Windows Notepad on Android

[John Robertson]

There are many Android text editors. Hundreds it seems.
I just want one that is most like a Windows text editor.

Notepad on Windows saves the text files in a standard text format.
Notepad will automatically edit any text file when you click on it.
Notepad will save that text file anywhere you want it to be saved.
Notepad will allow you to name that text file any name you want.
Notepad has a simple graphical interface for basic file edits.

I just want the same thing but on Android.

Most text editors on Android seem to save only in their own location.
They seem to save the files only inside the editor GUI.
They seem to save those files in a proprietary format of some kind.

I just want a basic text editor like the Notepad text editor on Windows.
Can you suggest an Android text editor that acts like Notepad does?
--
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

[John Robertson]

The first apps I'm testing I found only from search engines
using a search for the "best Android Notepad text editors"

4.6 Writer Plus (Write on the Go)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.easy4u.writer

4.5 Notepad (Dmitry Korotkov)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.korosoft.simplenotepad.android

4.4 Notepad (Anton Lashkov)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onto.notepad

4.3 Simple (Notepad Mightyfrog.org)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.mightyfrog.android.simplenotepad

Anyone have experience with those?

[VanguardLH]

I just use the QuickMemo+ app that came pre-bundled on my smartphone.
This is a bundled app that comes from LG, the maker of my phone, not the
QuickMemo+ app offered at the Google Play store. The bundled text
editor on my phone is freeware, not adware as are most the apps found at
Google's Play store. There are some non-adware (freeware) apps at their
store, but they are rare. Your *unidentified* phone didn't come bundled
with a text editor?

If you are looking more for word processor features, Microsoft's Word
app (and Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook apps) are free. No, they are
not full-blown desktop programs, but they do most, if not all, of the
functions used by desktop program MS Office users. Plus, with OneDrive
(also free) and an MS account, the docs can be online to be accessible
outside just the phone, like editing them using the webapps UI at MS, or
to edit using MS Office (or other similar office suites that handle the
same file formats) on your desktop PC by using OneDrive.

[kelown]

Unlike your list, mine requires an intuitive search/replace function.
Listed in order of preference (all Google Play store links):

Text Edit
https://t.ly/EaeV (no ads, linkifies email, url, phone#)

TEXTed
https://t.ly/Upn7 (ads)

Text Editor
https://t.ly/DYO6 (ads, linkifies email, url, phone#)

QuickEdit Text Editor
https://t.ly/oZvs (ads)

Notepad
https://t.ly/V7DJ (no ads, no Settings menu)

[John Robertson]

On 2021/05/25 12:17 pm, kelown wrote:
> Unlike your list, mine requires an intuitive search/replace function.
> Listed in order of preference (all Google Play store links):

Search/replace is good. :/

I don't do it all that much on Android but if it doesn't overly
complicate the user interface it's a nice thing to have.

>
> Text Edit
> https://t.ly/EaeV (no ads, linkifies email, url, phone#)

Looks nice.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.spectralsoft.textedit

I installed it (version 1.5) even though it is targeted for SDK 7
and as a result it complained it was built for older versions of Android.

I may have missed this one because it's rated a 3.3 and I had only
downloaded the text edit apps for testing which were a point above that.

>
> TEXTed
> https://t.ly/Upn7 (ads)
>
> Text Editor
> https://t.ly/DYO6 (ads, linkifies email, url, phone#)
>
> QuickEdit Text Editor
> https://t.ly/oZvs (ads)

Bringing along ads for something as simple as a text editor is kind of like
the clown climbing into bed with you long after the birthday party is over.

>
> Notepad
> https://t.ly/V7DJ (no ads, no Settings menu)

Also looks nice. And seems like a new app (only 650 downloads).
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pallob.loop.com.notepad

I installed it (version 1.0) as its target SDK is 26 even as it's rated
at 4.0 which was below my original cutoff point (there were few reviews).

I think with this set of a half dozen seemingly good Notepad editors I'm ok.
4.6 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.easy4u.writer
4.5 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.korosoft.simplenotepad.android
4.4 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onto.notepad
4.3 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.mightyfrog.android.simplenotepad
4.0 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pallob.loop.com.notepad
3.3 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.spectralsoft.textedit

There are so many apps named "Text Edit" with similar icons that
I'll need to change the icon or names just to keep them straight. :-/

[kelown]

>> Text Edit
>> https://t.ly/EaeV (no ads, linkifies email, url, phone#)
>
> Looks nice.
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.spectralsoft.textedit
>
> I installed it (version 1.5) even though it is targeted for SDK 7 and as
> a result it complained it was built for older versions of Android.

It installed without issue on my Android 8.1.

> Bringing along ads for something as simple as a text editor is kind of like
> the clown climbing into bed with you long after the birthday party is over.

I use an ad-blocker so ads don't bother me.

>> Notepad
>> https://t.ly/V7DJ (no ads, no Settings menu)
>
> Also looks nice. And seems like a new app (only 650 downloads).
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pallob.loop.com.notepad
>
> I installed it (version 1.0) as its target SDK is 26 even as it's rated
> at 4.0 which was below my original cutoff point (there were few reviews).

If the interface screenshots look promising I prefer to trial install
the app to test things for myself. A text editor will quickly let you
know whether it's right for you.

[kelown]

> If you are looking more for word processor features, Microsoft's Word
> app (and Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook apps) are free.

I just found that Android MS Office won't open files unless there's an
Internet connection. It also won't edit doc, txt or xls unless you first
save them as docx or xlsx.

[John Doe]

Notepad is clumsy for editing text. I use "rich text format" (RTF) for text
files in Windows.

Seems the build-in (Android 11) text editor "Keep Notes" works well for taking
notes like for a "to buy" and a "to do" list. No ads. It automatically saves
when you close it. Also, you can easily rearrange the notes files by long
pressing. That's all I need. Not concerned about saving files to a specific
location on a smartphone. This realm is not for managing data. The device does
that.

[Frank Slootweg]

FWIW, for me the (Android) Microsoft 'Office' app *does* open files
without an Internet connection (i.e. in Airplane mode) and I can open a
.txt file and enter Edit mode (didn't try actual editing).

Perhaps that is because I don't have Office connected to an account,
i.e. on the 'Me' page it says 'Connect account'. (I have a Microsoft
Account, but do not use it on my Android devices.)

[Cameo]

On 5/25/2021 7:48 AM, VanguardLH wrote:
> John Robertson <sp...@flippers.com> wrote:
>
>> The first apps I'm testing I found only from search engines
>> using a search for the "best Android Notepad text editors"
>>
>> 4.6 Writer Plus (Write on the Go)
>> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.easy4u.writer
>>
>> 4.5 Notepad (Dmitry Korotkov)
>> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.korosoft.simplenotepad.android
>>
>> 4.4 Notepad (Anton Lashkov)
>> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onto.notepad
>>
>> 4.3 Simple (Notepad Mightyfrog.org)
>> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.mightyfrog.android.simplenotepad
>>
>> Anyone have experience with those?
>
> I just use the QuickMemo+ app that came pre-bundled on my smartphone.
> This is a bundled app that comes from LG, the maker of my phone, not the
> QuickMemo+ app offered at the Google Play store. The bundled text
> editor on my phone is freeware, not adware as are most the apps found at
> Google's Play store. There are some non-adware (freeware) apps at their
> store, but they are rare. Your *unidentified* phone didn't come bundled
> with a text editor?

I also have an LG phone (G6) but somehow I missed that QuickMemo app.
Thanks for reminding. BTW, I just read somewhere that LG is getting out
of the phone business. Too bad, because I really like this phone, even
if it is pretty dated by now. I actually like LG as a brand more than
Samsung.

[VanguardLH]

Cameo <ca...@unreal.invalid> wrote:

> I just read somewhere that LG is getting out of the phone business.
> Too bad, because I really like this phone, even if it is pretty dated
> by now. I actually like LG as a brand more than Samsung.

I kept my V20, because the V30 removed the "second screen" (where you
can add more shortcuts to apps). I can add a couple more to the nav bar
at the bottom, but that won't encompass all the most common apps that I
use, and, like the nav bar, the second screen shows on every "home"
screen, so those shortcuts are always available. Alas, because LG, like
many other non-Google phone makers, won't update the OS when they
discontinue support on a phone model, I'm still back on Android 8.0.0.

https://www.rcrwireless.com/20210405/devices/lg-exits-the-mobile-phone-market

Oh well, I'll have to look elsewhere for my next unlocked smartphone;
however, I won't be getting rid of my old one until 4G gets dropped.
That cellular carriers (at the behest of the FCC to reallocate bands)
dropped 2G is the only reason why my old Motorola Razr flip phone, a
Kyocera, and a couple others, became unusable. I don't want to always
carry around my expensive smartphone just to make calls, like when doing
construction or yardwork, or under any situation where the phone would
be far more at risk of physical damage.

I'll keep my 4G phone until it gets killed whenever 4G LTE gets dropped.
I didn't get suckered into the fallacies of 5G.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bobodonnell/2020/02/03/the-top-5-fallacies-about-5g/

By the time 5G gets dropped, FG will be the new marketing scheme and
technologoy (4G, 5G, 6G, 7G, FG). Of course, each successor just must
kill off the old phones, so makers can up the prices on new models.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349392966_4G_5G_6G_7G_and_Future_Mobile_Technologies