Onyx Android Devices: Useful Apps

[SnowRipple]

I am creating this thread so people can share their experiences about various Android apps they found useful and working well with e-ink devices.

There are many threads about note taking, writing apps, file management etc. It would be nice to have a list of apps that every Onyx user should at least try.

So if you have an Onyx Android device, what apps do you use and for what purposes? What would you recommend?

[shalero]

For those who own a C67ML, there is a simple way to access
propositions of new apps related to ereading :

- switch the language of your device to mandarin chinese (中文)
- go to the 'apps' section (应用)
- check the Eink section (应用市场) ： 12 apps are listed, among them Moon+ Reader, CAJ Viewer, Kindle, etc...

[Hrafn]

Kepler Pro user.

The only two apps I use are Alreader (as exclusive reader), and SyncMe (for syncing my eReader to my PC, where I curate my book collection).

[sogaiu]

Taskbar, which:

puts a start menu and recent apps tray on top of your screen that's accessible at any time

seems to be handy on the Max 2.

[Noel1976]

I wanted to contribute with an application which is to manage your device from another device.

I use it as a bluetooth keyboard, I leave the two devices connected (it can be connected via wifi or bluetooth) and then with the keyboard of my mobile I can write notes on my boox max letter.

Works

I leave the link where I got it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAq8eEG8OL4

[utkarshj]

And for those devices that lack a bluetooth, OTG keyboard and mouse also works quite well. But it has to be powered externally, through a hub or a y cable.

[mdp]

Originally Posted by utkarshj

And for those devices that lack a bluetooth, OTG keyboard and mouse also works quite well. But it has to be powered externally, through a hub or a y cable.

Strange - which Onyx device you can witness has USB OTG?
I tried connecting a USB Mass Storage Device to the Max2 and it did not work (although I could have tried harder).

[inudaisho]

https://tieba.baidu.com/p/5524450199
Chinese user also found Max2 have USB OTG but "it has to be powered".
(there are photos, he use powered cable.)

I don't have powered USB tool so I haven't test it.

[alcedo]

Originally Posted by inudaisho

https://tieba.baidu.com/p/5524450199
Chinese user also found Max2 have USB OTG but "it has to be powered".
(there are photos, he use powered cable.)

I don't have powered USB tool so I haven't test it.

That is interesting, but how is that achieved to power it externally? Is this a special
usb cable? I wondered if there is sort of an Y-cable: One end normal that you would
plug into the usb-client and the other side split in data and power. Data would be
plugged into host and power into power source. Client would think he gets power
from host. But I don't know if that's possible.
If such a cable exists: Where can I get one.
I really would like to use Max2 with an usb-keyboard.

So far I only know of usb - bluetooth dongles, there is one from Japan were you can plug in
usb keyboard for example and power the dongle and then it's recognized as bluetooth device.
That's to expensive.
And there is "hid-relay" as do-it-yourself project, that's to time consuming.
You also can forward keyboard from desktop/laptop, that's to stationary.

[alcedo]

Originally Posted by alcedo

That is interesting, but how is that achieved to power it externally? Is this a special
usb cable? I wondered if there is sort of an Y-cable: One end normal that you would
plug into the usb-client and the other side split in data and power. Data would be
plugged into host and power into power source. Client would think he gets power
from host.

I remember I had once such a thing. It came with an external hdd-case.
It looks like this: http://amzn.to/2nAXC4E
Unfortunately I can't find it, and I couldn't test it anyway, because I can
see from that external hdd-case that it's an edgy mini usb plug, not a round one.
Could somebody tell me what the exact term for the mini usb plug is the Max2 features?
And what are the big (original/old) ones called, because for that I have an adapter that
fits into the Max2.

Inudaisho, does the chinese source point out how to mount an external storage
over OTG without being root?

EDIT: I guess this one would fit?
http://amzn.to/2E6qpsf
Why do all these Y-cables have micro female plug for power source?

[Noel1976]

If we had the electrical diagram we could do it ourselves.
Now by logic, if what you need is energy, it would be bypassing it.
According to the scheme of a micro usb is like this:



and a usb type A would be like this:



(for a usb 3 look in google go out all the schematics of the pinhole)

following the two connectors of the images, what I would do would be to take two type A usb, one male and one female, and join them with clable and solder.

then fuck mobile charger that is 5v and one of them would join the positive and negative, which is seen in pins 1 and 4.

With that, he would have the energy he needs.

the safest thing is this so connected inside that cable.

You can also buy the female male cable and cast it and then splice the red and black wires that are the energy to join them in the cable that is already done, you just have to cut the cable to join in the same colors.

I see that the Max2 looks identically on the outside to max letter, could I do the same in my model? I read in this forum that in my model the onyx had disabled the possibility of otg.

I do not know if it is necessary to introduce some code before to enable it, I have the doubt, however if someone wants to prove I think that what I say can work, if it is true that the only thing you need is extra energy.

Maybe one day try if I have time, for the bluetooth keyboard, with the program that I say goes well, also you do not need to be anchored to any clable, if it is true that it would be fine to put a usb memory.

[Noel1976]

EDIT: I guess this one would fit?
http://amzn.to/2E6qpsf
Why do all these Y-cables have micro female plug for power source?

Exactly I think that cable is just the one needed

I remember I had once such a thing. It came with an external hdd-case.
It looks like this: http://amzn.to/2nAXC4E

I have that same cable in my hands right now, but it is mini usb, not micro usb and they are two usb type A males, with which I would have to find the converters

[Noel1976]

Well, I have not had patience and I made the connection as I explained it in my house, I tried it and it did not work, it just loaded my boox max letter.

It may only work with the max 2, but of course with the max letter does not work, the connection may be otherwise, but the logical thing is to think that it is as I said.

Or as I said that it is necessary to put some code which enables the chip for otg, in short I do not get to more, I can only speak from my impiric tests

[utkarshj]

It works, and I am planning on creating a thread to make it common knowledge.

Few points to note:
1. check if the wire is working with on a mobile first, to check if its really working.
2. power it via a laptop/pc usb port, the powerbanks and new chargers dont really recognize the low current drawn by usb devices like keyboard dongles and hence dont supply power. There is a workaround for that.

I will write the detailed steps in my thread.

PS: I thought this was common knowledge that Onyx devices support otg. I remember there was a post somewhere here which said that Onyx stopped providing power to otg devices to prevent battery from dying out completely which (maybe) required charging the battery after opening it. But keyboards, mouse, usb drives work if externally powered !

[Noel1976]

Here I talk about the Max2 I have the Max letter, maybe that's why I repeat that it will not work, I do not know what difference there will be, because in the physical Chinese link the photo is the same as the one I have.

It is true that I only tried it with a usb memory, maybe I should have tried it with a mouse too, to see if it worked.

However, maybe I'll wait to see how you did it and if it's not a lot I'll try it.