Use case for a (relatively simple) Zotero mobile app

leonardof

One of the best features of Zotero is its superb ability to add journal articles and other references to the users’ libraries directly from the Web browsers, through the connectors. Unfortunately, there are no connectors for mobile browsers, which account for a ever increasing share of Web usage. There is the bookmarklet, but it doesn’t let us pick a destination folder, besides not letting us opt out of snapshots or fulltext attachments.

IMHO, a Zotero mobile app could concentrate on providing a “share with” feature as well as a settings user interface (user account, preferences). I would have nothing against having the other Zotero features in a mobile app, except that Zotero Web already provides most of what could be reasonably done with a mobile app.

Does any of the existing third-party apps provide that?

bwiernik

You can use the Zotero bookmarklet to import from a mobile browser:
https://www.zotero.org/downloadbookmarklet

And you can use the Zotero.org web library to access your library from mobile.

Zotero is currently hiring a developer to build a Zotero iOS app, and there are several third-party Zotero apps available for Android (Zandy, Zotdroid).

leonardof

Thanks for answering.

About using the bookmarklet and Zotero Web: can you actually add an item to a folder in Zotero Web using a mobile phone? I looked again and couldn't find.

About the apps: Zandy hasn't been updated in 1½ year; do you know if still syncs with the Zotero servers? And do you know if any of the apps has a configurable "share with" / "send to"?

TIA

fcheslack

For the current mobile library, you need to enter editing mode while viewing the list of items. Then you can select one or more items and add them to collections.

A much improved web library for all screen sizes is not too far off now.

leonardof

Thanks, @fcheslack , I didn't realize I could enter in Edit mode before selecting an item!