fast processor chips, yet costs just over £210 to buy outright. It’s even waterproof. Surely some mistake? The M4 Aqua does look gorgeous. It comes in black, white or ‘coral’, which is more red than pink and gives you a tastefully unusual option. You can’t get it in aqua – that refers to the waterproofing, which is better than most devices that claim ‘water resistance’,…

Motorola Moto X Play

SPECIFICATIONS 5.5in 1920x1080-pixel screen • 21-megapixel rear camera • 5-megapixel front camera • 16GB flash storage • microSD card slot • 802.11n Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 4.0 • G/4G • 148x75x8.9mm (HxWxD) • 169g • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/17936 The Moto X was launched two years ago as an affordable mid-range smartphone. Last year it was reinvented as an upmarket metal option with a big screen. Now it’s got an even bigger screen, but it’s reasonably priced again. Oh, and there are two versions of it. Make your mind up, Motorola. The alternative to the Moto X Play we’re looking at here is the Moto X Style, which will cost about £360 and has the biggest screen of all, at 5.7in. Its camera adds 4K video, quadrupling the usual Full HD resolution.…

Motorola Moto X Play

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+

SPECIFICATIONS 5.7in 2560x1440-pixel screen • 16-megapixel rear camera • 5-megapixel front camera • 32GB flash storage • 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 4.2 • 3G/4G • Android 5.1 • 154x75x6.9mm (HxWxD) • 153g • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/17937 When it first appeared as a variant of the Galaxy Note last year, Samsung’s ‘Edge’ design brought something properly new, if arguably pointless, to mobile devices. Other phones have bigger or smaller or squarer or longer screens, but they’re all flat. Here’s a screen that goes all the way to the, well, edge, and wraps around. It may just be a few millimetres, but it’s enough to feel startlingly futuristic. The Galaxy Note Edge curved only at the right, where it had a special vertical column of icons – kind of like a cross…

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+

Motorola Moto G (Gen 3)

SPECIFICATIONS Android 5.1 (Lollipop) • 5in 1280x720-pixel screen • 13-megapixel rear camera • 5-megapixel front camera • 8GB flash storage • MicroSD card slot • 802.11n Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 4.0 • 3G/4G • 142x72x6.1mm (HxWxD) • 155g • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/17764 We’ve never tired of recommending the Moto G. It’s always been a very affordable phone (even without a contract) with no significant compromises. If we were being picky, it could look a bit swankier and work a bit faster. Well, now it does. This third version is the best yet, and once again a contender for top Android phone under £200. The Moto G (Gen 3) still has a removable rear shell, so you can change the colour if you tire of it or replace it if you smash…

Motorola Moto G (Gen 3)

SPECIFICATIONS 5.5in 2560x1440 pixel touchscreen • 1.8 + 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 six-core processor • Adreno 418 graphics chip • 3GB memory • 32GB storage • 4G • Micro SIM • Android 5.0 Lollipop • 155g • 149x76x10mm (HxWxD) • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/16549 Now that Samsung has dropped removable batteries and microSD memory card slots from its flagship Galaxy S range of phones – starting with its latest S6 model – you’ll have to look elsewhere if these features are important to you. The LG G4 is one of the few Android phones that still has both features, as well as the latest technology. Like the G Flex 2 (see our review on page 136), the G4 has a curved screen, but this is a distinctly subtler design than the…

SPECIFICATIONS 5.5in 1920x1080-pixel touchscreen • 1.56GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 eight-core processor • Adreno 430 graphics chip • 2GB memory • 16GB storage • 4G • Micro SIM • Android 5.0 Lollipop • 152g • 149x75x9mm (HxWxD) • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/15908 LG’s G Flex 2 has a pronounced curve – a concave design (see image right) that makes it stand out from the crowd. That’s not the phone’s only futuristic feature – its rear casing can repair itself thanks to its clever chemical composition. LG claims the curved contours make the phone feel more comfortable when pressed up against your face while you make a call, and even when it’s stored away in your pocket, pressed against your body. We aren’t convinced by these claims – any increase in comfort levels…

SPECIFICATIONS Kirin 930/935 2/1.5GHz octa-core processor • Mali T624 GPU • 5.2in Full-HD IPS display • 3GB of memory • 16 or 64GB storage • 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi • MicroUSB 2.0, 3.5mm headphone jack, MicroSD, Nano SIM ports • 145 x 72 x 6mm • 144g Last year, the Huawei Ascend P7 smartphone impressed with its slimline good looks and top-quality camera, but its sluggish performance let it down. This year, the company is aiming to improve on that with its latest flagship device, the Huawei P8. The P8 is super-slim, measuring a mere 6.4mm. It weighs only 144g and looks great. The curved edges contrast pleasingly with the flat front and matte rear, and the bevelled edges give it an expensive look that defies its price. Although there’s no removable…

Huawei Honor 6+

SPECIFICATIONS 5.5in 1920x1080-pixel touchscreen • 1.8 + 1.3GHz HiSilicon Kirin 925 eight-core processor • 3GB memory • 32GB storage • 4G • Nano SIM + MicroSIM • MicroSD • Android 4.4 KitKat • 165g • 150x76x8mm (HxWxD) • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/16556 Although Huawei is one of the biggest manufacturers of smartphones and networking equipment in the world, few people have heard of it. Even if you have, chances are you don’t know how to pronounce the company’s name (“wah-way”) and may be under the impression their phones are poor quality. Huawei is attempting to solve both problems by launching new phones under the new Honor brand. The 6+ phablet has a 5.5in 1080p screen and is available exclusively on Three. At first glance it looks like a giant iPhone 4s,…

Huawei Honor 6+

Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Pro

SPECIFICATIONS 1.33GHz Intel Atom processor • 32GB flash storage • 13.3in 2560x1440-pixel screen • 6-megapixel webcam • 8-megapixel rear camera • MicroSD slot • 802.11n Wi-Fi • Android 4.4.2 • 222x332x22mm (HxWxD) • 950g • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/17177 There’s a reason why we talk about the march of technology – not the sprint. When you look back 20 years, of course, it’s absolutely amazing what we have now. But that doesn’t mean every new gadget or gizmo that gets made arrives in our offices to a collective gasp of astonishment. Week by week, we can pretty much guess what Silicon Valley and friends are likely to throw at us next: a slightly slimmer this, a marginally faster that... yadda yadda. Sometimes – and don’t tell the boss we said this…

Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Pro

Acer Iconia One 8

SPECIFICATIONS 5.5in 1920x1080-pixel touchscreen • 1.8 + 1.3GHz HiSilicon Kirin 925 eight-core processor • 3GB memory • 32GB storage • 4G • Nano SIM + MicroSIM • MicroSD • Android 4.4 KitKat • 165g • 150x76x8mm (HxWxD) • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/18703 Touchscreens have been around for decades, but they got popular when they actually started responding to touch, as opposed to prodding. It’s one of the ways technology has overtaken science fiction. In films, people in plastic clothes make exaggerated swiping gestures to drag holograms around the room. In real life, you barely have to move your fingertip. Even this level of sensitivity just wasn’t futuristic enough for the Iconia One 8. Its new touchscreen has a finer grid of sensors embedded that detects even more subtle contact. Rather than…

Acer Iconia One 8

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0

SPECIFICATIONS 1.3GHz Samsung Exynos 5433 eightcore processor • 32GB flash storage • 8in 2048x1536-pixel screen • 8-megapixel rear camera • 1.2-megapixel webcam • microSD slot • 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 4.1 • Android 5.0.2 • 199x135x5.6mm (HxWxD) • 389g • Two-year warranty www.snipca.com/18162 Some people say Samsung copies Apple’s products. Some of those people are even judges. But nobody can accuse Samsung of copying this tablet from the iPad mini 4. If it’s a copy of anything, it’s the iPad mini 3. It has a screen the same size and shape, with the same number of pixels; wide borders at the top and bottom, and narrow at the sides; and a Home button that doubles as a fingerprint sensor. The surprise, though, is how close it actually gets to being…

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0

Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet

SPECIFICATIONS 10.1in 2,560x1,600 screen • 32GB flash storage • 802.11ac Wi-Fi • 5.1-megapixel front camera • 8.1-megapixel rear camera • Android 5.0 Lollipop • 254x167x6.1mm (HxWxD) • 389g • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/16889 Other manufacturers have struggled to compete with Apple’s iPad, and it got even harder last autumn, when the iPad Air 2 arrived thinner, lighter and more powerful than ever. But Sony has come up with an Android tablet that’s even lighter and just as slim. Unlike the iPad, the Xperia Z4 Tablet is fairly waterproof, designed to withstand a metre of water for 30 minutes. That’s reassuring for the holidays, or watching films in the bath. The microSD card slot needs an annoying flap to protect it, but the USB port manages without. The screen is slightly bigger…

Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet

Asus ZenPad S 8.0

SPECIFICATIONS 1.83GHz Intel Atom Z3560 processor • 32GB flash storage • 7.9in 2048x1536-pixel screen • 8-megapixel rear camera • 5-megapixel webcam • microSD slot • 802.11n Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 4.1 • Android 5.0 • 203x135x6.6mm (HxWxD) • 298g • Oneyear warranty www.snipca.com/17933 When Apple first launched the iPad in 2010, it was years ahead of the competition, and it’s managed to stay ahead of the pack not just at the high end, but at the low end of the price range too. Every year, a new crop of iPads arrive with hugely improved specifications, and still-capable older models are reduced to a budget price. When Asus stepped back into the ring with the ZenPad S 8.0, it must have hoped Apple would finally put the iPad mini 2 out to…

Asus ZenPad S 8.0

AMOLED Active-matrix organic light-emitting diode. A display technology that consumes less power. Back up The process of copying your important files to protect against loss of the originals. Bandwidth A measure of the amount of data that can be transferred over a connection at any one time. Bluetooth A technology that allows devices to communicate wirelessly over short distances. Browser Short for web browser – an app that lets you view pages on the internet. Cloud A nickname given to web-based services, such as online storage and syncing tools. DRM Digital Rights Management. Software that limits the usage and copying of a file. Encrypt To scramble data so that it can only be read by those with a key or a code. Firmware Software permanently stored on a device, such…

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