Is there an Android App in development?

[danbking]

I have just now figured out another way to work this. I’m running this currently on my Fairphone 5.
You’ll have to buy another Scrivener license, if it works for you, but that’s fine for me. But until you get it running, you can just use the trial version to see.

On Android, download the Windows version of Scrivener from the Literature and Latte website. Leave it in your downloads folder.

I’ve used Winlator from here https://winlator.org/ This sets up a Windows environment for you (Windows 7 flags a warning from Scrivener, but it still works).

Inside of Winlator, hit the + button. Name it whatever (I used Scrivener). Then just click the “Play” button beside that container.

Once it boots up, click on the Start button > System Tools > Installers > Wine Mono. Install the Wine Mono and wait until it’s finished.

Once that is finished, go to the file explorer. Click on the D: volume < this will be your Downloads folder from Android. Double click on the Scrivener-installer.exe file. Be patient. Don’t double-click 4 or 5 times waiting for it to launch. Trust me. Run through the installer as you normally would.

Important step! Once you’ve finished installing, and BEFORE you run Scrivener for the first time, go into the C: drive > Prorgram Files > Scrivener 3. In this folder, you need to delete the “texttospeech” folder. If you do not do this, then it will always hang on start up saying “Loading Fonts” and never move past this.

Now that you’ve deleted the texttospeech folder, double click on your Scrivener icon and you’re ready to go!

A side note: If you’re using a bluetooth keyboard, before you start Scrivener for the first time, connect to your keyboard, go into the hamburger menu at the top left of the Winlator screen. > Input Controls

Click the + on the right side of the screen and name that BTKeyboard or something like that, then hit OK.

Now, at the bottom of that menu, you should see your keyboard under the “External Controllers”. Unfortunately, you’ll have to map each individual key to the keyboard. “Type ‘a’, then from the dropdown menu, choose “A” for this button”. Type each letter, and then map that letter to the proper letter you want. It’s slow, but it works after this.

After you’ve done this, when you’re inside of Winlator, hit the “Back” in Android (the < arrow at the bottom. I don’t have gestures on my phone, but it should be the same thing to bring up the Winlator menu from within the container running) On the right side, you’ll see the “Input Controls” option. Tap that. Choose your “BTKeyboard” or whatever you named it, and you should be able to use your keyboard now! I’m still waiting to sync this one, because I’m looking for a way to sync with Nextcloud, rather than any other service.

Another note!!! Scrivener syncing is quite finicky. If you’re now using your A) Computer and B) Android + Winlator to sync to the same account, then you need to make sure that you close down Scrivener on either computer completely before you open a Scrivener project on the other. Otherwise, this could show the Scrivener project file as corrupt on one, and then corrupt the other as well.

I hope that this helps someone else to get this going on their phones! Enjoy!

[kewms]

Discussion of Scrivdroid moved to a more appropriate location.

[jep4]

It’s been several years and it just hasn’t developed on Android - and it makes me sad. I love the software, use it all the time on Windows and would love to also use it on my Android tablet. I certainly understand that it takes time - and maybe there just isn’t enough demand. I certainly can’t see buying an Apple tablet for just Scrivener software…

[RuffPub]

If you don’t want an Apple tablet for just Scrivener, then buy the iPad tablet for Scrivener, an app that can’t be mentioned (there’s info on the blog), Pixelmator pro, Numbers, Pages, secure web browsing, and many more all designed for an OS that is tablet centered (and secure).

The average user installs anywhere between 30 and 300 apps.

All said (SLIGHTLY) tongue-in-cheek.

[pigfender]

As a complete aside: I actually can’t remember the last time I actually saw someone use an Android tablet — it may even have been over 10 years ago. iPads, on the other hand, I see used “in the wild” many times a day.

I must admit, though, that I wouldn’t personally consider any of those apps (including Scrivener) a good enough reason to buy an iPad. Tablets for me will always be (no matter how capable they become) primarily consumption devices with a side-gig in some creation bits for when you don’t want to carry a laptop. Frankly, if you’ve got room to carry a tablet, you’ve got room to carry a laptop.

[AmberV]

Then on the other hand, I haven’t seen anyone using an iPad for about ten years, too. Furthermore I’m always a little surprised when I see anyone still using a tablet at all, it’s a dead tech where I live. When I do see one, it’s certainly not Apple. The only place where I encounter people trying to use a portable television (on that point we entirely agree) as a writing tool is on this forum! It’s always a little bizarre, like being reminded that people drink soda.

On the other hand, I think phones are pretty nice for taking notes in some situations. As I’ve posted many other times before, I prefer a pen and notebook for any actual on the go writing, but if I just have a quick idea and am walking somewhere, it’s easier to tap it out for later. And phones? Apple stuff is rare to see.

[yaoyaozijing]

Tablets have been selling quite well in China.

At the university I graduated from, while not literally everyone owns one, the penetration rate is roughly 60% to 80%.

Students use tablets as their primary tools. Many rely on them to read and write academic papers, and some even use them for CAD work. To keep up with this trend, many tablet manufacturers have added Linux compatibility layers to Android, making it easier to run more professional software and promoting this as a key selling point.

In addition, Huawei tablets hold a significant market share in China. Huawei has previously migrated its tablets from Android to its self-developed HarmonyOS, and has ported frameworks such as Electron and Qt5. This enables support for more desktop applications, including the Modified VS Code and IDEs from JetBrains, allowing users to develop apps directly on the tablet for the tablet itself.

In comparison, the iPad appears somewhat slower in its development toward productivity.

Tablets are increasingly evolving toward the direction of 2-in-1 laptops, with detachable keyboards, rather than being positioned as large-screen smartphones.

[pigfender]

@AmberV

Then on the other hand, I haven’t seen anyone using an iPad for about ten years, too.

Trains, planes and to a lesser extent coffee shops… although I agree the volume has dropped quite a bit since the introduction of “max” phones.

@AmberV

The only place where I encounter people trying to use a portable television (on that point we entirely agree) as a writing tool is on this forum!

The ipad has become a status symbol in my office, as a sign you’ve moved beyond the need to do anything as mundane as open a spreadsheet or word processor.

@AmberV

It’s always a little bizarre, like being reminded that people drink soda.

We do. It has bubbles. Yay!

@AmberV

As I’ve posted many other times before, I prefer a pen and notebook for any actual on the go writing, but if I just have a quick idea and am walking somewhere, it’s easier to tap it out for later.

Nothing will ever replace the nice notepad and fountain pen combo as my primary carry, but if I have any intention of digital writing on the go I will have my laptop with me. The most important spec (for me) on any writing device will always be the keyboard quality.

@AmberV

And phones? Apple stuff is rare to see.

Interesting. It’s the opposite for me. I see so few android phones, even working for an organisation that only issues android phones as company devices.

[jep4]

LOL - I think we can all agree that there are tons of tablets out there (whether you see them or not, they’re selling in the US) and they’re mostly iPad & Android, with a few Windows. People work on all types of devices - and go with a particular device or OS for many different reasons. Most people aren’t going to buy a iOS device just so that they can use Scrivener - especially if they already have an alternate device. I personally have a powerful Samsung Android tablet with cellular that I’d love to run Scrivener on. It’s extremely convenient for travel situations and as comfortable as a laptop for typing. I’m just sayin’…

[kewms]

FWIW, I use my iPad constantly. Primarily for reading and notetaking, though I very much enjoy the iPad’s Scrivener Corkboard. With an external keyboard, it’s more than capable for writing, emails, and other “light” computing when I’m traveling.

At the time I bought it, the iPad + keyboard combo was lighter than a MacBook. I don’t know if that’s still true, but I’d still prefer the iPad because of the detachable keyboard.

[Shell]

I see iPads all the time in all kinds of contexts (cafes, libraries, workplaces, all over Edinburgh). I am seeing a lot of small laptops too these days (lots of Macbook Neos! The physical Apple Store here sold a load)

I’d say maybe… 75% of everything else is other Macbooks of some sort (Pro or Air), and then other tablets/laptops.

[Shell]

My wife and daughter both have iPad Pro and iPhones, and that’s it. No laptops. All schoolwork/work is done on these.

EDIT:

Couple of clarifications:

Every child in Edinburgh is supplied an iPad to use throughout their education.
My wife works for a school, where she has a HP laptop: but everything there is Windows/MS

[RuffPub]

@AmberV

I haven’t seen anyone using an iPad for about ten years,

Obviously have never been around any of our extended family or friends.

@AmberV

Apple stuff is rare to see

Hmmm, people are playing tricks with you…

[RuffPub]

@AmberV

I prefer a pen and notebook for any actual on the go writing

A dead loser for me - I can’t read my own writing 90% of the time. Should have been a Dr.

[AmberV]

Well, my point was more that these kinds of anecdotal observations are very regional, and often of other sub-cultural matters as well (education, class, etc.). What you see around you isn’t what I see around me, which of course doesn’t make of any of us wrong.

[yaoyaozijing]

The iPad Pro is more expensive than the MacBook Air. It’s hard for users who buy the iPad Pro not to try using it to complete tasks that used to require a PC, such as writing.

[Shell]

It all “depends” these days. An entry level iPad is as powerful as a Macbook of a few years ago. Meanwhile I am typing this message on a Macbook Neo (£600), which has the processor of an iPhone 16 Pro in it and it 20% faster than my work Macbook Pro (£4000) from a 4 years ago at some tasks.

I mostly see a mix of Macbooks, iPads and Windows laptops in the various writing groups I’m in, but rarely anything Android/Linux (there are some though!).

[AmberV]

@Shell

An entry level iPad is as powerful as a Macbook of a few years ago.

That comes with a very heavy and unstated qualification! You are solely talking about the hardware, which is a kind of abstract thing to talk about when speaking on how useful a device is for a particular very high level task such as “writing”.

For me, I just don’t find the system itself, and by extension the software for it (which must be limited by the system) to be of any (yes, any) use productively. I’ll check the weather with it, catch up on the news, prop it up in the kitchen with a recipe on-screen—it’s great for all that kind of stuff. For anything else, for me, it is too limited and frustrating to be useful. Even very basic things like positioning the cursor, just make me give up—but I’m the sort of user that doesn’t understand the concept of a “computer” that can’t even open a shell window or let you write your own automation using standard programming languages right on the device.

I mostly see a mix of Macbooks, iPads and Windows laptops in the various writing groups I’m in, but rarely anything Android/Linux (there are some though!).

Again though, I do not commonly see devices like Apple hardware where I live. I don’t think either statement is terribly useful to this thread, which is what I’ve been trying to say gently, above.

Since that isn’t working, I’ll just say it bluntly: if one’s purpose in being in an Android thread is to talk about Apple products, or to imply that Android products are not as relevant, then simply close the thread and find something else to talk about.

[Shell]

@AmberV

Since that isn’t working, I’ll just say it bluntly: if one’s purpose in being in an Android thread is to talk about Apple products, or to imply that Android products are not as relevant, then simply close the thread and find something else to talk about.

Not my purpose! The demands of different platforms interest me (as it’s part of my day job). Heck, wish there were a web version of Scrivener. But point taken and… I’ll shut up now!