Featuring an e-ink display, Android eReaders are versatile devices that empower you to do more than just enjoy your favorite ebooks. They are capable of handling a wide range of tasks. However, you need the right set of apps to make the most of your eReader.
Fortunately, there is a vibrant ecosystem of open-source developers creating apps that not only care about your privacy and security but are also designed to shine on e-ink displays. Here are our handpicked open-source essentials that are either optimized for e-ink or have simple, no-nonsense themes that have no trouble with e-ink.
1
EinkBro
EinkBro is a no-nonsense web browser designed for e-ink devices. Its lightweight design and lack of unnecessary UI transitions and animations ensure a smooth experience on your eReader. The built-in high-contrast icons shine on e-ink screens, and the support for using the volume rocker for page up or down functions makes navigation a breeze.
You can also alternatively use the page up, page down, and back buttons on the toolbar for page navigation. Other helpful features include built-in support for full-page screenshots, saving or sharing webpages as PDFs, and search website function.
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2
KOReader
If you aren’t happy with the preloaded document or ebook viewer on your Android eReader, the KOReader is an excellent alternative that’s widely loved. It can handle a wide array of file types, including PDF, EPUB, MOBI, CBZ, and FB2.
One of the highlights of KOReader is the PDF Reflow function, which makes reading PDFs on a small e-ink screen more comfortable. The app optimizes the PDFs to make them more tolerable on smaller displays, ensuring a pleasant reading experience.
Other e-ink specific features include adjustable text contrast, page-based menus, and options for screen refresh modes. Moreover, you get intuitive navigation with support for configurable tap zones.
The app can work with third-party services, such as Calibre and Wallabag, and supports a host of third-party plugins.
Another open-source ebook viewer that deserves mention is Lithium. Unlike KOReader, it’s primarily focused on EPUB files.
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3
Wallabag
Need a space to store all your article links for a weekend or later reading? Wallabag is an excellent, e-ink friendly solution. This open-source read-it-later app can be hosted on your own server, or you can pay for Wallabag.it service to host it.
It supports importing your existing links from Pocket, Readability, InstaPaper, and Pinboard to keep everything in one place. Moreover, it extracts article content and presents everything in a cleaner view for distraction-free and e-ink friendly reading. However, if you encounter formatting issues, you can always visit the article webpage with the included link.
Another positive of Wallabag is its availability on all major platforms, including popular non-Android eReaders. It also works with many feed readers and document viewers, allowing you to save articles for later reading directly within them.
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4
Feeder
Feeder is an open-source RSS reader that’s not only fantastic to use on regular Android phones and tablets, but it also works seamlessly on e-ink devices, thanks to its clean and minimal UI. It operates locally on your device and doesn’t need any sort of account registration.
You can build your feed selection from scratch or use an OPML file to import your RSS feeds from another app. That said, manually adding a feed to Feeder isn’t the most intuitive as you need the full feed URL, which can be tricky. However, you can get help from online tools like RSS Finder.
Among other features, offline reading support and a built-in text view for distraction-free reading are available on Feeder.
5
Fossify File Manager
A good file explorer is a must-have for any Android device, and FOSS enthusiasts can’t do better than Fossify File Manager on e-ink devices. It’s a feature-rich file manager that supports UI color customization and even includes a black-and-white theme by default, making it easier to use on e-ink displays.
There is support for all the essentials you want in a good file manager, including file tools, compression support, built-in storage analysis to manage device space, and the ability to read root files, SD cards, and USB storage. You also get a built-in file editor to read, edit, or print documents directly within the app.
6
PlainApp
E-ink can sometimes make managing files, contacts, and more on an eReader slightly cumbersome. However, you can significantly improve the experience by doing all this on your computer with the help of the PlainApp. It’s an open-source app that allows you to manage any Android device through a web browser.
PlainApp is easy to use, and apart from file and contacts management, it supports screen mirroring, note-taking, media casting, app data backup, and more.
Your interaction with the app on the eReader will be minimal. Still, it has an e-ink friendly UI. The app also keeps everything private with an encrypted connection between your device and the web browser.
7
AntennaPod
Podcast lovers will appreciate AntennaPod, an open-source podcast manager and player for Android. It features a distraction-free design and a light theme, both of which work well on eReaders.
You get access to millions of free and paid podcasts from around the world and can use the app to subscribe to, download, and play them. You can either use AntennaPod to discover podcasts from scratch or import your existing library.
AntennaPod is feature-rich and supports adjustable playback speeds, automated podcast downloads, smart deletion, and a sleep timer.
Moreover, privacy is at the core of the app, and it lacks any kind of tracking or advertisement. However, you may still get ads in the podcasts themselves as those are included by podcast creators.
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8
AnkiDroid Flashcards
AnkiDroid Flashcards is the official Android app for Anki, a powerful flashcards program that uses spaced repetition to help you memorize facts, vocabulary, and concepts. The core idea behind the spaced repetition learning technique is to have you review information just before you’re about to forget it.
The app syncs with AnkiWeb and Anki desktop apps. So, you can create the flashcards on your computer and then review them on the eReader. You also get access to an extensive library of community-created flashcards that you can download for your learning.
The AnkiDroid interface is also clean and functional, and goes well with e-ink devices.
9
LocalSend
Whether you want to send ebooks to your eReader from your computer or vice versa, LocalSend is an excellent tool. It lets you seamlessly share everything from files to text between devices. All you need is to have both sender and receiver on the same wireless network, and file transfers are done in a matter of seconds.
The app records all your transfers in its history, which you can use to locate any misplaced files or clipboard items in the future. Additionally, everything happens locally on your Wi-Fi network, and the connection is encrypted, so your data remains secure.
LocalSend is easy to use and features a minimal design that you can tweak to make it look better on your Android eReader. There is also support for switching off animations.
Moreover, LocalSend is available on all popular platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
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As we’ve explored, there is an excellent selection of open-source apps that can enhance the capabilities of your Android eReader. If you’re looking for even more open-source options or have a niche need, F-Droid (and various F-Droid client apps, such as Neo Store and Droid-ify) are excellent sources for discovering new apps.