Writing on android
April 1, 2011 11:26 AM   Subscribe

What options for word processors are there for Android tablets? How well do they work? Would a keyboard attachment make one equivalent to working on a netbook?
posted by Artw to Computers & Internet (11 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Maybe one of these? Good luck.
posted by entropicamericana at 11:59 AM on April 1, 2011 [2 favorites]


I imagine it may work differently on different tablets, but my Archos 43 with a compact USB keyboard plugged into it has completely replaced my netbook for me.

I just use Google Docs in a browser as my word processor (Firefox, Opera, Dolphin, Android default browser should all work).
posted by quarterframer at 12:02 PM on April 1, 2011


Response by poster: That's a thought, though I should add that I would prefer being able to work offline.
posted by Artw at 12:05 PM on April 1, 2011


Epistle works out fairly well if you don't mind not having formatting. The Dropbox sync still lets you work offline, but backs you up when you're connected.
posted by ConstantineXVI at 12:09 PM on April 1, 2011


This is probably obvious, but don't forget you won't have a trackpad even if you attach a keyboard. So you will find your hands moving back and forth from the screen to the keyboard in a way that they wouldn't with a netbook. If a lot of your editing is normally done with the mouse, it's something to consider.
posted by wyzewoman at 12:49 PM on April 1, 2011


I've been using ThinkFree Office, but mainly as a spreadsheet viewer. It has been great though, and I prefer it to Quickoffice.
posted by utsutsu at 2:20 PM on April 1, 2011


Dropbox, google docs, and Evernote have been my best friends so far. I like effortless sync between my devices. Bluetooth keyboard and you're in pretty good shape, not so sure about USB unless your tablet has a dock.

There are some good programs out there (search for 'office' in that link from entropicamericana), but I tend to just dump text and then polish it later when I'm on a real computer so I can't speak from experience. When I take the plunge, I'm planning on grabbing Documents To Go though. Well recommended on the dev forums.
posted by envygreen at 2:24 PM on April 1, 2011


On the hardware side, look at the upcoming EeePad from Asus. They will have two versions, the Transformer (docking and folding keyboard) or the Slider (keyboard slides underneath). So far, tech specs look very good, and price potentially around $399 for tablet alone, $500-$550 with keyboard dock. Other dock benefits: Battery life jumps from 9 to 16 hours, adds SD card slot, and USB ports. No solid release date yet, but should be soon.
posted by shinynewnick at 7:31 AM on April 2, 2011


Also, the Transformer keyboard dock has a trackpad, made to work with the custom Asus UI over Android Honeycomb, though I'm not quite sure how yet.
posted by shinynewnick at 7:33 AM on April 2, 2011


Response by poster: Yes, that's the one I'm eyeing.
posted by Artw at 7:48 AM on April 2, 2011


Me too, I am anxious to see it. If you get one, post back here!
posted by shinynewnick at 11:18 PM on April 2, 2011


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