The virtual ink had only just dried on our guide to installing CyanogenMod when Google dismissed the official app from the Play Store, much to the dismay of modders and hackers. A vibrant customisation community has grown up alongside Android, with CyanogenMod at the forefront — this alternative, open source variant of Google’s mobile operating …

Google scooped up Quickoffice back in June 2012, then made the iOS and Android document editor free in September of this year. Now the app has been bundled with KitKat, giving Android 4.4 users the ability to create and edit Microsoft Office files without even having to open up the Play Store. Google Drive is still present and correct, of …

Get your hands on the stock version of Android 4.4 KitKat and you’ll find there’s a new camera app for recording your life on the move. It’s not a revolution in photo-snapping technology, but there are some neat new features that you should make yourself aware of. We’ve also covered a few of the options that have been carried over …

Perhaps you’ve treated yourself to a brand new Nexus 5, or you’re eagerly awaiting the moment when the latest flavour of Android hits your handset. However you get hold of Android 4.4 KitKat, you’ll notice some new features to get to grips with — if they’re not all to your taste, here’s how to undo the changes Google is keen …

There are plenty of complimentary things you can say about the Kindle Fire HD. “It has a stellar collection of apps,” unfortunately isn’t one of them. Amazon has customised Android to within an inch of its virtual life and banished Google Play in favour of its own Amazon Appstore. Take a stroll down its digital aisles and you’ll find the …

The Kindle Fire HD is a cracking little tablet, but it’s very much Amazon’s way or the highway (the highway in this case being the Google Nexus 7) — you’re stuck with Amazon’s customised interface, Amazon’s choice of apps, and Amazon’s favourite services (like Lovefilm and the Amazon Cloud Player). If you want to install other apps and use Android …

There’s much to like about the Kindle Fire HD, but while it’s running Android, it’s definitely an Amazon device through and through. The customised version of Android Ice Cream Sandwich you’ll find on the tablet has been chopped down to restrict the content you’re able to install, and the sprawling collection of apps available in Google Play has been replaced …

Pick up a Kindle Fire HD and you’ll soon realise this is not Android as we know it. Amazon has very much put its own stamp on the OS, right from the first screen — ebooks, photos, music, video and the Amazon store itself are all given the same prominence as your apps. The central carousel is a jumbled collection …

Part of the iPad mini‘s appeal is its simplicity — just switch it on and go — but there’s plemty more to explore if you dig a little deeper. Whether you’ve treated yourself to a new iPad mini or came across one underneath the Christmas tree, you should find these tricks and tools useful in helping you get more out …