(Archived) Evernote on Android?

[perdurabo 7]

Is it in the cards? A maybe? A definite no? A probably not? Inquiring minds want to know!

[engberg 89]

When the Google Chrome browser came out, there were posts asking why we didn't support it within 6 hours. No fair asking whether we support things that aren't even released for another month. ;-)

[jbww 0]

Ok, how about now? The question is only, "is it under consideration?" The obvious answer from any growing business is of course, "Yes, we'll consder anything!" How about a general sense on the topic.

Is an Android Evernote app something the company wants to do?

[turbo2ltr 0]

+1

The one thing I will miss about my iPhone is the evernote app. Please consider android.

[jczelust 4]

If the powers that be are listening:

I too have moved on to Android and would LOVE to see your program on my phone. I have tried to adapt to Google Notebook and the interface just isn't as advanced as Evernote. So I too would like to voice my opinion in getting the Evernote App on Android.

Thanks for listening!

-Stefan

[engberg 89]

In the mean time, you could try using Evernote via IMAP or POP on the Android phone:

http://evernote.com/about/support/imap.php

You can also access via the mobile web UI (http://www.evernote.com/m), and you can email notes (text and/or images) into your account via the "incoming email address" on the Settings page of your account.

[AF6FB 3]

Please, Please, Please...I would really like a G1 app that supports offline viewing.

[arpnix 0]

I'd love to see an Evernote offline viewer on Android also!

[Mitch 5]

Here is another vote for an Android-Evernote app to run on the G1!

Thanks!

[zzelinski 0]

Yet another vote for Evernote on Android! Thanks!

[Mitch 5]

To Dave Enberg:

Dave,

I am hoping EN will produce an Android client. As you suggested I tried both the IMAP and mobile EN options. Although I was able to confirm during the setup process that the IMAP connections were properly working on my G1, I could not get it to download anything due to an unspecified connection error. I also tried the mobile EN and found that severely lacking. There is no support for tags/categories in the viewer or any ability to sort by date, etc. It is just a great big list of all notes.

If I am missing something here, please let me know. But because it looks like Android is going to be a big part of the mobile future, I hope EN will look to developing a EN app.

Thanks for all your efforts!

Mitch

[engberg 89]

Thanks for the feedback about the IMAP behavior on Android. This should work, so we'll try to figure out what's going on.

We haven't announced a release date for an Android client, but we're definitely interested in the platform.

Thanks

[opsonic 0]

Imap doesn't work on the G1 for what it's worth - bummer

see the following thread....

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=7987

[engberg 89]

thanks for the report about imap

[ThatAdamGuy 15]

I feel a little bad adding a hearty "me too, please!" but... not that bad

(just got a G1 on Friday, can't wait to see an Evernote app on it; I would indeed strongly consider upgrading to Premium for such an app, or pay for the app).

[gadgety 0]

I also just switched to the G1 from the iPhone. I would be interested in learning of any plans for application development, also!

I loved the app on the iPhone and can't wait to use one on the G1.

Meanwhile, I will check out the suggestion above regarding IMAP setup.

Thanks!

[theWeir 0]

Pllllllleeeeeeeaaaaaase put up with another request for an Evernote for Android app....

[mark1000 0]

+1, please. I just got a G1, and I want to use Evernote with it.

[canyon 0]

I also would love a Evernote client for android. Between now and then, it would really help if the mobile site wasn't set to such a small text area field for adding or editing a note.

[engberg 89]

Thanks for the feedback. The text fields shouldn't be tiny on the Android with the mobile web UI. We'll take a look at this.

[canyon 0]

Here is a screen shot of the CreateNote.action page.

[natv 9]

Has the Evernote web site stopped working on Android web browsers for anyone else?

It used to work fine, but now I don't see my list of Notebooks on the left, and in the middle it always shows "! Interrupted Close"

[engberg 89]

Try going to the mobile site directly: http://www.evernote.com/m

[natv 9]

ah thanks! Forgot about the /m for the mobile site, now I can find my notes

Still we need an Android App for greater functionality.

[canyon 0]

Thanks for fixing the mobile Add Note page.

It works great!!

[MyklK 1]

Oops,

Maybe I posted to the wrong thread. It was about collaboration and talked about an Android client.

I just wanted to say I got my G1 last weekend and searched high and low for an Evernote client. I'm still looking frantically.

(In the meantime I'll get by with the mobile web version, and I'll try to set up an IMAP e-mail client...)

Add my vote to the potential Android users.

Thanks,

Michael K

[lkview 0]

Another request for Evernote on my G1!

[jaybird77 0]

anyone hear anything new about an android app?

[DariusMDeV 1]

When the Google Chrome browser came out, there were posts asking why we didn't support it within 6 hours. No fair asking whether we support things that aren't even released for another month. ;-)

Yet you had a Palm Pre App within hours of launch, and Android users have been waiting nearly a year.....

[jczelust 4]

Yeah....I am a little disappointed myself. We clamor for an Evernote application for the Android but nothing and then the Palm Pre barely hits the market and all the sudden there's an app out ALREADY....

Do we need to riot or something?

[Frode 0]

I just switched from WM to Android, so +1 from me too.

[lkview 0]

After a year, I think the lack of action speaks louder than words anyway. What are suitable alternatives to Evernote for Android users?

[DariusMDeV 1]

Remember the Milk? I guess? It really is a kick in the balls.......

[Frode 0]

On a somewhat more diplomatic note, apart from a blog entry in March promising a native Android client would happen, I've seen no mention of it.

I realize an ETA isn't easily given, but could you at least tell us whether work on it has begun or if it's still just a blip on a road map?

[engberg 89]

We're very interested in the Android platform. As Andrew wrote in the blog:

http://blog.evernote.com/2009/03/03/eve ... b-android/

we spent a lot of time making the web experience better on the Android, and we do plan to have a native Android client in the future.

Thanks

[Frode 0]

Thanks for the prompt reply. That's the blog entry I was referring to.

You didn't really answer though. But I put your reply through the wooly-company-speak filter, and the most likely translation came out as "not started working on it yet, don't know when we will".

[engberg 89]

Not sure where you got that from. What I thought I said was: "We plan to release an Android client in the future."

Since we don't have an Android client finished and sitting in QA right now, we don't have any public external release dates. When we're ready to release, you'll be the first to know.

As usual, we don't like giving dates for future software, since we don't like looking like jerks when things don't work out as we planned. I.e. we'd rather get complaints for being vague than for being "liars" or breaking "promises", etc.

[Frode 0]

My question was whether work has started on it, or if it's still just a bullet point on a road map. A clear answer to that would not be an ETA.

[DariusMDeV 1]

The thing that bothers us is why did the Palm Pre app get the skip in line? Android was announced in February 2008. Palm Pre used a whole new OS, so it's not like you just needed to change the authentication and the iPhone app script and ship it. It means there was an effort and people were moved to learn the new Palm OS so that you could have a new app on launch, meanwhile Android users have been patiently waiting, just to see Palm get a new app on day 1. Not a single person should have been allowed to think about Palm until the Android app was out the door, because Android came first, and you announced that we'd have an app first.

[Frode 0]

I do wonder what the deal is. Their glossing over of the topic in the latest podcast just underlines what has become rather apparent. They don't want to talk about it. God knows why not.

Either way, it's pretty clear by now they're not actively working on the Android version yet (that's the only logical reason I can see for not acknowledging it if they were). It's a shame, but there's no real competition so all we can do is try to be patient. Eventually Evernote will do an Android version, or someone else will offer a similar service supporting the Android and we can move there. One or the other is bound to happen.

[DariusMDeV 1]

And now we don't even get a board....... Yeah, Android is just being buried by this company.

[jczelust 4]

A clear indicator of what is going on is what is NOT being said. And Frode, I think we can safely assume by the last staff response is that an Android App is being discussed but is not actively being pursued. It's an idea in someone's head that may or may not eventually come to fruition. It's like they are ENTERTAINING the idea...

Software development is a finicky business. Something about the Android platform has turned the team off or else it would have been pursued more aggressively. Right?

I think the upsetting thing is that the company is being so vague and cryptic. Just say:

"It's not actively being pursued at this time."

It's like you dangle a carrot that we will never stop chasing. And being that they appear not to have directed resources to the project, one can only be left to assume that ANDROID CUSTOMERS are not as valued as someone who bought the Palm Pre last week. It's a crappy feeling to have as a user...

[postromantic 0]

Have a look at this thread: viewtopic.php?f=43&t=10420

[ranjit 0]

Dear Evernote Team.

Your Platform seems to be just what I was looking for. Unfortunatly, the usability of Evernote is severely limited, as long as there is no client for my Android based phone. I would very much like a possibility to get notified when an Android app is available (like a mailinglist that only notifies waiting android users when the app is ready) . For now Evernote is not an option, I'm afraid.

[engberg 89]

For now, you can create notes in Evernote directly from your Android phone by making a contact using the "incoming email address" that you see on the Settings page of your web account. Then you can send text, pictures, and audio directly into Evernote from the mail client on your device.

You can browse and search your notes from the web browser:

http://blog.evernote.com/2009/03/03/eve ... b-android/

This allows you to do everything that native clients do on (e.g.) the BlackBerry. (The native clients are just a little more convenient.)

Thanks

[canyon 0]

Those of you who are convinced that they have no plans for an android client can now "shut it". The latest podcast (#7 http://blog.evernote.com/2009/06/30/evernote-podcast-7/ ) confirms that the android client is being developed (yes, by people) and will be released by the end of the year. Although it may be much sooner. They talked about hanging it on a major phone release and the next android phone may be as soon as Aug 5th. http://phandroid.com/2009/06/26/mytouch ... ugust-5th/

So I hope that the evernote devs know that not all android users had given up on them. Also if any of the evernote employees working on android are willing, I would love to have your twitter names so I can follow you.

Thanks!

Canyon R

[Goosey 0]

+1 for wanting an Android client. Hope the long wait will mean it is very good. I have faith it is coming..

[rand76 0]

I find it interesting that there was a palm pre client almost within a month of release but still no android client.

Exactly how does that work?

[Sebastian78 0]

I just ordered the HTC Hero and ditched the WiMo HTC Diamond.....

sFrom what I gather, there is clearly some shenanigans between Palm and Evernote, a business deal or silent agreement. Secondly, Evernote has a thorn in it's side because of Google. Either a) Google is working on a competing service, Google is demanding something from Evernote or c) "They" (whoever they are) are afraid of Google getting too much market on mobile phones and thus dragging their feet in everything Android.

I've not been an avid Evernote user, mainly because I was dissatisfied with the HTC Diamond. The Android platform has FINALLY (or secondly, after Apple) taken the user into consideration when making a phone. The Android seemed a perfect reason to finally start using Evernote to it's full extent.

The behavior in the responses from the company in this matter, is unprofessional and a little bit daft. It typical company BS where they can't be clear on anything, in risk of being told off for doing so. It's a shame the users have to force a company to make something against their will, because it creates an extremely low barrier for changing to a competing product/brand/service. Even 1- year graduates at marketing school knows this..

[engberg 89]

The CEO of the company gave a detailed explanation in the podcast of both our plans for Android and our reasons for finishing a release on Palm a few months before an Android release. At the risk of paraphrasing, he basically said that we get a huge number of new users if we are available at launch when a new device like the Palm comes out ... being one of 30 apps in the app store for a million-phone launch translates into a lot of new people finding out about Evernote and becoming Evernote users. This was worth rushing out a Palm release in time for their launch.

Since there haven't been any Android-based phone launches in nearly a year, we can take the time to do a good job on the Android with our limited resources, and hopefully get this out when it will result in a good wave of visibility and publicity in conjunction with some other Android-type occurrence.

Thanks for the patience

[canyon 0]

Dave,

I appreciate your speaking on this issue but I want to correct one minor point.

There was an Android phone launch TODAY!!!

http://phandroid.com/2009/08/05/t-mobil ... available/

Is this not the catalyst you have been waiting for to release the android app? I know that you are waiting on the publicity around a new launch but there is some effect on existing users that want to evangelize your product. Every time I talk about Evernote to someone I mention the lack of an android client as my #1 complaint. And every time I talk to some one about android I have to mention Evernote as an example of an App that the iPhone has but android doesn't.

It's obvious that if you were going to get any notice from the release of a new phone then the release today would have caused more media attention. I think you could release a "beta" or even "alpha" version of the android client, like you are with the new windows app, and gain a lot of good will from it.

Thanks

Canyon R

[engberg 89]

Thanks, I hadn't heard anything about the MyTouch. Anyway, the most important thing I think you want to hear is that we have active programming going on for the Android as we speak. We hope to release something that you'll like as soon as it's ready.

[Frode 0]

Since there haven't been any Android-based phone launches in nearly a year

I assume you only care about the US in this respect? Because many countries have only gotten the first wave of Android phones this summer.

[Sebastian78 0]

Since there haven't been any Android-based phone launches in nearly a year

I assume you only care about the US in this respect? Because many countries have only gotten the first wave of Android phones this summer.

In Norway, there are currently 4 Android phones for sale (three if you remove the G1 which is not "officially" for sale)

The way I see this issue on a larger scale, is that there is some fear in the mobile phone industry that Android (ie. Google) will get too much market muscle amongst the non-iphone user segment. They might be afraid of another Apple, controlling too much of what they do. In that extent, Google has a problem with the amount of market power they already have. As I have understood, they are being looked at for "mis-use" of said powe. It might even be that Samsung, LG, Motorola and the likes are using the "threat" of releasing Android based phones in a way to get a) better agreement with Microsoft or get Microsoft to increase the speed of Win Mobile development (they are so slow and so far behind at the moment). In this, Evernote is just a very small piece of the puzzle.

[Frode 0]

The reasoning behind that seems rather flawed. While Google did develop Android, and runs the market (as far as I know), I believe that's where it ends. Android itself is open source with a very liberal license, and thus not under Google's control.

Personally, that's precisely why I never bought an iPhone and instead waited for Android.

[Sebastian78 0]

The reasoning behind that seems rather flawed. While Google did develop Android, and runs the market (as far as I know), I believe that's where it ends. Android itself is open source with a very liberal license, and thus not under Google's control.

Personally, that's precisely why I never bought an iPhone and instead waited for Android.

I'm just throwing it out there.....but even if Google doesn't "control" Android in such an extent as Appple/iPhone, they have developed the software and there will be people not liking an external part such as Google seemingly being "in their phones". There is such thing as pride as well.

Another thing is Google is in perfect position to integrate their own functions (such as email and calender) into Android users. In that way, they are copying Apple's phone/web "integration" , but sidestepping the arcane and ridiculous controls implemented by Apple.

I've waited for Android as well, but am saddened by the fact that Evernote/Facebook/Tom Tom won't work on it (YET)

[Frode 0]

Based on what I've read, it's up to the handset manufacturers whether they wish to use a "pure" Android, or one that has Google services and applications pre-installed. So this is not Google's call, but the handsets.

Luckily there are enough manufacturers out there willing to embrace Android to ensure a fair selection of models, even if the giants like Nokia refuses to adopt it.

[canyon 0]

We hope to release something that you'll like as soon as it's ready.

I am excited to know that you are under active development. Does this mean you won't be waiting for an android announcement to release it? I worry because the next android phones aren't slated for release until October.

Thanks

Canyon

[engberg 89]

I don't have any release dates, but we'll release it when the coding is done, the QA is done, and we can get a little bit of PR around it instead of just silently shoving it into the bottom of the application catalog.

We may do some early-access Beta testing with our existing community if we can figure out an easy way to do this without sticking the Beta in the app store if QA feels this would be helpful.

Thanks

[Frode 0]

Just to inform: there's no need to use the Android Market to distribute it. I'm beta testing another Android app at the moment, and the way I install that is to head to a URL on their web site. So, while I can't tell you exactly how (but I'm guessing they just create a .apk file and point people to that), it's definitely possible.

[canyon 0]

We may do some early-access Beta testing with our existing community if we can figure out an easy way to do this without sticking the Beta in the app store if QA feels this would be helpful.

Thanks Dave.

I really look forward to this and I'm sure the community will be enthusiastic about helping, even in reporting bugs.

Canyon

[engberg 89]

Thanks, it's good to hear that you didn't find it too painful to directly install an .apk file on your phone (without going through the Market). We didn't want to force beta testers to install the Android SDK just to use a command-line tool to install via USB.

You all will be the first to hear about any Android beta testing we do ...

Thanks

[Dirky 0]

Whilst beta testing the Android Brightkite client, they used both URL and a QR code on website, which you can scan with something like

Barcode Scanner free from the android market. You just point the phone camera at the QR code on your monitor, scan and it directs you to the download, worked well.

Anyway, I'm very excited about a release for android. I search daily on search.twitter.com in the hope one day that you will release the client. You can be sure of a lot of publicity when you do release anyway!

Thanks

Mike

[tylerl 0]

At the risk of paraphrasing, he basically said that we get a huge number of new users if we are available at launch when a new device like the Palm comes out ... being one of 30 apps in the app store for a million-phone launch translates into a lot of new people finding out about Evernote and becoming Evernote users. This was worth rushing out a Palm release in time for their launch.

Yeah... how'd that work out for you? Front row seats to the biggest disappointment of the year. Palm can't even buy enthusiasm for their phone. You take developer resources away from working on a product for an active and vibrant community, ***** over actual customers, in order to get in bed with a partner who hasn't made a popular product in years.

I don't even know where to start...

Since there haven't been any Android-based phone launches in nearly a year, we can take the time to do a good job on the Android with our limited resources, and hopefully get this out when it will result in a good wave of visibility and publicity in conjunction with some other Android-type occurrence.

So, as has been pointed out, there HAVE been Android-based phones launching all throughout the year, with a significant uptick in announcements in the past month from multiple carriers both across the world and within the country. The app marketplace has finally reached a saturation point where new apps go completely unnoticed. Evernote had over a year to create a simple app using an API that has been public and solid since the phone's early beta stage. You could have easily won one of the top 10 spots in the developer challenge with this program, and pocketed an easy quarter-million dollars and a massive amount of publicity for your trouble.

And now we learn that the reason why you're arriving so late to the race is because you were using your limited resources to place a bet on a long shot?

I realize that business strategy can be a hard thing to make, but if you need help, honestly all you have to do is ask.

[engberg 89]

This isn't a matter of either-or, so no need to get up in arms ... like I said, we have someone working on the Android client as I type this sentence, and we all look forward to a great launch when that's done.

The Pre launch worked out very well for us, thanks for asking ;-) . We have far more Evernote users who joined us from the Pre than we've ever received from (e.g.) the Windows Mobile client, even though Windows Mobile has been available for over a year longer across far more total devices world-wide. It's counter-intuitive until you realize what percentage of the (roughly) one million people who bought a Pre will install our app and sign up for Evernote when we're one of only 30 applications available at launch.

We have several times more people joining us every day from the Pre than from the BlackBerry because of our relatively visibility in the Pre app store compared to the BlackBerry App World, even though there are an order of magnitude more BB devices in the world. Becoming application #5001 in the Android Market among #4500 random free applications and a handful of commercial apps will certainly be nice, but isn't going to drive a lot of new people to Evernote.

We're not charging any of you enough for us to waste money on Superbowl ads, so the visibility of our application to new users (without paid advertisements or kickbacks) makes a gigantic difference to us.

We're working as fast as we can with our limited resources on lots of different things that our community would like to see, and the Android is high on everyone's list.

I'm glad to hear that we'll have a good pool of people willing to be guinea pigs for any beta testing we do!

Thanks

[Frode 0]

Becoming application #5001 in the Android Market among #4500 random free applications and a handful of commercial apps will certainly be nice, but isn't going to drive a lot of new people to Evernote.

Just a comment on this. Unless you really fumble the quality of the Android client, the odds of Evernote making it to the featured list (the 10 or so apps shown at the top when entering the market) should be pretty good. That's a fair amount of visibility even for late comers.

Since the client will presumably be identical for premium and free, you don't risk running into problems with all the countries where the commercial part of market has yet to be launched either (only free apps available where live, which is a royal pain, since not many bother making their own activation scheme for their apps so they can sell directly).

[engberg 89]

Yes, you're definitely right that it's all about being featured, visible, promoted, etc.

The week where we were featured on the BlackBerry App World was a very good week ... slightly better than the same week on the Pre. (Once we were rotated out of the "featured" list, this dropped by a factor of 8-10.) Being a "staff pick" or "featured" on the iPhone means we need to run out and install some new server hardware...

Thanks

[Dirky 0]

Yes, you're definitely right that it's all about being featured, visible, promoted, etc.

The week where we were featured on the BlackBerry App World was a very good week ... slightly better than the same week on the Pre. (Once we were rotated out of the "featured" list, this dropped by a factor of 8-10.) Being a "staff pick" or "featured" on the iPhone means we need to run out and install some new server hardware...

Thanks

Better get some more servers ready then, from what I have seen you won't have much trouble getting to the featured 'row' in the Android Market within a few days of release

[Sebastian78 0]

I don't have any release dates, but we'll release it when the coding is done, the QA is done, and we can get a little bit of PR around it instead of just silently shoving it into the bottom of the application catalog.

We may do some early-access Beta testing with our existing community if we can figure out an easy way to do this without sticking the Beta in the app store if QA feels this would be helpful.

Thanks

QA done, why didn't you say so. What we need, is information! It "calms" the mind and prepares one for the wait

[Sebastian78 0]

Handset maket HTC has sold more than 1 million of its Android-powered Magic handsets worldwide since its launch in late April, said CEO Peter Chou at an assembly recently, Chinese daily DigiTimes reported.

Nuff said

[engberg 89]

Android Beta1 available for testing:

viewtopic.php?f=51&t=11257

[canyon 0]

This is great. Thank you so much.