Xiaomi Inkpalm 5 E-reader ADB commands list.

This document contents instructions to:

1. Change language of Xiaomi Inkpalm 5 to English
2. Install an English Launcher
3. Change the Navigation Button
4. Change the timezone
5. Disable unneeded apps
6. Install Useful Apps like Kindle, Aurora Store, F-Droid
7. Pro Tips

More info and Resources

• Mobile Read Forum on Inkpalm 5
• Getting root on the device

Change Language to English

Install ADB

Download and install ADB for macOS/Linux/Windows from Android.com

Turn on ADB on device

Follow the given instructions carefully. If you don't understand Chinese, use the image translate feature from Google. I've marked the buttons in red, if you go through them as shown, it'll be easy.

1. Go to the settings page on the device.

2. Click on the device information page.

3. Keep tapping on the version number about 10 times until developer options is activated.

4. Go back to settings and navigate to device options.

5. If developer options are activated, you'll find a fourth menu there as shown. Select that menu.

6. Scroll down and go to USB debugging. Keep the option ticked.

Open ADB shell

Move back to your PC. Navigate to the installation location. Usually this directory would be C:\Program Files (x86)\Minimal ADB and Fastboot. Click on cmd-here. Once the command prompt opens, use the below command to check if the device is listed:

adb devices

If the MiReader is connected to the computer and all above steps are followed correctly, the serial number of the device will be shown. I would advice not connecting any other android device to the computer during the whole process.

DO NOT CLOSE THE ADB SHELL/COMMAND PROMPT.

Change the language

Skip this step if you don't want to change the language. It won't change 100% of the interface to English but a major section of the Xiaomi MiReader could be in changed to English.

Once the above step lists your device, and is back to normal command prompt, type the following:

adb shell am start -a android.settings.LOCALE_SETTINGS

On your device, the following screen will be shown:

1. Select the + button.

2. Choose English if that's what you want to set as language.

3.Select US as the option.

4. Drag the 🍔 icon next to English upwards, to make English the primary language.

5.Once you move the selected language up, the system begins to change the language, give it few seconds.

DO NOT CLOSE THE ADB SHELL/COMMAND PROMPT.

Now reboot the device by holding the power button. Voila! You have changed the Xiaomi MiReader to English!

Note that the home screen and main settings screen is not in English. Continue reading this guide for more on that. The quick tiles and internal settings menu should have changed. Something like this!

Install an English Launcher

The pre-installed launcher is not in English. In this step, we'll change the launcher.

• Download com.jkuester.unlauncher.apk from https://github.com/jkuester/unlauncher/releases/latest

adb install com.jkuester.unlauncher.apk

The original e-reader app in still there, it now appears as the "Moan" app on the launcher.

Change the Navigation button

The logo button defaults to 'back' for short press, and 'refresh' for long press. The button functions can be changed in the settings e.g. long press can be changed to 'home'.

Change the Timezone

The device is set to default timezone of China but you can change the timezone with the following command:

adb shell setprop persist.sys.timezone "Continent/City"

You'll find the exact timezone list here: Wikipedia_TZ_List

For example, I set my timezone with

adb shell setprop persist.sys.timezone "Europe/Amsterdam"

Disable Unneeded apps

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.duokan.einkreader                                                             
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.moan.appstore
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.zhangyue.read.iReader.eink                                                    
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 cn.wps.moffice_eng.lite  

Install Useful Apps

Kindle - a book reader and store from Amazon

• Download and install Amazon App Store APK
• Login to your Amazon account in the Amazon App store
• Launch the pre-installed Kindle App

F-Droid - an app store for free open source android software

• Download and install the F-Droid classic client
• Launch f-droid

Aurora Store - install Google Play applications

• Download and install the Aurora Store
• Launch Aurora Store

Pro Tips

Avoiding Slow Keyboard Entry

Entering text on the eink screen is a pain. Use this instead if you are connected via USB to a laptop:

adb shell input text TEXTTOENTER

Credits

This is a fork of the instructions from https://github.com/epodegrid/epd106-ADB