Android Usenet Clients : Mobile Newsgroup Readers

The market for Android mobile devices and apps continues to explode.  With over 130 million total devices and six billion total app downloads.  According to Google the Android market is growing at a pace of 550,000 new activations a day.  What does that have to do with Usenet?  Everything.  As with other technologies users want access to newsgroups from their mobile devices.  Whether browsing on a Samsung Galaxy Tab or HTC EVO 4G we all want access to our favorite online services.  From anywhere and at anytime.  Usenet is no exception.

We’ve had the opportunity to test several mobile newsreaders this year.  Our favorite so far is EZ Global Search, an iOS app for Easynews.  On the Android side you have some cool apps including EZ Usenet and EasyBrowser.  Both of which are also for Easynews.  In addition to SABMobile for SABnzbd.  Just as the newsreader market has become so competitive lately there’s also a lot of opportunity for mobile apps.  Both for iOS and Android devices.  With the ability for Usenet users to access content on the go.

We look forward to tracking the progress of the current Android Usenet apps and new projects.  If you are a developer working on a mobile Usenet app please let us know once released.  As we’ll be happy to take a look at the client and share it with our readers.  You can contact us @NewsgroupRevs.  Stay tuned later this week as we’ll be bringing you some creative ways to access popular newsreaders from your Android and iOS devices.

Easynews EasyBrowser Android Mobile App

Yesterday we covered EZ Global Search which is Easynews 3rd party iPhone / iPad app.  Today we’re looking at the first of two Android apps for Easynews.  The EasyBrowser app allows Easynews members to search and download newsgroup content directly from their Android phone or tablet.

A free ad-supported version of EasyBrowser is available via the Android Market.  You will need Easynews web access to make use of EasyBrowser on your Android phone / tablet.  If you’re not already a member you can sign up for a 14 day free trial.

We haven’t had a chance to test EasyBrowser yet but look forward to doing so in the weeks ahead.  As we recently ordered an Android tablet.  In the meantime here is a breakdown of the EasyBrowser app features:

– Free – Ad supported (Paid version, no ads, coming)
– Different views for Audio, Video, and Images
– Can cancel long running search (Just hit back)
– Cached search results (to increase navigation performance, and limit bandwidth use)
– Cached images (to increase view performance, and limit bandwidth use)
– Username/Password saved
– Download Manager for background downloading
– Ability to cancel downloads
– Tap (right/left) in detail view to move to next/previous item
– Open Menu in search result to load next/previous page
– Clear caches button in preferences
– Search results contain total results and current page/total pages
– Long press on item gives contextual options (download, view, add to zip manager)
– Launch ZipManager url from Application
– Preferences show the download location (read only)
– Add to ZipManager (auto queue only)
– Load saved searches from Easynews

Tomorrow we will be looking at the features of EZ Usenet, another 3rd party Android app for Easynews.  In the weeks ahead we’ll be sharing our impressions of both apps.

A free ad-supported version of EasyBrowser is available via the Android Market.  You will need Easynews web access to make use of EasyBrowser on your Android phone / tablet.  If you’re not already a member you can sign up for a 14 day free trial.