Many modern e-books work under the Android operating system, which allows, in addition to using regular e-book software, to install additional software. This is one of the advantages of e-books running under the Android OS. But using it is not always easy and simple.
Unfortunately, due to the tightening of Google's certification policy, e-book manufacturers have stopped installing Google services on them, including the Google Play app store. Alternative app stores are often inconvenient and contain a small number of applications (compared to Google).
But, by and large, even a working Google Play store would not become a panacea, but would doom the user to a long selection of suitable applications.
This problem is due to the fact that not every application will work correctly on e-books.
For the application to work successfully, several conditions must be met:
1. The application should be suitable for working on a black and white screen, color display should not be fundamentally important;
2. The application should not contain rapidly changing images, at least in its main semantic part;
3. The application must not be paid (installation of paid applications on Android devices that do not have the Google Play app store installed is legally impossible);
4. The application must be, in principle, compatible with e-books (even if the three previous conditions are met, not all applications are workable).
And, conversely, not every e-book will be able to work with applications additionally installed by the user.
For this, some conditions must also be met:
1. The e-book must have a touch screen (inexpensive books have push-button controls);
2. For applications that require access to the Internet, the e-book must have a Wi-Fi wireless network module;
3. For audio players to work in an e-book, there must be an audio path or a Bluetooth communication module that can be paired with wireless headphones.
In view of all of the above, the best option for installing applications is to install pre-tested applications from APK installation files.
MacCentre has done some work on selecting applications that can work successfully on e-books (albeit to varying degrees of success). These applications are divided into several categories depending on the purpose. Possible problems are indicated in the notes.
Applications, depending on the required version of Android, were tested on ONYX BOOX e-books with Android versions 4.4 and 6.0 (depending on the requirements of the application). Before installing the application, the user needs to make sure that the application is compatible with the version of Android under which his e-book is running.
The application description contains the following information:
- name (exactly as it appears in the Google Play store; even if it contains spelling errors);
- developer (sometimes applications with the same name can be released by different developers);
- purpose of the application;
- required version of Android;
- a link to this application in the Google Play store (for a more detailed acquaintance with the application and reviews; you cannot download the APK installation file there);
- a link to download the installation APK file of the application from an alternative source (there may be more recent, but not verified versions);
- link to the finished APK file, tested in MacCenter;
- a note indicating possible features of the application;
- some screenshots of the running application.
List of tested app categories:
1. Office applications
2. bookstores
3. Alternative apps for reading books
4. Alternative dictionaries
5. Notes, diaries, planners
6. Games
7. Cloud storage
8. Players
9. Optional - list of free libraries with OPDS catalogs
In today's part of the material, the category "Office applications" will be considered.
Office applications
List of tested office applications:
1.Microsoft Word
2.Microsoft Excel
3.Microsoft PowerPoint
4. Polaris Office - Word, Docs, Sheets, Slide, PDF
5. Polaris Viewer - PDF, Docs, Sheets, Slide Reader
6. Office Suite + PDF Editor
7. Thinkfree Office viewer
8.PDF Viewer & Reader
9. Open Office Viewer
10. Foxit Mobile PDF - Edit and Convert
Now - forward on the list.
#1. Application name: Microsoft Word
Purpose: Office application.
Required Android version: >=4.4 (before 06.2019), after 06.2019 - 6.0 and higher
Link to ready
Link to application in
Link to
Note: Classic Word from Microsoft.
The appearance of the document may not exactly match the appearance on the computer.
The display scale can be adjusted with two fingers.
Animation ("zooming in" on text while editing) can be annoying.
Screenshots:
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#2. Application name: Microsoft Excel
Purpose: Office application.
Required Android version: >=4.4 (before 06.2019), after 06.2019 - 6.0 and higher
Link to ready
Link to application in
Link to
Note: Classic Excel from Microsoft.
The display scale on touch screens can be adjusted with two fingers.
Screenshots:
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#3. Application name: Microsoft PowerPoint
Purpose: Office application.
Required Android version: >=4.4 (before 06.2019), after 06.2019 - 6.0 and higher
Link to ready
Link to application in
Link to
Note: Microsoft's classic program for creating and editing presentations.
Not very suitable for work on readers due to the lack of color in the illustrations, but work is possible.
Screenshots:
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#4. Application name: Polaris Office - Word, Docs, Sheets, Slide, PDF
Developer: Infraware Inc.
Purpose: Office application.
Required Android version: >=4.1
Link to ready
Link to application in
Link to
Note: You can work without logging into your account by clicking on the phrase "Create an account later".
Works with various types of documents (listed in the title).
Users complain about intrusive ads (when connected to the Internet).
Screenshots:
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#5. Application name: Polaris Viewer - PDF, Docs, Sheets, Slide Reader
Developer: Infraware Inc.
Purpose: Office application (document viewing only).
Required Android version: >=4.1
Link to ready
Link to application in
Link to
Note: You can work without logging into your account by clicking on the phrase "Create an account later".
Works with various types of documents (listed in the title).
Users complain about intrusive ads (when connected to the Internet).
Screenshots:
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#6. Application name: Office Suite + PDF Editor
Developer: Mobi Systems
Purpose: Office application.
Required Android version: >=4.1
Link to ready
Link to application in
Link to
Note: PDF only works for viewing!
Obsessively offers to install a premium version and download paid fonts, but you can use it without it.
Screenshots:
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#7. Application name: thinkfree office viewer
Developer: Hancom Inc.
Purpose: Office application.
Required Android version: >=4.0
Link to ready
Link to application in
Link to
Note: Works on viewing documents in standard office formats, including PDF.
Screenshots:
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#8. Application name: PDF Viewer & Reader
Developer: easy inc.
Purpose: Office application for viewing PDF.
Required Android version: >=4.0
Link to ready
Link to application in
Link to
Note: PDF viewing only.
Screenshots:
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#9. Application name: Open Office Viewer
Developer: nTools
Purpose: Office application (viewing documents in Open Office formats).
Required Android version: >=4.4
Link to ready
Link to application in
Link to
Note: Works on viewing documents in Open Office formats (odt, ods, odp) and pdf.
Screenshots:
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#10. Application name: Foxit Mobile PDF - Edit and Convert
Developer: Foxit Software Inc.
Purpose: Office application for working with PDF.
Required Android version: >=4.1
Link to ready
Link to application in
Link to
Note: Working with PDF - viewing documents and filling out forms.
Screenshots:
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Based on the results of testing this group of applications, it should be noted as problems arising from the nature of e-books; and the problems of the applications themselves, regardless of the device on which they run.
The first problems include the lack of color reproduction, which can devalue the work with images (especially in Microsoft PowerPoint), and makes it difficult to work with diagrams.
The second problems include "advertising" names of applications that do not correspond to their real capabilities. For example, the phrase in the name "PDF - Edit and Convert" may actually mean only that in this application you can fill out any form compiled in PDF format.
To be continued!
Source: habr.com