Table of contents for Issue 25 in Android Advisor

Downloading and installing a Developer Preview version of Android to a Nexus device used to be a real headache – indeed, you’ll see our instructions for flashing the previous OS, Android Marshmallow, at the bottom of this page. This time around, Google has made installing the Android N Developer Preview on to a Nexus device so easy that anyone could do it – not that they necessarily should. The clue is in the name: the Developer Preview is for developers, and Google warns against installing it on your primary device (there is already a list of known bugs, which includes stability- and performance issues, poor battery life and incompatibility with some apps). But if you’re like us and you can’t wait to see Android N, here’s how to get Android…

Instagram is getting bigger and bigger, with celebrities and brands among those sharing images on the social app. If you’re new to Instagram, it can be a bit overwhelming, so here we take you step-by-step through how to use Instagram in our complete guide. Download the app The first thing you’ll need to do in order to use Instagram is download the app. There is an Instagram website but it’s very limited – you can’t upload new images there, only view them and like or comment on them. You can download the app from the Google Play Store. Create an account Once the app has downloaded, you’ll want to create an account. When you launch the app you should see a link at the bottom of the screen that reads:…

£TBC inc VAT • htc.com/uk HTC didn’t launch a new flagship smartphone at MWC 2016, but the company did introduce the Desire 530, it’s latest budget smartphone. It looks like HTC is going after a young market with this handset, with ‘cool’ designs like paint splats, and a clip to be attached to a lanyard. Price and availability The HTC Desire 530 is set to arrive in the UK in April, which could well coincide with the launch of the One M10, rumoured to be launching at an event in London then. At the time of writing, the 530’s price hadn’t been revealed yet, but the representative we spoke with at MWC 2016 hinted that it wouldn’t be much above €100. We’re expecting a price of around £120 to £150…

£22 inc VAT • zendure.com Z endure’s A2 6700mAh power bank hits the sweet spot between price, capacity and portability – and now available in black it’s even better looking. It’s absolutely the best power bank you can buy in the UK today, and here’s why. This is the fourth time we’ve seen the Zendure A2, although it’s still in its second generation. The first release was a 6000mAh power bank, which was upgraded to 6400mAh and the price brought down for the second release. Zendure late last year upgraded the capacity to 6700mAh, and more recently has introduced this black edition. We’ve reviewed plenty of power banks over the past couple of years, and without exception every one has had a catch. If they’re high in capacity then they’re…

£569 inc VAT • samsung.com/uk The Galaxy S6 was the best phone of 2015, and with the return of microSD and waterproofing and some other useful tweaks Samsung’s lining up its S7 as the best phone of 2016. Design If you read some early reviews of the Galaxy S7, you might have been led to believe not much has changed in the its design over the S6. But while the S7 still follows Samsung’s familiar design blueprint, the company has made several tweaks to the device’s appearance – and although the S7 is still a stunner, not all its changes are aesthetic. Most obviously the S7 is thicker and heavier than its predecessor, which is primarily due to the fact it houses a higher-capacity, but still non-removable 3000mAh, battery. It’s…

You might have heard of MiFi before, but perhaps it was referred to as a mobile Wi-Fi router or a mobile hotspot device. It’s a small device to which you add a data SIM, and it then turns that cellular connection into an ad hoc wireless hotspot. This allows you to connect your phones, tablets and other Wi-Fi devices to it as you would any wireless router. The difference is you’re connecting over a cellular connection rather than a broadband network, but 4G can be just as fast as many home Wi-Fi networks. The benefits of a mobile hotspot You can connect multiple devices: Some MiFi devices let you connect 10 or more devices to a single hotspot, which will work out a lot cheaper than paying for a mobile…

£193 inc VAT • elephone.cc Well, the Elephone P9000 has certainly been a pleasant surprise. Chinese smartphones tend to come in a great deal cheaper than their UK counterparts, but usually with a handful of compromises. With the P9000 we’re really struggling to find them. Out of the box the P9000 reminded us instantly of the OnePlus 2 with its rough sandpaper-like rear cover and what we thought was an Alert Slider on the left side of the phone. Actually it’s much cleverer than that, and ties in with some of the many excellent software customisations made by Elephone in the P9000. On the subject of software, this is one of the first few Android phones we’ve received running Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box. It’s smooth, slick –…

£189 inc VAT • hihonor.com/uk Continuing its effort to crack the smartphone market, Huawei, under the guise of Honor, is bringing another budget-priced handset to our attention. The ‘no-nonsense’ Honor 5X is another great-looking device that offers much better specifications than you would expect for the price. Design The 5X is the successor to last year’s Honor 7 and has a very similar design. The back and sides are constructed from metal, while the strips along the top and bottom are made from plastic, with dimples that are similar to Samsung’s Galaxy S5. We particularly like the brushed finish on the main part of the rear cover, though it’s picked up the odd scratch or two over the few weeks we’ve had it. The camera sticks out a little, with…

£639 inc VAT • samsung.com/uk Samsung has now played around with a few curved screen smartphone and what felt like a bit of a gimmick is now a legitimate technology. Although the Galaxy S6 was the best phone of 2015, it was missing key features like expandable storage and waterproofing. Those are now back and the dual edge screen has more functionality so the Galaxy S7 edge is a serious contender for best phone of 2016. The Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are two of the first flagship phones we’ve reviewed this year so it’s just the beginning in the fight for best phone 2016. However, it’s so far so good for the Galaxy S7 edge which is an improvement on its predecessors – the Galaxy S6 edge and Galaxy…

Anew phenomenon is flooding the web and it’s both disturbing and fascinating at the same time. That phenomenon is face swap, which has made its way into Snapchat in the form of a new lens. Here’s how to face swap in Snapchat and share your face swap with friends on Facebook, Twitter or elsewhere. First things first, if you’re new to Snapchat our guide to using Snapchat might be more useful, as it takes you through every element of the app. Here, we’re just talking about face swap. If face swap is all you’re after, keep reading. Launch the Snapchat app You’ll first need to launch Snapchat (if you don’t already have it you can download it from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store), and make sure you’re…

£235 inc VAT • elephone.cc It’s no secret that you’ll get much more bang for your buck when you buy from China, but on paper the Quad-HD Elephone mid-range Android phone has astounding specifications for its £235 price tag. A 5.5in pin-sharp Quad HD screen, MediaTek’s beefy octa-core Helio X10 processor, a healthy 4GB complement of RAM, 32GB of storage (with built-in microSD support up to 128GB), a fingerprint scanner, a whopping 20.7Mp camera, a huge 4000mAh battery and dual-SIM support, with both slots able to connect to 4G networks. At £235 from GearBest.com, the Elephone Vowney sounds too good to be true. And in some respects it is. Despite all the premium hardware inside, it looks plasticky and cheap. That huge battery is good only for a day’s juice…

£239 inc VAT • bq.com/uk The BQ Aquaris M5 offers premium features, such as fantastic sound quality and an impressive camera, at low price. Price The BQ Aquaris M5 comes in three variants. You’ll find it with 16GB internal storage and 2GB RAM for £209.90, or with a 16- or 32GB of storage with 3GB RAM for £229.90 and £239.90 respectively. The phones can be purchased from various resellers in the UK, including BQ’s very own site and the likes of Amazon UK, which also stocks the phone. We received the 32GB version with 3GB RAM. The phone is not currently available on contract, but does come with an impressive five-year warranty. This can be upgraded through BQ Plus for £23.90 a year to cover screen damage, moisture damage, impact,…