Flexible reading layout
Read captured pages and PDFs in a mobile-friendly layout with adjustable typography, spacing, and Natural or Academic reading modes.
Android closed test // open source // BYOK AI
Read comfortably. Catch what matters.
Brrk is an open-source Android reading companion for people who read in order to think, learn, and write. Turn paper books and PDFs into a flexible mobile reading desk, mark passages like fusen notes, and catch unfamiliar words before they slip away.
- Open source
- No ads / no analytics / no telemetry
- Bring your own Mistral API key
- Android closed test
Record 01
Reading is easier when the page fits your mind.
When you read to write something of your own, the app should not get in the way. Lines should breathe, pages should reflow, and the important places should be easy to mark.
Brrk turns paper pages and PDFs into a flexible reading space with local notes, tags, and vocabulary lookup. OCR and Markdown are the tools underneath; the goal is better reading, clearer thinking, and easier return to the passages that sparked an idea.
Built for active reading
Paper and PDF into one reader
Capture paper pages or import PDFs, then review them in the same focused reader instead of fighting with fixed pages on a phone.
Fusen-style notes
Select a passage, attach a note and tags, and keep small markers beside the reading flow so you can return to your own thoughts later.
Manual cleanup when needed
OCR output can be edited by hand, so a valuable page can become readable instead of staying trapped in a noisy scan.
Catch words while reading
Look up selected English words or short Japanese terms with sentence context, then keep vocabulary encounters connected to the page where you found them.
Local-first, open-source, BYOK
No Brrk account or developer-owned AI backend. Your reading records stay local, the source is public, and AI features use your own API key.
Record 03
Help Brrk reach Google Play.
Google Play requires a closed test before production release. I’m looking for Android testers who can join the closed test through Google Groups and keep it active for 14 days.
You can help even if you only join the Google Group, install the app, check the UI, and stay opted in. Feedback is appreciated, but not required.
Tester access is managed with Google Groups: brrk-closed-test@googlegroups.com. No Google questionnaire is required.
Record 04
Local-first, with explicit AI requests.
Brrk does not operate a developer-owned OCR or AI backend. It has no Brrk account system, no ads, no analytics, and no telemetry.
- OCR and vocabulary lookup use the user’s own Mistral API key.
- When OCR is used, selected images or PDFs are sent to Mistral API.
- When vocabulary lookup is used, the selected word or term and its sentence context may be sent to Mistral API.
- The Mistral API key is stored locally using Android secure storage.
- Brrk does not send your documents or API key to the Brrk developer.
Record 05
Repository
github.com/ragman53/brrk
Source code, issues, releases, and beta notes
Open source matters for a reading app.
Reading apps handle personal material. Brrk’s source code is inspectable so users can review the data-flow model, check how Mistral requests are made, and file issues or suggestions in public.