Android Apps that work well on eInk devices

[R-Hat]

Originally Posted by church mouse

Search for Alreader's website. He has an apk for a version optimised for eink. On the Pro HD it works in full screen and maps correctly to the page turn buttons. This dedicated eink version also does a full screen refresh on the Pro HD - the Google Play version does not

Which version is it? I've downloaded the "Version for PDA, communicators amd smartphones (Android)". It has an e-ink mode, but it does not turn off all animation (not the side bar pop-up).

But I will give this program a serious chance, as it seems that most hassle can be turned off and it might finally for the first time integrate with dictionary correctly (been two years since Kindle 3) and the purchase of Goldendict might be worth it.

The main issue now with AIreader is that it doesn't read some EPUB files, it shows only weird characters.

[parkher]

jCoolReader eink

It works fine on Onyx Boox Note (android 6.0.1) and on Sony PRS T2 (android 2.1)

But there are some differences.

On PRST-T1 & PRS-T2 jCoolReader works perfectly (I am using cr3.0.57-15-37-jotas.apk) - I am using it together with GoldenDict.
I haven't tried newer versions, though. Very happy with 15-37.

On Onyx Boox Note, e-ink device is not recognized, so 15-37 and later versions all give some fancy background. It can be switched off for the book pages but not for settings, etc. Also, the eink-specific refresh settings are gone.
What is worse, in 15-37 "Reader Menu" action is not working on Note, no way to get to the CR menu, although it is possible to get to its options.

So on Onyx Boox Note I switched to the eink-specific build, the latest version
cr3.0.57-15-51-1-eink-jotas.apk
It works really fine. And Reader menu is working too. But the e-ink refresh settings are still missing - not that they are needed, it seems. Still, I put "toggle day/night mode" on one of tap zones, just in case. Toggle twice - you get a very good refresh.
However, this newest e-ink specific version no longer supports special actions on Recent Books list items, such as: go to the folder of the book, delete from the list. The Recent Books list is treated just as any folder in the build-in file manager.
It seems that it was done deliberately. There is now a special action "go to last book folder" - it can be assigned to one of 18 tap zones or to buttons. So no big deal.

Another great thing - even though Note has only one ("Back") button, I was able to assign to it "next page", "previous page"' and "exit" actions (single, double and long press), so at last I don't have to touch the screen while reading a book on Note.
Inside settings or in the build-in file manager the button is still functioning as "back" so everything is OK, nothing is lost.
Still, on T2 dedicated hardware buttons are working also inside the built-in file manager, inside the Recent books list, inside the options. Especially I miss those buttons on Note in long book lists.

So I am very happy with jCoolReader - it is the only reader I use on T1 and T2, and the main reader on Note.

Unfortunately, the latest version of jCoolReader is from January 2015, so there might be some newer books it will not be able to handle.

I haven't tried the official CR build from Vadim Lopatin on any of my android readers (yet?). So I cannot compare jotas to buggins, but the whole idea for jotas builds was to make them work with e-ink and to get rid of useless for e-ink stuff.

[cruc2017]

Hey parkher!

Could you post a link for jCoolReader, because I can't find any.

Thanks in advance.

[parkher]

Originally Posted by cruc2017

Could you post a link for jCoolReader, because I can't find any.

goo.gl/NNCCpf

rar password: www.lectoreselectronicos.com

I think the extension .rar is missing in the downloaded file. You may add it if you need it.

It is the current link to the latest version 51-1 in the forum.
But it is already more than 3.5 years old, so it is unlikely to change.
I personally have saved a number of even older versions:
18, and all from 24 to 51, except 40 and 44.
There was a period of active development of the reader and jotas has kindly implemented practically everything I asked him for. The reader was fine-tuned for T2. Thanks, jotas!

[parkher]

Cool Reader

Tested on: Onyx Boox Note (android 6.0.1)
Tested version: 3.2.9-1 (2018-08-14)

This is the "official" Cool Reader from Vadim Lopatin.
Finally decided to try it.
First of all, it seems that it recognized my device as e-ink and automatically switched to bw theme and some settings not useful for e-ink in Options menu were removed.
It also removed absent on Note keys in the key assignment menu.
Also, the recent book list here is working as usually - the full functionality.
I have to say, so far I love it. Not sure if it would work on T2, though.
I like the things you can assign to tap zones in Cool Reader (as well as in jCoolReader), such as toggle between internal and external styles, toggle auto-formatting, recent book list, last book folder (useful when reading series), etc.
Cool Reader also supports external css files. Good integration with dictionaries.
Allows to adjust font gamma which is useful for e-ink, etc.

So far, the main thing I miss in Cool Reader: page-by-page navigation through long list of books in the built-in file manager and in the recent book list, because Onyx Boox Note has no buttons. Or an ability to jump to any place in the list. Alternative: to make the key assignments also for file lists, not only inside the open book. I made a request for such things, not sure if it will be addressed, though. But it is an open source project, it would be possible to build a modified version independently.
Work-around: The stock file manager in Note (called Storage) allows such navigation, so you can get to a book this way and then open it in Cool Reader instead of using the internal CR file manager.

So on Note I am switching from jCoolReader to Cool Reader. But not on T1 & T2. On those devices jCoolReader is working very well and the newest Cool Reader probably would choke, or not run at all (just guessing, though)

IMPORTANT: if you are trying various Cool Reader / jCoolReader versions, you better delete hidden CR cache folders if they show up in the root or in the folder with books (their names begin with .cr3, .jcr3, I think) otherwise you may get unpredictable mixed results, various versions behaving not as they really should. So far no such cache folders were created by this newest version of Cool Reader, though.

[DoctorOhh]

Here are the apps I currently use on a regular basis.

ReLaunchX - file manager and launcher

Moon+ Reader Pro - Ebook reader

Calibre Companion - ebook management on device in conjunction with calibre, Accessing calibre library in the cloud (via DropBox), send current cover to Picture folder to be used as save screen

ColorDict - Dictionary

DropBox - Moving files to the cloud, accessing library in the cloud via Calibre Companion.

Button Savior (non-root) - Easy access to Application switcher, Home screen, Back button

Comic Viewer (built in app) - Set the cover of the current book I'm reading as the power save screen

[pokkis]

Thanks, good advices, specially Button saviour
But how you use Comic viewer to get screens?

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by pokkis

Thanks, good advices, specially Button saviour
But how you use Comic viewer to get screens?

Using ReLaunchX I navigate to the image in the Picture folder (where I had Calibre Companion send it) and click on it. The image opens in Comic Viewer. Then I use reverse pinch hand gestures to stretch the image to fit the screen. Once the image fits the screen I tap the center of the screen to bring up the top menu bar. I then tap the icon to the right of the image name and it sets this image as the screen saver image.

[pokkis]

ok, thanks, i was hoping some easier way, i already tried that one

EDIT btw any way how to get screen shots from Likebook screen?

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by pokkis

EDIT btw any way how to get screen shots from Likebook screen?

When I had my device rooted (no longer) I had it set up so a double tap of the home button took a screen shot. I outlined what I used here.

[jonathanv]

My Likebook Plus is not rooted and when I set an image as sleeping screensaver through Comic Viewer, wether the image is in an app folder or in the Screensaver folder, it doesn't always show when sleeping. I suspect it's because the Flash folder is dismounted or sleeping and so it sometimes can't access it.
Is there a way to save the image in the root or system folder to have it show each time?
And is there a way to change the shutdown wallpaper without root? I wanted to try with adb but couldn't get the device recognized...

Thanks,

[DoctorOhh]

FYI, there is a Likebook Plus thread, an Icarus Thread, and a Likebook Plus Technical thread that would be better places to ask specific Likebook Plus questions.

Originally Posted by jonathanv

My Likebook Plus is not rooted and when I set an image as sleeping screensaver through Comic Viewer, wether the image is in an app folder or in the Screensaver folder, it doesn't always show when sleeping. I suspect it's because the Flash folder is dismounted or sleeping and so it sometimes can't access it. Is there a way to save the image in the root or system folder to have it show each time?

I suspect that sometimes the Comic Viewer didn't complete the save. I always verify after the comic viewer sets the image. After verifying I never have the proper power save image not show up. For what it's worth, I always place my power saver image in the Pictures folder which I think I created. No need for root or system folder.

Originally Posted by jonathanv

And is there a way to change the shutdown wallpaper without root? I wanted to try with adb but couldn't get the device recognized...

I think root is required. I changed mine a few versions ago and even though my device is no longer rooted the change has stuck through 2 OS upgrades.

[fduniho]

Technical Keyboard

I had initially installed Hacker's Keyboard on my Likebook Mars, because I like having a full keyboard that includes cursor keys, a control key, and a row of numbers. But Hacker's Keyboard would display animations with each key press. Lookingfor an alternative, I checked out Technical Keyboard. This app also includes the full keyboard, and the keys merely change color briefly when tôuched, which is less annoying on an e-ink screen. Thère are some issues with it.TheSpacebarIsSometimesClosingTheKeyboard,andRan dom markingsAppearOverSomeVowels.

[fduniho]

Hacker's Keyboard

While its animations are a bit distracting, they can be turned off in settings. When they are off, a key just flashes briefly when touched. The keyboard can also be themed. The stone theme is looking good on eink. The keys are light in color with dark text on them and a dark border around them. Gingerbread also looks good. The main keys are grey, and other keys are black. Most keys have white text, but the cursor keys have black triangles. Ice Cream Sandwich is the default. The main keys are dark grey with white text. I think the Stone theme looks best on eink, though all keys are colored the same. Gingerbread looks better than Ice Cream Sandwich does. Ice Cream Sandwich has the darkest keys, and some kind of background image makes them look dirty. Gingerbread looks cleaner and lighter. In typing this on my Likebook Mars with Hacker's Keyboard, I have not had the same issues I had with Technical Keyboard.

[Dopedangel]

Originally Posted by parkher

Cool Reader

Tested on: Onyx Boox Note (android 6.0.1)
Tested version: 3.2.9-1 (2018-08-14)

This is the "official" Cool Reader from Vadim Lopatin.
Finally decided to try it.
First of all, it seems that it recognized my device as e-ink and automatically switched to bw theme and some settings not useful for e-ink in Options menu were removed.
It also removed absent on Note keys in the key assignment menu.
Also, the recent book list here is working as usually - the full functionality.
I have to say, so far I love it. Not sure if it would work on T2, though.
I like the things you can assign to tap zones in Cool Reader (as well as in jCoolReader), such as toggle between internal and external styles, toggle auto-formatting, recent book list, last book folder (useful when reading series), etc.
Cool Reader also supports external css files. Good integration with dictionaries.
Allows to adjust font gamma which is useful for e-ink, etc.

So far, the main thing I miss in Cool Reader: page-by-page navigation through long list of books in the built-in file manager and in the recent book list, because Onyx Boox Note has no buttons. Or an ability to jump to any place in the list. Alternative: to make the key assignments also for file lists, not only inside the open book. I made a request for such things, not sure if it will be addressed, though. But it is an open source project, it would be possible to build a modified version independently.
Work-around: The stock file manager in Note (called Storage) allows such navigation, so you can get to a book this way and then open it in Cool Reader instead of using the internal CR file manager.

So on Note I am switching from jCoolReader to Cool Reader. But not on T1 & T2. On those devices jCoolReader is working very well and the newest Cool Reader probably would choke, or not run at all (just guessing, though)

IMPORTANT: if you are trying various Cool Reader / jCoolReader versions, you better delete hidden CR cache folders if they show up in the root or in the folder with books (their names begin with .cr3, .jcr3, I think) otherwise you may get unpredictable mixed results, various versions behaving not as they really should. So far no such cache folders were created by this newest version of Cool Reader, though.

It seems Buggins has restarted development of coolreader on github he even seems to have ported over some of the crengine fixes done by the koreader developers.

https://github.com/buggins/coolreader

you get newer versions from here

https://github.com/buggins/coolreader/releases