Step three: Sign into your Google account (if you have one), then complete the rest of the setup screens - again, same as you would on a tablet. (Andy currently runs Android 4.2, aka Jelly Bean.) Use your mouse to click Start (unless your system has a touchscreen, in which case you can tap!). Step two: After about a minute of 'booting,' you should see an Android Welcome screen, same as if you'd just booted a new tablet. (I tested it on a system running Windows 8.) You'll need to approve a Windows firewall request the first time you run it. Step one: Download, install, and start Andy. Unlike BlueStacks, which merely runs Android apps, this free utility gives you a fully operable Android experience on a Windows or Mac system, and can even sync with your existing Android device.

Whatever your plans, Andy should be able to accommodate them. Heck, maybe you just want to enjoy Clash of Clans on a larger screen.

Or maybe there's an app that would be convenient to run on your PC, like Messaging or WhatsApp.

Perhaps you're thinking of ditching your iPhone in favor of, say, a Google Nexus, but want to test-drive Android first. There are lots of great reasons to use an Android emulator.

Andyroid emulator mac