I’m curious if there are any plans to develop an Android app version of EndNote that can read libraries created on PCs…?
I would be interested to know if this is the case as well, since I’m looking at purchasing a tablet. This will become my primary reading device.
Right now there are no specific plans for an Android app but we are open to suggestions. We are currently working on an iPad app that we will have ready later this year. Also, the web interface for EndNote [www.myendnoteweb.com] works just fine on tablet devices and most smartphones. Have you tried this?
So, my general questions would be:
What does EndNote Web not offer that would require an installed app?
What specific features would you like to see in an installed app?
How much would you expect to pay for a tablet version of EndNote?
Feel free to email me directly if you prefer.
Jason Rollins, the EndNote team
jason[dot]rollins[at]thomsonreuters[dot]com
Sorry for the very delayed response. I wanted to take some time to consider this.
I haven’t used the web interface for a while now. I guess, at first, I didn’t have a need for it and felt comfortable with the functionality of the computer program. However, it has been a long time since I first looked at the web interface, and perhaps it wasn’t as well developed at the time.
Nevertheless, I am leery of relying on the web interface, because the current laptop that I use to read and organize articles often is not connected to the Internet. I organize my articles when I am connected, but when I’m not connected, I wouldn’t have access to my library much of the time (once I start using an Android tablet). I don’t plan on purchasing a 3G plan and even if I did, it wouldn’t be of much use, because I’m often in federal gov’t buildings with no outside wireless connection (i.e. my cell phone doesn’t receive a signal).
In terms of features, given I’m not familiar with the app environment, I guess I’m not sure why the app would be any different from the current software. If I did not already own the current version of Endnote, I would be willing to pay the current price for the software (as long as it had the same set of features). However, seeing as I already own one version of the software, I would want to receive some type of substantial discount on the app version.
Hopefully, my response is somewhat helpful…
I would also like to add that I do not appear to be able to connect to www.myendnoteweb.com from my federal worksite office.
I have requested help from both Thomson Reuters and our own IT division to resolve this issue, but no one appears to be able to find a solution.
Typically slow UI development from the Endnote Thomson-Reuters.
Instead of focusing on Figures and other tangental plans they should be keeping up with interface improvements and mobile platforms because it’s such an obvious use of a bibligraphical database. The best solution would be an open library format so developers working on iOS and Android for the last few years could have been contributing. Instead of innovating Thomson-Reuters choose to ligitate to keep Zotero from stating that they can open Endnote ENL files and convert them to an open format. The case was dismissed, as described here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EndNote
Lets hope we’ll see an announcement about them getting started on Android development at some point soon. It’s only been out, what, three years? I hate to think with how long it took for them to create a PalmOS app…
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I imagine that the variety of devices using the Android interface would create problems for any development of an app, i.e. screen size. The standard format of IOS devices would be the easier option.
I can understand users wanting to read / annotate electronic copies of documents on a tablet device, but this can be done without a dedicated EndNote app, e.g.- using a copy of a document from your EndNote library and an existing app such as iAnnotate, and attaching the annotated document to your EndNote library?
Entering records manually to EndNote Web is tedious enough, without the complications of using a mobile app on a smart phone or similar.
-Greg
It’s true that there is more variety to Android screen sizes but doesn’t iOS have both iPhone and iPad screen sizes to contend with?
Regarding mobile use of the database, what would be very convenient is to simply let us view /edit an ENL file from a mobile device. That ENL file can synced periodically with a desktop version or through something like Dropbox.That way if you don’t have wifi broadband access at least you have a locally cached copy on your device.
I do this with other apps, such as Keepass (for storing passwords in an encrypted format) as described here
http://lifehacker.com/5063176/how-to-use-dropbox-as-the-ultimate-password-syncer
It’s super convenient to be able to make most edits on a real keyboard but have the synced copy on the device for reference and occasional edits. Granted my Keepass file is 27 kb while my Endnote ENL is currently 3000 kb.
Note that Keepass uses an open format so other app developers have been able to branch out and provide improved interfaces which is a central limitation with Endnote.
Hi
I use my laptop to log onto the library intranet to download a few pdfs then return to my desk where there is no university access.
If I could preselect the papers on my desktop - transfer them onto a download list in my phone and then to download them when I am next in range of the university wifi network that would completely transform the way I work.
Using a web interface on a mobile phone screen requires a lot of dexterity and excellent eyesight.
I’m very interested in a version for Android. I have an Asus Transformer with docking statin and am a researcher. I know of a few scientists like me who have the transformer but have to lug around another network (or laptop) that they can run EndNote on. Would be nice if a verion existed for us.
Thanks JasonR,
A bit disgusted by your reply. It seems you have the relationship of vender and customer back to front. We are not coming to EndNote cap in hand begging for favors. If EndNote ignore the FACT that android devices are now in the majority, and that customers want to be able to access and edit their bibliographic libraries wherever they are without constant-on broadband, then that’s what the customer wants.
If EndNote refuses to do this, (and is snobby about it at the same time), then customers will go elsewhere.
I for one am looking for an alternative and have found at least one already, in preference to EndNote. As soon as I find a satisfactory replacement (or compatible), I will lobby my organization to review its 1000+ license agreement to fit the best needs of their staff. If that’s not endnote, I really don’t care. If EndNote has a “why should I” approach to customer satisfaction, then hey - by by.
RobB
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Absolutely correct rabel111
If you find something that works on Android and does what Endnote does - let everyone know! I don’t know why endnote is prioritising ipad. The ipad is not very user friendly for an academic - no usb, for a start. If you’re doing research (I’m working on my PhD) you’re getting the asus transformer because of extra connectivity, more battery life and the killer keyboard dock. So if Thompson doesn’t do endnote for Android someone’s going to do an app that puts endnote out of business.
This is one of those moments in business - blink and you’ll lose your market dominance to someone who fills a gap you didn’t think mattered. I bought my tablet this afternoon and first thing I’m looking for is a way to organise my pdf’s on my tablet like endnote does on my PC. Endnote web is no good to me when I’m out of home/office and that’s when I’m going to use the tablet.
And yes, it’s something I would pay money for if my institution didn’t provide a license (which I bet they would if endnote made a reasonable deal available to them). I keep telling everyone how wonderful endnote is - hope I still can in the future.
Anyone looking for an endnote equivalent that works on android should check out Mendeley and either Scholarley or Droideley. Mendeley is not quite as good as endnote but is good enough, and the other two are third party programmes that implement Mendeley on Adnroid. At the moment there is a bug preventing them working properly but Mendeley is working on fixing it so check them out. Unless of course Endnote comes to the party…
Another option is Zotero (free software) and the associated (cheap) Zandy app.
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By way of update Mendeley got straight onto the problem and fixed it. So Scholarley (and probably Droideley) now gets your library from Mendeley and syncs it on your tablet just fine. These are an alternative to endnote that allows working with the same library on your desktop and on your tablet pretty seemlessly. I still prefer endnote, but if endnote is not interested in those of us who use android devices, then I have little alternative.
If you are reconsidering developing an Android app, please let us know.
This topic started in March 2011. It’s now October 2015 - that’s 4 years and 7 months later.
Just saying …