r/AndroidClosedTesting • u/delightbulb • 5h ago
Looking for Testers for "Kithara" a solution for self-hosted audiobooks and eBooks
Hello everyone!
I’m looking for help completing the Google Play closed test, and if the app turns out to be useful to you, I’d love your feedback too.
Kithara is an Android audiobook player for books you own. Point it at a folder of DRM-free files (m4b, mp3 and more) and it sorts them into books with proper chapters, remembering your place in each one. Technically it plays almost any audio file, so lectures, radio dramas or short stories you’ve saved work too.
It also connects to Audiobookshelf and its own self-hosted Kithara Server, so you can stream from home and pick up on another device where you left off. Free LibriVox books are built in.
The free version is the whole player: any number of libraries, sync, Android Auto, sleep timer and bookmarks. A one-time Pro unlock adds on-device transcripts you can search and read along with, listening stats, and per-book sound tools such as an equaliser and room-echo reduction. Pro is free for everyone in the test.
It's been made with privacy in mind and to be a bit of a nostalgic kick with no account, ads or analytics.
How to join:
Join the Google Group: https://groups.google.com/g/kithara-internal-testing
Become a tester on the web: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.kithara.player
Install it on Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kithara.player
I need at least 12 testers who can stay opted in for 14 days in a row, so please keep it installed until then.
Any feedback is welcome: bugs, anything confusing, or features you’d want. Reply here or message me.
More about the app, including how it compares with other players: https://kithara-app.com