Device Compatability

[kovs]

Hello,

Why not have the office suite available to all ChromeOS devices? My Lenovo Chromebook Duet has the option to download this, but my Google Pixel Slate doesn't? What gives? Please support the Google Pixel Slate and you will have a subscriber please!!!!

[SuperTech]

Thanks for your post but Google Pixel Slate is Intel processor based which is currently not supported.

[yowlingcat]

I can't help thinking you have shot yourselves in the foot on this one, I don't understand why it is limited to just one type of processor as Android uses different processors.

Same problem - with joy I downloaded TM for my Lenovo last night, I was seriously thinking of standardising on this software, this morning went to try it on my Pixel Slate or Pixelbook Go, and of course it won't work.

FWIW, the latest version looks really good.

[martin-k]

There is practically no Android device without an ARM processor. What you are thinking of is Chromebooks which just happen to run Android apps.

On Chromebooks using an ARM CPU, SoftMaker Office for Android runs fine.

On Chromebooks using an Intel CPU, use SoftMaker Office for Linux: https://www.softmaker.com/en/blog/bytes ... chromebook

[yowlingcat]

Chromebooks now represent quite a big market for Android apps - Linux is too complicated for the likes of me who just want ease of use without bothering with the command line. Plus it means buying two licences - one for Linux and one for Android as I have several Chromebooks. Plus I suppose in theory a licence for Windows too.

Having looked a bit more at TM on my Lenovo, it seems to be a really good app and I wish it success.

YC

[yowlingcat]

OK so I got it working in Linux, I can try it for 30 days.

How do I open a file in Google Drive?

YC

[yowlingcat]

Just answered my own question - in the Files app, you can "Share with Linux".

The problem with Linux is always why they insist on such a strange interface: looking for a folder under "mnt/chromeos" is not exactly intuitive.

I think I prefer the cleaner interface of the Android version.

YC

[carandol]

Softmaker Office 2021 for Android was working fine on my Acer Chromebook (with an Intel processor). I even gave it a 5 star review on Google Play back in June. Now, when I try to run it (same Chromebook), It says it was designed for devices with Arm processors, and mine doesn't have one - then it shuts down. And yes, I know it's possible to run it in Linux, but it's a lot more fiddly messing about with shared folders, and takes up a lot more space on the drive. What went wrong? Is this a temporary move, or should I go back and rewrite my review?

[jas2001]

I have the same problem with Intel based Lenovo 500e Chromebook. My device is under parental control via Google Family Link, and I can install apps only from Google Play Store.

[rcentros]

Softmaker Office 2021 for Android was working fine on my Acer Chromebook (with an Intel processor). I even gave it a 5 star review on Google Play back in June. Now, when I try to run it (same Chromebook), It says it was designed for devices with Arm processors, and mine doesn't have one - then it shuts down. And yes, I know it's possible to run it in Linux, but it's a lot more fiddly messing about with shared folders, and takes up a lot more space on the drive. What went wrong? Is this a temporary move, or should I go back and rewrite my review?

Softmaker Office 2021 for Android. I'm testing it on five Intel (the one is AMD) Chromebooks. Works on three of them, doesn't work on two. I get the same error you NOW get on the two that don't work. Seems like it might have something to do with /storage/emulated/0... And I do run Linux, but Chromebooks with only 16 GBs of storage aren't good candidates for Crostini (Linux), but they would work fantastic with TextMaker for Android. The fact that it did run on your Acer Chromebook adds to the weirdness. I get the idea TextMaker CAN run on Intel CPUs but it has to be tweaked. Otherwise, why aren't we blocked from downloading TextMaker?

[SuperTech]

SoftMaker Office for Android is not compatible with Intel-based Chromebooks. It tries to detect this when it starts, and then refuses to run. If you have one where this detection fails, this is a small miracle, but you are on your own then.

We have blocked all Intel- and AMD-based Chromebooks on Google Play. If yours still offers our apps in Google Play, then the list is not complete.

On Intel-based Chromebooks, we recommend the Linux version: How to run SoftMaker Office on a Chromebook

[rcentros]

SoftMaker Office for Android is not compatible with Intel-based Chromebooks. It tries to detect this when it starts, and then refuses to run. If you have one where this detection fails, this is a small miracle, but you are on your own then.

We have blocked all Intel- and AMD-based Chromebooks on Google Play. If yours still offers our apps in Google Play, then the list is not complete.

Except TextMaker for Android IS running on three Intel-based Chromebooks I'm currently testing. Not just installing but running. The Android emulation on the Chromebook must be able to overcome the ARM/Intel divide. I'm confused as to why you would block Chromebooks from using your product when they work?

The two other Chromebooks I'm testing will install TextMaker, but they give incompatibility error (not an ARM CPU). So all five of the Chromebooks I'm testing will install TextMaker.

On Intel-based Chromebooks, we recommend the Linux version: How to run SoftMaker Office on a Chromebook

I understand the Linux solution. But a lot of people either have limited memory Chromebooks (as mentioned in my previous post) or they don't feel equipped to handle the Linux setup. And, let's face it, Crostini on Chromebooks seems to be regularly broken with updates. (I can work around these issues, but I've been using Linux for 15 years.)

I think what you should be researching is why some Intel/AMD CPUs work with your SoftMaker Office for Android. Since many (if not most) Chromebooks now come with Intel/AMD CPUs it seems supporting Intel CPU would increase your business quite a lot — unless you've made the marketing decision to exclude Intel-based CPUs, so you can sell the Linux version.

[SuperTech]

Thanks for your suggestion. I have forwarded this to our product management...

[ohlavache]

Hello.
I'm thinking to buy a Lenovo Ideapad Duet which runs over ChromeOS.
The processor is a MediaTek Helio P60T. It has 4 Go RAM and 128 Go hard drive.
I'd like to know whether I'll have to go with SoftMaker for Androïd or for Linux.
Thanks.

[martin-k]

This is an ARM CPU, so it would be the Android version.